set off, flight ,arival and Dehli all in one (technically 2 days)

Ok malaria tabs arrived in time, collected other meds from post office as the first time I leave the house for 15 minutes they try to deliver..........

Set off from Bournemouth at 4pm. Arrived at Heathrow terminal 3 at 6:25 with time to spare. I called my friend (Alipuck Dreamlan staff member and good friend) and he met me at T3 for a few beers and a chat before I had to leave for boarding.....

My last over priced UK T3 beer...

Take note, the clerk at the check in desk says that the gate opens at 8pm but you will be ok as long as you get there before 8:45.

After my beer I decided to get a little snack, I found a nice and reasonably priced bagel joint and enjoyed a hot bacon and cream cheese bagel. I left for the gate at 8:29 giving myself 16 minutes to walk across T3 to my gate. As I proceeded I noticed a sign saying gate 31 (my gate) closing.. Oh dear I thought as I then ran across the line of gates and travelators. In the end I don't know what the fuss was about, I turned up, they closed the gate and then someone said something into a walkie talkie and people started to board the aircraft.... Now I had been warned about the economy class of Air India being compared to cattle class on an animal transporter. I was a little worried that my 8 hours in cattle class might not be much fun.

On check in I chose an isle seat on the window side, this is a picture of the fully laiden plane.

The aircraft wasnt even a third full.. This gave me the opportunity to lay across 2 seats and enjoy my flight.... After an hour we were treated to complementary drinks, which consisted of 2 very large non measured scotches and a can of ginger ;-), Then part way into a film came dinner.

Chicken curry, rice, salad, rice pudding and coffee. The food was surprisingly good and much better that the BA stuff I have had...

Then the rest of a film followed by few hours sleep. I was awoken to breakfast.. Although nice, it was a slightly odd fare to be offered for Breakfast. It was a cheese sandwich with a processed cheese slice and cream cheese with chives, the packet said with tomato but I guess that was substituted for the sachet of Heinz tomato ketchup. this was accompanied with a kit-kat and tea or coffee. I gladly ate it all.

Water and coffee/Tea was available thought the duration.

We landed and disembarked, the heat imediately hit you as you left the plain, the weather was hazey but dry and sunny with 30 degree heat!

After an hour waiting for the baggage to arrive I headed on out of the terminal and met a nice chap in a smart uniform carrying a sign with my name on it. He imediately took all my bags and carried them to a car waiting outside. The driver gave e an envelope with a greeting letter, train tickets for tomorrows trip, a student guide and 1000Rs. We then braved the Dehli road system, well I say system now but that does seem a bit too grand a name for it.

Driving in Dehli. Ok where there are 2 lanes you can easily squeeze 2 cars a bus and a few scooters, and this is the general rule. Mirrors are never used and the car in front relies solely on the passing car behing honking, in fact its writtem on vehicles "please honk horn" in English. Depth perception is something the Dehli drivers have an uncanny ability to judge, quite frequently when an "auto-rickshaw was over taking a car that was over takinga bus a scooter cam beeping in between one or more of the maovering vehicles. Bravery is a word, also damn right fool hardyness seems to spring to mind.

Yes there are only 2 lanes here!!!

I also noticed a variaty of vehicles on the roads...

This is the most modern form of frieght transport.

This is not!

You will see a lot of builing or reparing of buildings that has fallen down, here are a few Dehli building tips:

Safety first, always use quality scafolding!

Dont worry about expensive ladders, make 2 from bamboo and get 3 of your most dis-interested mates to hold it together for you!

During my Dehli day I also found a pub, yes very dimly lit and females arnt allowed in, well thats what my Indian friend said, either that or I went to an Indian gaybar.... But they served extra strong kingfisher larger and the best sheek kebab in the world!

See assorted random pics of Dehli soon, its 9:24 pm here and the last time I slept propperly was 10am yesterday!

I have to be up at 5am to get the 6 hour train to Derhadun.... next chapter tomorrow...

Steve ps CBA to correct any errors tonight.... zzzzzz