Hi guys,
In Smelly Delhi at the mo - on a mission to get new passport and visa so that I can come home soon! First visited the British Embassy to apply for new passport - a breeze and the people working there were so friendly and helpful. What a relief ; ) They have even taken the number of my stolen phone and will try and scare the thief (the dumb arse keeps answering the phone when we ring the number!) by telling him they are calling from the British Embassy and the police have a trace on the phone!
Got a personal chauffer for the day (for the bargain price of about 5 pounds!) when I went to the Embassy as the auto-rickshaw guys here drive you insane. They can ask for any price as they know, as a foreigner, you are stranded and if you try and get a cheaper deal off the next guy, the first guy just has a word in Hindi with him and he won't go below the same ridiculously high amount! They also all want to take you the 'Emporium' on the way to your destination 'Madam' 'just look, no buying!'. Alot of hassle which was thankfully all avoided by getting a personal taxi! The cycle rickshaw guys are so much more honest and hardworking! Big respect to them!
Have to wait 10 days before I can collect my new passport and then need to get visa. Then I will protect my new documents with my life!
Have been kind of enjoying Delhi while I'm here - is just really good to be away from Mcleod Ganj as the place is a bit of a ghost town at the moment. It is also really nice to feel invisible in a big city which is impossible in Mcleod. We visited Delhi Zoo the other day and saw white tigers - WOW! and many other creatures. It is a really big zoo set in huge, sprawling grounds but many of the big cats, elephants and bears looked very unhappy. Especially the leopards - such beautiful creatures kept in such horrible enclosures. Very sad : ( But the zoo really has the potential to be a good zoo as there is so much space to build decent enclosures but I guess it is the lack of funds preventing this.
Also visited Connaught Place yesterday for an awesome day of fast food feasting! Can't tell you how much I am missing English food at the moment. Think it may have something to do with Annies fab parcel she sent me - gravy granules, stuffing, proper Cadburys chocolate - mmmmmmmmmmmmm has just made me crave it all the more!!! So whe we arrived in Connaught Place - right outside a McDonalds and I was straight in there for a strawberry shake, then Pizza Hut for lunch and a Cornetto for afters. HEAVEN!! Oh and I just can't stop daydreaming about ham and cheese sandwiches on brown bread with cherry tomatoes and a dash of mustard . . . . . . . it is torture. Guess I will just have to make do with another momo though!
There was also a big music festival happening in the middle of Connaught Place when we arrived - very cool, lots of bands on a big stage and it is going on all weekend.
Off to Dehradun tomorrow for a few days then back here to collect visa. Over and out for now, lots of love xxxxxx
