Day 15. April 3.

Dubai you are bad for my health. I don't know if it's been around Toby, or just that holiday booze thing, or perhaps it's just Dubai, but Dubai is no good for my health. I always drink and eat way too much. Looking around my spacious room, I lazily swing my legs over the edge of the bed and prepare to get up and get organised to check out. Bags backed, phone and ipad charging trying to get as much juice out of the hotel as possible, I wait for Toby. 11am he arrives suited, booted and clean shaven for his brunch. Nice to see he can make the effort if he wants to. He treats me to a fry up at the Crown and Lion because I don't have any dirhams left and I get sad at the thought of saying goodbye. I always cry when saying goodbye to Tobes. He must get so fed up of it. Breakfast devoured and we are in the taxi on our way to the airport. Toby's brunching at Yalumba which is very conveniently located next door to the airport. My flight is with Jet Airways, so I am dropped off at the peasant’s departure terminal. Nice one Emirates. I had already checked in online so I go straight to back drop. My flight is delayed by one hour. I have 3 hours to kill…at the peasant terminal. No heineken bar this time around for me- probably a good thing with all the beer I've had this week. 3pm comes around soon enough and I experience my first account of Indian rushing/ queuing. The gate is announced as open and oh my do the flock to the gate. The only analogy I can even think of is when a good band is about to start at Reading Festival and people are rushing to get in and there's a semi circle of people. But that situation I get. This gate was just opening, it was 45minutes until the flight started boarding. I don't think Tobe would cope here. “British man arrested for crushing seven Indian people for inability to queue”…I wait for the queue to go and walk straight through, 30minutes later boarding starts. WHOOSH. Off they go. I laugh out loud.

Mid way during the flight the middle aged man to my right, I was in a window seat, starts talking to me. He's kind and inquisitive, speaks very good English, and tells me where he's from, his profession etc. He also scratches his arm pits, grunts and makes that hocking sound to dislodge phlegm from his throat. He gives me a few tips on what I should see, tells me that Goa beaches are polluted, but Trivandrum beaches are lovely because they aren't as popular. He quickly turns quite serious and says “I feel we are friends now. Please be safe here. You will see that 98% of people are lovely, but those 1/2% ruin it and our reputation for others. Just don't go out at night”. He sounded so sincere and checked whether I had a taxi booked, if not he could arrange one for me. We chat a little and part ways at passport control. 

Passport control was quick and painless, my bag was on the belt as I walk toward it, exchanging currency was a slight faf but done, customs was a breeze and my taxi man was waiting for me. India you're doing so well so far. 

The drive was interesting, they have lanes but don't use them. Drinks and ice cream carts are perched on street corners. Old and new vehicles manoeuvre and weave around one another, whilst avoiding the dogs who roam the streets. And some streets have horns beeping from all sides, whereas other streets have horns banned! Take note Jordan! We pull up outside the hotel and an older gentleman in his smart security uniform opens the taxi door, greets me, insists I go inside, and grabs my bag from the car. The tour leader, Raj, is there to greet me and he tells me that there are 3 single female travellers so we will rotate with single room, for tonight I get my own room. We’re meeting at 8.30am tomorrow for a tour of Delhi. I hand over my passport to the man on reception and the security guard takes my room key and carries my bag to the room. I mention I want to buy some water in the lift on the way up and less than ten minutes later he returns to my room with it. My room is lovely and clean, the a/c is loud but it works, same with the overhead fan and my (back to single. Woe. Is. Me.) bed is really comfy.