Monsoon. Humidity  is 100% and I sweat at all times, doing anything. I walk up the stairs to my 3rd floor room, and sweat from places that did not have sweat glands until I came to this place. There are a thousand different scams and I only get around OK when someone uses one I already know.Then, it is easy. The name of the game is friendliness. And to be rude in response, or short with my temper, is to risk further harassment. Obsequiousness, false friendship, are tools employed. To prevaricate is the rule. It is hard, being a man used to taking someone at their word, to learn suddenly that this is not the rule with foreigners of my particular stripe.

Its strange to discover that naivete in me, but I have, and hope it serves me well, at least so long as I stay here. Delhi I hear is different from much of the country, but I am glad to have started here, where the learning curve is steep, so that what comes later I am prepared for.