Hotel Delhi: Wednesday

My husband’s work has taken him to New Delhi, and I was joining him for a week of hotel adventures while he worked entirely too hard.  I had arrived at the hotel Monday afternoon, and had been entirely too lazy on Tuesday.  My new goal was to actually do something for the day.  Something, anything.

True to my vow, rather than lounging and reading all day, I jumped out of bed when my husband finished showering, and didn’t let myself crawl back in after breakfast.  I took a shower, spending more time studying the beautiful travertine walls than my hair, and then went on to study the bathroom countertops.   Sometimes all that mineralogy just sticks with you.   For as beautiful as the walls and flooring were, the countertops looked like as though they’d been purchased on a discount.   A dark intrusive basalt, they cooled too rapidly and had a very small, dull crystals.  At first I thought it was a fake.   But the beauty of the walls more than made up for the sink countertop.  Although I do think the walls are a very good fake.

After the shower I sat down to e-mail Mom (the only person who I am good about regularly e-mailing, because otherwise she’ll think I’m dead…. You know it is true, Mom!) and decide on my day’s adventures.  

I had thought about getting a facial, but after yesterday’s dirty towel discovery, I just don’t trust this hotel’s level of cleanliness. Besides, I made a new friend in Mumbai, and we are planning a spa day in June, anyway.  So I can go with gross pores for a few more weeks- I did it for 29 years, after all.  

But I was still desirous of being more productive than the day before. So, I worked at booking my ticket to see Fez, which took multiple phone calls and multiple websites, and was still only half-paid by the time I called it quits for the day.  Don’t ask.  We just have issues with our Indian debit/credit cards.  

After I was fed up with trying to get a ticket, I decided it was time to test the pool, as it would only get hotter.  I lathered up my sunscreen, and went down to the lobby.  A man was already swimming, so I lounged in a chair until he was done.  I looked around.  It was much more private than it had appeared from the window, so I easily relaxed. 

The chair smelled like animal urine.  Based on my observations, I’d guess crow, pigeon, or squirrel.  But those squirrels were so cute!  They played, and chased, and the pigeons were the most beautiful pigeons I had ever seen. Their underbellies were a beautiful bright blue, and at first I had thought a blue jay was flying over my head.  Even the crow’s beaks and feet seemed color enhanced.  It was like walking into Oz after Dorothy’s black and white Kansas.  The green grass was bright and inviting, and the pool a beautiful blue.

I read, waited until the man left, and used the little outdoor shower, as of course, you are always required to shower before going into a pool.  The outdoor shower had a lion head that dispensed clear water into a footbath that was neon pink.   I mean, the water inside was neon pink.  Some form of cleaning agent, I guess (I hope).   I’m not the best of swimmers, but I slowly went back and forth for a half hour until I grew bored and came back out to lounge.  The air was warm, but the only part that was unbearably hot was the shale (?) stone that I had to walk upon barefooted.   I’d stop at the kiddie pool, re-dip, and walk, re-dip until I reached my chair.  I only stayed out for another hour, for fear of burning. 

I came back to the room, and promptly slept until dinner.  How lazy I am.  Pathetic.  The turn down service again came (clean hand towels this time, thank goodness), and I got another dozen chocolates.  Yeah!  He also finally stopped being stingy with the bottled water and gave me six extra bottles, much to my delight.  This guy is going to need a good tip!

For dinner, I decided to actually go to the restaurant, rather than the mini bar, and had a lovely salad with red wine and the very good hotel breads and butters.  It was nice and quiet, and I had already moved on to the next book, The Boleyn Inheritance, which I read as I ate. The food was good, but the mini-fridge was cheaper.  But at least I was semi-interacting with the public. 

Of course, I went back to the room and waited patiently (in the comfy hotel robe, which, after the towel incident, I sincerely hope is actually clean) for my husband to arrive home from a long day of work.

He comes home late, we are grouchy that the kitchen messed up his room-service meal (I ordered dessert), and we go to bed on full stomachs, which is always uncomfortable.  I discovered another difference between the US and India.  Every single time I have ordered a brownie with ice cream, the ratio of ice cream:brownie is lower than in the US.  I don’t like it.  The brownie is so rich, you need that yummy cooling ice cream to counterbalance the rich flavor.  I’m going to have to remember this and ask to double the ice cream next time.   So I just hate half the brownie, which is a complete travesty and goes against my very nature. 

All in all, probably because of the nap, it was a peaceful, fast-paced day, except for the slow nighttime digestion in my belly.  My goal for tomorrow?  To make it to high tea at 4:00 pm.  And to actually go to the gym.  And to not get sick.  Neither of us felt our best as we slipped into the soft cozy bed.