Something Indians have become famous for between Erin and I is asking for just five minutes of our time. "Five minutes" to an Indian we now firmly believe is something closer to an hour in real time. Sometimes the five minutes is spent looking at their products - a unique shopping experience where you are strongly encouraged to sit as every employee working there begins taking out, unfolding and laying out every scarf, or every tapestry, or every whatever you showed a hint of interest in. The strategy is a good one as more often than not SOMETHING will catch our eye before we successfully insist they stop pulling out their inventory.
Other times the five minutes is spent drinking chai - the Tim's of India which is a sort of milky tea that nearly tastes like hot chocolate if you imagine hard enough. It is polite and good manners to accept chai when offered (which is often) and drink it with your offerer. Indians readily admit themselves that they have a strange petpeeve about this. Over a cup conversation is light and typically covers where you are from, how you like India, if you are married etc. Indians love to get to know strangers, especially foreigners.
In anycase we've learned the "five-minute rule" of India and have become weary of it when in a rush. Currently we are on our way to Goa and its beautiful white sand beaches where we will spend our last days in India before heading for Vietnam. We spent a couple days on a camel in the desert this week, we'll upload some pics and tell you about it a little later. Suffice to say it was quite an adventure. Thanks to all those who weighed in on the salt and pepper debate! Seems deadlocked at 4-4 for now. Bye for now!
Other times the five minutes is spent drinking chai - the Tim's of India which is a sort of milky tea that nearly tastes like hot chocolate if you imagine hard enough. It is polite and good manners to accept chai when offered (which is often) and drink it with your offerer. Indians readily admit themselves that they have a strange petpeeve about this. Over a cup conversation is light and typically covers where you are from, how you like India, if you are married etc. Indians love to get to know strangers, especially foreigners.
In anycase we've learned the "five-minute rule" of India and have become weary of it when in a rush. Currently we are on our way to Goa and its beautiful white sand beaches where we will spend our last days in India before heading for Vietnam. We spent a couple days on a camel in the desert this week, we'll upload some pics and tell you about it a little later. Suffice to say it was quite an adventure. Thanks to all those who weighed in on the salt and pepper debate! Seems deadlocked at 4-4 for now. Bye for now!
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