Day 22 - pre wedding day celebrations.

Early start is needed today. We are going to a pre wedding reception thing where most of the guests will be, then after a couple of hours rest we would be going to a music / food event, the winner of of a national Indian talent competition will be there Mirande Shah, oh and Sameep will be dancing. I put those two things together as seeing them both is that important to me. Sameep has been practising on and off for the last few hours and without fail at some point has come unstuck, so his dance should be interesting. 

We all got tarted up and look pretty good, I look especially tidy in my Indian long shirt thing. I have forgotten the name of it and after asking Sameep's mother three times it is embarrassing to ask yet again,  I don't want to look like a complete Western idiot so I'll just say 'long shirt thing.'

After the obligatory pre drive photo shoot we all headed in cars to a sports and social place that has a function room.

When we arrive there is hundreds of new faces and names to forget Sameep patiently introduced me to everyone and I smile and nod, attempting to make a joke or two within the boundaries set by taste, international etiquette, using broken English and trying not to mention any of my colourful exploits over the last few weeks. One that works well is for when they ask if I like the food, I stick my belly out like a fat guy and say "no" with a cheeky smile. After a bite to eat there is a singer some more schmoosing and we are heading back to The Palace for a siesta.


The next function was an evening do, that involved the music and Sameeps dance, it required a drive into what seemed like a rural area, but thanks to a clear night, the north star and a bit of luck we found it.

                Iran's got talent                                                                               Wrexham's got talent

As it turns out it was an area of ground that was lit up with a thousand candles and had food everywhere, coloured cloth draped across the open air eating area, and, at the side of it, in font of hundreds of people, a dance floor. Sameep went pale and I beamed with glee. I mingled while Sameep popped to find the dance partners for a last minute rehearsal. 2minutes later he was back "mate, that isn't the stage, check this out," round the corner was a real stage. Rigged lighting, 12 x 12 foot screen as a backdrop, smoke matching even a boom operated camera!!! Brilliant. Sameep went from a pale tanned Indian colour to pure Honkey white. For some reason he wanted to practise the dance more than ever. After more mingling and being introduced to many random people I met the Groom. Tall, slim, and a Colgate smile. I'm glad he is getting married, he's too good looking to be single, and it sounds impossible, but standing next to him I looked ugly. I'm still taller though, that's something I suppose!?

I spent the next hour trying nearly every food that I could find space for, before long music started and people moved to the mini Wembley stadium ready for the entertainment provided by members of the family, friends and there was even singing by the bride's father. Sameep did his stint on the dance floor despite deciding to get a Henna tattoo on his hand 5 minutes before dancing, he and the rest of the dance troop were flawless and only upstaged by the great voice and stage presence of Mirande Shah.

 Sameep doing the 'shimmy' part of the dance.

 Someone 'tagged' my hand after I left it unattended for 5 minutes.

Sameep cleverly getting the palm of his hand painted before going to dance...with a partner.

I think she won India's got talent or something like that. There was lots of singing dancing and laughing. I tried to take photographs dance and not look too out of place. A difficult thing to do when you are three shades whiter, a foot taller and dance like a drunk epileptic. The music eventually stopped and we headed for the car.

I love the idea of friends and family performing, most of the dances were based on the bride and grooms relationship and they all told a story. I tried to imagine the artistically talentless mates of mine bumbling about the dancefloor or singing to my family offending everyone with their 'dulcet's'. Some things just can't be transferred from one country to another.
As soon as I got in I was asleep it was a long day and a lot had happened.