Meeting up with friends is always something to look forward, especially when you have some juicy gossip, some secrets to share or maybe a really good laugh. However meeting up with friends abroad is something else. I met Sunil only a few months before my trip at mutual friends’ barbecue. It was during the "What do you do?" point of the conversation, we both realized we'd be in India together and decided to meet up once we got over there.
Sunil is on a four month internship with an IT firm based in the satellite town of Gurgoan (no, there are not satellites everywhere, its just a modern suburb of New Delhi) and shortly after he is going to be cycling through some parts of Africa for a further several months. (and here I am simply gallivanting aimlessly though India with no care in the world)
If you think the previous makes Sunil quite the legend it gets better. In my second week I clumsily dropped my camera at a place called ‘Peace Park’. I was supposed to be watching a short film on self enlightenment, and decided to answer my phone, the camera slipped out of my lap and crash landed to a dark death. (I think that was gods’ way of giving me a sign.) Anyway, I went to Cannon to have it fixed and was speaking to a Mr Raj, who said that it would take up to a week to fix my camera and seeing as time was off the essence my only other option was to pick it up from 'a satellite town of Gurgoan' (Enter Sunil).
At this point I felt like a total prat! How can ask someone to collect and pay for something when I hardly even know them? I faced a predicament, I couldn’t be without a camera for three months (my memory was not that good either.) So I did what I had to do, I phoned him. Sunil courteously agreed to collect and pay (I would transfer funds) for my camera and assured me that it would be safe.
When we finally got round to meeting one another, I had just finished my third week at the Ashram and was in dyer need for some company. We decided to meet at Lodhi Gardens, close to parliament, ( in short a much cleaner part of town). Lodi Gardens contains the tombs of the late Mohammed Shah's and Sikander Lodi. The architectural work is of the 15th century Sayyid and Lodis, a Pathan dynasty which ruled much of Northern India during the 16th century. I don’t know what I was expecting aesthetically, because it seems that it gets to point when one garden doesn’t really differ from the next, although to my amazement not only did the gardens have character, history and shade, it also had a bird sanctuary.
Here are some Photos
Sunil studying the very incorrect bible
The Tomb
A man’s best friend (and he’s not really a fan of dogs)
Me
Sunil and I mooched around the park for some time and we didn't quite make it to the bird sanctuary. Don't think I'm the bird watching type and anyway the local amusement arcade had far more on offer. I’d forgotten how entertaining they actually were, we sat and played the one driving game several time before I was summoned by my aunt for shopping duty. Anyone who knows me, will know that I love to shop, however shopping for Indian clothes, as gifts has to be the most monotonous shopping experience in the world and because I’m so lovely I took Sunil with me. I think it’s safe to say that the day was truly over at that point.
So, to conclude never be pessimistic about meeting a friend abroad, you never know you just might surprise yourself.
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