The flight to Delhi was hilarious. The plane was about 95% indian...all of whom considered themselves the MOST important person in the world. That can be the only explaination for their behaviour. They REFUSED to sit down, follow requests re aircraft safety, they spoke to the air crew like , made constant loud DEMANDS for service and finally just as the plane was decending for the landing, they started phoning people (loudly, obviously) one guy actually got in to an argument with a crew member cos he REFUSED to end his call
Sad aircraft safety....their call is more important! It was ridiculous. We were sat infront of an elderly couple who never stopped making demands of the crew. After 30 mins the crew got so sick of their rude shouting and barking orders that they started to shout back! Oh, how we enjoyed it! So this was our introduction to india.
We got through the airport intact and made it to the shuttle bus. We paid the LP guide price of 50 rupees (89 to the pound) and got to the vicinity of connaught place ( centre of new delhi). Then the driver told us to get off, (wobbly head) 'oh, its only maybe 4 or 5 mins that way',...he said pointing down the road. So off we went. After 10 mins we came to new delhi central train station...he'd told us to go in EXACTLY the opposite way to where we should have been walking!
We eventually found a hotel and got them down 100r to an extortionate 650r a night.
Having checked the other cheap options in town tho, we're staying here. The others were utter pits!
In delhi, there are a number of historical, religious and colonial points of interest. That is...if you can get to them without being killed by the traffic. We decided to narrow our expectations to just those that seemed of interest to us. We went off today to the old delhi area, to the red fort and the friday mosque area.
Now, bear in mind we were here all day yesterday so weve become familiar with the delhi-wallah's 'way' of treating westerners
old delhi, a surprising attractive find!!!!. Its a familiar theme that weve seen around the world, just magnified by 1 million here!
The men stare at me in a lecherous way (only to Gail, not Adam, they just tell adam that Gail is 'sexy'?!!! they have no shame)and try to accidentally 'touch' you. The beggars are relentless and persistant.
The touts are like nothing youve seen! Talk about determined. The WILL actually knock you over in their attempt to get your attention (and cash).There are thousands of touts on every street all competing with each other to get you into their shop. Obviously we're VERY good at the 'ignoring them and walking past manouver' but god, these people try your patience.
We got the new metro (its not utterly yet, but its well on the way) to the red fort. Thats when it really began. The squallor and utter is appauling. Ive seen before in S America, but delhi is MASSIVE and the streets are so narrow it just concentrates the dirt and stench in to overpowering horridness. Men will just piss in the streets. Some streets smell so bad you want to run out of them, you just cant breath the air. To try to give you an accurate picture of the experience...imagine if you will...
Its christmas shopping, in your huge local mall, and the entire world is crammed in there. Everyone has brought a trash bag full of food and rubbish and human waste and dead rats, and they have all dumped the contents all over the floor
old delhi, typical street! Turn the heating up to about 40 degrees and the humidity up to about 85% Now in to the mall comes, cows, goats, horses, trucks bikes rickshaws, chickens, until you simply cannot move anymore. Then people start to sleep on the floor and start cooking anywhere theres a gap. Every second person is desperately trying to flog you something, and you cant get away. Great eh!
The beggars are out in force in the touristy areas, and theyre skilled at their trade. It is a trade to some too. Not all, some people are genuinely needy, but ive seen too many with 'temporary' ailments that magically disappear when the shifts over! The street kids are the worst. I was hassled by a teenager, he kept giving me backhanded slaps on my arm, asking for money. I ignored him, then said no, but he kept backhanding me, harder and harder. So i backhanded him too!
Unfortunately I hit his arm, and that made him smack himself in the mouth. I didnt do it deliberately but the look of disbelief on his face, that someone would actually do the same back to him was a picture!
Anyway, he left me alone after that. We had been warned that the beggars in India are aggressive and I know i shouldnt react the same way, but it seemed to work so im going to keep doing it.
Adam caught a guy trying to pick his pocket. The guy may have got away with it too, had there been any loose money in there and not Adams hand!
I mean...what an idiot! He then offered to shake Adams hand, (after being caught) What are they on ?!!!
We walked for 3 hours through the streets of old delhi and barely saw a thing. Its hard to explain, but youre so preoccupied with avoiding the traffic, watching the theives eyeing you up, and avoiding the constant stream of touts that hassle you unmercilessly. That you just darent look about and stop to take in the place. Anyway, its so and stinky you dont want to stay there any longer than absolutely necessary.
We're going to humayuns tomb tomorrow. Its the only other thing I think i can cope with the hassle to see. All the other stuff, sounds alright...but not good enough to put ourselves through the hours of grief necessary to see it. We bought our train tickets to Agra today, going the day after tomorrow....NOW THERES A PLACE YOU WONT SEE MANY TOUTS
