Direct to the Iranian embassy this morning, for the usual cool treatment. More shattering, however, was the discovery that the visas weren’t yet ready. We couldn’t have been certain that they would be ready – when we had applied we had been given different estimates of the time it would take, but somehow we had implicitly assumed that that was official diplomatese, + that they would be waiting for us. Their absence raised the awful spectre that we might be refused altogether, which would effectively scotch our cheap journey overland. A flight to Europe is beyond our means at the moment, + we would have to go thro’ the awful business of trying to get our money back from Pakistan Airways. It is all simply too awful to think about, + all we can do is cross our fingers + go off to Rajasthan. It will mean we have to be back earlier, but then we can leave virtually straight away now.
We went to the Railway Booking Office, + were able, after a longish but orderly wait, to book tickets for Udaipur, down in the south of Rajasthan, for tomorrow lunch-time. One pressing side-effect of leaving so early was that we now had to sell the camera today. Oh dear. We could, of course, take it to Rajasthan + try to sell it there, but we both reckoned that our best bet would be to sell it here. If it came to it, we would return to the 3200 man, try to squeeze an extra hundred or two out of him, + if that didn’t work, take the 3200, assuming the offer still stood. But we reckoned to try a few other options first, notably the outer circle of Connaught Circus, jam-packed with the sort of small shops we reckoned to hold our best choice.
The first few we tried all had no interest at all, , but things looked up when I dragged Val up the stairway to a photographer’s place on the 2nd floor of one parade. There was an old man there, a nice old feller too, tho’ by the way he handled our camera, he wasn’t too used to such modern contraptions. (It turned out he was, or had been, a professional photographer, but not with the same sort of gear.) He was definitely interested, but said that the man we needed to see was his son, who now ran the business. At that, I inwardly wrote off our prospects, but when the old man suggested we return later when his son was there, we agreed – most of the blokes we had seen would simply have kept us sitting there, so it was pleasant to experience some consideration.
We went to Nirula’s, a big hotel just opposite, for lunch. Normally it would be outside our price bracket, but Paul aboard the houseboat had raved about the salad bar there, so we thought to give it a try. And it really was excellent, a large variety of really quite exotic salads. Almost too much so, in fact – some plain tomato or cucumber would have gone down well. One could go back for more, but to my immense surprise I was stuffed after just one plate. I was also a little bored by the taste. Very good, nonetheless.
It was now about 2 o’clock, + we’d arranged to return at 2.30, but after trying a couple of other places + getting nowhere, we went back early. The son was there waiting for us, + tho’ he confirmed my initial prejudice by being big + fat, he was not at all smarmy; was, indeed, pleasant + friendly. He also exhibited both interest in + knowledge about our camera. He checked it both inside + out – we had just finished + taken out the film this morning – + asked some detailed questions. He then asked permission to take a couple of pictures + develop them – how could we refuse, even tho’ I’ll confess I was a little nervous about the outcome. Partly out of policy, + partly out of general interest, I asked what cameras he used professionally. It was a Nikon FE, + he showed it to me. The negatives came back then, + can’t have been too displeasing, for we began now to talk money. And after about ten minutes, the deed was done – Rs 3550, enough to satisfy us. The old man sent down for a couple of Campa Colas to seal the deal, we signed an agreement, + out we went.
It was such an enormous relief – it’ll be one for you too, for now I can stop talking about it. We certainly were not flush now, but with care, we should be able to survive, + buy a few presents, without touching our dollars.
That done, we simply returned to the Guest-House to rest – after all the walking yesterday, we were tired. Later on, I did come back in to buy some batteries – tonight was Saturday Special on the radio, + the batteries were low, + I didn’t want to miss it. I also picked up a couple of apple strudels from the cake shop, by way of celebration. We passed an enjoyable lazy evening.
And at last it is done, and we can forget all about the whole wretched business. But it has actually worked out pretty well for us overall, as we just about have enough to get ourselves home now.
