From Dehli again

Après la douceur relative de climat et de mœurs de Katmandu, nous revoici depuis hier dans la fournaise grouillante de Delhi. Il ne nous a fallu qu'une heure et demi de vol pour rentrer-(plus 4 heures de procédures d'embarquement et de contrôle de sécurité à KTD—merde au voyage aérien, c'est vraiment pour quand on ne peut faire autrement, merde!)-- et aujourd'hui, le thermomètre a frôlé les 40 degrés. C'est du jamais vu même a Dehli à la fin mars. Et le monde pond encore des gosses pour laper les dernières gouttes d'eau croupie qui resteront ! Ahahaha. Je suis bien content parfois qu'il n'y aura pas que les animaux qui crèveront. Bon.

After the relatively temperate climes and sweeter human ways at KTD, we returned yesterday to the sizzling hassle of Delhi. It took us only 1 1/2 hour to fly here from Ktd. (Plus a good 4 hours for checking-in, immigration procedure and multiple security checks at the airport. I really hate more and more traveling by plane. I wish I could avoid it altogether.) Today, the temperature went as high as 40 c. in the middle of the afternoon. "Never seen in Delhi in March" according to the locals. Meanwhile, the human breeding goes on like never, giving birth to myriads of hominids that will fight tooth and nail to lap the last drops of potable water on the planet. Sometimes,  I even like the idea. At least, the animals won't be the only ones to die off.

Aujourd'hui, Reiko et moi avons fait du tourisme-tourisme à Delhi. Nous avons visite les monuments "a ne pas manquer" : le Fort Rouge,  Qutad-Minar, la tombe de (j'ai oublie le nom...) le Taj-Mahal local... etc. Le tout en "tuk-tuk" ou rickshaw à moteur. Nous en avons pris plein les poumons de fumées d'échappement... comme il se doit. Vivement l'air pur et vivifiant de Paris!!! Mais cela ne fait rien. C'est l'Inde. On le sait bien qu'on n'est pas en Suisse.

Today, Reiko and I did some classical sightseeing in Delhi. We visited places such as the Red Fort, Qutab-Minar, the tomb of some Mogul king whose name I forgot, but that looks like the Taj-Mahal... We used the "tuk-tuk" or motor rickshaw all day. We inhaled exhaust fumes all day also, as is befitting to all Indian city dwellers. But it does not matter. This is India, not Switzerland. Switzerland would be boring to us.....

Donc, le voyage tire à sa fin. Nous repartirons après demain au petit matin. Je suis sur qu'après avoir râlé sur pas mal de choses ici  (comme après l'absence de cafés sur les trottoirs--il n'y a pas a dire, une culture qui a invente les terrasses de café possède une supériorité certaines sur les autres !!! (...) Ici, a part les restos sur les toits prises par les "gringos" --mais c'est un truc récent en Inde-- si tu veux t'asseoir pour siroter ton "Chai" ce sera sur un tabouret rouille ou une caisse éventrée dans une arrière boutique sans aération. De même pour la bouffe. Pendant des millénaires, ces gens-la ont ignore que l'on pouvait s'asseoir pour manger, à peine le droit de s'accroupir, sauf chez les maharadjas. Comme si le petit peuple n'en était pas digne!) Donc, après avoir râlé par-ci par la,  disais-je, je regretterai encore de ne pas y être reste plus longtemps. Surtout, nous voudrions voir un peu plus du Népal ou nous sommes finalement à peine reste 6 jours. C'est bête de ne pas avoir pris 2 ou 3 semaines de plus tant que nous y étions. Nous n'avons pas d'employeur qui nous attend. Juste notre chat, et encore. Il parait qu'il est comme un coq en pate dans sa famille d'adoption. Nous ne lui manquons pas.

Our trip is coming to an end. We will leave India the day after tomorrow at dawn. As always, I have been pissed many times, pissed about many little things here--besides the "big" ones like religion--let's say things like not being able to find a correct sidewalk cafe to enjoy my "chai"... Because except for the rooftop restaurants in the "gringo" areas of towns --which are in fact new in India, just a foreigners' craze. For the locals, the only way they'd found to enjoy their "chai" in the middle of the afternoon was, at best, sitting on a greasy stool or a rusty crate in the backroom of their shop.... The same for grub. For centuries, these folks seemed to ignore that you could sit comfortably to eat, except in the Maharajas' palaces, as if the populace's ass wasn't worth the comfort and the enjoyment!!! I am telling you my friends: a culture that invented the sidewalk cafe (Was it the French or the Italians?) has an evident superiority on all the others. All Hare Krishna and Ommanipadmeoms ain't worth shit next to that! -- but anyway, I will miss the region. I'll regret not to have taken a few more weeks while we were at it and that no "boss" is expecting us back. Except for our cat. More especially, we would like to see more of Nepal. 

Enfin, j'ai reçu ça aujourd'hui et comme c'est gentil pour moi, je vous en fais part. A ceux qui lisent l'anglais. Pas de traduc.  I got this in my mail today from one of you. Thanks for the nice words and encouragement!

"Imagine my disappointment when I was no longer receiving news from/about you on my main address site. Then to my amazement, I went to this site where I hardly ever collect my mail here because my girlfriend Kelly and I are going to drop our People.pc accounts soon.  So, I decided to see what "junk mail" was in this account when to my surprise a larger treasure than I had ever expected was waiting for me here. I have your whole account to this day of your journeys with Reiko. I am very happy to have these accounts of your travels because they are filled with such wonderful vivid descriptions of your experiences. I just had my 50th birthday and although I was sick in bed most of the day due to some flu bug, I can now look back on your account of what you've been up to for that day and enjoy your take on the world according to Michel and Reiko. Thank you for having me on your mailing list, I can't tell you what it means to me to get these messages. It seems that I have come to enjoy living vicariously through your explorations, and they mean a lot to me.  Sad fact is, I'd like to be doing what you are doing, but have entrapped myself in the work ethic and wage slave mentality of Amerika. I don't know how much longer my girlfriend Kelly will hold onto this server, but do note that my main address is still (....) Whatever is convenient for you my friend, any word from you is better than none at all. Continue having wonderful experiences in your travels. Our love to both of you from both of us."