Mad mad India trip

Spent all of last week in India on a whistle-stop tour. And exhausting it was. Mainly because the Indian economy is booming so much at the moment that's it's difficult to get any seats on the direct flights unless you book months in advance. As it was, I booked 6 weeks in advance and had to route via Bahrain!!! to get to Mumbai. So I left the apartment lunchtime Sunday to arrive in Mumbai lunchtime (HK time that is) on Monday -- should normally be a 5-6 hour flight. Instead, I had to fly HK->Bahrain (flying over Mumbai in the process). This took 10 hours. Then a 4 hour wait in Bahrain. Followed by a 3 hour flight to Mumbai. Gruelling I can tell you.

Mumbai was nice and warm, but still heart breaking to see kids Billy's and Archie's age naked on the streets - sleeping rough; playing in the gutter water etc. Not a good sight. This hotel opposite the hotel where I normally stay in Mumbai was bombed by terrorists a few years back ... a hotel chain bought it recently and are starting to renew it. They've got their work cut out for them I must say.

Anyway, 2 nights in Mumbai were followed by a series of meetings and a very drunken evening in Delhi where the weather dipped to a chilly 6 degrees at night (people sleeping rough on the streets again - with very little protection from the elements). The direct flight back to HK leaves at 07:40 .... international flights from India mean you have to get there a few hours in advance ... so meant that I had to get up @ 03:30. Queues at Delhi airport go on FOREVER. So you have to be liberal with the Dollar notes so you can Q jump. Having thrown a few Dollars @ people, I got thru the Qs quite quickly only to be tagged for a random customs check. Did not go well - nothing invasive you'll be pleased to hear. Let's just say I was tired and grumpy and the stupid *** was asking daft questions.

M