Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2000 05:12:03 -0700
Subject: india: part 1, from delhi
From: "Anthony Butler" 

Dear all,

Well its a few weeks since I wrote the last group email about what i've
been up to.

Basically jen and i arrived in india about 5-6 weeks ago. Since then
i have spent greater than 50% of the time unwell.

We arrived in calcutta fom bangladesh. After looking around calcutta
for a day and buying train tickets to varanesi we both got a mod-severe
dose for gastro. This did not get better until we both took cipro a few
days later. We went to varanasei to recover and enjoy the hindi spiritual
town. While there we relaxed and ate well. One morning we went on a dawn
boat ride and got engaged. (yippie)

After we felt better and had bought some silk we went to delhi. We are
staying  with haike manning (lauren's brother) at the new zealand high
commission. It is a rather nice place with a tennis court and a swimming
pool. We had a great time with haike going to indian restraunts, gardens,
parties, markets etc. The first weeks in delhi we trapsed betweeen embassies
tring to get visa. eventually we got a parkistani and an iranian visas.
Both required several visits, letters of recommendation, trips to banks,
photos, etc etc. we where unable to get any central asia visa due to
cost (hundreds of $US) and time.

Throughout the first week I spiked fevers, ate little and spent a lot
of time in bed.

 I then got a bit better and we went to agra to see the taj. The price
is now 500rs (NZD25) for foriegners. This is ridiculous for most backpackers
as its about what we spend on 5 nights of double rooms in a ok hotel.
 Most budget tourists now either don't go or spend only 1 day in agra.
As such the budget area of agra is now dead. the restraunts are empty,
the rickshaw-wallahs offer great deals and the place has the feeling
of a ghost town. (an indian news paper quoted me and jen on our experience
of the place and how its changed in the last few years). 

We then returned to delhi were I continued to deteriorate. I spent a
few more days in bed with fevers while jen did the final collecting of
visa's etc.

Martin Misur poped through on a 2 week tour of india. At this stage I
was still getting worse and that evening jen took me to a hospital. The
doctor was ok but felt its was either gastro or a virus and sent me home.
The following day I was worse Haike arranged for me to go to the hospital
at the British embassey. I stayed for a week. The hospital was great
and reminded me of a private NZ hospital. It is only avialable to commonwealth
diplomats and thier house guests. As such I feel very greatful to haike.
They eventually treated me for ricketsia (scrub thyphus). Its a tropical
illness caused by intra-cellular G- cocci. It doesn't show up on blood
cultures and is difficult to diagenoise. Treatment is simple oral doxy,
but its resistant to most other things. I got better within hours of
receiving the right antibiotic. However at this stage I have spent the
best part of 15 days in bed and 10days not eating anything. I now feel
a little weak, but have a HUGE appetite (I've got lots to put back on
though)

Also while I was sick I was told that I have been accepted for the radiology
training scheeme in chch. Great news.

To celerbrate out engagedment jen and I just spent two night in neemrana
fort palace. A 14th century fort in rajastan. It had all the trapping
of a indian palace with 5star service. Our room was like a muesem with
aircon.

We are back in delhi now, and have tickets to go to shimla tomorrow.
>From there we intent to travel slowly to amritsa and then onto parkistan.
It will be nice to leave delhi. With visa problems and illness we have
done very little for 3 weeks now and I'm pleased to be felling well again
and am looking forward to travel again.

Will write again soon.

Ants