The sun was shining on me as I left London, when i checked in to be upgraded to first class. I was greeting by the cabin staff – can I hang up your jacket madam and would you like glass of champagne!! Excellent meal and unlimited champers and anything else I wanted made the flight fly by. ‘Just help your self to anything in the kitchen provided for you’ fruit, drinks, snacks etc. The seat turned into a very comfy bed and I actually slept – no valium required. However the luxury ofhe flight was in contrast to my ‘digs’ which are dirty, uncomfortable , noisy and our fellow diners, the cockroaches are a bit off putting! I wanted to turn around and get back on that plane.
But you get used to anything and I after a week it seems like home – well not quite!
I have spent the week trying to learn to Oriya the language spoken in orissa where i will be living and working – its is very difficult for an old person like me, so different from anything I have ever tried to speak before and as for the script well I will never learn that.
Delhi is manic and filthy, and the poverty is upsetting. Because I am white, western and obviously rich the kids pester me all the time for money. Its difficult to refuse but if you give them anything you are instantly surrounded by hoards of them. I am still scared to go out on my own and crossing the road is very , very scary.
The food in the institution where I am staying is rice and dal and dal and rice with an occasional banana. I would loose weight but I keep buying chocolate and nipping over to the Habitat centre Eatopia for choc nut sundae!
My teacher took us to the temple today. It was all built of white marble and spotlessly clean – perhaps the priests or monks would like to come round and clean my room for a small fee. The temple was very calm and peaceful and I didn’t want to leave. But there are other havens of peace in this manic over crowded city, the park nearby is lovely. But we have to stay in side tomorrow – orders of VSO- as they think it is dangerous to go out. There is an election on and there will be trouble exacerbated by the Mumbai situation. we have also been told to keep away from tourist spots and 5 star hotels as these may be targets. I m going to pretend to be Swedish from now on - or maybe Swiss!
13 Responses to “Arrival in Delhi”
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November 29th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Hi Carol, Glad you have arrived safely and are beginning to settle in to your new life. Really proud of you! Will sit down and send you a chatty email in the next few days. LOL Fi xxxxxx
November 30th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Carol,
Hey, honey, are you actually in India now?!! Bl—dy hell!
You are right at the middle of the history, darling! Keep communicating, and don’t worry, stay cool, you’ll be good.
I remember being in Morocco on 9/11 – it was weird and scary, but I realized then, that AFTER something happened – you are pretty safe.
Good luck, enjoy your journey,
Big huggs,
Yulia
November 30th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Great blog. I am really looking forward to posting comments!! Good old Greg. He is obvoiusly a wiz on the computer.
You didn’t tell me you were buying chocolate. I thought you would be sylph-like by now.
Glad you met up with my friend Sandie.
November 30th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Brilliant blog Carol – great to hear how you’re getting on. I’m looking forward to hearing about Orissa when you get there. Can I suggest pretending to be Irish, when I go travelling with Marie she always gets such a good response from people x
December 1st, 2008 at 9:16 am
Hi Carol.
Good to hear you are settling down a bit, and getting used to the”neighbours”.
Usual Jammy self with the upgrade, I thought the only one who turned left on the plane was the pilot! No more than you deserve Sweetcakes.
NLC is managing to function in your absense, but only just.
Don’t forget to post a picture of yourself in the Ghandi robes.
See you soon.x
December 1st, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Hi Carol,
Great to read your stories. What a colourful picture you create. I am there with you- I can smell and see the brightness, hear the noise , feel the sweat running down my neck, take the first tentative steps along the streets, and experience your excitement, your fear, your enthusiasm, your home sickness… I will see Jayne this weekend (her birthday) I hope and pass her your emails & toast your health. Lost of love, Beryl x
December 2nd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Hi Carol, don’t know if you got my email but will continue to send them. If I was there I would probably have a pet cockroach by now! I’d call him Chris and share my chocolate!! Make the most of your adventure and share it with us. all my love Rosemary xxxx
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Sounds like a great experience already. Looking forward to hearing more abut your adventures (and seeing some pictures – post some up for us to see!).
Greg xxx
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January 25th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
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December 3rd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Have really got to tell you. Jayne doesn’t have an email address. Can’t get the same calibre of friend these days. Anyway, we’re out for her birthday Friday night and will toast your health and friendship. She’s also missing you loads already X X
December 5th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Hello again Carol.
Winding down time on a Friday, and thought I’d have another look to see if there were any further developments on the adventures of the incont…….sorry subcontinent.
Disappointed no further news, suppose you’re out there doing good deeds and befriending cockroaches.
Sooner the pictures are posted, the sooner we’ll all believe that you’re not faking it all in a warehouse in Partick.
See you soon.x
December 5th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
great descriptions of the journey and experiences of delhi. I really admire your couragein coping. Look forward to seeing pictures and reading all y
our further news. I do hope you have some company at Christmas.
love from agnes
December 6th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
This is soooo great to hear all your news and to read all the other responses. Must say hello to Susan, Rosemary, Claire and Greg before I start my message. Definately need to see photos of you in situ with all the friendly cockroaches. I have to say ‘not for me’ they are horrible things, we had them in our flat in HK. Although better than snakes and spiders, ooops better not put that thought in your mind. Seriously your adventure is amazing and I look forward to reading more about it. I am dead jealous of you visiting the Taj Mahal, hopefully one day I will see it for myself. Not looking for sympathy but now recovering from a hernia repair op. Bloody sore for a week but on the mend now, although not allowed to drive for 2 weeks or do anything strenuous for 8 weeks. Gordon is learning all about hoovering and dusting and cooking etc. Mum sends her love, Susan and myself are keeping her up to date. Will email you before Christmas for sure. Keep safe and healthy LOL Fiona xxxxxxxxxx