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Published: November 7th 2004
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Well, here I am in India.
After my wonderful brother left arather teary eyedmeatthe airport I had a nice uneventful flight, watching friends and eating curry - pretty much like a Friday night at Morrish road to be honest!! I was met at the airport by Ankur, who was holding a sign with my name on it - brilliant!!! Then I was taken to Sanjay and Preeti's apartment. Preeti is Raj's niece - I think, and I worked with Raj at the Healthare Commission, so basically they have no idea who I am, but I was sat down to lunch as soon as I arrived and made to feel very welcome, especially by Neah, there lovely little daughter who never stops talking! It was a typical Indian lunch, just the sort of thing they usually eat and it was very nice. Spicy ochra and dahl and vegetabl and rice and gpatti (I don't have time to make sure my spellings OK, so I apologise for this now). I was taken to a local market by Preeti and in the evening the apartment block had organised some games and a tombola and entertainment as it's the week leading up to Divali, the festival of lights. We then had more delecious food and thankfully some whisky. It was a great welcome to India. I am feeling very strange though and would also like to get to a backpacker place to chat with other travellers and have a beer and find people in the same situation as me so I don't feel quite so wierd! It is Sunday afternoon at the moment and another of Sanjay' cousins brought me to the hotel I had booked and sorted out my bus ticket for Agra tomorrow morning. It picks me up from the hotel and then I am being met by Preethi's Uncle at the other end, by another sign with my name on it!! They also want to show me some Indian hospitality and are taking me in for a night or two. I can't believe how fantasticaly I am being looked after, I just got a text off Preeti to make sure I am alright and to let me know that Neah is missing me.
So, Delhi. Well, where to start really. I have seen very little of it so far, I glmpsed some beautiful buildings and the great India gate on the way to the hotel, but at the moment my hotel is on a very busy little road and is a little bit away from the main 'bakpacker'area. I just wandered out to get some water and wandered back again, my first little venture into the outside world alone. Some of the smells are amazing and I am definitely going to have a full on curry tonight, I may just stay in and eat at the hotel and the smells from the kitchen are very tempting and also it is all quite a lot to take in and I could do with a relaxing evening, although I'm not sure they serve beer here, no sign of the cocktail lounge that was on the web site...... I will be coming back to Delhi after my little trip to Agra, so then I am going to try and stay in the more popular tourist area justo be able to meet some people and find out where is good to go in the evening. But Sanjay has given me a great guide to Delhi for my sightseeing in the days, and they have asked that when I first come back I stay with them for one more night before they go away for the festival, they are very keen to look after me and make sure I am alright, it's very comforting!
So,so far I've seen a lot of the crazy roads and drivers -they never stop beeping!Many cows wandering the road sides, the most unstable scaffolding on some buildings (Amy and Lucy, the 'Money Pit' has nothing on these places!)
Anyway,I fear I have written more than most of you would care to read, no tails of drunken adventures as yet, but I feel that I'm getting to see some of the 'real' India, which is fantastic. I haven't had my camera out yet, but hopefully I'll be posting pictures soon.
Look out for the next installment, where I will hopefully have got to grips with things a bit more, including my spelling and typing....
Oh, a little mouse just ran by in the corner, it's almost like being back in London.....no spiders spotted as yet though, so the test is still to come!
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anonymous
non-member comment
Glad you're not Agra-vated....
Okay, okay, that is possibly the worst pun in this half of the hemisphere - and please be reassured that it is my new mission to create a fantastic pun-slam for every place that you visit. I am so bowled over by how you seem to be taking everything in your stride (even though you might not be feeling that way yourself), but you booked your ticket, packed up your stuff, got on the plane, and more importantly got off the plane - thereby doing what so many of us dream about doing but find that we 'can't possibly go because the kitchen cupboards need sorting out' - You are one brave lady in my eyes and I hope that you continue to enjoy all the sights and sounds and smells that you have written about so evocatively. If you can bring me back a cow then that would be fantastic - if not then I hope I get chance to see some of your photo postings soon. I can't wait for the next installment of the jopurnal and hearing about some more of your adventures. Take care my love - Annecy x x