Non Rotarians please note:  The Bill Gates Foundation are financially supporting Rotary to help eradicate Polio worldwide.  Find out more about the $355m joint financing commitment visit www.polioeradication.org/content/pressreleases/20090121press.asp

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Saturday:

I joined the other members of the team in Manchester with a possible concern that our hotel in Delhi, for the immunisation period might not be up to standard. We will see.

The entertainment system on the Emirates flight was first class and the journey passed quickly before a four hour stopover in Dubai, which was in the main a vast shopping complex.The onward journey to Delhi was fine but a medical emergency a few rows in front of us delayed our disembarking. Unfortunately, one of our cases was missing and it had to be the one with the medical supplies. We eventually arrived at the Comfort Inn, which is situated in a very poor area and we saw monkeys/cows and elephants, which would feature throughout the trip.

The room is fine and after a meal we went on a bus tour around Delhi and came face to face with the horrendous traffic. We saw lots of beggars but masses of history and after dinner at the hotel it was bed. 

Monday:

Woke up at 7:00 a.m. and my window looked out onto the middle ages. Cows stroll past and people are performing the most basic human functions from positions by the road, but all seem happy and content.

Tuesday:

We have our first casualty: Ken decided on a curry last night and this morning is suffering: No comment. Our visit was to the main palace with a mile long uphill walk on the back of an elephant. I did not tip the driver and became subject to elephant harassment! There were sellers everywhere but the palace was a splendid sight.We then went to the Jaipur Limb Factory, where people travel for miles and are normally fitted within 48 hours. We met a girl, crippled by polio, who had not been able to walk for 26 years: this day she was to receive two new legs and would walk from the hospital. We visited a local observatory and back to the Holiday Inn. 

Wednesday:

We left Jaipur early and saw much countryside with markets at every crossroads. Stalls had plenty of food, but the traffic was absolute chaos. Arrived at the Holiday Inn, Agra which is a lovely hotel, surrounded by a metal fence with guards on the doors. Our bus driver, Mr Singh, a Sikh gave us cocktails on the bus, which was a lovely touch. 

Thursday:

Another early start to the Taj Mahal, a shrine built in memory of the wife of a local ruler. It was shrouded in pollution but awe inspiring. The builders were Iranians and their descendents still remain with their carving secrets, in the vicinity. We visited a marble factory run by these descendents. Very tired we headed back to the hotel. We went to a Rotary Club venue to find that they were not meeting, but a few telephone calls summoned a motor bike outrider, who escorted us, via a Hindu wedding, to the home of a Rotarian, who was providing a buffet for the club to celebrate one of the many Hindu festivals. It was a fantastic social evening: Rotary at its very best. 

Friday:

Leaving Agra we stopped at a poor school, without basic toilet facilities, for present distribution before stopping at McDonalds for a coffee. It was a long journey and Mr Singh was stopped for speeding: a 200 rupee donation to the police (a bribe?) allowed him to continue. We received a call inviting us to a Rotary meeting but arriving in Delhi late, no one wanted to go. Leader Roger asked if I would be prepared to represent the group with Dave, and as transport was being provided, it was rude not to accept, and we had a truly fantastic time. There was a running meal in outstanding Community facilities and when we returned to the hotel with our tales and banners, we saw members of the party turn green with envy. 

Saturday:

Another early start to the governmental launch of the polio campaign with speeches, buffet lunch and token polio vaccinations for publicity purposes. A visit to the Comfort Inn allowed Ron to rejoin his missing funds and Mike collected the missing case, which had been located in Bombay (Mumbai). Everyone was tired and shopping and McDonalds was the order of the day. The Secretary of the Rotary Club, visited last night, phoned and asked us to join him at a performance by young people with disabilities, performing a play in the Islamic centre followed by a meal in another Community centre. The evening was humbling and awe inspiring at the same time: A highlight of the trip undoubtedly.     

Sunday:

This is the start of immunisation day and in true Rotary fashion we arrived at the hospital and no one had a clue where we were supposed to be: Communication is a real problem in India!Eventually we were split into teams and were the only visiting Rotarians at the Delhi immunisation day so we were made to feel important.

 The polio booth I visited was manned by two student nurses and there was the obligatory photo of a Rotarian administering the drops but this is a photo for the individual rather than active involvement in the programme: Damn, I have let the secret out!  They expected 50,000 vaccinations at these booths, bur we went on to an Islamic Mosque, where the Hindu medical team were meeting the mothers with babies entering the mosque to seek approval to administer the vaccine. There were no problems and the children up to five years of age vaccinated were duly marked on the thumb with an indelible mark by way of confirmation. Records were not taken, only numbers.

On our way back on foot through the Islamic market, where we stood out in our tabards, a large black car stopped and an official approached us. He was a high ranking official in the World Heath Organisation, in Delhi for a Conference and in view of the WHO involvement in polio eradication he wanted to thank us and the Rotary movement for the fantastic work done by Rotarians, the world over and he was amazed that Rotarians from the United Kingdom had taken the trouble to come to India. He took our photographs and assured us that our commitment would be mentioned at the highest levels of the WHO.

The rickshaw transport was a strain on tired limbs and the Delhi Rotarians entertained us to a memorable lunch.Traffic was chaotic again and we left out taxis to walk to the hotel, much to the chagrin of our drivers who were responsible for our safety, in an area where a car bomb had exploded killing the driver: Chinese tonight and it appears that our worries about the hotel and the area had some credence but I was fine about it: others were less than happy. 

Monday:

This is mop up day and in my view the most illuminating part of the trip. We joined small medical teams who were responsible for the programme in their district. I had been concerned at the absence of records on day one but in the community my team visited, close to our hotel,  records of every child requiring the vaccine were held, and those who had missed the vaccine on the Sunday were vaccinated, completing the programme. These workers are the unsung heroes of the campaign with a commitment which is breathtaking.

We travelled in narrow streets and were the focus of much attention, but we never felt threatened. The people were poor but they were a community and they were of the opinion that our role was to inspect the work done and we were welcomed wherever we went. They were proud of what they were doing and this was justified. We were welcomed into homes and given the sign to indicate that we were honoured guests of the Hindu community. I had to confirm that I had not been subject to an arranged marriage!

We had a quick lunch and had to rush to the airport for a delayed flight to Lucknow, to the 5 star Taj Hotel. 

Tuesday.

This was the start of the humanitarian side of our visit as the Rotarians of 1290 had been given projects and sites to visit, but in true Rotary fashion our host had gone to a Rotary Institute in Agra and no one else knew we were there! After getting stuck in a lift, and that is a story for another day, we eventually met up with some Rotarians who took us to an orphanage, where the smiles on the faces of the children made our day.  This was sheer poverty but cash was left and a guided tour of Lucknow was arranged. We saw the fantastic sight of the fort famous for the Lucknow massacre. This is a cleaner, less busy city and it was pleasant to relax. 

Wednesday:

After a dreadful meal last night four of our party are under the weather. We were visiting a Rotary supported school with the only fresh water in the area and saw at first hand exceptional Rotary support. The school is for the children of the poor. They have uniforms and are respectful in the extreme. We received garlands and saw Rotary support in action. The Lucknow club had built toilets and provided the fresh water and the Rotarian in charge had great pride in their achievements. A large donation was made.We had a rush to the train station for our first class 6 hour journey to Delhi. We could not find our carriage and sat in the wrong seats but when the guard arrived order was restored. We were served food and drink after every stop by what I consider the typical Indian representative. The journey was a fitting end to the day and a pleasure not to have been missed. Arriving at the station we were at the wrong door for transport, and that is Rotary the world over! 

Thursday:

After another night in the Comfort Inn, we were concerned as to the time our journey would take to the airport. We got up early to find that it was yet another holy day and the roads were empty. We were all delighted to be on our way home. 

Overall, I have done something I have always wanted to do and I am now convinced that all the efforts by Rotarians to eradicate polio have been worthwhile. We have a debt of gratitude to all the unsung workers, without whose dedication and support, polio would still be a bigger scourge rather than being in its final death throes. One and three quarter million children were vaccinated in the first three days of the programme.