Didn’t get out of bed with any enthusiasm, as there was much to do, with the prospect of running around all over Delhi. We went first to the Tourist Office, rather out of hope than expectation that they would be able to help us. But in fact they were very helpful. We were able to telephone the Bulgarian embassy, + tho’ in fact there wasn’t anything that could be done there, for it would take them too long to issue a visa, it could still be accounted as a task achieved, for even tho’ discounted, it was done.
Next job was a jab against cholera – we had been “done” over a year ago, in Australia. We had envisaged a wild chase all over Delhi, looking for a hospital prepared to do the job, but to our delight there was an International Vaccination Centre right in the middle of town. It was housed in a dingy little building, but they were stunningly efficient, as well as very cheap. Most important, we had the necessary stamp on our yellow card – we would hate to get turned back at the Iranian border for so petty a reason.
Grindlay’s Bank was next. I had written a letter to Bob last night, asking him to act as our financial agent, + giving him details of how + where to send money. Should it then prove necessary, we could give Bob a quick phone call to say go ahead. So I wanted specific details from the bank – not that they were able to give me very much. As we were in the area, we called in at the Amex office to check our mail. We really didn’t expect anything, so again, a pleasant surprise to have 3 letters, one from Pat Corless, one from Dave, + one, especially welcome, and well-written, from Sheina.
We divided our forces around now, Val to go to the PIA office to confirm our flight, while I walked down to the British Council, hoping to spend a relaxing afternoon there. It was a pleasant walk – for various reasons, we have not taken enough advantage of Delhi, but the end was not achieved, for the BC office was closed. I rushed back to meet Val – she had the key to the cottage, so I’d have been left out in the cold if I hadn’t been able to find her. PIA sorted out, + our tickets apparently OK, we wandered home.
Val was a bit put out – she had wanted to go shopping today, but we discovered it was, or would have been, Mrs Gandhi’s birthday. Plus Rajiv was taking the opportunity to address a huge rally. Which meant that altho’ it wasn’t an official holiday, nearly all the shops + stalls were closed. We met Shamshad at the gallery where his exhibition was about to open, + felt at a bit of a loose end as there was a fair bit of running back + forth, collecting paintings etc. But eventually Shamshad + Prakesh, another artist in the exhibition, we sat down in our room with a bottle of rum. We talked + got drunk a bit – it was OK. And then out to dinner, which was a bit better than OK.
While we are still waiting to leave, at least there was a pleasant end to the day, with a very welcome social occasion – so rare on our lives at that time.
