Thursday 27th Oct

 
Up about 8 ish. Expecting to leave by taxi to Delhi about 9:30. Banana and snacks for breakfast. Steve & I tried cycling to the local that Andrew & I went to yesterday. The bike had a flat that turned out to be a leaking valve. 
Alan Irena and I left for Delhi about 10:15 to meet Kapil at CP. I popped into a shop to buy some long trousers, as visit to the mosque with shorts on would be in doubt. We travelled by metro to see Father Ravi who runs a shelter for street children. He is an absolute saint putting all his time into helping the children and some adults.  Seeing these very unfortunate children face to face rather than on the television is a very unnerving experience. 
From there we went back on the  metro which at times is very crowded to Chandni Chowk, to the market shops area, then on to the mosque. We all had an escorted trip up to the top of the minaret tower in the mosque and saw great views over New and Old Delhi. The two cycle rickshaw rides there and back under the maze of cables, over very uneven roads, and past every sort of trader from hot food street seller to a gold buyer. 
We were certainly very glad to get back to CP about 4 pm for a late snack then a walk to the Imperial Hotel to meet with the others. But first to find a cash point. You cannot get Roupees in England before you travel and when you get here you can only get £130 a day. I would like to understand what the reason is for this policy. 
A quick drink at the Imperial which is sheer opulence after the sore sights of earlier in the day, then back to base at Noida by about 8 pm. Some of  us are up early to get to the hospital for medical screening by 8 am. So no food only water till after the tests.