India Calling - Delhi

---

Day 18-19 –Farewell Delhi



Arrived in Delhi around lunch time and had pre-booked 2 rooms (cause couldn’t get family option) in the Radisson Blu (which we had used in other countries) that included breakfast and airport transfer in the rate and it had a good looking swimming pool. Instructions were to meet driver inside gate 2, after waiting for what seemed like ages we rang them and driver was <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">outside gate 2, sigh<em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. We had made it through 3 weeks with no Indian sim cards but luckily the hubby has a post-paid Australian mobile with roaming, which we had not used but it was great to be able to make that one phone call. Driver was nice and hotel wasn’t too far despite mad traffic. We were welcomed into the opulent marble foyer with sandalwood paste to the foreheads etc. back in real 5 star world. As I was checking in and asking about family rooms my girl whispers to me she sees a sign saying the pool is closed!!!



OMG not again. So I ask them what the alternatives are. They have a quick brainstorm and tell me the presidential suite is available for 30krps more for than my 2 booked rooms (which I take is not full presidential suite price!). In for a penny in for a pound. It had 2 bedrooms and they’d throw in access to a private garden for the kids. Also there was access to the R lounge with complimentary drinks & snacks all day (some confusion about what was actually available cause I took it to mean gin & tonic, but was only the case 6-8pm where there was hot appetizers too, think it was soft drinks pre then). We did go for quick refreshments there first before we were shown to our room.



Anyway that didn’t really matter as the presidential suite was gorgeous, starting with the entrance hall. It was a huge apartment with marble walls and glass display cabinets with tasteful art. It did indeed have 2 king bedrooms with beautiful marble ensuite full bathrooms. It also had a living room, dining room, kitchenette, guest w.c., sitting room and office! We have lived in smaller places. Also there was a huge private garden from which, ironically, we could see the swimming pool which was on day one of being drained. The kids went into tycoon mode and immediately took over the office and wrote out pay slips for us all. Then they turned the whole place into an imaginary school, the 5yo was the headmaster who kept us in line with a tree branch that can only be described as a switch (archaic meaning). When I say us I mean his sister & I, while dad watched a movie. At some point we all watched the (Simon Pegg) alien movie “Paul” and bit of my fave “Back to the future III”, but we had appetizers and drinks to get to and yummy (one of the dearer @ 1800rps) buffet dinner to fit in. Am happy to report that the kid’s dinner was free. We had a quick explore that evening and the spa looked lovely complete with yoga room but we were out of time and funds! They also had a Kashmiri store on site, the purveyor of which had a great chat with the girl and I who gracefully accepted I wasn’t buying anything.



When we got back from dinner, of course, there was a turn down service and chocolates and cookies left out and a bottle of wine for the parents (which we passed on). There were lovely bath salts provided so both adults took turns for a lovely soak – him while I was doing story time and me once the kids were asleep. The girl had her luxurious bath on waking the next day. (The boy was happy with a shower).



After our final vast buffet breakfast, the lady who had checked us in saw us off and assured us of her service the next time we are in Delhi. Our final driver was very amenable too.



Day 19-20 – Flying high



Check in was painless. Did minimal shopping and spent our last 45mins in Delhi in an Irish bar that had photos of our Dublin 8 neighbourhood all over the place! Kids were pretty good on the flight, although the boy had no leg room as a young French woman in front of him (and her companions in front of the rest of us) insisted on having her seat fully back at all times. Air India staff were useless for making people put their seats up at take-off, landing & meal time, although they did announce it they didn’t come around to enforce it. Then the cheeky bitch in front of the boy complained (in English) when he touched her seat. I calmly explained to her he had zero room due to her actions and she conveniently did not comprehend English at that point. I am not afraid to admit I lost it, more than bit, and she shut up.



The kid behind me also kicked my seat but I did not turn round and complain to her even though I do not recline my seat if at all possible. That’s the way it goes in cattle class, buckle up!



Movies for me: Infinitely Polar bear (parenting/bi-polar movie appropriate in this case!), Baby Driver (surprisingly good), Wonder woman (how can Gal Gadot be so beautiful?) and Life of Pi (which had 2 of our India locations in, also v.g. movie). I think the boy watched Minions 3 at least 3 times back to back!



Day 21 – Home



Never slept a wink and kids slept for about an hour! Then we got from the airport to Central station on automatic and the trains were replaced by buses to half way home! The boy passed out on the bus and then the train when we changed over. I was half thinking of going straight to work originally, but that was crazy talk. Got home, showered and collected the dog from The Hound Dog hotel where she’d had a great time and who couldn’t believe we’d come back 😊 Hit the hay for the afternoon J

---