Description

India will teach you patience. It moves at its own pace - unhurried, casual. Everything here takes a bit longer than you want it to. Or at least, longer than I want it to.

But to be fair, I’ve never been known for my patience. 

I hired a car to take us from Jaipur to Delhi today. The 186-mile journey took over six hours. Our driver seemed to be fond of stopping along the way.

Before we even left Jaipur city limits, we drove in circles searching for an international ATM. I have no idea what took so long to find one - there was one ten minutes from the Airbnb. After a 45-minute search, we finally found the elusive HBSC ATM and were on our way.

Not too far out of Jaipur, the driver decided he needed a coffee and a smoke, pulling over at a roadside stall. What began as a quick coffee run turned into a leisurely hang, complete with snacks and coffee served in earthenware. That burned up the better part of an hour - longer than I would have liked, but it’s all part of the journey.

Our next stop was at the gas station, where a line 7 cars deep was waiting for fuel. While waiting, a street vendor approached, selling decals for the car. The driver was all in, and the vendor's team began slapping on plastic piping around the windows - even as we were filling up. As we were trying to leave, the driver and the vendor launched into a heated debate in Hindi - no doubt about the payment. I thought we'd never get out of there, but patience has never been my strong suit.

There were a few other incidental stops along the way - more smoking, a trip to the tax collector, a second tax collector (because there was a problem with the first one), and a few toll stations.

The driving was leisurely as well. Far from the mad rush of the city, there was no chaotic traffic here, yet the driver never broke 60 kph, which in American terms is less than 40 - a slow crawl. But no one seemed to mind - or even notice, except for me. And I didn't mind; I've come to accept that in India, you simply don't rush. It's probably better that way.

What's all the rushing around for anyway? 

On a side note, I've developed quite the craving for the street-side tea - delicious. There's something divine about it. Could it be the sacred milk? 

Absolutely. The milk made from indigenous cows is believed to promote health and vitality. And I think it tastes better than milk from non- sacred cows.

Cows are everywhere here - meandering through the streets, standing on the sidewalks, and resting in the medians. They're revered. In Hinduism, they are associated with Krishna. They are gentle maternal energy. Kumar told me you can skin one alive, and it will sit there in silent acquiescence. How does he know that? Has anyone ever skinned a live cow in India? No one here would think to eat one - that's taboo.

But their milk is special, used in religious rituals, daily life, and your cup of tea. So, while enjoying your street tea, know it is seeped with sacred cow milk and holy tradition.

Photos