I left Australia from Melbourne travelling with a short stopover in Singapore – a 13 hour flight. Arriving in New Delhi at 6am I was picked up by the hotel in the southern suburbs (pre-arranged in Australia).
My first impressions were that the airport was modern, clean and the surrounds the same. However, as I travelled further through the city it became busy, chaotic, dirty and crowded. The hotel was clean and orderly and a relief!!! That day I arranged a taxi with the hotel (Rs 300) and did a city tour.
Next day I left on my pre-arranged tour (4 days) to the Taj Mahal in Agra and onto Jaipur. The tour consisted of a private driver, all entries, tour guides and hotels. The Taj Mahal was magnificent and as stunning as I expected it to be. The remainder of the tour was also excellent, but also a bit of information over load!!!
That evening I caught a short flight to Dehra Dun. I was collected by a taxi arranged by Raphael. It was a nightmare journey as traffic in India is nothing short of chaotic and finally reaching Raphael was a relief. I was greeted there by the other volunteers, who had saved food for me. They settled me into my room. One of volunteers showed me around early the next morning. I was concerned that if no volunteers had been there, no one would have helped me. At the same time I did expect to be a bit independent. On the tour I met some residents, but it was still too early for school and the offices. Raphael seemed like an oasis. (Note from RCA – arrangements are made for Volunteers to be welcomed who arrive out of work hours.) Continue reading Derek
Bina Day began in 1978 at the Ballarat Grammar Junior School when the school sponsored their first Little White House resident at the Raphael Ryder-Cheshire International Centre in Dehra Dun, Northern India. Her name is Bina and she went on to study nursing. Raphael has been operating for 59 years.
Ondria Cheeseman has always wanted to write a book since her early days.