We tried to be quiet, but the chips were crunchy. Four of us were gathered around an apple, a bag of chips, a handful of small black grapes, half a packet of cookies and a bag of Bombay mix. The other four women in the room were sleeping, but Pushpa, Leela, Brenda and I were having a midnight snack by flashlight. The crunching noise of a chip being eaten seemed very loud indeed in the dead of night, and my companions and I burst into giggles that grew louder the harder we tried to suppress them. We are in Delhi now, after the shortest bus ride of the tour, which brought us here from Faridabad in two hours. Just as good was finding my "room" on the first floor. Never happened before and it is a big thing, believe me, not to have to climb two, three or even four flights of stairs. I rejoined the tour in Jaipur. The rest did me good and I was happy to see everybody again. The 2008 North India Tour is almost over. We have one more stop, Calcutta. The most challenging bus journey is still ahead. It will take three days to get there.
Soon I will see Nova and my family, I am so excited! But I will have to say goodbye to my new friends, who over the past few weeks have also become a family, with Amma at its center. Liz from Ireland was a bit teary today when we were talking about the fact that the tour is almost over. "Where are you going after Calcutta?" is a frequent question now, and though a number of us are going home, quite a few are staying in India. Darjeeling, Varanasi, Rishikesh and Daramsala are amongst the places being mentioned. I would like to visit those places too, and sometime I will, but for me it will home FIRST. But there is still Calcutta ahead. We leave tomorrow at four in the morning. And tomorrow is my fiftieth birthday. A lovely girl from New Zealand gave me a Coca Cola as an early present and Joanna from Staten Island gave me a small cake and a few people sang Happy Birthday to me yesterday.
Bye for now,
Esmeralda
ps. Delhi Belly strikes again!
About Me
- Esmeralda Williamson-Noble
- I was born in Italy sometime ago. I met my husband, Hugh, at Brown's Hotel in London where we both worked. We married, had four children; two of them twins. After moving to the States in 1995, Alexander, one of our twins, seven & half months at the time, died of SIDS. The Considering Alexander SIDS Foundation was my way of keeping Alexander alive, while raising money for research and awareness of the Syndrome. The Windflower Ball, a yearly fundraiser held in Manhattan is now in its tenth year. The Ball is now organized by First Candle/SIDS Alliance, all proceeds go into Alexander's Memorial Fund, thankyou First Candle. At last October's Ball, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced an 11 million dollar grant for the Safe Sleep campaign. I sell real estate in Westchester. And my husband, having worked in luxury hotels all his life and loves hospitality, feels that being a real estate broker has only changed the size of the accommodation he provides for people. You'll find him at P D E on 212 891-7618. I tell you, Browns Hotel has had an impact on my life, not only did I meet my husband of twenty two years there, I also met my dearest friend Nova Alexander.
My Family at the Windflower Ball
This picture was taken in October 2005 before I stopped smoking and when I was still dyeing my hair
The Windflower Ball Master of Ceremonies, Meredith Vieira
Meredith introduces Esmeralda
Bruno
This is a true likeness of Bruno by my friend Peter Sis
Sri Yantra
The Sri Yantra represents the feminine creative principle Aum
The Plight of Indian Farmers
Global Warming is effecting farmers in India and around the word
4 comments:
Happy Birthday Darling!
Happy 1600!
Congratulations as you travel on the 1600 kilometres or so by bus from Delhi to Calcutta/Kolkata.
Oodles of love from us all,
Florentina, Andrew, Robert, Hugh and Zoe
Happy Birthday D, may you have dreams of luscious chocolate cake and good strong espresso (or whatever makes you happy). Heaps of love and welcome to the age of maturity, wisdom and rationality (huh?)N x
I love you Mummy! Happy Birthday!
Hope you left Delhi Belly in Delhi.
Can't wait to see you!
Dear Esmeralda - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! we have been reading your blog with huge interest- and looking forward some day to hearing more - it does remind us of our own travels, though under somewhat different circumstances. I know what you mean about getting tired of Indian food and longing for a roast meat dinner (we did have a cook who cooked English style, but very basic , and anyway the raw materials didn,t taste the same. ) and don't you feel disappointed that the fruit and vegetables somehow lack flavour? And our sympathies go out to you in your physical problems- we got Delhi belly too, in spite of every precaution, and leading a sheltered life, Sarah and Nigel got hepatitis , and others in the High Commission a rather nasty type of diarrhea - and my sister Isabel had appendicitis (not from Indian food!) when she stayed with us en route home from her posting in Tokyo. However , do hope you find interest and happiness during the rest of your tour - it may (or not be) a comfort to remind you of the story of the young man who travelled the world in search of the Truth, came home , and found it in his backyard. Much love from us both . Pauline
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