New beginnings

Our journey begins...South Lyon to Chennai....
A late arrival into Chennai Wednesday 23rd December .... the humidity hits us and the unfamiliar warm smell of a foreign place as we walk through to the terminal. I am immediately struck by how old, dirty and run down the terminal building is ... what a contrast to the pristine US terminals. Baggage claim is a chaotic swarm of Indian faces scrambling for their belongings. The intrigue we are causing is quite amusing to me as people look on at us...white faces and blond children. Walking through to the outside we are greeted by a paparazzi style crowd...walking towards our driver John Peter every eye is upon us...feels weird to stand out so much. The shoe is on the other foot over here, we are the foreigners by the colour of 'our' skins. I like that....feels enlightening.
Our driver greets us with flower leis and lots of smiles. Getting into two cars is comical as our luggage is piled high on top of one of the vehicles totally unsecured by anything (we have 13 suitcases!).... Ashley suggests some rope which is a good job since the road is full of holes and bumps and we would have without doubt lost a few suitcases on the 45 minute journey to the hotel! Just prior to entering the car a man walks up to me whilst I am holding Charlotte and snaps a photograph with his cell phone...then Emily yells out that she can see some stray dogs wondering around.....people are everywhere and the sound of horns beeping is quite thrilling... the whole experience is surreal at 4.30am after a 35 hour journey!