The family roots

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The day after the wedding everyone left quite early and it felt very empty! Susie got to make a speach in a school but you shall have to ask her for details! Anyhow 7 of us got into a car back to Dehli! I had auntie Susie on my lap for the whole way which when we got a wee bit lost my leg wasn't feeling so happy! But such is life! Back in Dehli we slowly said goodbye to the last few guests (ie Emily and Reggie, groom's parents and Maggie their friend!) and we jumped into a cab to our hotel. A new adventure was to begin!
We had the next day in Dehli but with our faffing skills (which Ralf can vouch for how good we were at faffing then and still haven't lost the faffing touch!!!)
Anyhow as we missed a chunk of the day and had to catch a train the market we wanted to go to was too far and so we went to a Kasmiri one instead and looked at thebeautiful shawls! I found the most amazing emerald bracelet than fitted perfectly and felt so good on my wrist till I discovered the price 700 pounds, suddenly less attractive!

We also survived our first (and luckily only accident!) in the rickshaw! Quickly rushed back in order to get the night train! We were sat with a vet, and the poor man was quizzed to death by us! But we learned lots of fascinating things, till the poor vet couldn't bear answering any more questions and went to sleep! This seemed much more luxurious a train then I could remember!And at 0500 or so we arrived at our destination, shame the driver that was supposed to pick us up hadn't appeared. It was beautiful to see the mountains but we were very limited with time so we needed to get cracking! He eventually turned up some 3 or 4 hours later, after Susie had borrowed someone's mobile phone and had rung all the right people!

So off we were, on our way to Naini Tal, the birth place of my grandfather, Susie's father. It was all rather emotional! But such winding roads that Luna managed to hold off till we got there when she proceeded to throw up all over me herself. The poor Dhobi Wallah that had to deal with that but he was great. In fact the whole place was great, as it wasn't on white people's tourist track, there aren't any touts and the people are much much more honest. It felt so nice! (But Luna had no warm clothes so had to buy her a sweater from the market as it was really cold!)

To cut a long story short, we didn't find any records of my grandfather but we did go round the outside of the church he would have been baptised in (we arrived too late to go in) It was just so English, very weird!

We also found the hospital where my great grandfather would have worked as a surgeon and one of the workers there had heard of his name which was all rather exciting. The hospital was right on top of the town and typically Luna refused to walk so I had to carry her to the top! Hard work and caused a few people to stare!

The hospital seemed half derelict but it was still working. We befriended this man, who could speak English,
and helped us a lot. He also explained to us that he was Christian and that I should come and meet his sick pregnant wife! So I did, he wanted me to lead them in prayers which I hope I did satisfactory. The importance of the task was quite nerve wracking!!! The poor woman was stuck in a narrow metal bed with a drip in her arm. The ward had a WWII or before feel to it, an army hospital maybe. I just felt thankful for the NHS at that moment! I hoped none of us had to test the place. Luckily they said the doctors were very good but they were hoping to get more money for equipment. Let's hope they do soon!

We were to return the next day when one of the doctors was hoping to have more information for us!
Earlier that day we'd also had lots of interesting talks at the bank and looked through old records. Very interesting!

And in fact on the way back from the hospital, we met the bank manager and his family, he'd seen us do our comedy act at the bank (trying to change money!). They invited us to see them the next day. Suddenly our Saturday was panning out to be a very busy day!

We decided to go back to our hotel for dinner and eat in the room as we were very tired! Our hotel was wonderfully colonial. Well it was actually a YWCA hostel till a few years ago, for working women! But it was magnificently old world style! Which on this trip was just what was needed, thank you Mr Ramji!

The next day, we found the town hall but unfortunately the records didn't go far back enough, only to the year after, the year we needed! Typical we miss out by one day!

Then we went to the bank and the manager's office who took us to his house which was a fabulously colonial building attached to the bank! Their son was also three (May 2004) so he and Luna had a great time together! So much so that we didn't leave enough time to meet our doctor! Ooops!!! (we were also trying lots of different foods!) Anyhow we thought we'd splash out on a cab to the hospital, here it was great as they just gave us Indian prices so it wasn't too bad!!

Had a look round the hospital, was allowed to take more photos and we studied the paintings of the men that would have worked with my great grandfather! It was all quite emotional!

Eventually we thought we'd better move along as we had to go for a paddle accross the lake! So once we'd stormed down the hill we found a boatman who for some reason decided I should row too so we became a coxless two rowing across Naini Tal's lake. Mr Patel from around the corner in Brighton will be very pleased with me! Once we'd sped to the other side we got off at the naval cadets boat house and went exploring. We went to see the Hindu temple and tried our best to follow alll the rituals We also had some lovely conversations with various people! And eventually got back to the bottom of the hill were our hotel was and decided to be lazy and use the free shuttle service from town back to the hotel. And then we decided to go and see the church were my grandfather would have been baptised, such a shame that it was closed!

Another supper at the hotel and then the next day we had to get up really early to catch the train back! and guess what happened along the wiggly, bendy road. Yep, you've guessed it, Luna was ill, all over me so I had to make the whole train journey smelling of sick, nice!!! And Susie wasn't feeling well. A disastrous journey! But fun!

I am now falling asleep as it's past midnight! Photos will have to wait till I have the know how and time etc.......

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