Notes From the Past Week

1. Last Tuesday, we were told we're on break till 31st August (Swine Flu protocol). Whee! So off I came to Delhi because I had some entanglements with CrazyV which needed to be sorted.

2. Delhi is HUMID. Delhi's public transport is screwed up. Delhi cannot take TWO HOURS of downpour without getting all jammed up, whiny and horrid.

The fateful day when Delhi made news because it rained from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, CrazyV and I were at this library right in front of the Supreme Court which is like 30 minutes from the place where I stay. Post-downpour, the streets were clogged, most autos stopped working, buses refused to show up at bus stops and people got really cranky! CrazyV and I were left stranded on the streets of Delhi for some 3.5 hours during which we hitchhiked, yelled at autos, walked all the way to Khan Market, asked 1893462684902 people for directions to Khan Market, made conversation with a police guard person who (after telling us off for not knowing the way to Khan, and giving us incorrect directions observed that I looked like I "about to burst into tears" any time soon), and finally ate and ate and ate at Khan. We first celebrated with blueberry cheesecake at Big Chill. Then windowshopped for a while. Then had pizza at Chicago Pizza. Finally went to Coffee Day and asked for the veg burger which looked YUM. But they were out of burgers. So we had this clubsandwich which was ok. All this while, my phone had conked off and her phone was in an about-to-die-DEAD-resurrected-about-to-die-again mode. Finally her parents made it to Khan, picked us up and deposited us in the safety of our homes.

I realized then how much cooler Bombay really is. All this while I thought the whole "Bombay resilience" thing was overrated and that any city would be that way during strained times. WRONG. First, Bombay's public transport doesn't just stop functioning because of 2 hours of rain. Second, regular people on the streets of Bombay are soo much more helpful. And they're not always out to get you. Sigh. And they're NICE to you when you ask for directions instead of scoffing. Also, they can even be chivalrous at times. Such courtesy cannot be even dreamed of in Delhi. As in, ok, I like the city for its shopping, nice wide roads (which it is lucky for having solely because it's the capital and because of the Games (construction for which is any way majorly screwed because of general incompetence)) and movie halls and malls etc., but it lacks niceness and unity and love and affection and sunshine and stars and flowers and the smell of fresh cotton... you get the drift. As in I like the city and all that jazz, but well, I think I like it a little less than I used to.

3. I went to this huge huge mall called DLF Place yesterday. I must go there again. More importantly, I must go Sarojini Shopping.

4. It was CrazyV's surprise birthday par-tay yesterday which was lots of fun. Vegetarian food can be really, really yum. There! I've said it. She was actually surprised (thank god). It was good fun to meet her friends and cousins. I'm generally this awkward person in social gatherings where I don't know most people present. But this wasn't awkward at all because there were connecting friends and connecting factors and common goss. So good fun. Plus CrazyV is a good host :D *giggles*

I think I should have a label called "Delhi Times" given I visit this place so often. Gah.