Day 33: Lahore

Thursday 25th October

Had a lay-in until 9.00am and then went to find an internet café which had a reputation for not being too bad and not far from the hotel. The good café was down some stairs from a much another one which was poor. First impressions were not good, five machines, two with flat screens and all towers older than my first Dell fifteen years ago. Started the machines to be confronted with Windows 98, no USB ports, no CD drive and my mini SD card caused the proprietor puzzlement. Took over five minutes to login into my email account and even longer to read them. After fifteen minutes I was on the point of smashing the monitor and Anne suggested we beat a retreat before I did damage to the shop or myself. I am just glad we didn't go to the poor café.

We all met up at 2.00pm to go and see a Sufi meeting in the old part of town. The rickshaw ride was brilliant because the traffic was exceptionally bad and he weaved in and out and even left the ground once or twice as he hit large bumps and protruding manhole covers in his attempts to outrun the bikes and cars. Once again as soon as we congregate in public the locals surround us and this time they're mostly the poor heading to the Sufi temple. After taking our shoes of once again we enter and sit down in the middle of the large hall. I quite enjoyed the singing, it was soporific. Very relaxing. However it wasn't long before we were being stared at, told off for spreading our legs out in front of us and beckoned to the front, I think to contribute financially. Bilal eventually gave up saying no and signaled us to leave. Next stop the Royal Fort and mosque.

This was the best rickshaw ride of all usin 3 large ones holding six in each and setting off through the congestion and clouds of appalling polution like a chariot race to the death. Ours was the fastest and in no time at all we were leaving the others behind. Sitting in the back seat, facing the pursueing hordes, gave me a perfect viewpoint. It was great seeing the others fall back as we accelerated and then just as quickly catch up as we came to a set of lights or junction. When all three were level the fun really started as each tried to gain poll position by breaking all the rules but always stopping short of bumping each other and damaing their livelyhoods. Once the road cleared ours would set off again showing its superior power and the process started all over again. We were at the old part of the city a few minutes before the others and were captivated by a couple of five year old girls who Bilal explained were professional gypsy beggars. Like two little Madona's they were charcoal black, incedibly grimey, nose studdered, with big, beautiful, deep brown sultary eyes that led you down to their outstrecthed cupped hands.

The Royal Fort area was very impressive and the mosque covered an amazing square area which copletely fills for Friday prayers according to Bilal. I would like to see so many kneeling. Came back from the bazaar to hear that John had been taken to hospital with prostate problems and I thought this would be my fate. After yesterdays excellent meal on food street, tonights place, although the food was good, totally lacked any atmosphere and I was glad to leave. Most people went to see John in his private hospital and were amazed first by the standards, certainly better than our national health ones and secondly to find John in excellent spirits after having had his prostate removed. At 2.00am this morning he was laying on the bed drinking and talking with Anne and at 8.00am being rushed to hospital. On admission he was offered a free operation on Monday or a private one immediately. Having established a cost of €500 he settled for the instant treatment and will be meeting up with us in Delhi in two or three days time.

On saying our goodbyes to John we embarked on one of the strangest events so far on this trip. Bilal wanted to take us to a shrine to listen to ritual drumming. On arriving, down a very dark crowded lane we were met by Viv and Fe in an agitated state saying they had been manhandled. After some discussion it was decided to proceed all together with caution and not to the entrance where they had been touched but further down to an outside area. Suddenly we took our shoes off and joined a large crowd of young men up some stone steps in the dark. At the top of the steps four or five of us were immediately surrounded and pressed into a corner against our will. At the bottom of the steps I'd noticed quite a few men smoking cannabis and there was a strong order on the stairs. In the darkness and chaos I found myself trying to protect the three women from preying hands only to find out they were in actual fact they belonged Daz and Andy who were trying to get back to help out on hearing Fe screaming for help. As we made a retreat back down the stairs a hand started trying to unzip my trouser pocket containing credit cards and money and as I hit the hand away a young figure pushed past me and away. I think Bilal greatly fears that this will be our overall impression of this lovely country.

My overall impression will be the thousands of Kites circling the blue sky. There are more Kites in the sky than there are rickshaws on the roads. There are Kites on telegraph wires, sitting on buildings, circling above the traffic, shops and parks. These beautiful birds are to Lahore what Magpies are to Sheffield. I estimated thousands and Bilal says there are millions and although this probably is an exaggeration it's not much of one.

After last night's party, tonight's return to the hotel was a very low key affair. I had too many beers to consume and couldn't be bothered to carry them into India and so I gave them to two very appreciative hotel laundrymen.