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2008/2009 Nepal & India

Day 2: Delhi

Monday 01 December 2008

After another fairly good sleep, we headed back to Rama’s for breakfast where Sb had his Idly and I had paneer uttapam, both delicious.

We headed back to the hotel to pay for our dirver on Saturday night – simple tsk we thought – apparently not. By using HostelWorld the email and hotel details are actually not the hotel, but an agent, so we had to wait for the agent to come and take us to their offices where we had to wait some more to pay – what a hassle. Anyway we then decided to see some more of the local area nad headed away from the main streets. It is a fairly good area and a lot of construction taking place – we were followed by the obligatory rickshaw and tuk-tuk drivers, all showing us where Macdonald’s was, not understanding our desire to walk. We found a place and have coffee etc before deciding to head to Fatepuri Masjid and the old part of Delhi.

We now wanted to get a tuk-tuk, but not one in sight and the couple we fianlly tracked down were charging extortionate rates. So we cuaght the metro to Chandni Chowk and walked from there.

It is hard to describe Old Delhi, it is just heaving. We found the old Spice Markets and ventured down the alleys which were full of huge spice bags all being carried in out and out on the heads of people. The roads were sheer pandemonium, trying to cope with every type of tranpsort you could imagine. We were happily watching the hoardes go by when we lost each otehr, but after a few minutes of panic. I spotted the red Oracle cap (knew it would come in handy one day). We contineud wandering the streets, at one time being accosted by a man who wanted to be the Prime Minister of Pakistan and blow up the US, except Las Vegas which he thought was brilliant and he would like to move there – weird.

Again we had trouble getting a tuk-tuk back to Karol Bagh, but on finally securing one we discovered Delhi peak house and where the traffic was just out of control, only outcome by the fumes of all the vheicles. Finally gettingd ropped off at the end of the makret which was in full flow and for some reason we looked like people who needs a life time supply of foil wrap!

Back at the hotel we continued the siesta traditiong from South America before finally arising and heading out for yet more food. Finding a restaurant for dinner and because the manager’s brother in law was from Sydney that was close enoughf ro us to have free desert.

We headed back to the hotel and booked a driver etc for the airport tomorrow.