We have arrived!

We are here! A 31/2 hour flight to LA - our luggage arrived and we very quickly checked it through to Hyderabad. Had some quiet time in the LAX lounge and then boarded our 15 1/2 hour flight to Dubai.
Yikes.... never ever have been on a flight for that long. We tried every way to Sunday to find some comfortable positions to try and catch an hour here and there for sleep. To the credit of Emirates Airlines - the flight was very smooth but in economy class - there was no comfortable position to be had on this full flight.
We arrived in Dubai, slightly behind schedule and only enough time to find the terminal and the gate and get on the flight to Hyderabad. A very full flight. A jam packed flight and we were at the back of the bus. I had to keep my head in Breanne's shoulder in order to not be overcome with the "scents" of fellow passengers and the incredible noise level of very vocal passengers and the numerous babies and children. I was actually in tears for much of the 3 hour flight. Over tired and over-whelmed indeed.
When we arrived at the Hyderabad airport we were directed to the health screening area of the airport where we had to fill out detailed paper work of our health status and submit to a temperature reading before we were allowed throught to collect our luggage.
We finally got through the doors at 4:30 am on Wednesday and managed to find our driver from the Marriott hotel amongst the 2000 people lined up to meet the arriving passengers.
As we travelled though the streets in the wee hours of the morning, we were struck with the un-ending traffic and honking and bikes and three wheeled taxi's and trucks and people!!
I have to admit, I had a few thoughts of " I hope this driver really is from the Marriott hotel" and when he stopped on the side of some dark road , I thought "oh boy - we are going to get robbed and dumped!" He was adjusting our luggage that was threatening his steering wheel.
Sleep deprived paranoia stting in.......... We finally recognized our hotel but came to an abrupt stop outside the gates. Kathie says "oh is this where we get out?" and I was told to stay in the car. The car doors were opened by 8 security guards, two dogs and two guards with very big rifles. We were checked out and checked in at 5:30 am. We made it to our room and the first thing we noticed was the smell. I said "curry Breanne said "Vancouver Acquarium - the turtle and lizard room" ..... ah the smells of India.....
We had a few hours of exhausted sleep and then explored our hotel. We loved it! It really was everything the web site said it was and more. We are treated like royalty and every wish is our command! We had been warned that as good as the lake view sounded - don't do it. It is summer and it is noisey and smelly. So we chose the city view. Once I figure out how to post the pictures, I will share them. We opened our curtains and our "city view" consists of a broken down temple, squatter shacks and a very crude cemetary that has seen better days.
Obviously "city view" is relative and a much needed revelation to us. We are in India.
Our first day of teaching started today and that is another post.