How to become well known in Delhi Airport...

30/9/6 9pm Arrived in Dubai- took out 200 dirham - bought some baileys for Monty to go with the economist and the jelly babies. I have a feeling there is a problem with my phone as Monty hasn’t faxed me back yet. I met a lovely young woman called Mandy – North Indian but living in Washington DC with a great story. Found a free internet place so put a bit of blog on. TED stockings are paying off but feet still hurt… 1/10/06 03.47 local time Arrived in Delhi. It is exactly as I was told – lots of bustle – but so subtle. There lots of playful skipping of queues going on. I just keep remembering and repeating my mantra courtesy of Paul for Arodene Road: “the people who can help won’t offer…”. The people who offer are only after the money. There aren’t many people here though and I am now waiting in the inter-terminal transfer hall waiting for a bus. I haven’t any rupees yet but this can wait ‘til I get to domestic airport. It’s a bit yellow and brown. 0512 Local time Delhi. I am now stationed in the upstairs restaurant at Terminal 2B on Monty’s advice and it’s lovely. I can’t check in ‘til 9 so I hope they will put up with me ‘til at least then. I will be very happy to get these TEDS off. I have 5000 Rupees in my possession which is either 5 million or 50 quid. There was a free transit bus between the terminals and it felt like we drove right through the airport landing strip which at night time what with the thousands of lights was a bit spectacular. I can just imagine a whole load of ole hippies landing in Goa to have that as one of their first observations. The lights were mainly white/orange but there were also red orange green and purple ones. They reminded me a little of long convoys of cars on the motorway but then they moved in and out of parallax as we moved in the bus. There are quite a few uniformed guards here. Very kind even when they are stern. I would like to point of that I am six hours early something that I know you will all agree hasn’t happened before. Even one of the guards looked perplexed by my eagerness. Another helped me find an ATM checking on me that I was successful. I had a little uninvited attention but they accepted my ‘No! Thanks you’s gracefully enough. I had to reflect that the training that we got in the Haven (dealing with unwanted advances) gave me some confidence with this I think I’ll be OK has changed to I’ll be great. The blooming’ Baileys has to go in the big rucksack. I can’t wait for a shower. I need to get a mosi net they are all over me like a rash. The spray has gone on and I have taken my second dose of paludrine and Friday is my day for chloroquine. It turns out poor old Monty is sick Sounds like time for super-nurse – dadadedah It was a bit fidgety but Kirsi’s exomesh interlocking security system is in situe. I must say my efforts proved pretty hilarious to the staff in the restaurant but the bag is pretty secure right now. Into my second cup of coffee. The toilet set up in Dubai was great – even the hole in the ground and it knew when I was finished and flushed – gave me a bit of a shock. 0942 Well what a drama- the best and the worst. At the previous entry of the word 'shock', I realised I was a bag short. – Monty’s diving gear. I have learned a great deal about Delhi since then. I couldn’t find a shuttle and in my shaky state, agreed to the trip in the taxi for 30Rs. When I sat in I saw a shuttle taking off and the 2 chaps started talking about 300Rsat which point I said let me out and they did. I had several/many useful, short conversations with lovely people who spoke little English. I knew I had to put my newly secured rucksack somewhere e safe Eventually I found a baggage store but it didn’t look very safe and I had been ‘managed’ there by a bloke who I really would have been happier being left alone by. The cost ended up being 25R but changed to 30 when it should have been 22. Spoke to a girl at one of the light desks out side and she directed me to the pre pay taxi at arrivals: yellow and black so very distinctive. . They drive like lunatics, hooting all the time, no seal belt but same side of the road as home so same rules apply, if that is, there were any rules. I don’t think I’ll be riving. I think my heart is still palpating a bit too wildly, mind you I have had a few cups of coffee by now and I am back now in the place I started both bags having been checked in (following their X ray) to Spice jet. There were three cows, lots of buildings that seem derelict or to some degree knocked down. When I got back to international arrivals, I explained to one sweet young man what was up and he let me in. Only people due to fly are allowed in of the Indian airports that I have been in. An unexpected turn of events occurred when I tried to get back outside to the Emirates help desk. They said I couldn’t go out! Wee you can imagine I was grateful for the length of the wait I still had! I had to go talk to the airport manager (or some someone in the office who happened to be a lovely older lady. Tears started – I was and am so tired. They eventually got hold of emirates and a chap who was going off duty was pretty much coerced into taking me there. They recognised me which seemed heart warming. I was taken all over the shop – bowing to officials and getting the bag and paying an apparently refundable 100Rs which was money well spent. Anyway there were about 8 forms and a crucial one was missing (? The RIL) but that was because a report had never been filed. For the second time the string on the diving bag got stuck in the wheel of the airport trolley and I had to turn it on its side. A lovely old man with a white uniform and 2 stars on his epaulettes filled much of the paperwork, got me to sit down and gave me water, which was gone in 2 minutes. Anyhow with my newfound expertise in prepaid taxis, the trip back was a bit calmer. Oh and I saw a pigeon at Delhi airport so Delhi isn’t that different to London… I think I may have trench foot but Monty is feeling better and there is a fragile sticker on the bag with the Baileys in it. 10.06 Sun am approx Its now 0529 London time so I have travelled for 25 hours but I hadn’t slept since Friday which was a bad sleep due to being out the night before. I think this is another record. Wow am I wired. 2/10/6 7.50pm The Baileys made it and Monty was ok to pick me up following a miraculous death defying recovery that weaker men wouldn’t have managed. I have slept on and off since arriving, watching telly from time to time. It’s rained continuously but that’s ok as its meant my head is having readjustment time. Monty just scooted off to get the essentials from the shop. Its Bank holiday for Ghandi’s birthday here today so everything is on skeleton service.