1 December 2016 – London Heathrow to Delhi, India
Our journey begins with India. First stop, Delhi. India is quite often where seasoned travellers finish their journey, rather than novices starting their journey like us, but in for a penny, in for a pound. We love a challenge (plus the flights were cheap).
Off we went for a walk into town to see one of the biggest mosques
in India, Jama Masjid. As it turned out, women are not allowed in after dusk so
we would have to wait for another time. We ate in a very good restaurant
serving northern India/Pakistani style food, called Karim’s, which David had
found via Lonely Planet, then we took a cycle rickshaw to the Red Fort for the
sound and light show.
The cycle rickshaw driver Rahul, told us about his life, pulling tourists around Delhi. He wasn’t actually from Delhi – it soon became apparent that many Indians travel to where the work is – Rahul was from the north, and he leaves his family to work in Delhi, seeing them only once every few months and sleeping in a car or rolled up in a blanket.
The cycle rickshaw drivers work really hard pulling usually 2 or 3 tourists (or about 7 locals!) around in a cart attached to a push-bike. It is pretty heavy going and they have to be strong.
We headed back into town for some breakfast before I went
off to a meeting I had arranged (see, I am working!) I was actually meant to be
on leave throughout December but as I couldn’t guarantee when I would be back in
Delhi, I didn’t mind. On our walk into town, we started chatting to a
passer-by who ‘helpfully’ took us to a tourist shop (wonder how much commission
he got!?) as we wanted a driver for the day and we needed to get a sim card. We
were talked in to employing Chandra as our driver for the next few days and we booked up some of our onward travel. Oddly
enough Chandra spoke probably better Italian than English which worked fairly
well for us as I had been brushing up on my Italian before we left (for no particular or useful reason; I would have been better off practising Hindi but when did anything I do ever make sense?!)
Chandra invited us to his house that evening, to eat with
his family, so we picked up a couple of beers for us, some whiskey for Chandra,
and some food, and off we went. Chandra only lived a few streets from our hotel
in Pahar Ganj, in a building that his family owns, with his father on one floor
with Gerry the dog, his brother and his wife and two daughters on the top floor
and then Chandra, his wife and three boys in the middle. Each family lived in
one room, with a toilet and the kitchen outside in the hallway. Although very
small and basic, it was spotless and we were yelled at for not removing our
shoes.
Chandra’s house was palatial in comparison to what we had seen in the surrounding parts of Delhi. People sleep anywhere and everywhere in the streets of Delhi and it is normal to stroll past people shitting in the gutter. The sheer amount of people in Delhi is overwhelming and the traffic would be almost comical if it wasn’t so dangerous. How drivers don’t wear their horns out is a mystery. There are almost as many cows and dogs as there are people; it is hard to comprehend the filth in the streets in the poorer parts.
A hungover Chandra picked us up at 7am to take us to Agra,
home of the Taj Mahal. After a 3 and a half hour drive in the thickest fog I
have ever seen, we arrived. We almost didn’t make it in as we had no cash, and
despite being assured that we would be able to pay the entrance fee with credit
card, the card machine was out of order. Thankfully our tour guide covered our
costs, and we were in. If you were wondering, yes. It really does live up to
the hype. The architecture is truly breathtaking. It was built by Persians in
1632 for the Shah’s third wife Mumtaz, who died at the age of 39 in childbirth
with her 14th child.
It took 22 years to build and the marble used was carried to India by elephant from Persia. If any worker messed up the carving of the marble they were hanged. Tough gig. The Shah was later chucked into prison by his son who didn’t want him to use his inheritance to pay for the construction of a black Taj Mahal opposite – which would have been the Shah’s crypt.
We ended up getting a bit lost and stuck in the middle of a
Sikh procession before ‘stumbling across’ the mosque and then the Fort - which
is huge and quite to miss – unless you’re us. Since travelling, Baby D’s
impeccable sense of direction has deserted him and he is relying on
me! What a laugh that is when my sense of direction (usually non-existent) is
better than his.
That afternoon we went to Akshardham which is a fabulous complex which shows off Hindu culture and architecture. Unfortunately as seems to be the case at some of the most impressive sites, no photos were allowed.
Chandra took us for dinner when we had finished at Akshardham. We were still into our street food, and it was goat's hoof this evening. The closest I could find online was something called paaya. I stuck to chicken kebab but gave the feet a go. It was all gristle and bone but the soup was good.
Our journey begins with India. First stop, Delhi. India is quite often where seasoned travellers finish their journey, rather than novices starting their journey like us, but in for a penny, in for a pound. We love a challenge (plus the flights were cheap).
We flew Air India
which was an experience in itself. There were very few westerners apart from
a couple of aging hippies – one of whom lay on the floor for most of the
flight. It was fine really, the toilets were nasty, the food was good.
After queuing for an hour at Delhi airport for cash we were
off to the hotel. India’s government has recently outlawed 500 and 1000 rupee
notes which account for 86% of the currency. It’s a bit like the UK getting rid
of £5 and £10 notes I suppose, or worse. Money is in really short supply and
everyone is limited to withdrawing 2000 rs (about £25) per day from the ATMs,
but already we can see that even getting that much is going to be a challenge
because the queues are ridiculous.
We reached the hotel and at first glance it seemed great.
Until we noticed the bedsheets which had blatantly not been changed for weeks. Welcome
to India! The young guy that came to change them once we complained obviously
couldn’t be bothered because after changing the sheet informed us that he would
do the quilt tomorrow. Err, don’t think so matey.
 |
| Cycle rickshaw - this isn't Rahul though! |
 |
| Jama Masjid |
The cycle rickshaw driver Rahul, told us about his life, pulling tourists around Delhi. He wasn’t actually from Delhi – it soon became apparent that many Indians travel to where the work is – Rahul was from the north, and he leaves his family to work in Delhi, seeing them only once every few months and sleeping in a car or rolled up in a blanket.
The cycle rickshaw drivers work really hard pulling usually 2 or 3 tourists (or about 7 locals!) around in a cart attached to a push-bike. It is pretty heavy going and they have to be strong.
Rahul took us round the spice markets and wedding stalls and
we stopped to try some pani puri. Pani puri literally translates to water
bread. They are small patties that are fried to make air-filled buns, and then
savoury spicy water is poured in and eaten quickly before the water makes the
bread too soggy, or leaks out.
Baby D’s birthday
 |
| Market in Delhi |
Chandra took us all over Delhi, including stopping off for
breakfast which was masala dosa and idli. (pronounced idd-lee). Dosa is a thin
round ‘crepe’ with spiced potato in the middle, served with sambar, which is a
thin lentil soup, and curd. Idli is a kind of ground rice patty served with
sambar and chutney.
That day we went to India Gate, where we were asked several
times for selfies with Indian people as though we were celebrities. We visited the Lotus Temple which is a place of worship for all religions, and the building is
shaped like a lotus (strangely enough!) After heading back to the tourist
office to pick up the sim card, we were greeted with a birthday cake that the
staff had organised, complete with ‘Happy Birthday Baby D’!
 |
| India Gate, Delhi |
Chandra’s wife had made us chapatis and a dhal to go with
our takeaway, and was very apologetic that she hadn’t cooked properly for us as
it was a last minute thing. We were treated like royalty and ended up dancing
like lunatics with the extended family.
Chandra’s eldest boy (16 years old, and a hairdo that Elvis would be proud of) took us out onto the roof… not sure we were covered for that by our insurance, (I would imagine it would come under extreme sports). We saw a spectacular view of Delhi, and it’s one memory that both of us have said will stay with us. The other boys were dancing and wrestling, typical lads. After being shown off in the street, where we saw a wedding party dance past, got bought some jalebi - a deep fried batter soaked in sugar syrup - by the local bigwig, and saw a poor lady lamenting her husband who had recently ‘expired’, we were escorted back to our hotel in the car by Chandra’s nephew and his youngest son. After a half bottle of whiskey, Chandra was too pissed to drive anywhere by then.
Chandra’s eldest boy (16 years old, and a hairdo that Elvis would be proud of) took us out onto the roof… not sure we were covered for that by our insurance, (I would imagine it would come under extreme sports). We saw a spectacular view of Delhi, and it’s one memory that both of us have said will stay with us. The other boys were dancing and wrestling, typical lads. After being shown off in the street, where we saw a wedding party dance past, got bought some jalebi - a deep fried batter soaked in sugar syrup - by the local bigwig, and saw a poor lady lamenting her husband who had recently ‘expired’, we were escorted back to our hotel in the car by Chandra’s nephew and his youngest son. After a half bottle of whiskey, Chandra was too pissed to drive anywhere by then.
 |
| Delhi from the roof |
Chandra’s house was palatial in comparison to what we had seen in the surrounding parts of Delhi. People sleep anywhere and everywhere in the streets of Delhi and it is normal to stroll past people shitting in the gutter. The sheer amount of people in Delhi is overwhelming and the traffic would be almost comical if it wasn’t so dangerous. How drivers don’t wear their horns out is a mystery. There are almost as many cows and dogs as there are people; it is hard to comprehend the filth in the streets in the poorer parts.
Agra
 |
| Taj Mahal in case you hadn't guessed |
It took 22 years to build and the marble used was carried to India by elephant from Persia. If any worker messed up the carving of the marble they were hanged. Tough gig. The Shah was later chucked into prison by his son who didn’t want him to use his inheritance to pay for the construction of a black Taj Mahal opposite – which would have been the Shah’s crypt.
After visiting the Taj, we got our first real taste of the
money problems in India as we had to queue for what felt like hours to withdraw
some cash from the ATM to pay back the entry fee sub to the tour guide. Back to
Delhi and brain curry for Baby D’s dinner. I think it was goat brain, and it was
white and quite creamy in texture. It didn’t have a strong flavour but for me, the
whole idea of it was pretty nasty.
Delhi again
Delhi again
The following day we headed back to
Jama Masjid – the mosque in the centre of Delhi, and back to the Red Fort in
daylight. Chandra dropped us off in the middle of Old Delhi and Baby D stopped
to get his hair cut by a guy in the street. 65p and we were probably overcharged. Old Delhi was absolutely mental. A market which sold everything from
clothes to fruit and veg, and children’s toys, which was buzzing with life –
human and animal; and scooters zipping through the throng of people like
annoying mosquitoes.
 |
| Sikh procession |
That afternoon we went to Akshardham which is a fabulous complex which shows off Hindu culture and architecture. Unfortunately as seems to be the case at some of the most impressive sites, no photos were allowed.
Chandra took us for dinner when we had finished at Akshardham. We were still into our street food, and it was goat's hoof this evening. The closest I could find online was something called paaya. I stuck to chicken kebab but gave the feet a go. It was all gristle and bone but the soup was good.
 |
| Goat's hoof |
Our final day in Delhi and another meeting for me after a
delicious breakfast of chole bhature. Chickpea curry, and a puffed up flat
bread. Best breakfast yet. Baby D went for a massage while I was in my meeting
(complete rip off allegedly…!) and we were off to the airport. Next stop,
Varanasi.
 |
| Chole bhature |
#india #delhi #cholebature #jamamasjid #redfortdelhi #indiagate #lotustemple #agra #tajmahal #akshardham
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