Luxury!

Hi all

You won't believe this but I'm sitting here in a beautiful home working on a very large desk with a huge Apple computer on it after the most amazing couple of days....

Tom's mum Sandy is a teacher at a school called Malvern College in the UK. It's a very exclusive school and therefore she gets to know her students very well. Two of her very good students are from India, and their parents most graciously offered for us to stay in their beautiful home. So we are now staying with a very welcoming and warm couple (Anil and Renu) who live in an exclusive suburb in India. And it is incredible.

Yesterday, after we checked out of the hotel in Central Delhi, we caught a cab to their home. Driving up to the gate, we weren't sure what to expect but the gentleman at the gate allowed us in, and up the drive we went. We paid the driver, got our bags and went into the lovely sitting room (complete with pics of Don Bradman - they love their cricket and have just seen India win the 20-20 match against Pakistan - we are hearing lots of fireworks outside presently!)

Meeting Anil and Renu was lovely and they took us almost immediately out to the Golf Club, which they are members of, and which had a dress code that we didn't meet by any means.... Tom had to borrow a shirt and a pair of trousers and i had to borrow shoes! AT the golf club, we had some food and a beer and met some of Anil and Renu's friends, who are all so friendly and interesting. On our way out, we saw Kapil Dev, a retired Indian cricket player! Famous!

Then off to the Gymkhana Club, where Anil is a Director, and it is incredible. This club was one that was built by the English in the Raj Era, and has lovely marble floors, crystal chandeliers and massive fans to cool the patrons. Anil is currently involved in an election to become a Director for the 4th year running and was chatting to a lot of people. Tom and I went across the road to the Indira Gandhi museum (and her former house) and then the driver took us home for a shower before we went back to the Gymkhana Club for dinner. And, if you please, we had dinner with the former Foreign Secretary. There are some very important people associated with the club and a more different experience we are not likely to ever have again.

Today, after a sleep in, we again utilised the driver, Vijay, to take us into town to visit the Train Station to see if we could book some tickets onwards to Rajasthan later in the week. And then we went to a market/bazaar called Chandni Chowk where we wandered for two hours in the labrinthyne streets, watching colours, sarees, buttons, pyjamas, and all other amzing things being made and sold. One wonderful experience was walking down one of these alleyways, against a tide of little indian children, who all shouted Hello to us after we replied to the first boy who was brave enough to say Hello to the white people! The indians are so warm and lovely.

On our way back, Vijay stopped in at the Lodi Gardens where we watched scores of Indian eagles soaring overhead and took in the sights of two amazing tombs in the middle of an immense lawn. Screeching indian parrots (bright green with a band of black around their necks) toasted the dusk with us as we watched the sun turn the sky pink.

Tonight, dinner made by Bibiani, the chef, which was a lovely mutton (goat) and potato dish, a lovely soup, potato and paneer (indian cheese a bit like greek haloumi) curry and indian bread made fresh. We are living like kings and can only thank Tom's mum Sandy for being a good teacher and getting to know her students. Anil and Renu keep insisting we stay for as long as we can, and given the lovely atmosphere, I can only hope that we can come back again.

Love to you all.