Last week in Delhi


Julian's apartment in Delhi ended up feeling like a temporary home. Oatmeal for breakfast, boiled eggs and toast for lunch, and either an attempt at familiar meals from home or the Pint Room for dinner. We became used to the local neighbourhood, with trips out to the local store to refill the 'naughty cupboard' with chocolate and Oreos. One day, Clara and I took an auto rickshaw to the larger grocery store nearby: of course you go next door for eggs and next door again for baked goods. In the final week, Will had a cold and Ben had his turn with tummy troubles. One day we walked around the neighbourhood looking for the four local animals: a dog, a chipskunk (local squirrel), a cow, and a parakeet. We attained 3 out of 4, missing the not-very-elusive cow. Another day we made it to the Qtab Minar, an incredibly tall stone tower than is about 1000 years old. 




We ended up with a few more days in Delhi than we expected. The first time we tried to fly out, we got to the airport a little later than we expected because the car was delayed. Then they asked for our Australian visa. In all the stress to get an Indian visa we hadn't realized that we needed an Australian one. The Air India staff were frustratingly unhelpful, suggesting an Ap to buy the visa that was too slow and costly and then, while we raced to try make the Ap work, suggested that we could fly the following day at no cost... or at least that's what we understood. Once we had reclaimed our bags there definitely was a fee, which seemed to increase with each protest. In the end, it cost more than our time in India to leave it, and we flew to Sydney two days later. Hindsight is 20/20 in these types of situations and we tried to tell ourself that we did the best we could in the context. We had a safe place to return to, extra time in a country we love, and lots to look forward to. Writing this a week later it's all good. Australian beaches have a way of making you feel that everything is right in the world. India exceeded our expectations and we are so glad we went. 




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