A Weekend of Taj & Akshardham

Having had a busy week at work, we were ready for a much needed 1 and a half day break.  Marty had been in the operating theatre by 7.30 am every morning, so relished the idea of a lie in!  Melman and Gloria had to attend the hospital briefly in the morning but were soon back at the hotel in need of rest.

Much of Saturday was spent resting - which involved watching The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum; napping; ordering room service; watching cricket etc etc etc.  We did however have exciting evening plans!  My consultant had invited us to accompany her to a wedding at the famous Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi.  For those of you unfamiliar with the location, let me enlighten you.  This is one of Delhi's finest 5* hotels.  It shows of stunning Mughal architecture, and is situated in one of the most distinguished areas of the city.  Needless to say, it's a high class venue ... and we had not planned on attending weddings, so had only work/casual clothes with us!  Cue panic.

We felt so privileged to be invited, but did not want to embarrass our consultant!!  So we rushed to the shops, bought some shirts for Marty and Melman, and a kurti for Gloria.


Having gotten dolled up, we were collected by Ma'am and taken to the hotel.  The decor of the hotel lobby was stunning ... lavish and contemporary but with traditional warmth and an elegant feel. We were still definitely undressed!!!! The wedding celebrations were a Sangeet evening for both the bride and groom's side of the family.  Exquisitely colourful sari's filled the banqueting room.  Flower arrangements on all the tables, and hanging decorations, added to the vibrant atmosphere.  There were dance performances by many  members of the immediate family, and this was followed by a buffet dinner.  The buffet dinner had stalls with different world cuisines.  There were chinese, italian, indian and chaat main courses, followed by an extravagant array of mithai and desserts.

The evening was a new experience for us, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  Despite looking a little out of place, people were friendly and warm - encouraging us all to eat more!


Sunday, was spent at Akshardham Temple.  This beautiful complex was opened in 2005 and sits on the bank of River Yamuna in Eastern Delhi, adjacent to the 2010 Commonwealth Games village.  This is not just a temple, also onsite is the life story of Swaminaryan shown as a model exhibition and as an IMAX feature.  Not only this, but there is a boat ride which explore Indian culture and heritage; a musical fountain; the 'Garden of India' which has 65 bronze statues of major Indian leaders, politicians, scientists and other greats; a sunken garden and an extensive food court.

Inside the temple itself, there is a huge murti of Swaminaryan himself - 3.4m tall - and there are also other Hindu deities.  Intricate architecture can be seen throughout on the 234 pillars, 9 domes and 20,000 murtis.  Despite being full of visitors, the temple had an aura of peacefulness.  We explored the temple, and for me it was a place to reflect.  I am not particularly religious, but for me, visiting temples - or any places of worship - brings a certain calmness for the mind.  In fact, I always feel disappointment when I leave the temple, as I can feel the weight of my thoughts and troubles on my shoulders once more.

The musical fountain was a show held in the evening at 7.30pm.  The Yagnapurush Kund is the largest step well in India.  The kund measures 300 ft by 300 ft, and has a 27 feet murti of Neelkanth Varni.  The show was stunning.  It began with a puja.  This was a puja like none other.  Firstly, it was outside, and secondly the aarti was sung with such reverence you could not help but be in awe.  After this, there was a story of the circle of life regarding the Gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.  This same story was then depicted using music, lights and water fountains ... in a fantastic show.


Once again we visited Connaught Place for dinner, and this ended our lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Marty, Melman and Gloria.

PS - Sorry no cameras were allowed at Akshardham so we couldn't take pictures in character :(

Protect our Angels

Did you know it is though that as many as 53% are victims of child sexual abuse.  Home should be the safest place for a child, but unfortunately this is not true for many.  In fact, many abusers are individuals trusted by the family.

Sexual abuse not only is an act of violence, but damages an individual's dignity too.  When this abuse is against children, it snatches away what should be a time of innocence, freedom and joy.  Unfortunately abusers gain the trust of their victims under a camouflage of helpfulness, kindness or guidance.  This sickening crime, used to be brushed under the carpet by families and society - due to secrecy, ignorance and denial.  But not any more.  Living in Delhi at the moment, everyday there are articles in the paper highlighting heinous acts of sexual abuse to children - the youngest recently being 5 years of age.

Sexual abuse can be strangers or known to the child; the victims can be either male or female; this can occur in any class/caste/religion and can be against both able and disabled children.

What is the definition of child sexual abuse?

"Any use of a child or young person to meet the sexual needs of another person in a position of power, authority and trust and who has an ongoing emotional bonding with that child is sexual abuse of the child. This person can be an adult, or another child who is older or bigger, within the family or outside. The abuse can begin in infancy, childhood or adolescence. It can be a one-time experience, something that happens more than once or repeatedly."

 There are several forms of sexual abuse including assault, exhibitionism etc

In many cases, the children do not speak up about what they have experienced as they have been threatened by their abuser.  Some victims also believe that they may not b believed, or will be blamed.  This is all entwined with feeling ashamed, confused and don't have anyone to tell.  

Statistics:  

• Of the 53.2% children that are abused, 53% are boys and 47% are girls.  
• 50% of abusers are known to the child and are in a position of trust.  
• 72.1% of children do not report the matter to anyone.  

This past week, there have been protests down the road in central Delhi, after the rape and torture of a 5 year old girl.  It has even been brought to light that the family of the girl, were offered 2000 rupees (around  £25) by the police to keep silent about their daughters suffering.  If we cannot trust the police to stand up for justice - then what can we do?!

""This issue can't be hushed up. The police shouldn't wait for crimes to be committed. When children of migrants go missing, the police never file a report. They think they are dispensable," Kavita Krishnan, a rights activist from the All India Progressive Women's Association told DW."

Visit http://www.satyamevjayate.in/issue02/indiasays/, it's a painful read but it's something that should be said.  We should not live in ignorance about this matter.  For the protection and safety of our children, stand up for what is right. 

Together we can make a change.   

Lets Slum It

According to the latest census, 17% of India lives in slums.

A slum is defined as a 'residential area where dwellings are unfit for human habitation' because they are dilapidated, cramped, poorly ventilated, unclean or 'any combination of these factors which are detrimental to the safety and health'.

In fact, this figure of 17% is less than what was projected for India (27.5%). Hopefully this is because the government are improving housing and services to the most deprived areas of India. However, even that is not for certain. Many state governments are unwilling to admit to their being more slums in their cities as otherwise they're expected to offer basic services like water and drainage.

A recent article in The Times of India stated that children under the age of 6 were more likely to be victims of violence and sexual abuse if they were living in a slum.

Maharashtra has the highest number of slums of any state. 41.3% of Mumbai's population lives in a slum! But it doesn't have to remain like this. They key to improving the lives of these families, is education. By education children and young adults in slums, they are more likely to get a job, have a healthy life and improve their quality of life.

Plan-UK have been helping the families of slums in Bandra since 2010. By educating children, enrolling young adults in vocational courses, improving health education in a community setting and also raising awareness regarding child protection and domestic violence... These families have a greater chance of progressing and moving on from their slum location.

This is just one project by one charity. On World Earth day, a group of citizens with local political representatives helped to organise a cleanliness drive at Machhimar Nagar in Mumbai. In Delhi, Friends of Sant Parmanand Hospital offer distribution of free medicines, promote good health, hold diagnostic camps and offer other welfare programmes. Brett Lee is also going to educate the slum kids of Jaipur, with the Rotary Foundation to use music as an educational tool.

Together we can change lives.

Support us and donate at www.justgiving.com/onesiesaroundtheworld

Gloria, Marty and Melman Visit Agra!

Hello Madagascar fans!!

Yesterday, Gloria, Marty and Melman were lucky enough to visit Agra.  This city is on the banks of the River Yamuna, and used to be the capital of Hindustan under the Mughal empire.  Agra is famous for the Taj Mahal.  Built by Shah Jahan emperor of the Mughal Empire from 1628-1658, this was a show of his never-ending love for his favourite wife Mumtaz, who passed away at the age of 40 during childbirth.  Agra Fort is another famous landmark in the area.  It is made from red sandstone and conceals living areas, a mosque and beautiful grounds.  In fact, this was the very place that Shah Jahan first saw Mumtaz - buying jewellery.  

The journey to Agra from Delhi was supposed to be around 3 hours.  This was not taking into account our drivers chai and cigarette breaks!!!! The heat and steady motion of the car sent us all to sleep (bar the driver, I think).  He decided to use these opportunities to wake us up by using the car horn on an empty road!!!

First we saw the beautiful Taj Mahal - unfortunately we had to go in under the  pretence of being Priya, Ricky and Amar and had to ditch our Madagascar persona's.  There were floods of Indians and Foreigners visiting the monument.  And when we entered, we could see why.  It was magical and serene.  There are some places in the world that have such a beautiful atmosphere.  As our guide told us the love story behind the monument, I could almost see it in my head.  Mumtaz was not only a beauty and the diamond of Shah Jahan's eye, never leaving his side -  but, she was also his advisor.  There are many scripts that show that she was extremely knowledgeable and advised Shah Jahan on many political matters that were brought to his attention.  I felt that this monument ... this beautiful building with exquisite architecture and design, as an expression of love for his wife, was a reminder.  A reminder of the power of love.

We then explored Agra Fort ... first posing for a Madagascar-themed photo.  This attracted a LOT of attention.  Within 2 minutes, we were surrounded by a huge crowd of locals - trying to take photos and laughing at the absurdity!!!!  But Gloria, Marty and Melman stood proud ... roasting in the 42 degree heat, but still proud.  Having caused a ruccus at the entrance of the fort, we ventured on inside.  We saw the place where Mumtaz and Shah Jahan first met ... where Shah Jahan was held prisoner in his later life, and where he passed away.  The fort and its uses, reminded me of Jodha Akbar - scenes where the King is asked for advice etc etc 

Hope you enjoy the pics :)

Much love,

Gloria, Marty and Melman xxx

I cannot understand how anyone can be an Indian, and not be proud

Yesterday was the Indian national holiday, for the religious festival of Ram Navami. We decided to make the most of the day off, by first resting and then seeing some sights in Delhi.

Our original plan was to visit the Gandhi Smriti Museum... Our smug rickshaw driver dropped us off there - knowing full well it was closed!!! Not wanting to look foolish, we made quickly made a back up plan, and walked to the Indira Gandhi Memorial at 1 Akbar Road. She moved to this location, after her father - Jawaharlal Nehru- passed away, whilst she was a minister, and whilst she was prime minster until her assassination.

Not a big fan of museums, I wasn't overly enthused by the prospect of traipsing round her old home in sweltering heat and trying to navigate through throngs of people. I was proved completely wrong... The museum showed artefacts from the great lady's life, whilst showing her life history in both pictorial and word format.

As I scanned all the information, so many of the famous quotes struck me. They not only teased my philosophical side, but also my feminist side. The theme of many of Indira Gandhi's quotes, fitted so perfectly with my last two blog entries, with the focus being on freedom and justice. Please allow me to share some of the touching quotes -

'While my family was not orthodox enough to consider the birth of a girl a misfortune, it did regard the male child as a necessity and a necessity. My grandfather compensated, by calling me his grandson and I grew up a tomboy. "This daughter of Jawahar, for all you know, may prove better than a thousand sons".'

That was in 1917. How can we be living in an age, almost 100 years later, where girls are still seen as inferior?! Surely, we should have learnt from Indira Gandhi's example. She was an inspiration to Indians, but particularly to Indian women. We should use her example to inspire others that anything is possible.

"Do not shed blood, shed hatred"

'In the heart of a truly non violent person there is a profound belief that hate can only be driven out by love, that anger can only be conquered by compassion, and that fear can only be overcome by courage.' Rajiv Gandhi

Those were just a few of the quotes, but notably my favourite.

Will leave you with these thoughts for now.

Gloria, Marty & Melman xxx

He Says It Won't Happen Again ...

Another issue we have come across during our time here is domestic violence.  This links directly to my previous article, as it highlights the inferior status of women in the community.  

This is irrelevant of the socio-economic status, and is an issue faced by women all around the world.  In India, there are now some campaigns to try to bring domestic violence to a halt via blogs, celebrity campaigns, social media, training and community stories.  

Domestic violence will only come to an end not only if women are empowered but if men are also educated against violence.  In fact, it is considered crucial that cooperation from every man is needed to stop violence. This issue stems primarily from a superiority complex and that since the Vedic age, women have never experienced equal rights and freedom compared to their male counterparts.  

Internationally, it has been recorded that 1 in 3 women have been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in their lifetime by a member of their own family.  Imagine if that was your mother ... your daughter... your sister.  It's despicable.  Why are girls and women subject to inequality from the moment they are conceived??  Is it correct that women should be under the control of their father and then their husband, once they are 'married off'?

In my opinion, it is this subordinated status of women and the social-cultural norms need to be addressed to stop domestic violence.  Regarding the subordinate status of women, I have seen this clinically in my time at the hospital.  Female patients attend the clinic with their mother-in-laws regarding personal gynae and obstetric issues.  But not out of choice.  The mother-in-law and sometimes even the father-in-law attends to find out why her daughter-in-law is unable to conceive and 'what is wrong with them' ... obviously not once considering that there may be an issue with their son.  The daughter-in-law is unable to speak freely about what is bothering her.  Coming from the UK, being an advocate of confidentiality and equality, I find this a hard concept to deal with.  Yes, I understand this is a cultural issue, but I feel it is our job to empower women, and to share how miraculous it is to carry the XX gender chromosome.  That we can be as knowledgeable as a man, we have the ability to carry another human being, we can hold down a job as well as look after a family ... to name just a few.  These are all values that should be celebrated, not oppressed.  

Research has shown that number of family members, type of marriage, menstrual problems, sex of the children and working status have a significant influence on domestic violence.  There are many enhancers of the problem too - including whether the male smokes, drinks and takes drugs, but also socio-economic status is a factor.  Men raised in a patriarchal society encourages the traditional gender role.  Some studies have shown that marriage at a younger age, also makes women more vulnerable to domestic violence.  

Domestic violence does not just cause physical bodily harm to the woman.  Extensive violence has significant harmful effects such as unwanted pregnancy, gynaecological disorders and physical injuries to genitalia.  Mental health impacts is something that should not be taken lightly either.  

So what are the statistics?  One study shows that 21% of married women experience violence in the home, but more worryingly there is acceptance of domestic violence in 57% of ever married women.  It is thought that women is raped every 29 minutes, a dowry death occurs every 77 minutes and a cruelty to women by either their husband or relative of the victim occurs every nine minues.  

The experience of violence undermines the empowerment of women.  India is a great country, full of knowledgeable individuals, with great promise.  However, if half the population is oppressed ... then how will the country progress to its full potential?!  It is a barrier to the socio-economic, financial and demographic development of the country.  

There are many ways to combat this issue - education of women should be encouraged.  Stringent laws MUST be put in place against the perpetrators of the violence but also giving more rights to women.  The 'Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005' is evidently not enough to protect the millions of women in India.  This MUST be addressed.  How to change socio-cultural practices is a major hindrance.  These are issues deep rooted in society - that the perpetrator and victim take violence for granted.  Educating both men and women is essential to facilitate the implementation of appropriate and meaningful responses to domestic violence, and ultimately ... preventing it from happening all together.  

Spread the word, stop the violence.  

Visit www.bellbajao.org to see the fantastic work they are doing to protect women in India.  

Onesies Around The World!: The Miracle of Life

Supporting Plan-UK and raising money for children in Mumbai Slums!!!!

Onesies Around The World!: The Miracle of Life: Today Gloria spent the day in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department.  The day was fantastic - I not only saw a lot of pathology, but sa...

The Miracle of Life

Today Gloria spent the day in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department.  The day was fantastic - I not only saw a lot of pathology, but saw even more cultural differences.  Many of these differences, are those that I have noticed before, coming from an Indian background.  

I thought I'd focus on female foeticide for today.  It was evident that the majority of women attending the clinic, wanted a male child.  In India, it is illegal for the ultrasonographer to relay the sex of the foetus to the parents.  Having watched Amir Khan's Satyamev Jayate, I knew this already.  Today, I saw the importance of this.  There was not a single woman who walked through the door, that did not want a baby boy!  The doctor had to fill in an extensive form for every ultrasound she performed, to say that she had not divulged the sex of the baby.  

Female foeticide is a matter close to my heart.  Having delivered babies myself and watched my sister/nieces grow up, I know that children - no matter what gender - are miracles of life.  We are all just souls, no matter what sex.  

To those of you who know me personally; you’ll know I have loving parents, a beautiful little sister and four addictive nieces whom I adore.  Those of you know me slightly better will know that my parents have brought up my sister and I, as their sons.  We have the mindset that anything is possible, regardless of gender.  Finally, those of you who know me best will realise that not even my parents are to blame for how opinionated I am and how I’m convinced that I could potentially better a man at anything I turn my hand to.  Women shouldn’t be seen and not heard, men aren’t the only ones who can play sport or fix things.  It is this passion and determination that I hope to pass on to my sister, nieces and women of all ages.  

You may be thinking that in this day and age, it’s incredulous to think that parents would still prefer to have sons over daughters.  I beg to differ.  Even from personal experience I’ve seen this truth.  After the birth of my sister and I, my parents were faced with ‘condolence-like’ comments from a select few, as opposed to congratulations.  I guess I actually have to thank these individuals, as it’s made me the feisty tomboy I am today.  However, the killing of unborn girls (female foeticide) is a sickening reality in some parts of the world, especially India.  Who’s to blame??  One could say the unscrupulous doctors who allow or even promote these procedures, and some may say it is the society, culture and traditions that are so deeply ingrained in Indian heritage that encourages this desire for a male heir. 

The concept of a loving, nurturing, doting mother runs deep in the Indian psyche.  So why is it, that mothers – who were once born daughters – can be so mistreated? 

Amir Khan explored some sad stories of women forced into gender selected foeticide.  One woman from Ahmedabad forcibly underwent numerous abortions, as her husband and in-laws did not want a daughter.  After her eighth abortion, this unfortunate woman could take it no more, and turned to her parents for help when she next fell pregnant.  Luckily, she managed to save this baby’s life and is now blessed with a healthy 8 year old daughter, Kamya.  In fact, many people believe it is the woman who controls the gender of the child.  Science has proven this completely incorrect.  Within each of us, there are millions of cells and each of these cells has a special code (DNA) which is unique to each of us and makes us who we are.  Part of this genetic code defines whether we are a boy or girl.  A father’s sperm, can contain either ‘X’ or ‘Y’ chromosomes, whereas a female egg contains all ‘X’ chromosomes.  Thus, to conceive a boy, a sperm containing a ‘Y’ chromosome must bind to a female egg, and to conceive a girl, a sperm containing an ‘X’ chromosome must bind to a female egg.  So, it is the father who unknowingly determines the gender of the child. 

It has been estimated that between 3 -5 million girls have been killed due to female foeticide.  Contrary to popular belief, this shocking truth occurs in urban, educated sections more than in rural areas.  Census figures in India show that in 2011, for every 1000 boys, there were only 914 girls.  This might not seem a lot, but for every 10,000 boys this is 9140 girls... and for every 1 million girls, this is only 914000!! Disgustingly, some clinics offer ‘package deals’ of sonography combined with abortion, despite this being illegal. 

Female foeticide began to occur in the 1970’s, when there was a huge rise in the population size.  It was believed that if girls were eliminated before birth, people would have fewer children and so this would be a solution to the population problem.  This soon became illegal, but the damage had already been done.  With the development of ultrasound technology, corrupt doctors were able to illegally disclose the sex of a baby for extortionate amounts of money.  But it’s 2012, it’s the age of modern technology, fair-trade and gender equality.  You’d expect that the Indian government and its heads of court would not take such disgusting behaviour lightly.  Wrong.  It’s estimated that 50,000 doctors are involved in fuelling this malpractice, but the Indian Medical Council has not struck off a single doctor so far.  Even the judges in courts are not against it.  This in itself is condoning the killing of these female foetuses. 

So, what is the reality of the situation?  It’s not hard to work out that if you kill all female foetuses, and leaving just male children, you will end up with a surplus of males or indeed bring an end to procreation altogether! In India, there are now huge numbers of unmarried men, over 30 and unable to find life partners, simply because there are not enough girls!  This in itself could lead to horrific circumstances, where women may be traded like commodities as brides.  Crimes against women will only increase. 

It is OUR responsibility to educate each other and to make sure the daughters of India are not denied the right to live.  We may be halfway across the world, but we can do so much.  Educating midwives and doctors etc is only half the battle.  More drastic action needs to be taken to persuade the courts to take these cases seriously and to reprimand and punish anyone involved in these heinous acts.  And no, this is isn’t just a problem in India.  Did you know that recently three doctors in this country were struck off for this very reason?

Our obsession with gender is a shameful facet of archaic and backward thinking, and raises a fundamental question.  What do we want our motherland to be known for

?  Female foeticide or the Taj Mahal (built for a woman, remember!!)  Firstly, I urge each of you to watch the previous and upcoming episodes of this brilliant series.  It is available on YouTube with subtitles, and is suitable for the young and old.  But most of all, to those of you with daughters, I urge you to instil them with the knowledge that they are on par with men, and to those of you with sons, I urge you to instil within them the respect that women deserve. 

"But... who will do the ironing!?"

02.00 - wide awake.  Look at phone.  Sigh.  Turn over, try to go back to sleep.

03.00 - HOW IS IT ONLY 3 AM?!  Sigh.  Turn over, try to go back to sleep.

04.30 - oh great.  At least this time I got 1 and a half hours sleep this time.  Look at phone - anyone to text? Nope.  ALL NORMAL PEOPLE ARE ASLEEP.  Turn over, try to go back to sleep.

06.30 - Alarm goes off.  Turn over, try to go back to sleep.

We all had had a similar nights sleep.  It seems the time difference had finally caught up with us.  Having finally convinced ourselves to get up and get dressed, we ventured upstairs to have breakfast.  Breakfast was interesting ... the classic combination of cereal, spaghetti, grilled vegetables, noodles, porridge and fruit.  Odd as it may have been, it was tasty and filling.

Joining the Delhi morning rush was fun!  We managed to find our way to New Delhi station and use the metro to get to work.

Having reached the hospital, we were surprised at the sheer number of patients EVERYWHERE!!!!  The hospital was clean and friendly, we found our point of contact and finalised our timetable.  The rest of the day was spent observing consultations, taking histories in broken Hindi, examining patients and noticing the differences in culture.

Outpatients in the morning, was bursting to the seams.  The consultation door had to be locked shut to keep out the heaving crowd of patients.

First day @ SPH

Consultations that we observed were very paternalistic.  There is an obvious hierarchy within the healthcare professionals, but also with regards to the patients.  Patients, especially from lower classes, treat the doctors with the utmost respect.  Patients from the higher classes, still had respect but expected a lot more ... and it was evident.  With regards to the doctors, the registrars ruled the roost until the boss came into the picture ...  I have never seen an individual command so much respect (and a bit of fear)!!

Melman, unsure about the coffee @ SPH

Other cultural differences were with regards to gender.  Women who attended with backache, were accompanied by husbands worried about who would carry out the household chores ... 'But who will do the ironing?!'.

Marty in the MDT room @ SPH

Verbal 'consent' was an unheard of thing.  And bedside manner is less of a priority due to the sheer number of individuals the doctors had to see.  So different to the UK, but yet it seemed to work so efficiently!!!

The emergency room was quite different to the UK.  Referrals were made quickly and easily.  The bay itself, was small with only 5 beds available.  However it was clean, well equipped and being used to full capacity efficiently.

 Anyway, the day was eye-opening and exciting.  Tomorrow will hold new delights and experiences :)

I'm going to try and practice some hindi tonight.

Speak soon xxxxx

Meeting 92 Beautiful & Intelligent Women

Foooooood

 Jet lag and tiredness had hit.  We slept in till noon ... the night was uneventful in comparison to the day, bar some shouting in her sleep from Gloria and power cuts that would cause the lights to intermittently turn on and off.

Central Park in Delhi

We woke dehydrated, but refreshed and ready for a relaxed day of walking around Paharganj and Connaught Place.  Having gotten showered and dressed, we were ready to face the heat and dust of the Delhi streets.  Gloria (dressed as boyishly as she possibly could in her India cricket shirt) attracted some odd looks from the locals.  Marty and Melman, had a healthy debate regarding the location of New Delhi metro station ... which seemed to have disappeared from sight!!  Melman turned out to be correct on this occassion - even he was surprised!!!

All gone!!!

Having reached Connaught Place, we set off in search of food and water, as a priority!  We sat down to eat chaat (peanut based - unusual but tasty!) and pau bhaji (spicy but tasty).  

After eating, we set off to explore shops around Connaught Place, but also avoiding pickpockets and street dwellers.  Exploring the local area and haggling over goods was fun!  We came across the following sign, which caused a lot of amusement to us all!!!!!

Chandni chowk was supposed to be our destination for dinner, however we decided to have an early night and order Dominos.  We ordered online (this took a good 15 mins and involved much debate), got comfy in our PJs and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  

And waited.  

Juuust as we were about to give up, it arrived!  Yayyy :)  

Sorry not much excitement to report today - however there has been talk of going to the ipl in onesies!!!!  First day at Sant Parmanand Hospital tomorrow ....

Will keep you posted.

Love,  Marty, Melman and Gloria

xxx

An Eventful First Day in Delhi

At London Heathrow!

The flight was comfortable an uneventful, but with snippets of hilarity mainly from Melman with regards to his costume and commenting that he was 'letting it all hang out'!!  The air steward also mistook his costume for a blanket during take off, which also led to some amusing moments when he requested Melman remove his clothing!!

During the flight, we watched films and tried to sleep.  Marty and Gloria were also responsible for ensuring that Melman did not spill anything on his onesie ... there were some hairy moments!!!

Ready to fly off... 

So we landed in Delhi at 11 am.  The weather was gorgeous ... very hot, but lovely and sunny!  There were no problems at Immigration ... some very odd looks and many questions asked though!!!  We were all sweating bucket-loads - waiting at the baggage belt ready to do some serious weight lifting - when we bumped into Dr Sahdev from Luton!!  Such a small world :)

Having successfully found our baggage, fended off some odd looks and fought our way through the throng of taxi/rickshaw drivers offering lifts, we managed to flag down a licensed cab to Civil Lines, the are of Delhi where our hotel was situated.

Snoozing on the plane

The taxi driver started driving ... 'so where is the hotel?' he asked, and we proceeded to give him the address.  This was meant with a blank look... and 'yes, but WHERE exactly is that?'.  We didn't like to point out, that if we knew the answer to that question, we wouldn't be in need of a taxi!!

1hr 15 mins later, tired, hungry and hot we were still trying to find the hotel!!!  Not sure who was more annoyed - the taxi driver or us!!  'Tamaro hotel owner pagal hai' = 'your hotel owner is crazy' ... in response to some unhelpful directions from the hotel!!

Finally we reached Petite Hotel.  From the outside it looked quiet, well kept and serene.  On the inside, it was a completely different matter.  Our King Emperor suite that we'd been promised, with rooftop views, living room and kitchen, was what can only be described as a shed with a few bits of furniture, that hadn't been touched in 10 years!!!  The sofa had holes in it, the electrics were falling apart, the TV required some coaxing to get started, and the bathroom (which did not lock or close), had definitely seen better days.

Ladies seat!!!

Oh dear.  4 weeks here?!  Really?!  We thought not.  Lets use the 'free internet' to research some other accommodation ... even that was proved difficult as the only internet signal was in the garden!!!  Having researched and found a new hotel that we subsequently checked out (involved using the Metro for the first time ... not knowing how to use the chips; Melman sitting in the ladies seat, Marty's foot being run over by a cycle rickshaw), we had to face the old hotel owner to tell him we didn't want the room!

But not just the hotel owner.  This time he had a friend with him.  Friend to him, definitely NOT to us.  A large dog, about 1m tall, huge sharp front teeth, panting and glaring, sat beside the what-can-only-be-technically-termed-morbidly-obese hotel owner.  We broached the subject about not wanting to stay... and in the blink of an eye, the dog pounced...  Baring it's teeth, growling and scratching ... it went for Ricky.  The hotel owner, tried to grab the dog's collar and failed.

We fled.  Paid one day's rent, and left.  The hotel owner didn't seem to understand why.

The new hotel was a palace in comparison.  And cheaper.  Bonus!!!  Finally had time to sit down and shower...

Ahhh but our day was far from over... Marty's cut from the crazy dog was worrying us all.  It's always been said, that a little knowledge can be bad.  We started thinking about rabies ... the health of the dog... the consequences etc etc etc .... and yup, you guessed it, we ended up visiting a private hospital to get some injections.

Obviously, this trip wasn't simple either.  We got lost (again) and there was much debate on the cleanliness of the hospital.

Aaaaannnnnyyyyywayyyy, we are back at the hotel and getting ready for bed.  RCB vs CSK is on ... (come on RCB!!) and we're going to drift off to sleep soon.

Much (tired) love,

Marty, Melman and Gloria xxxx

Boarded

On the flight!!!

The air hostesses are so impressed with the costumes!!! There was much laughter when we boarded the flight.

The air con has just come on... We were roasting!

Melman is telling us about the juicy leaves of the Acacia tree. I was worried about not sleeping on this flight, but if Melman continues with this story, I'll have no trouble!!!! (Oops Melman is shaking his head at me now...)

See you in Delhi!!!!!

Love, Gloria

Airport!!!

Hello from Marty, Melman and Gloria!!!

We're currently at the airport, attracting a lot of attention!!!

Gloria packed too many toiletries and had to empty her overloaded bag - oops!! Melman, tried to sneak poker chips through security and got stopped... Marty, naturally, has been the only sensible one out of us all so far. He's currently having his caffeine fix from tax-free Starbucks... So unlikely he'll be the sensible one after this!!!!

Quite a few people have asked us what we're doing and we've handed out a few flyers!

Off to the gate now!

Speak on the plane.

Love,

The Madagascar Crew xxxx

Generosity

"Gentleness, self-sacrifice and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion." Mahatma Gandhi


37 hours to go. Unfortunately had a broken nights sleep ... We only truly realise how much the stresses we experience during the day, affect our subconscious until your sleep is invaded by vivid, fleeting dreams. Despite waking up tired, I'm feeling positive.

I'll tell you why. The positivity from the emails and messages from the just giving site, with respect to the fundraising plan. It is truly heartwarming to see such support and spirit. Despite the economic climate, people are still willing to dig deep and think of others.

If that's not something to be positive about, then what is?!

"No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure." Emma Goldman

Have a good day,

Priya aka Gloria xxx

2 Days to Go :)

Hello everyone!

Trying on the outfit in preparation for Friday!!!!

Welcome to our Onesies Around The World blog!!!

We are four final year medical students from Imperial College London.  Having spent the last 6 years studying hard (and yes, admittedly partying harder) we are setting off on our elective.  This involves working in a different setting/country for a set period of time and learning about the culture and health differences.

Amar, Ricky and myself are heading to Delhi - Sant Parmanand Hospital, and Ankit is heading to America.  We are then all heading to New Zealand to travel around the two islands, and then going to China briefly before coming back to London.

We are all extremely passionate about health and education - as you can imagine - and have decided to use this amazing opportunity to raise some money for charity.  We are travelling around the world in onesies!!  Not just any onesies, Madagascar characters!!!!  Plan-UK is a brilliant charity, which supports many projects worldwide.  In particular we are raising money for the Mumbai Slums project.  This is a fantastic project that directly benefits around 2000 families and 5000 children and aims to improve education and standards of health.

Please be generous and donate at https://www.justgiving.com/onesiesaroundtheworld

Dropping off all the other onesies tomorrow ... will keep you updated!

Lots of love,  Priya aka Gloria xxx