SUNDAY, February 11, 2018 -Same Old, Same Old...
From year to year, it astounds me that our team is continutally and consistently housed at the ROYAL PLAZA in Delhi. Yes, it is convenient to the attractions in the city, yes, there is flexibility in being able to check in at any hour of the day and night, and check out similarly. The hotel facility, however, lacks in many ways,not the least of which is hospitality and quality of rooms!
When my grandson, John, and I arrived at about 11:00 p.m. last evening, coming directly from the airport, we checked in and I know that over the past ten years, I have stayed in the actual room where we were assigned. Nothing, andImean NOTHING has changed! The furnishings are absolutely the same, the decor has not changed, i guess when one enters the hotel lobby, one is taken back to a century ago when there was glamour and glitz, but the appeal emnds there. I suspect that if perchance I had made a mark on the wall inour room six or seven years ago, the mark would still be there. Crystal chandeliers and marble columns in the lobby does not offset the fact that there has been no updating or upgrading at this hotel for at least ten or fifteen yhears. Again, it is convenient.
What is not convenient is the fact of nickel and diming the public for every service, not the least of which is access to Wi-Fi. One can choose from either a one-hour plan or a twenty-four plan, but the plan is good for only two devices - guess if I had read the fine print, it does not provide for using only two devices at one time, but rather only two devices, PERIOD. Therefore, if I am using my phone as one device and John is also using his phone... if i turn off the Wi-Fi on my phone and choose to go to the lobby (which is where i am currently) and decide I want to write a new post for the BLOG, i not have to pay for yest another device in order to access the Wi-Fi and Internet. I spoke to the concierge and told him I had paid already, but he theninformed me that it is only for two devices, regardless if I have turned one of them off. A small charge, generally, but an annoyance, nonetheless. Furthermnore, since our travel company puts people up at thos fcility, by the hundreds each year, one would think that perhaps a courtesy be extended to the guests of this company, but alas, it is not so!
So much for the rant... it was nice to settle down on a real bed,rather than a seat on the Boeing-777 on the flight. With the aid of medication, I was actually able to get a total of about nine hours of sleep out of the fifteen hoours of the flight. Upon arrival, we were met by our dear friend, Bani, and driven to the hotel. We settled in and got a bit more sleep - for John, about the first real sellp he had had in the last day.
Today, after meeting the rest of the team - Judy from Australia, Alicia and Perla from Mexico, Dave from Las Vegas, Heather from England, Jim from Yukon Territory (alas Sharalyn from Detroit missed the flight so will come here late this evening) we will take a tour of Delhi,both old and New Delhi, visiting the huge mosque and then taking bicycle riskshaws through the oldest market in city (The Red Fort is closed for renovations) and then visit Ghandis resting place, Humayums Tomb and a few other places of interest. We will then attend a meeting of the host club - Rotary Club of Delhi-Megapolis for a send-off dinner and return to the hotel for preparations for our flight to Udaipur in the morning.
Hopefully, the flight will be uncomplicated and we will then be driven to our dam site where we will enjoy the tent "village" set up for our stay. It will be wonderful to see Dinesh and Makhan and the rest of the construction team, as well as to work alongside the locals and the other Rotarians from the Megapolis Club.
When my grandson, John, and I arrived at about 11:00 p.m. last evening, coming directly from the airport, we checked in and I know that over the past ten years, I have stayed in the actual room where we were assigned. Nothing, andImean NOTHING has changed! The furnishings are absolutely the same, the decor has not changed, i guess when one enters the hotel lobby, one is taken back to a century ago when there was glamour and glitz, but the appeal emnds there. I suspect that if perchance I had made a mark on the wall inour room six or seven years ago, the mark would still be there. Crystal chandeliers and marble columns in the lobby does not offset the fact that there has been no updating or upgrading at this hotel for at least ten or fifteen yhears. Again, it is convenient.
What is not convenient is the fact of nickel and diming the public for every service, not the least of which is access to Wi-Fi. One can choose from either a one-hour plan or a twenty-four plan, but the plan is good for only two devices - guess if I had read the fine print, it does not provide for using only two devices at one time, but rather only two devices, PERIOD. Therefore, if I am using my phone as one device and John is also using his phone... if i turn off the Wi-Fi on my phone and choose to go to the lobby (which is where i am currently) and decide I want to write a new post for the BLOG, i not have to pay for yest another device in order to access the Wi-Fi and Internet. I spoke to the concierge and told him I had paid already, but he theninformed me that it is only for two devices, regardless if I have turned one of them off. A small charge, generally, but an annoyance, nonetheless. Furthermnore, since our travel company puts people up at thos fcility, by the hundreds each year, one would think that perhaps a courtesy be extended to the guests of this company, but alas, it is not so!
So much for the rant... it was nice to settle down on a real bed,rather than a seat on the Boeing-777 on the flight. With the aid of medication, I was actually able to get a total of about nine hours of sleep out of the fifteen hoours of the flight. Upon arrival, we were met by our dear friend, Bani, and driven to the hotel. We settled in and got a bit more sleep - for John, about the first real sellp he had had in the last day.
Today, after meeting the rest of the team - Judy from Australia, Alicia and Perla from Mexico, Dave from Las Vegas, Heather from England, Jim from Yukon Territory (alas Sharalyn from Detroit missed the flight so will come here late this evening) we will take a tour of Delhi,both old and New Delhi, visiting the huge mosque and then taking bicycle riskshaws through the oldest market in city (The Red Fort is closed for renovations) and then visit Ghandis resting place, Humayums Tomb and a few other places of interest. We will then attend a meeting of the host club - Rotary Club of Delhi-Megapolis for a send-off dinner and return to the hotel for preparations for our flight to Udaipur in the morning.
Hopefully, the flight will be uncomplicated and we will then be driven to our dam site where we will enjoy the tent "village" set up for our stay. It will be wonderful to see Dinesh and Makhan and the rest of the construction team, as well as to work alongside the locals and the other Rotarians from the Megapolis Club.
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