Celebration Saturday

Hi guys

Well that's us done here for this year. Chris and the boys all really enjoyed the shopping this morning. An exercise in speed shopping was just what they needed and the Emporium certainly obliged. Experts from John Lewis and Ikea will understand the well oiled system of purchase, payment and collection - if you're lucky!

Lunch comprised a battery of cheese and tomatoe toasties amd many plate of chips, which they do very well here. Thus well fortified we headed for the grande finale at Trilokpuri dressed in our recently purchased Indian finery, lads included. as expected the start was a little delayed - about 2 hours - but eventually Dr Kiran Martin did mange to struggle through the Delhi traffic to recah the slum. Once underway things certainly went with a swing. Bollywood writ large with colourful performances from the children of Trilokpuri followed by Maddy and Cricketing Chris who danced on his knees. Alex managed to avoid the intricacies of Bollywood performance by operating the video camera. The marigolds flew. Watch the screen at St Stephens on Sunday 14 March for the results!! 'Speeches' given with Amanda leading the thanks and Crricketing Chris and Maggie adding their own thoughts. Kiran did a great job conveying this in the Hindi language - or so we think anyway. Sweeta, our Asha host lady, acted as Master of Ceremonies with great aplomb and grace as she has done throughout our visit. Drinks and refreshments followed, enabling us to have really interesting and informative conversations with Kiran, before we bid an emotional farewell and headed back to the YWCA and cold showers yet again for some of us (Cricketing Chris won the lottery and had the benfit of the hot water today!).

Fairly exhausted by now Amanda, Sue and David had to turn around and head out for dinner and chat with Freddy and Kiran. Alex had a lucky escape and joined the younger set as we lived the luxury of drinks at the Imperial Hotel. We lost Jungle Chris a couple of times but eventually made it back to the YWCA amd persuaded the kitchen staff that we couldn't survive on toasted sandwiches and so they magically produced vegetable noodles and further plates of chips at 9.45. We're done in....................... and so to bed, to rise at 8am again for final breakfast and team meting then home.

Maggie, Margo (and Cricketing Chris when he could tear himself from the TV screen where Sri Lanka lost to Pakistan in a great match).
THE END