Delhi

On our way to Delhi and before Helen's first cold of the trip clears up, David's second is in full swing.
Many kilometres before we reach the outskirts of Delhi, the pollution in the air becomes noticable, so much so in Delhi though you can try and look directly to where the sun should be in the sky and it's not at all blinding. There has certainly been a clean up in preparation for the 19th Commonwealth Games with improved and new road surfaces, the removal of a lot of trash from the streets and the relocation of many slum developments on the main routes travelled by both competitors and spectators.
When we arrive, there's a mission to get tickets for some of the events, so Rick, Becky and David travel on the underground to visit the athletics stadium to buy some. There are a significant number of armed guards – even on the tubes. When we return from our mission, there's a couple of lads playing badminton outside Green Park metro station and David can't resist grabbing a racquet and having a quick knockabout with them. Back at the Hotel Oscar, the food is good, the rooms very clean and it's welcoming to have tea and coffee facilities in the room.
The following morning we both take a short walk around Green Park, before going our separate ways for the day. David takes a closer look at a site of two mausoleums. Inside there are some steps leading up, so he climbs up to find himself outside on the upper ledge, so before his legs get too wobbly he walks halfway around and down another set on the other side. When he reaches the bottom, he finds a locked gate and has a quick flashback to Mandore so quickly climbs back up and onto the ledge to return down the original steps he climbed. Thankfully at the bottom the other entrance remains open, which is good as the drop from the top would have left him completely stranded.
David shares a cab to go to the Siri Fort stadium for the badminton with Vicky, Becky and Frankie. The taxi driver is good as he makes enquiries of a number of armed guards as to where to drop off a disabled passenger but this involves many reversing and turning movements that no driver in their right mind in the UK would consider and David openly 'effs and geoffs' on more than one occasion in front of the ladies.
When the taxi driver stops, it becomes clear that the armed guards instructions have been wrong at best and clearly unhelpful as there is a significant temporary bridge structure to negotiate. Frankie sits down whilst enquiries are made for wheel chairs. Firstly, it appears there are some in first aid, but subsequently this is denied. So between the group it is decided Frankie will walk a bit, be carried a bit, have piggy backs, etc. After security is cleared, which means giving up all drinks, coins, food, including individual sweets the group start to make their way up the first ramp. At the first corner there's a couple of chairs for the volunteer marshalls to sit on – so Frankie gets to have a rest. One of the marshalls makes more enquiries after wheelchairs and whilst waiting for confirmation that there still aren't any David is intrigued by one of the marshalls using a loud haler to instruct the crowd to keep to the right over the bridge. Not many people seem to be taking any notice, so David suggests she talks a little louder, or shouts, and then has a go himself. 'Keep to the right', 'Excuse me, you in the checked shirt, Keep to the right', 'Yes, I'm talking to you', 'Keep to the right', 'You with the long hair, keep to the right', 'I'm watching you', 'Keep to the right', 'I mean YOU', 'Keep to the right', 'I'm coming to get you', etc. Oh well, it kept David amused for a minute or two anyway.
After the interlude the first of two chairs is offered in which to carry Frankie along in – unfortunately this one was collapsible as discovered after only a couple of yards – amazingly there was no further damage done, but a rather shaken patient decided to walk over the remainder of the bridge aided only by her crutches. On the other side she takes another rest on a chair whilst told to wait whilst something is sorted and eventually the second of the chairs is delivered. This one is just your standard plastic chair but the height difference between the volunteer and David gives Frankie a precarious ride for a couple of hundred metres during which time a number of armed forces personnel helpfully look on. The crutches are then once again considered the safest option for the remaining distance to the stadium. After more shenanigans to get to the seat and not to be able to eat the food or beverages purchased on-site at your seats, a wheelchair is ultimately presented for the return trip to the perimeter gate. During all this time David did manage to witness some enviable badminton that saw the England Mixed Team take bronze.
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During this time Helen enjoys a very girly day. Having had enough of sight seeing, she decides a visit to the beauty salon is a far better idea and as Debbie is is having her hair done, she tags along with her and Amanda. Although the hotel phone the salon and book an appointment for Debbie, and advise her its only a hair salon, when the girls arrive the salon doesn't have Debbie's booking (and its far cheaper than quoted) and they do do beauty too! Helen gets her eyebrows threaded (not 'braided' as David had earlier suggested to his group) and also submits to a manicure. The manicure includes a full arm massage with soapy water, oils and then cream which worries Helen as to the cost. Unfortunately, Debbie's hair doesn't work out initially so she has to have a second treatment. Amanda also resigns herself to the threading but refuses the facial to remove her freckles (probably a bleaching treatment to lighten her skin which for Indian girls is seen as a good thing!). After all the treatments, a relaxing lunch in Lodi Gardens cafe and a quick stroll to see a couple of the mausoleums, before heading back to the hotel to pick up Isabelle and Mills and onto the cinema. Initially the tuk tuk drivers take the ladies to the wrong cinema so they have to get a second set of vehicles to the right one. A local lady advises them that they are ripping them off, they know where they should be going and over charging us (they should charge 20 and not the 100 rupees they are quoting!). Finally, at the right place – its a very new, very clean shopping mall which gets all the girls very excited. The film is great – just the right amount of drama, singing, dancing, tears, romance, eye candy for a Bollywood movie and they all come out saying it was the best! (and surprisingly, there is an interval in the movie to stock up on popcorn and snacks). On the way back to the hotel, Helen and Isabelle end up with a disco tuktuk; the music blaring and drawing even more attention to them than they need. The driver is so into looking around to check out who is looking at him, he drives into the back of Mills and Amanda's tuk tuk.
All in all when we were repatriated, Helen informs David she's had the best day!
After all the excitement of the day, David takes a trip to the local English wine and beer shop and finds himself behind the counter with a number of other ladies on the Oz Bus to personally select his Kingfisher for that evenings refreshment.