Day 118: First Impressions

Thursday, December 31

This is Devin, coming to you live from India. Elizabeth has asked me to blog for the next few days, mostly because she can. It is true that when I arrived she scared the devil out of me by jumping out of the closet in the dark. I’d just gotten into the room and was waiting for my bags, I was tired from the long flights and had walked from a lighted hallway into a room that was black, except for a few candles. Seeing the candles lit, I knew she was in the hotel somewhere, because they were tee light candles, so they wouldn’t have lasted very long. But I figured she had gone down to greet me and we’d missed each other on the elevators… Alas, she was in hiding trying to send me to an early grave.

After some sleep (I won’t bore you with the details of unpacking, etc…J) we awoke on this, the last day of 2009, with the intention of seeing the sights of New Delhi. However, we soon discovered that some of Elizabeth’s co-workers had decided to go around the schedule and head out to party without telling anyone, effectively stranding us at the hotel. I didn’t think this was so bad, after all the Marriott is a nice brand and this hotel is so new it still shines!

Together we enjoyed a meal downstairs, where I met Matthew, the GM of the hotel. He is a very nice man and took some time to get to know me, suggesting we see Delhi together if time allows. Then Elizabeth gave me a tour of the hotel. The pool is awesome and has a natural overflow which turns into a waterfall. It is very neat. However, while 60 degrees is not cold compared to Kansas and the foot of snow, it is too cold for me to venture out in my swim suit!

In the evening Elizabeth and I rode to work so that I could meet the crew. I won’t pretend to say I understood most of their names, but they were all very nice. Traffic wasn’t nearly as bad as my wife has made it out to be, although she said that I’ll know what she means at some point!
We returned to the hotel and had a nice dinner. The hotel had a New Year Buffet which was fabulous! Some of the best tasting treats my mouth has ever enjoyed. There was lobster ravioli, some excellent grilled fish, lamb which just melted in my mouth… I could go on, but for your sake I won’t. After dinner we went up to the hotel club, which was playing music. Being New Year’s Eve we decided to be customary and have a drink to toast the last decade. Now, for those of you who tend to be more prudish when looking at the lives of your pastors and families, I do mean “A” drink. Unless water counts, too, in which case I had more like 5 drinks!

After welcoming 2010, it was off to bed, which I will say the second night was not as comfortable as the first!

With Love,

Devin, on behalf of Eli
Countdown to Devin leaving: 7 days…