I'm back in the USA, somewhat the worse for wear. After dodging the infamous "Delhi belly" for nearly two weeks, it hit me just as we boarded Delta 17 for New York and I've been in a stupor ever since.
Worse yet, when I went to the doctor Saturday, Visa had blocked my credit card because I'd used it once at a Mumbai hotel, and of course I had no American money. Half an hour on the phone to Commerce Bank (mostly listening to on-hold messages) fixed that, but I was not happy to be standing there with a 102+ fever.
Driving back from the airport was a strange experience. The roads were nearly empty, like you might see on Christmas morning. The gas stations had 00.9 signs and darkened windows, signifying they were out of gas and closed.
I knew all the "news" about the financial crisis, of course, from watching BBC, CNN-IBN and CNBC India. But the fuel shortage thing was a shocker.