Passing through Delhi and an unexpected delay

to the left side is where you take the RT (non rapid) PCR test

So today I flew to Delhi to have my stitches taken out, then I was flying to Bangkok where I would transit to Phnom Pehn to begin my time in Cambodia. I tried to check in for my flight to Bangkok but couldn’t. I figured I needed to upload my PCR Test so as soon as I landed in Delhi (around 3:00) I went to the PCR Testing Center and took my test at 3:25. Results should be available by 9:30pm and my flight was a little after midnight so that seemed fine. I then took an Uber to my surgeons and he quickly removed my stitches with a few firm pulls. He wrote me a prescription for anti-scarring gel and told me to apply it twice a day for 3 months. The bottles were tiny and expensive (almost $10 each for about half an ounce, which in India is super expensive).

I took another Uber back to the airport and waited around until 9:30 then went to get my results printed. From the time I asked for the printout it took another 30 minutes from when they scan my code until the printout is sent from wherever records are to the printer. So just after 10pm I go to check in for my 12:20am flight.

to the right side is where RT (non rapid) PCR tests are printed

It takes awhile to get into the building, because they won’t let you in without seeing your ID and boarding pass so there’s a queue. I finally get there and find out they won’t let me fly without a Thai Pass, even though I’m not leaving the Bangkok International Terminal, because the flights (Delhi to Bangkok and Bangkok to Cambodia) are not on the same ticket (not that they can be as the two airlines won’t code share). I have a near meltdown. The manager explains that everyone on the flight must go into Bangkok and must use the “Test and Go” procedure with a Thai Pass. She points out that it is in the airlines best interest to let paying passengers on, but they are not allowed to. She also assures me that I can get a full refund or a ticket on the next flight (in two days) and suggests I try applying for Thai Pass immediately (currently there is a 5-7 day wait but her comment sounds like they might approve it).

After about 10 minutes of shock and denial, I finally start being more proactive. I find an Air India flight to BKK leaving at 6:45am and the manager helpfully lets me know they probably have the same policy but I should check with them and tells me which row they are in. They do have the same policy, handed down to them by the Thai government. I then try checking alternative flights to Cambodia through Singapore without much luck and decide to try the manager’s suggestion to try the next flight in 2 days. Unfortunately, at this point they have closed the Thai airlines counters and I will have to call in the morning to make changes. They walk me to the exit and sign me out since I can’t leave the area without an airline official signing me out.

Exit area Delhi Intl Terminal

Now I need to:

1. Find a hotel to sleep in, preferably near the airport

2. Try to get flights rearranged for traveling in 2 days so I can get my Thai Pass (this includes 3 flights, the Thai one, and the two Bangkok Airways coming and going to Cambodia) and also apply for the next Thai Pass on my return.

3. Get the Test and Go portion paid for at my hotel in Bangkok which I will pay for in points.

4. Buy flights and find hotel for Johdpur tomorrow since I should use the extra 2 days to catch the city I missed when my plans changed earlier.

Thai Pass application

The Holiday Inn Express is only about a mile from the airport so I book that with IHG points online and take an Uber there. Once in my room, I do manage to change one flight online but the other two need me to call. Since neither office is open I actually get to bed shortly after 3am. Next morning I’m on the phone with Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways via Skype for about an hour each. I got ahold of the Doubletree in Bangkok to straighten out the confusion about needing two different “Day 1” Test and Go packages (where they meet you at the airport, escort you to the hospital for testing, then confine you to your room with breakfast until you get the test results 10-12 hours later) and also was able to upgrade my first day to a speedy test so I can still meet my diamond supplier (the nice young man with the parents who gave me a Chinese New Year orange and cake). $500 later that is all taken care of. Bangkok Airways waived my change fee and missed flight fee…I had mistakenly checked in before I made sure I was on the Thai flight. I love them! However, Thai Airlines said there were no notes that I could change to the next flight for free so they charged me an additional $270. I didn't want to risk not getting on the flight so I paid it. I then got my Thai Pass requests submitted and prayed.

Confusing Screen showing flight to Jaipur as paid

Then I tried to buy tickets to Jaipur, which had gone up from $70 last night to $150 the next morning. My Chase Visa payment for the flights didn’t go through since I don’t have secondary confirmation set up, so I tried again with my AmEx and took the approval code from their text message and input it. I got the message that the charge was approved, but then the website went haywire. It showed the tickets were paid with $0 due but I did not have a confirmation (see screenshot). I didn’t want to get charged twice so I decided to wait and see what happened. When I got to the airport, about 90 minutes before my flight, they would not let me in with the reservation I had (with no ticket) and it was too late to buy another ticket online. So I spent 35 minutes on the phone with customer service trying to figure out what went wrong or how to buy a new ticket, but all the airport background noise made the whole conversation very frustrating for both of us. She got my payment approved, but then found out that my reservation had expired and she could not issue the ticket. She suggested I try downloading the app and purchase that way so I tried that with no luck and burned another 6-7 minutes. The guy at the gate said to talk to the ticket counter at the end of the building…they have a ticket counter I can access from the outside? If I’d known that I would have skipped the frustrating phone call! I was pretty sure it was a lost cause at this point since it was about 40 minutes before the flight and bags had to be checked 45 minutes prior. The guys at the ticket center, worked some magic and told me to hurry to the check in area since the flight was leaving in less than 30 minutes! Happily I rushed in as they got me through security and ran over to the check in area. However, once there, the guy made some phone calls and looked things up on his computer, then said my ticket was not yet paid for and sent me back to the ticket counter to pay. Aargh! I rushed back over there and waited a few minutes for them to finish with another customer. At this point they said it was too late to pay because the flight was leaving in about 20 minutes and I’d never make it on. Total emotional rollercoaster. I limped over to some nearby chairs and sat down, defeated.

A kindly man who was waiting for his son engaged me in conversation. He is originally from India but has spent almost his whole life in the Gulf, now owning a business near Doha. He made me feel better about missing my flight, commenting on how maybe it was not meant to be. I decided to look at other options of what I should do instead and thought maybe I’m supposed to go to Johdpur. But the timing of the flights gave me very few actual daylight hours there before returning the next day and it was pretty pricy to fly last minute. Typically flights are about $60 and the price was now $255. Then I realized that $255 could buy me quite a bit in Delhi. I could have a massive spa day if I wanted! He highly recommended an Ayurvetic massage though apparently those are best in Kerala (and 1/3 the price he said)…my bad, I should have checked that out in Varkala. I did see signs mentioning Ayurvetic holistic medicine, but did not associate that with my favorite word…massage! Why can’t people just use words I can understand? Ayurvetic healing/treatment sounds hokey, Ayurvetic massage sounds like a good idea!

cow on the road

I spent an hour with him sorting out areas I might want to check out or stay near (though he pointed out his knowledge of the area is limited), than after he left I spent another hour or so trying to figure exactly which hotel to pick. Unfortunately, all the good tourist areas had zero properties of chains I wanted to use (Hilton, IHG, Hyatt). I just needed to have a hassle free night to get stuff done without worrying about internet or plug adapters. I also decided I wanted Hilton for the free, non-spicy breakfast options. I grabbed an Uber to my old hotel to get my suitcase and then we were off to the Doubletree Gurugram Baani Square. On the way there we see several cows on or near the road and I remember that cows are sacred here and allowed to roam as they please.

We pull up in the Uber and I have my suitcase, my backpack and a large floppy duffel bag. I’m a bit scruffy in my t-shirt, cargo shorts, and sneakers. A well dressed Indian lady with an elegant English accent goes in before me and the doorman looks at me, hoping the well dressed lady doesn’t notice me and think less of the hotel. He tentatively asks “Are you checking in?” Yes I say, quite confident in my diamond status. He recovers well and graciously takes my suitcase and duffel through the x-ray machine then into the lobby. While checking in, I’m a little worried that my late reservation (an hour ago) has not given them time to upgrade my room, but after a few minutes, the manager comes over, thanks me for being a diamond member and tells me he has upgraded me to an excellent room on a high floor with a view of the street and the city of Delhi. He walks me to the elevator and presses the button to my floor.

my room

My bags arrive shortly afterwards. About 15 minutes later the floor manager and room servicing guy come by to introduce themselves and ask if I need anything. I have 4 bottles of water but I could use a couple more and four more arrive a minute later. An hour later, the lady at the desk and another guy come by with a welcome slice of cake! It was really nice and made me feel incredibly special. They asked where I was from and if they could take a selfie with me. I’m so glad I am here and not in Jaipur or Johdpur. Sometimes you just need to feel appreciated.

greeting me with a welcome cake

doubletree baani square made me feel special

momo restaurant

Unfortunately, I also check to see how long my Thai Pass took to get approved last time…4 days. There is no way that now they are even busier they will get mine done in 2 days. I spend a couple hours trying to find alternate routes to Phnom Pehn, and it looks like I may need to go through Singapore via Sri Lanka, which means adding another week and an extra $900 in flights. Ouch! I’m getting hungry so I head out to explore the area. Baani Square is right behind the hotel and has two small intersecting walkways lined with restaurants and shops. I order some potsticker looking things (called momo) that they assure me are “not at all spicy” and they set about cooking my “Tibetan Pork Momo.”

baani sqwuare

Car Dent Repair oh how they need that here

They say it will be about 8 minutes so I get directions to the bank up the street so I can hit the ATM one more time (you can only pull 10,000 rupees out at a time, about $135 though you can put your card right in again and do back to back withdrawls…this way they also get more ATM fees from you). A florist gives me a friendly greeting and I decide to give him some business on the way home. He has some pretty flowers that are just 25 rupees each. I pass several car stereo, car detailing, and car repair shops. The way they drive here and judging by the much-dented Uber cars I’ve been in, I can see how body work would be a good line of business. I also saw several beautiful wood craft furniture stores and many sofa/furniture repair stores.

furntiture and sofa repair are also big in the area

frying the veggies

On the way back I see this wonderful booth advertising egg rolls and I see flats of actual eggs sitting on the stand. I can’t resist ordering one. He cracks open a couple of eggs, beats them, then pours them onto a large flat wok and then drops a flour tortilla on top. After browning the egg-tortilla a bit, he removes it, then cooks up a bunch of veggies and puts them all into the tortillas with some (not hot) sauce and rolls it up for me. It was fabulous! I guiltily remember my momos which must be getting cold by this point and pick up the pace. I see my florist and decide to spend 100 rupees to get 4 flowers so I can give them to some of the women working at the hotel. But when I pick them out, he adds in some babies breath and has his helper wrap them up all in one bouquet. I finally get across that I need 4 separate flowers and they rewrap them each in separate cellophane with pretty little bows around each. Certainly worth way more than 100 rupees! So I give him 300 and he thanks me then scoops up a little pink rose and gives that to me as well.

putting the veggies on my fried egg tortilla

egg roll booth

Delicious

flower shop I wanted to support

my 4 flowers turned into a full blown production

Four beautiful wrapped flowers

Got my Thai Pass!

I pick up my delicious momos and walk back to my hotel. Unfortunately, it is now after 8:00 and all the ladies have gone home for the day, so instead I give them to the guys working the door and behind the desk. They are confused as to why I am giving them flowers, but I tell them they can give them to their wives or anyone they want and they graciously (if somewhat awkwardly) accept them. I work on my blog and then check my email. I have a message from the Thai Pass people. They have already approved my Thai Pass request from this morning! Relief washes over me and the stress drains from me. I can now relax and enjoy my day tomorrow exploring Delhi. From my window, I can see the lively street below still active until after 10. I eat my now room temperature momo dumplings and they are excellent, maybe because they taste good and maybe also because things are looking up!

my momos