We left the house at 9:45 and mum dropped us at southanpton coach station with the polish people. We then arrived at heathrow and caught the tube to T4, which was really empty. Checked in and grabbed some Nachos at garfunkles.
My stomach was not great and Vino had advise me to eat more smaller meals, and to buy a support for my middle. I was so worried about needing to go to hospital in India, with the the hernia op not being too far behind me.
Airports are a nightmare and always add worry cost and stress to any journey. They are a formative part of any trip but so irrelevant. As usual we spent about 50 GBP on books, food and face powders, but at least it was hassle free and we were on the plane.
I remember we went through the gate just behind 2 girls who turned out to be Lauren and Nicole. There were 2 big queues and we joined the left hand one and sneakily went through very quickly - I hate it when people do that to me.
The plane was as old as I am, and rattled shook & shuddered through take off, and they did manage to get the old movies working after about 5 hours into the flight. I considered "on golden pond" but in the end opted for Lord of the rings I, which I gave up on after half an hour - I really cant do films on planes.
I couldn't help wondering if BA use old planes to places like India, as people from India probably don't notice how bad they are? Anybody used to living in the noise of Delhi clearly could not be offended even by BAs worst plane.
So first impressions of Delhi and its irrelevant but impacting airport? It kinda set the tone for being in India. It was really dusty. You couldn't tell if it was half built or half fallen down. poor signage. Terrible customer service but friendly people. Luggage was 1 hour to reach the baggage reclaim, after queuing for 1 hour at immigration
The time was 5 am, and I had not slept on the plane. but was happy to be in India
We nervously searched for the person holding our name on the board, and there was none. We approached the man who had an intrepid sign, and he had a letter addressed to us telling us that we were not in metro heights, but in Hotel Sing Sahib due to "unavoidable circumstances". I was quite concerned we were being scammed, but could not see how, and so we went.
We walked for 10 minutes to the far side of the car park in the Delhi sunrise, and so many people were talking, smoking, and hassling. Someone helped my bag into the boot, and I assumed he was the drivers friend, but he was not and started asking me for a tip. The driver curtly told him no and off we went.
We arrived at the hotel by 7 am, and I was shocked. I had assumed New Delhi to be some king of modern metropolis, but it was more like the worlds largest building site, where some one , in places, had cleared some space and erected a shop selling 1 thing, and parked 35 motorcycles outside. we passed a pile of bricks that was once a wall and suddenly we were at the hotel.
Of course your senses are in overload. Firstly I was consciously breathing through my nose to trap the dust ( i had specifically allowed my nose hairs to grow o:) and then arriving at the hotel I looked for signs of physical danger. It somewhat reminded me of the time in cape town we took a cheaper hotel in that dodgy area and regretted it.
We waited for 10 minutes in the hotel reception while the owner, and the 2 guys behind reception and the driver sorted out what was going on with our reservation. He said we could change some money and so we did, at 39 rupees to 1 USD.
Anyway my first impression of the hotel room was that it was basic but OK. I thought it was probably quite good compared to much of India hotels. Debbie was quite nervous of being in India and suffering with tiredness, and did not want to leave the room. We both crashed and woke up at about 10 am with the sound of a car crash outside the hotel. I laughed at the fact that the car had not used its brakes. Just brrrrrrrrrrr bang! I also laughed at the fight that ensued. Well more of a sort of outrageous posturing really. At one point the guy theatrically grabbed a steering lock and lifted it up to hit the other car. He seemed to pause slightly at the top of the swing - enough time for his friend to intervene and stop it. That day I learned the Hindi for "leave it Dean, it ain't worth it".
Slept some more, and at 2 pm Debbie and I bravely left the hotel front door. We took a tuk tuk to connaught place to change some money. Debbie really enjoyed the Tuk Tuk to my amazement and pleasure, and we had a real laugh.
I will comment later about Delhi driving, but I just want a not that my first impression was how the hell can cars get so close without crashing.
We drove past the 100ft Hanaman temple (is a bigger idol better than a small one? ) and drove to connaught place for 50 rupees. The driver tried to take us to shopping and we said yes, thinking he meant generally to the shopping area, then I remembered that I should say no, so I said no. He took us to Thomas cook in block B, and then passenger said he was lying and it was different way. Again I was suddenly alert to being in danger, but it turned out the driver was right and the other guy was well meaning but wrong.
We stepped over the half built / unbuilt pavement, and went up the stairs to Thomas cook, and they changed at a rate of 39.5 - a bit better than the hotel.rates.
After that we got some food at "The embassy". Debbie had a samosa, which was delicious. I can still remember the taste of peas potato and herbs, and i had chicken kebab. I can still remember the disappointment of the slimey overpriced nonsense that they serve to tourists around here because they think we like the curries to taste impotent.
Afterwards we went to the tourist information, which was a private enterprise aiming to sell tours. They succeeded and I'm not sure if 1500 rupees was good or not, but we said yes, as we are English and its rude to say no...
Anyway, we retired to the hotel and went to the roof terrace garden. It was the sort of place where you feel you have found your tiny oasis in the middle of all the city hustle. A couple of kingfisher strongs later it was even more of an oasis. The Aloo Gobi was out of this world, and the waiter explained that he made it himself. After that we were suddenly best friends and he spent far too much time speaking to us. Something about his family background. I wasn't listening really, and was imagining his grinning face - like a nightmare - hovering next to the bed as I woke up in the all eager to please- asking if I wanted breakfast.
The next day we grabbed breakfast in the room - I had some paranthas (chappati stuffed with cauliflower) and we went with the guide.
We visited Qutb Minar, Ghandi museum, but the best place was the first place, Ashkranum Palace. Despite the marauding gangs of school kids, we experienced an extremely peaceful place. There is definitely a hellish, busy side to India but also a romantic, slightly hippy, side, and the ashkranum temple is certainly the latter. You go through the gate in the wall and it transforms from Smelly Delhi, into a place where the people all fade and its just you and your partner in this sparse but intimate ornate structure. Lots of walled walkways lead to the main temple, but the entire place is the main event, the temple is a side.
That evening we again ate in the hotel, and the waiter was again quite chatty, but the more he talked the more boring you realised he was.
the day after we chilled out and went to the opening ceremony of the tour at 6pm in the hotel restaurant. Matt was sat there with a beer and he looked like a lad. Nicole and Lauren looked like bitchy teenage girls and Carmel looked placid. Justin came in last with his coat on, and I wondered if he had some kind of skin disorder. Perhaps leprosy. It turned out only my impression of Carmel was correct. It took a while for Nicole and Lauren to jointly let down their guard, but they turned out to be a real laugh and I hope we can stay friends somehow. At the time we had to introduce ourselves, and it was clear to me that I was the oldest there by a long way. I was expecting a whole bunch of 30 ish's but most were much younger. I felt quite nervous as I introduced myself, and had the feeling of not having enough breath to speak. Debbie then said "Neil and I are married, which he forgot to mention" and i said 'you can tell we're married" but it was all a bit embarrassing.
We will meet Matt for a round of golf sometime I'm sure, and Carmel was too sweet to not see again.
I hope to keep in touch with Justin, but Adelaide is a bit far for a meet up.
The second day was in reality the start of the tour and we visited old Delhi. We took the local bus from near the hotel and had to stand some of the way. The bus got emptier and emptier (turns out not many people go from Karol Burg to Old Delhi) and we finally got off outside the entrance toJama Masjid mosque. We walked done the alley towards the mosque and on the left was an empty swimming pool where a man laid and dog laid as well. It seemed to me a symbol of the harsh reality of the value of life in India.
We took off our shoes and went into the mosque. The only thing to do was climb the minaret, so Justin, Matt, Debbie and I skirted the wall and climbed the minaret. The top gave us some awesome views, but not for the sufferers of vertigo, as there was no proper rail
From there we walked towards the Sikh Temple called XXXXXXX. One of the elders walked us around and showed us the communal eating area and the kitchen that provided the food for these people. The vibe was really nice, and anyone who wanted to eat could do so and also stay free of charge. Apparently one of the normal uses is that when a young man is visiting his fiancee to give gifts he stays here, to demonstrate that he has spent all the money on the gift and left nothing for his own comfort.
We then walked through the spice market, where tej then left us to our own devices. I don't ever recall such an intense city environment. The lunch was proper Indian lunch, and cost about 100 rupees for 2 cokes and 2 curry's.
Justin Matt, Debbie and I went on the the red fort, which - In all ll honesty - turned out to be something of a disappointment. The only really value being the shelter from the intensity of old Delhi.
That night we ate at a restaurant near metro heights, and I had tandoori chicken. It was a little weird as we we're all figuring out each other. I sat opposite Carmel, and talked to her the most. Nicole, Lauren, Mat and Justin were all at one end of the table, and I felt a bit of an outsider as they are all just 19 or 20. I hoped the group wouldn't pan out this way
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