Day 29: Adventures in New Delhi (Happy Canada Day!)

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After posting about Delhi being unpredictable yesterday, I had an interesting encounter this morning!
So Cayla and I got an auto quite easily, thanks to the kind security guard, who explained that Cayla wanted to go to Maya Puri, then I would go on to Zakhira. When we arrived at Maya Puri, the driver was trying to talk to me in Hindi, and all I could do was look blank and tell him I didn't understand! We figured he was asking which way to go next, so I pointed him in the right direction. Anyway, as we came back onto the main road, I soon realised he didn't actually know where he was going! About ten minutes later, I thought we had probably taken a wrong turn, and was slightly worried, then he pulled up and asked me to write down the name of where I was headed. (this took a bit of sign language and deciphering) so I wrote Zakhira (in hindsight, I realise I should have written "under Zakhira Flyover, Oil Station") and he got out, went to speak to someone and came back saying "Ah, Zakhira" as if he knew where to go... so we moved on, and I recognised where we were at this point! So about 10 minutes later, I was thinking that we must nearly be there, or going the wrong way, and a little bit too late (seriously, I am NOT made to navigate, just ask Vicky!!) noticed we were on our way OVER the Zakhira Flyover, which we were meant to go under! So instead of panicking, I thought that logically, if we went over the flyover, and under the other side, I would eventually end up where I should be...
Not so! Apparently that's not how this flyover works. So we ended up going down some street, full of shops and people, until I finally gave up and shrugged and didn't know where to go next. The driver then got a crowd of people trying to help him find out where I wanted to go, and ended with me calling Jibin at the office, and the phone being passed to some random man. This man then directed the driver back out of the place we were in, and onto the flyover... We got to the other side, and I knew exactly where to go, only the driver didn't trust my judgement (funny that!) and got some guy to help him, then Jibin phoned back, and while I was trying to tell them I knew where I was going, Jibin spoke to the driver, and told him about the oil station. SO, we crossed the road, and FINALLY made it to the entrance to the slum! I was paying by meter, and ended up paying 50 rupees more than I should have, but really didn't mind too much: I was just pleased to have arrived!
I was late again for my first class, but they were much more co-operative today. Unfortunately the same can't be said for my second class, of which only about five boys turned up today, and didn't want to do anything I said! We made it to the end of the lesson, after I confused them thoroughly trying to teach them the time- they normally say 10:40 or whatever, rather than twenty to eleven, but teaching that is more difficult than I expected and I probably should have thought it through!
Lunchtime was really quiet, as most of the kids who normally hang around were at school, and there was only a CHV and Sushila there, and neither of them really spoke to me, and I'd forgotten to pick up a new book from the flat, so I sat and wrote in my diary for a bit, and even fell asleep. I also had some very very spicy (especially for me!) rice and prawns which Anjuli had made, but could only manage a small amount!
This afternoon was quite quiet, only a few girls in each of my lessons, and I confused them with the times as well! I am finding my last class easier to teach, as they are used to me, and can kind of hold a conversation, but still love talking to each other in Hindi, even while I am telling them not to!
I got an auto straight-away, and we took a scenic route (in the right direction this time!) but it turned out to be cheaper than the normal route!
We all met back at the office, and made our way back to C9, to eat chocolate brownies and regroup before making our way to Dilli Haat.
Our original plan was to go to a mango festival, but we found out that the Dilli Haat market where the festival is being held this weekend, is about an hour away, and we weren't quite sure where. So we went to Dilli Haat a bit nearer us. We went in two autos, and arrived at about 7.30.
The ticket people LOVED us, because the tickets were 20 rupees, and most of us wanted to change 500 rupee notes. Oops.
We had a great night, tasting lots of different foods from different states in India, and had a very bad first experience of mango lassi. We think it was gone off! We also managed to fit 5 of us in one auto for the ride home, what an experience!!
Anyway, time to go to bed!
Cal Malingi (see you tomorrow)

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