28th October

Spent today trying and failing to write my essay. I don’t think I will get it done by the time we leave tomorrow, which is annoying. I will have it to look forward to when I come back instead. I have to say, it is looking very similar to my Indian Civil Service essay – if you only replace ICS with Bengal Army and throw in ‘martial race’ occasionally, you are about there.

Lauren and I went to Connaught Place to try and pick up a few things. I want a present for my friend Gavia for her birthday and then some Christmas presents. I managed to get both these things, but I also managed to buy two dresses and a pair of harem pants. Not good! That night market is bloody dangerous. It makes me feel slightly better that one of the dresses is a shared dress – Lauren and Amanda are going to use it too. and that Lauren bought the same amount for herself. That night market is dangerous. It was quite funny – we went into to so many men’s shops trying to find her a man’s shirt. Every one we went into were completely non-plussed as to why this girl wanted to try on a small men’s shirt rather than acting like a decent person and sticking to the women’s selection. Very time she went into the changing room the shop assistants started giggling.

After wandering around and spending too much money, we went to Flavours for dinner. We are meeting everyone coming to Pushkar from Europe here in an hour. Seeing as we came early, we got a splate of antipasti to share and some beer. Once everyone turned up we properly sat down to eat. It was nice to have some food together and meet the other people coming before we left. All the French are coming and some new Lithuanian people. One, Aga (I think that’s how you spell it) was really nice and wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt that I appreciated greatly.

Realised while we were out thatMinaxi has no idea that we are leaving at 5am tomorrow for several days, and so the guards won’t let us out. Not good! Phoned Marie to see if she can write it in the night out book at least, or else we will have no chance of taking that train to Pushkar. Minaxi is going to skin us when we get home, but oh well. I don’t care right now. I am fed up of all the ridiculous rules we have to attend to all the time. Bah.