Even before Marion and I persuaded my brother David and his fiance Taru to let us come with them to visit her parents in Finland to go bear-watching, there was a long considered project to go to India to see Tigers.
After we had managed to get along on one holiday, we started more serious planning, and were then inconvenienced by a history of obstacles that led to year-on-year postponements. Finally we got it all together in early 2011, booked a Naturetrek Tiger-watching holiday with an extension to see the Taj Mahal, and despite last-minute issues like the dates being changed slightly, finally the four of us reached Heathrow for a flight to Delhi via Dubai.
Over-excited and only slightly mellowed by a couple of gin and tonics after going through security etc, I couldn't sleep on the plane. I ended up watching both versions of True Grit back-to-back. The new one is an excellent movie and probably the more accurate period piece, but for my money The Duke still wins.
Anyway, eventually we arrived at Delhi and got a lifer before reaching the terminal, which is always good value: Yellow-wattled Lapwing. Of course there were numbers of Black Kites hunting the airport as well.
Through security and immigration, we found our guide, Dhanya, who led us out into the blast of the late morning heat and off to find our transport. A local dog followed us closely, seeking to make a nonsense of my warning to the gang not to pat local dogs. Our Western European scolds had little effect on an animal probably used to a firm boot sending it on its way.
In the vehicle we had our first taste of Delhi traffic on the way to a hotel for a spruce up and some lunch. That over, we were transported on to the railway station where we soon heard, from a clearer announcer than you will ever hear in Britain, that our train was running AT LEAST five hours late. This is why the brochure says Indian railways are "an experience"!
Needless to say the prospect of five or more hours on the platform with the importunate vendors, shoeshines, itinerant local dogs and various rodents was unappealing and our guide quickly recalled the transport and moved us to an air-conditioned hotel lobby while trying to figure out how to recover our derailed programme.
The solution we ended up with was an overnight hotel followed by a red-eye flight to Jabalpur then road to Bandhavgarh without missing any of our game drives. The tarmac ran out several hundred yards short of the hotel but it was clean, organised, well lit and with well-appointed if small bedrooms. We ate much of some slightly dodgy looking takeaways, sank a couple of Kingfishers and crashed out.
In the night I felt pressure on the bladder and without really waking up, wandered across the landing to the loo. Behind me I heard a click and then I did wake up, because it was the room door and I was in the corridor, stark naked.
Oh dear. (That's not actually what I thought.) I knocked gently and then rather more loudly to try to rouse Marion but she remained relentlessly asleep. I was now desperate for two reasons but at that moment I spotted a large potted plant at the end of the corridor and watering that stopped me hopping from one foot to the other. I also remembered my brother's room number. It was on the next floor up.
Definitely not the lift. I listened carefully - you cannot imagine how carefully - at the stairwell, and judging it safe, scampered up the stairs and along the next corridor up, to Dave's room, where I hammered on the door. This produced a response of "huh? Wha'? worrisit?"
"Its me," I hissed, "I've locked myself out and I'm not wearing anything, open the door!"
There was a pause and then he croaked, "I don't believe I'm hearing this."
"Open the damn door!!"
In a few seconds he did so, averting his eyes and passing me a pair of shreddies. I donned them gratefully, although the difference between his figure and mine nearly cut me in half. He then rang Maz on the house phone, instructing her to "let him in, and then DON'T LET HIM OUT AGAIN!"
I returned to fall thankfully into bed and oblivion. My last waking thought was that from here on, things could only get better......
John
Great title, I'm looking forward to the rest or the report. At least you're not stuck inside these four walls.
Pictures from the first day. Be thankful none exist of night-time problems.
The team at LHR
Leaving Delhi airport. Dog following...
Delhi Traffic