DELHI - samosas with postmen, Tamla Motown and Indian whisky to drown bad news, 1977

[Thanks to the help of the B.A staff, word was finally filtering back home that we were stranded in Delhi.  But they feared that the reason I hadn't heard from my granny was that she had died.  Worse still, they couldn't confirm if this was true.  My grandmother, Sydney Easterbrook, had gone out to India from Scotland in 1923 to marry forester Bob Gorrie, and they had lived there until the Second World War.  Granny was one of the inspirations behind my trip east.  Now like the elderly enigmatic Mrs Moore in Passage to India (another inspiration for going to India), it was possible she was dead.

So we 'attacked' the whisky to drown our sorrows ...]

WEDNESDAY 5TH JANUARY, 1977

"Happy Birthday Ank! [youngest brother Angus]  At breakfast a Sikh came to our table and asked us to model his clothes, so could guarantee right size - he sells to boutiques in Germany - we certainly meet all sorts in this place!!!

Went to B.A - nothing.  Went to GPO - they're so used to us, today we were given sweet tea and chapatis wrapped round potato samosas (potato in batter)!  Cheerful fella warmed chapatis over small electric fire!  Must be the only tourists to have done this - probably the only ones to penetrate so far!  Nice middle-aged man gave us address of Foreign P.O and told us to try there in case mail had been insured. 

Off we went in a rickshaw for miles, racing with traffic far beyond the confines of Connaught Place!  Hassled away with Indian and weren't understood very well - 2 blokes helping - said had no access unless we had registered number etc.  Discovered this wasn't foreign mail!  Went to building behind - same story.

Back to centre - cheered ourselves in record shop by listening to Tamla Motown L.P!!  Then found really good Penguin bookshop and browsed in there for a while.

Back to B.A - telex for Nikki telling her to go and check GPO!  Several for me - no reply from Granny.  They in touch finally with parents.  Dad sent cheque for ticket - then horrible news that Granny may be dead.  No confirmation - felt very upset.  Can't stop thinking of it - what can be happening at home?  To be stuck in this place because of Asian Greyhound inefficiency and to have no news from home!  Very anxious and miserable.

We attacked the bottle of whisky bought for New Year - drank half of it before supper - took mind off worries.  Went down to dining room giggling and wearing new tops.  Waiter in good mood tonight."