Day 28

Saturday. Everyone (even strangers we meet on the bus) is concerned about us going on our own to Delhi and Goa. Sucharita has given us her daughters number in Delhi, the man on 13th floor has said he has a bank manager friend in Goa if we need anything and everyone has warned us how hot it is going to be and to be careful etc etc.

Sucharita even came over to our apartment early on today to organize a taxi for us. She wrote down his name and the cab number and told him under no circumstances was he to charge us any extras! Was sad saying good-bye to her as she has been so good to us. Now we are on our own

Calcutta domestic airport was very calm. Nothing like the train station. Heaps of security checks and we hardly had to queue for the Spice Jet desk. Plane left on time and we were given a bottle of water and a biscuit. Arrived Delhi at 8:40 but had to wait ages for luggage. Luckily our Hotel (the Clark International – booked through STA) offers a free airport tranferr so someone was waiting for us outside the terminal with our names on a card. Was the best feeling ever to know we didn’t have to haggle over a taxi fare. About 30 min drive to hotel. Seems ok. Air con and bathroom plus breakfast so can’t complain. Already getting hassled from the guy who met us at the airport to take us on a tour tomorrow. Wouldn’t mind so much only they are really sneaky about uit. Casually ask what your plans are and what you want to see then say :”so what time shall we start tomorrow???” AHHHHH. Sometimes you just want to be left alone for 5 mins

Dinner on hotels roof top[ restaurant but much too hot to sit outside. The airhostess announced it was 37oC when we landed! 10pm by the time we were eating so not many people around. SO far Delhi seems much calmer then Calcutta. Still hasn’t sunk in that I don’t have to go to work on