India...........

18^th June 2013. A beautiful day – calm seas; blue skies; 28C air, water 26C. We didn’t wake up til 10.30; breakfast was over but we had fruit, cheese and breadrolls; watching the Lions and Brumbies on deck but the sound has been lost. Hop’s just enjoyed a seafood buffet – or what’s left of it. I did scab a few tasty scallops too. Coffee time me thinks. Sea day today then through the Suez tomorrow all going well. Takes 12 hours and we do it in convoy – should be interesting and like all the places we’ve visited, unbelievable to be there/here.

Impressions of India – What beautiful open hearted people – in the main. Sure there are beggars and homeless, then the lucky thousands in the slums; that’s just the way it is. I was cross with one ten year-old or so, begging with a maybe two year old on her hip; every now and then she would push the child’s head back sand swing her around til she cried. I was looking out the bus window and said crossly impulsively, “No don’t do that” She pouted and stopped for  a while – I can understand she really didn’t want to be there but……. The little one kept her eyes closed. I still think the babies are drugged or something..

You know about Delhi belly? Well I took pills for nausea, pills to stop the trots…..and guess what happened? I got constipated and didn’t have the pills to make me go!!!!!!!!

The rubbish in the street didn’t seem to smell! May be different once the rains come to help with decomposition but then also, it would wash away.

Occasionally I smelled a sulphuric smell but that only serve to remind me of Rotorua. I purposely sniffed but I couldn’t smell curry anywhere. Everything and everyone seemed to smell beautiful. The hotels were deliciously scented. I still have the body lotion from Delhi – it just smells so good. The hotel in Agra looked out over gardens where we could see monkeys romping, and of course, the ever present squirrels that stop still until you have them lined up in the camera sights then scamper off at a most unreasonable speed.

One of the crew from Poland, is married to an Indian she met on the ship, they have a restaurant in Goa. She does 6 months now and then to add a little to the coffers.

Would like to return to India one day, after I found out where Great Grand Father was.  I enjoyed it. Who changed the font on me – not to worry. XXXXXXXXXXXXX Delyse.