croston to chennai a diary after the event

this is a rather eccentric diary.....after the event....here goes...it will contain thoughts and observations...call and recall...december 13 we left manchester in what seemed like the middle of the night...have we got the passports...do the cameras have memory cards...do you remember it used to be film...i digress..we arrived at the airport curtesy of byron who incidentally took the first photo of our journey. we fiddled about waiting in anticipation of the flight..all exciting going into the unknown. first stop doha....feet barely touched the ground and we where off on the second leg....getting more and more excited......fasten your seatbelts we are approaching chennai......again the middle of the night...well midnight......the first thing that hits you is the heat...the humidity..within minutes your clothes are sticking to your skin......bags collected...this is tal start oenture......the unknown ...exciting eh?.....being used to travelling we new we had to get a pre paid taxi into the city..........been there done that...easy?????????? booked a taxi handed over the ruppees...to a chorus of indian laughter....whats the joke?????? we thought that we had been smart and taken some money with us from our last trip....how where we to know it was old money and out of date.....a hole in the wall...easy ...oh!.......problem the cards would not work...try another hole in the wall..still no luck....by this time we were about to pull our hair out...not so fast heres another machine try a different card...money money ......back to the taxi guys more laughter and we are on our way into the night in an Ambassador car the indian old faithful......at last the ymca....then the ritual of filling in forms and more forms...then when you think its all over just one more....bed ....sleep.....awoke for breakfast well lunch.........looked outside it was raining i mean raining......this is the monsoon..did we pack our wellies...will it rain every day?...who cares we are here.