On the back of a great night’s sleep, I had ready a detailed plan of attack for my last full day in Delhi, largely built around the flight (which I had managed to change so that I could watch…) and the King’s Coronation. My planning had one flaw in it – and that was that I was originally due to fly home at the same time of the Coronation which I did not want to miss. Once again, lady luck smiled on me and I had managed to change the flight to the Sunday 02:00 departure which would also get me home in time for our street’s Coronation party!
A reasonably early breakfast was followed by an Uber ride back to the National Railways Museum which had been closed at the start of my trip due to Ramadan. Catching the museum at opening time, it was fairly empty and peaceful and made for a nice place to wander through and look at some interesting railway memorabilia, especially items from the UK and history of Indian Railways. I think it is accurate to say Indian Railways is close to me heart and I was rather pleased that I had made it to the museum and also that I managed to buy 3 cute little tea mugs from the museum shop suitable inscribed.
A quick stop at a fruit stall to buy 2 boxes of 12 alphonso mangoes to take home (at the airport I was asked a few times by fellow passengers if I was allowed to bring them in to the UK and confirmed that, according to the FCO website, this was possible) and then I returned to the hotel to check-out and spend about 4 hours in the bar watching the Coronation streaming on my laptop. It wasn’t the best place to enjoy the spectacle but I’m glad I didn’t miss it.
Once that was over, I decided one last push was in order and headed back in to Delhi to Kwality restaurant on Connaught Place, somewhere we had eaten twice as a family when we came in August. It was a slightly sub-par experience mostly because it is hard to eat as a solo diner especially when there are so many delicious dishes on the menu but also because by this point, I was truly spent.
Getting in to the airport was slightly challenging (the name on my ticket – Brian Crockford – didn’t match the name on my passport – Brian John Crockford – so the Army Officer needed some convincing it was the same person. Check-in was smooth but security quite chaotic and tedious. My premium economy seat with Virgin didn’t match the luxury and comfort of the Business Class product from Finnair. I was full from my large dinner but the food appeared unappetising (breakfast wasn’t much better) and service was at best dis-interested although perhaps that was due to the red-eye nature of the flight and the intent was to let people sleep. Unfortunately, the 2 people in front of me didn’t seem to be of the same mind.
And what about those mangoes? No questions in Delhi or from VS staff but the onboard pre-arrival announcement said that I would need to declare any fresh fruit and veg. I did so and the Customs Officers thanked me and waved me through. My family were very appreciative and the 24 lasted just 7 days.
Needless to say, the journey back around the M25 was starkly different to the chaos I had left. Boringly so! India. Simply spectacular. Simply chaotic. Simply everything.
