Friday 6th - Holi

We sleep in until nine o'clock as there is almost total silence.  No traffic noise - unheard of for Delhi. There are some clouds in the sky but they soon clear and it is a beautiful morning as we drink our tea on the terrace. Nearly everything is closed today so we decide to take the ten minute walk to Lodi Gardens. We get changed into our most expendable outfits and set out. On the way there is hardly a soul to be seen and traffic is minimal but as we enter the gates we hear the sound of drumming and festivities. As we make our way in that direction R spots a lesser goldenback woodpecker which flits around from tree to tree as we watch.

We soon find the first bunch of celebrators and watch from a distance. D wants to get closer for pictures and asks a couple if they mind. Not a problem. A few dabs of red colour on our faces and an exchange of "Happy Holi!" greetings and we are in.  Another group are going for it big time with super soakers. We get splashed a little but it is only water. There are plenty of people in the Gardens who seem to be successfully avoiding Holi and others who look like they have been wrestling with an artist's palette. It is all very good natured and is mainly families taking part.

After a couple of hours walking round it's time to head back for base, passing the Australian lady and her grand daughter who have decided to take a look. By now it is pretty hot and the swimming pool looks inviting. We soon realise why nobody else is in there. It is freezing.  10 minutes was as long as we could bear and as we get out one of the staff comes to top it up with more cold water. We get dried and go to lie down in a darkened room until the cocktail hour when we adjourn to the terrace and watch the parakeets. 

As a result of Holi dinner at the bungalow is a full house. Our table is a mixture of new arrivals and soon to departers. Most of them have been long time regulars here and the conversation turned to innovations introduced by guests. Coffee cafetieres are one of the recent ones. Most people turn in early blaming either jetlag or an early start. We make a start on our packing.