MandyMcGregor.co.nz

06, Mar, 2010

It has taken what feels like 2 days of travelling to get here, 16 hours on a plane, 8 in airports, and at last we made it, and so did our luggage.

Friday morning I flew up to Auckland to meet up with Steph and Barb. Barb had a later flight from NP, so Steph (from Gisborne) and I headed over to International and got ourselves sorted.  With all of last years escapades in foreign countries, I had accumulated some weird coins and with plenty of time to kill we ventured to the nice Indian lady in the Exchange, and I spilled my purse out in the hope that she would be able to change these coins (turned out to be korean) for singapore money. All I wanted was $13.91(SIN) for the swimming pool in the airport in Singapore.  The bemused lady politely said she couldnt take the coins, and said even if I tried to pass it on to a Korean they wouldnt want it as it weighs down their pockets!  No, really?  I managed to get $19 all up with Australian and so was pleased with offloading some random cash for something useful.  Waiting for the International flight, the NP - AKL flight got delayed twice, and Barb almost didnt make it up in time to catch us, so it was lucky she got there.

We landed in Singapore and after maybe an hours sleep on the plane we met up with Anne whom arrived an hour earlier from the Christchurch flight. It was great that we could all meet up, and we went to the Swimming Pool in the Airport and had a leisurely swim for maybe an hour. It was hot outside and the water was warm as anything, perfect really, and we just hung out. We had 7.5 hours wait in Singapore.

After the swim we decided we wanted McDonalds (I know, real good food) and do you know they dont have it in the airport, so BK was the next option. We did some terminal train surfing and made our way to terminal 3, killing time, and I checked out the FIFA store, that was cool.  BK was gross, just a reminder why I dont eat it. Went back to the right terminal and wanted aimlessly trying to stay awake.   I found this shop selling a 'uKimono' some vibrating pillow you put around your tummy to get rid of it, the byline was 'Knock out your fats' haha. Good laugh, would have loved to have tried it!

Slept on the chairs in the airport - why dont they make them sleep-able?? The when I had exhausted myself and every other option, I lay on the ground in the airport (there were others doing it too!) and slept for an hour. We couldnt wait to get on the plane for the last leg, so we could sleep.

Singapore to Delhi the plane wasnt full so we had a bit of room, and we slept for most of the 5.5 hour trip. We landed in Delhi at 5.30am in the dark, and pulled in to the plane stop to get off. We got off the flight and started up the gangway and there was a Commonwealth Games Official named Ravjeet to meet us. He fast tracked us thru customs and all of a sudden we were surrounded by 2 armed guards and another official looking after us throughout the whole airport. We were moved thru the airport quickly and onto a bus to take us to the hotel.

What can I say about India. Thus far, it was 20 degress at 5.30 this morning, and it is warmer now, and quite humid, but ok.  There is a constant haze over the city and you could only see a few hundred metres ahead. The roads are full of beeping cars, random motorbike taxi's cutting in and out, and rubble on the side of the road. There are armed police at every turn for the Hockey, and the hotel is secure. We cannot leave the hotel without a guard, and they are all very hospitable.  We get searched when we come back in from outside - even if we havent left the hotel grounds!

For breakfast I had an onion bhaji, something different! And lunch was rice and paneer, cauliflower (HOT) and fried fish. The food will take a bit of getting used to, there is some continental food here, but it is evident that they dont make it very often, so I figured I'd stick to what they know. There was Daal as well for lunch but I couldnt make myself eat lentils so early in the week.

Oh, archery, thats what we are here for.  Well we have all theteams staying here, and I understand there is 24 in the womens compound division. Here's a link to the program: http://www.archery.org/UserFiles/Document/Miscellaneous%20Events/10_CG_Delhi/Schedule%20for%20the%20Test%20Event%20New%20Delhi.pdf

Looking forward to getting some sleep, some shooting tomorrow, and seeing how it all comes together.