I know what a hot dog feels like!

It's official - yesterday was the hottest day in Delhi since the Taj Mahal was built - well almost! And it just never seemed to cool down. As I mentioned, swimming was not really refreshing, just different. I felt like a poor old cocktail frankfurt. After the swim I got another dodgy cab, this time an old black and yellow Amby (Ambassador) the classic Indian car: bench seats, no air con and ALWAYS driven by immaculate old fellows in neatly pressed grey safari suits. I feel so sorry for these buggers that I just can't resist hailing them in this heat, then giving them an extra Re 10 at the end so they can buy an icecream. They seem pretty pleased - they have to turn up to work anyway and nobody wants to hire them, so they sit around in the heat all day and don't earn any money. That's me being charitable. And hell, it is SO hot it really doesn't matter.
Which leads me to dinner, wherein Louella (the resident teacher), Vinita (the maid/cook) and I walked for 15 minutes or so in the heat to a south Indian dosa joint for dinner. It wasn't really cooler, but at least the sun had set!
Complete this joke to win a prize: A Nepali, an Indian and an Aussie went to a dosa joint.....

Why do I always seem to have that shirt on????





Hey just caught the Super 14s and saw the Tahs beat the Hurricanes. YAY.
News from Bhutan: Robin was stuck in the infamous and well documented mud of Bhutan yesterday and today - blizzards, snow rain. Sounds just lovely. They are now somewhere called I think Tjule Tsho (lake) and going over the Gulay Na(??) some some hot a-springs. They are a little behind schedule as the mud really slowed them down, and Robin is feeling the altitude at a snip under 4500m. He's lucky he's not at Everest Base Camp otherwise he probably wouldn't have a tent as just about everything got blown away in big winds  there in the last few days. He is looking forward to a short day tomorrow followed by lounging in the hot springs - he should just come to Delhi where even a cold shower scalds you. And as for the rungs on the pool ladder...
I hit the mall again this arvo - bought a dress and some supplies - like beer, coke to go with rum, juice and cheese Shapes to go with the beer and the rum. Oh and some new swimming goggles since my others leak.
Another state hangman has offered to come out of retirement to hang the Mumbai terrorist Kasab. For the grand sum of Rs 200 I think.
this Sunday is the last auspicious day for weddings for some months, and there are forecast to be between 15 and 20 THOUSAND weddings set for Delhi on Sunday. Gawd help us. I think hanging out at Ice Lounge will be the best thing to do - and it is meant to be 46 on Sunday so going into minus 6 should really make me feel fabulous - or dead!
Staying in tonight to watch Australia and Pakistan in the T20 - just hope there isn't a powercut!
Namaste.

Daze of our lives!

Talk about weird. I've certainly had an odd week - and when I tell you what's been going on you'll understand why I've been out of touch.
So, last Thursday I went to Olive Restaurant, right? Then Friday I blogged all about it, and since then...
First of all the summer power cuts kicked in, with the house plunged into warm inky blackness on Friday afternoon. So no internet. Carmen arrived back from Goa on Friday night - nobody bothered to tell me she was coming - and promptly announced that she was flying to Spain on Sunday night. Family 'issues' I think you could call it. Saturday no internet - but that was kinda OK as I was busy at the pool. Then in the afternoon  Louella and I sat in Carmen's room eating samosas and drinking whisky or rum. Every 'proper' Indian bedroom also has a lounge etc in it so you can just sit in there and ignore the rest of the family - it's a very Indian thing!
That night I went to Bennigans in Greater Kailash with Manish. A totally different karaoke crowd - most people were damned good. The best thing was a foreign family were there with their 2 kids, eating dinner, when the karaoke started. The young boy was busting to sing, so got up and asked if he could sing 'Livin on a Prayer' by Bon Jovi. He did an admirable job, much to the delight of mum and dad, and everyone gave him a huge cheer. The equipment there kept petering out - the amp got too hot I think - and after 5 deaths the evening was declared 'over'. Just as well as it was about 1am.
Sunday - pool and no internet and a walk up to the local cafe. I was asking about the internet problem but just got stupid grins at home. Oh well. Carmen was busy getting all her last minute stuff done so no car for me.
Monday was VERY hot so after swimming and lunch, I went to the Post Office to mail something to Kolkata - the Post Office hasn't really changed in 20 years. The parcel sewing men are still outside, sewing and sealing, and the fruit juice man was doing a roaring trade with the foreigners busy mailing their rugs and clothes back home. And the staff still try to look like they are doing 10 things at once when in fact they are really just wasting time! But at least it's cheap. After that I headed to one of the big malls here in Saket - such wonderful material in the clothes but it beats me how anyone wears saris that have so many sequins on them - it must scratch every time you move. The icecream was pretty good though. Still no internet and I couldn't help but notice that there was an Airtel bill on the kitchen counter, with rupees piled on it. It was still there on Tuesday when the internet wasn't working, but finally disappeared at lunchtime. Chances of internet action up 50%. And finally this morning it works.
So today being Wednesday it's karaoke at Harry's again - last one for this trip anyway as I leave next Tuesday for Nepal. Where there are 12 hours of powercuts a day - fun.
Now let me think, what has Robin been doing? Oh yes that's right, trekking! They had a few 10 hour days where they got completely soaked, then one of the horsemen got crook and ended up in hospital, and they got a new set of horses. They had a 2400 metre climb (with accompanying descent) which was $#@*!! tough so I am told. On Monday they were in a place where the first Choegyal (King) of Bhutan came from and were staying with his relatives who could trace their family back I think it was 12 generations. So he got to stay in a room with a big pot bellied stove in it to dry out him and his stuff, and there were kittens prancing around. There always seem to be kittens jumping around. Yesterday when he called me after another epic he was wrapping himself around a bottle of 'HIT' beer from Sikkim. Sounds great doesn't it. He is now in Central Bhutan on the bit that is called the Snowman Trek - very tough week ahead but then it should be plain sailing (or trekking), which is why I can go back to Nepal and won't be required to mount any form of rescue from India apparently.
Robin has had 2 enquiries today about people wanting to walk the Nepal part of the GHT - one would like to do some on mountain bike. I always just say to these people that Robin is in the field and will get back to them in July. Some people seem to have unrealistic expectations - like that they can just put on a pack and wander off without a guide, and that there will always be some local who will put them up and feed them. That is so far from the reality of the situation, but many people seem to be very opposed to using any local staff - and the whole point of the GHT is that it isn't about YOU walking it, it is about THEM getting money and tourists. After all, it ain't the Everest Trek!
So, India has a new World Champ - Vishy Anand, Chess Grandmaster who defended his title overnight in Sofia. Well done him. Much better effort than the Indian T20 cricketers, who are now blaming the constant round of IPL parties for their poor show in the Caribbean.

And on Saturday, Delhi police got in a 'tizzy' when there was a hoax call made that the Chief minister of Delhi's life was in danger. Trying to picture tizzied police.....

Prayer flags at the  temple in Darjeeling

I think I just had the best meal ever

Have you noticed how often I am chatting about food? That might be because Delhi has some of the most awesome restaurants. Last night Harry and I went to Olive (just behind the Qutab Minar in south Delhi) - a place I had been wanting to visit for some time. It is run by Chef Saby - who also runs ai, the Japanese restaurant I visited recently. Saby trained in Sydney under people like Tetsuya, and I think he was also at Rockpool for a while.  Anyway, to say the food was divine is an understatement. Olive is a true Mediterranean restaurant, serving not only Greek and Italian style, but Middle Eastern, and North African style meals, For starters he created a sort of cold minestrone mousse which was to die for! I didn't get a pic of that, but YUM. Kebabs, pizza, pasta, fresh bread and pound-it-yourself pesto/salsa.

You can sit outside near the mist fans (so cool) under the big old fig tree - gorgeous. I had a pizza that sounded like the kind of thing you make up when you've had a few too many, and you want to eat all your favourite things at one: tiger prawns, lime, chilli and basil. What a fantastic sensation that was. And I still have 2 bits for lunch later.

And here I am with said pizza, with Bikram the chef, and Chef Saby

And that's my dessert - sort of baklava thing with fig and almond icecream and berry sauce - except it was called something more glam on the menu. Don't you just love the cooked apple decoration in the middle?


So please promise me that if you are ever in Delhi, that you will go to Olive Restaurant http://www.olivebarandkitchen.com/ or ai, and to know more about Saby here's his facebook address http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=201013320570

And I know that for dessert last night Robin was having tinned pineapple rings - oh well we all have to make sacrifices....

Terror alert in capital

which I'm sure has nothing to do with my return! but it did stuff up my night out which didn't happen.
So, what's been happening? Well I made I made it safely to Guwahati, and the boys got back there in remarkably good time. The funniest thing from that day was the tale told by James, when he and Pema shared a room at the hotel in Guwahati, and Pema went to have first shower. After he finished, James went to have a wash and discovered that the floor was about an inch deep in water - everywhere. He asked Pema why he didn't use the shower curtain, Pema said it didn't reach. James was very confused, until Pema showed him the 'shower' - it was the toilet squirt thingy!!! I'm still laughing about that.
Mystic Meg here was unaware that Robin was annoyed about a lot of things that went not according to plan on the trip to Arunachal, so when he discovered that we were off to Kolkata he was not at all happy. He had wanted to go to Darjeeling, but didn't tell me.... my goodness what an interesting 24 hours that was. As luck would have it though, the concierge at the Taj in Kolkata was very helpful and efficient and managed to get us a very good deal on the Windamere in Darjeeling which pretty well cut our losses. And I am never organising a treat for sir again! Ever.
So we enjoyed the cool weather in Darjeeling - I had to buy a cardie and a shawl (luckily I decided I could live without a bobbly beanie) although of course there was no view of the mountains. We went to the zoo and saw snow leopards and red pandas and drank endless cups of tea. I got bored walking up and down hills in my borrowed shoes and socks.  Robin bought lots of books which contributed in no small way to my excess luggage bill yesterday.
Yesterday morning I sent him off in a car from Assam to Bhutan, and last I heard he was near the border at lunchtime yesterday. I then took the Jet Airways Sky Chunder service from Guwahati to Delhi - the plane bounced around so much I thought I would lose the lunch I didn't have!
I have another 2 weeks in Delhi before I am supposed to fly back to Kathmandu - but now I hear that the Maoists are calling strikes starting today so I will wait and see - if it is going to be a nuisance I just won't bother.
Despite the terror alert warnings from the embassy I am determined to get out today before I go stir crazy - might hit a bar tonight after walking up to the local shops to get something to eat as it is the staff day off, and everyone is out of the house.

Sadly the cafe wasn't open when we went there..

Consider yourself warned!!!

How hot is Hot?

Pretty bloody hot actually! Yesterday Delhi got to 43.7 degrees - and the wind! There is a hot wind which blows in from the desert, called loos, which makes you feel as though you are walking around with a huge fan heater attached to you. I am struggling to find ways to describe what it feels like, but as I was swimming yesterday every time I took my head out of the water to breathe I could feel my hair being blow dried! It is so hot that you feel it cannot get any hotter, so you try to go about your business as best you can. It is predicted to be even hotter today, before the temperature 'plunges' to about 40 tomorrow. Better get my fleece out! According to the Times of India, yesterday was the hottest April day since 1958 - lucky me. Everyone is forecasting May to be close to unbearable. Good thing there is a brand of home airconditioner advertised that cools 'even at 54 degrees'.
After a morning swim yesterday I went to Khan market to see Mr Goel the tailor, who has done a magnificent job for me. A spot of lunch in a nice a/c cafe (with a cold beer) and it was back into the shops, then home for a bit before going to Delhi Haat in the evening.
Delhi Haat is a fabulous outdoor market with stalls from all over India - each state tourism place has a restaurant serving their local delicacies, and the stalls from all over India have Hyderabadi pearls (very nice), embroidered stuff from Orissa, Punjabi pottery. It was still about 38 degrees last night when we went, but after a while your brain just switches off!
Sunday is the 'staff' day off, so I was first up this morning (that never happens!) and I am struggling to create breakfast. I found some bread to make toast, finally found tea leaves and a teapot, but damned if I can find the milk. There is some rather weird looking white stuff in the fridge, which seems to have separated, so I am not taking any chances with that. I filled a thermos with the lame looking tea I made, and ended up with Vegemite on toast and Coke. Very healthy. Something I have often had here for lunch, which some people are fascinated by, is Chicken Ham. Don't ask me what it's made from, I am assuming chicken.. It kinda doesn't taste like anything, so perhaps it is made from chokos! But it is pretty good with grilled cheese on top for lunch. You can buy it here in South Delhi from the Steakhouse (which doesn't sell steak but does stock just about everything else) or a butcher cum deli called Pigpo. Great name.
And what of Brave Sir Robin? After telling me on Friday that they would spend a few days in Bomdilla, at lunchtime yesterday he called from Tawang, the end point of the 'trek'. He estimates he has spent about 5 hours trekking in the last few weeks, and never wants to see a jeep again! He saw another foreigner on the road yesterday - they were both pleasantly surprised - and there are 2 other foreigners in town apparently. Hope they got together and had a party. One is an American anthropologist from Berkeley so Robin was hoping to catch up with her. They now have to fill in time till Thursday when I get up to Guwahati to meet them.
Latest scandal in India (now that Shoania is over) is that the IPL (cricket) has been tainted by match fixing and money laundering. Gee no kidding!

And here's some sickly cakes you don't want to scoff in this heat - from the fabulous Evergreen Sweet House in Green Park - and don't you just love the name - Pista Bhog - I bet that's how you feel after a few! The silver stuff isn't foil it is silver leaf, which doesn't make your fillings zing.

Back from the wilds of the North East

I can now say I have been to Assam (where my favourite tea is grown) and can report that it is a little ODD. Because the North East (Assam, Meghalaya, Arunchal Pradesh to name but a few states) shares very porous borders with places like China, Bhutan and Bangladesh, security is on High Alert. India likes capital letters, but more on that later. So satellite phones are banned (as the calls cannot be traced), and all other mobile phones are blocked by ‘The Forces’ unless they are a North East issued number, and even then they are hit and miss. The internet is similarly affected. So, if you want to get away from technology may I recommend a trip to Assam? In its favour I must say that it shows the most beautiful shades of green: dark tea plantations, iridescent rice paddies, bright banana groves and all around heavy red clay soil that makes everything grow so beautifully. But then when it rains (as it did most of my visit) it gets very boggy. VERY. And as I was being whizzed back from Tezpur to Guwahati for the flight back to Delhi, we got caught in possibly the hugest hailstorm I have ever been in. The road had no verge, so we couldn’t pull over. The driver, bless him, ploughed on with hazard lights flashing at only about 50kph (well it makes sense to slow down) as that was somehow preferable to stopping in the middle of the road.
Which got me to thinking about, in particular, Indian road travel. I am reading a really good book just published here: “Mother Pious Lady” Making Sense of everyday India by Santosh Desai. If you love and are mystified by India you must get a copy. It explains so much about India that has often set me wondering. Like their love for Capital Letters. So, as I said I got to thinking about road travel in India. And I figured there are some golden rules:
Do Not Show Fear
Do Not Wind the Window all the way Down
Do Not Sit in the Front
If you show fear, your driver will either a) go out of his way to scare you witless or b) slow down so much that you are overtaken by donkeys. Neither of these are good options.
If you open your window, you may find that when you are passing a public bus you get more than you bargained for. Indians, women in particular, are notoriously bad travellers and vomit at every possible opportunity. If you happen to be passing just as they feel ill, you will get a nasty surprise in your lap.
If you sit in the front you can see what you might crash into. You will also get your leg felt up every time the driver changes gear, which can be surprisingly often. If you sit in the back like Lady Muck, you can gaze pointlessly out the window safe in the knowledge that you won’t know how close you came, and that the front seat is a large airbag between you and the windscreen.
And so what of brave sir Robin. Well he called last night from somewhere called Mirkung Selek (sounds like he went to Bali not Arunchal Pradesh) and was staying in the BIUTI Hotel (we figure it means beauty). He had a rather dreadful 12 hour road trip in the cold and rain, and has another one today to get to Tuting, the start of the trek. They had planned to take the scenic route but there was no bridge, and since there was also no scenic thanks to the weather they took another road. I think he is itching to get walking again. Poor Pema, who flew from Nepal on Sunday, can’t believe the time and distance involved in going for a walk in India!
So I am back in Delhi with Carmen, my Spanish friend, enjoying a cold beer and watching IPL cricket.
Hope you are all looking forward to the easter break.

Greeting from IG Airport

well here I am at stupid o'clock using Delhi domestic airport's free wifi. I LOVE it. You just type in your mobile # and an SMS comes straight thru with your logon details. We're off to Guwahati in Assam shortly and Pema, who came from Kathmandu yesterday, is very excited. He was AMAZED at the airport yesterday when he flew in, so you can imagine his excitement as he was driving around Delhi on a Sunday afternoon - wide roads, trees and vaguely sensible driving. It was all quite funny.
The last time I was in the domestic airport here was about 13 years ago so I am pretty impressed with what they have done. In fact I am pretty impressed with everything Delhi has done and even though there is some doubt that things will be finished in time for the Commonwealth Games they are giving it their best shot.
So what have we been doing the last few days - going out is a very short term affair as it is so very hot here you need to be back home by lunchtime or you will melt. We went to a book market yesterday but all we got was hot. Caught up with a few friends, had some drinkies and Robin has entertained himself by coughing almost constantly. Lovely.
I have paid to join a local hotel swimming pool and I am looking forward to that when I get back from Assam on Wednesday - it's about the only exercise option that won't kill you in this heat! And after all the food we have been gobbling down it's a very good idea.
Anyway, better sign off and find the boarding gate. Besides, it's way too early for me to keep nattering away.
Bye for now