Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Delhi Overview
The first thing that hits you upon arrival in Delhi is the air. It’s dense and thick and you can see it. Imagine the pictures of 9/11 with detritus everywhere in the atmosphere, except no bomb has caused this. The sun is not strong as it is diffused by the dust clouds and pollution, but it is pleasant and also humid. Things go smoothly in the airport, however I wasn’t prepared for my first cab ride in Delhi.
The cab is a dilapidated jalopy, with a wooden bench in the back and holes in the floor so you can see the road beneath. As soon as he makes his way onto the highway (if you can call it that) you see there are no rules to driving in Delhi. People swerve from one lane to the next without any seeming order. A man in front swiftly does a u-turn and heads back towards the oncoming traffic the expression on his face one of calm, while in the back we make noises to express our fear and amazement. Others are unperturbed; motorcycles pass with one man on the front and one on the back holding a stack of boxes which must be over 2 metres higher than his head, other motorcycles are ridden by men with beautifully dressed women sat on the back – sideways – as if they are having some romantic sit in the park or a candle-lit dinner – and everyone always smiling, not raging despite the madness.
The side of the road is littered with things to see; poor people clad in only dusty rags contently sit aside boiling pots of food which smells delicious. There are discarded materials stacked to create what must be make-shift dwellings, tarpaulin strewn across the top to create sort of permanent tents. Amongst these there are people and livestock, scrawny looking cows or goats and men and women, all toiling away in the heat to survive. Everything looks stripped down to the barest, the dogs look tired and unhappy and the buildings seem to be the minimum amount of shelter to be functional. Nothing looks finished, everything still being built or maybe falling apart. It is almost like an organic form of urbanity: a growing mass of buildings and people that seems to be ever-changing.
Nearer the centre there starts to be commercial activities. So colourfully, stalls and shops line the streets creating an amazing feast for the eyes and the ears and nose as well, as smells sounds and sights hit you unavoidably. The shops are well dressed and inviting, yet they make the bottom floors of gigantic tower blocks which appear to be room upon room, although what kind of furniture or facilities lay within I can only guess. The upper levels have open sections, the paint has long since worn away and pieces of wall, timber and many wires all haphazardly protrude from the structures. The shops themselves are not like those we know but a crude series of shelves with a front desk perhaps. Each one looks different and is independently run; there are no chain stores here in India it seems. Products on sale range from usual snacks and drinks, groceries, and quickly made curries too unexpectedly many mobile phone stores. There are also men with carts stacked with fruits and vegetables at the side of the road providing extra colour to the already crowded streets. Central Delhi around Connaught place you see occasional signs of India’s newly found wealth, with awesome high rise offices and the curved tower blocks of its central government offices juxtaposed with this makeshift and haphazard style which is more common.
The sound in India is ever present, car noise and honking horns is standard and inescapable, then there are the street sellers waxing lyrical about their products at full voice. There are many dialects, all of which blend to create a constant buzz in the back ground that is indecipherable but so distinctly places you on another continent. The air in Delhi too has a scent. A slight charcoal twang perhaps from all the fuel burning in the heat is interspersed with the occasionally beautiful whiff of fragrant spice. It is not an unpleasant odour not so much that of sewers and grime as I perhaps expected.
The dress here is also different to expectations. Not so colourful and elaborate as the saris you see in England – most wear bland earthy colours like brown and grey and heavy maroon. The men wear smart trousers or jeans and shirts with polished black or brown shoes, and many wear waistcoats that are thick and warming above their shirt in bright colours like orange or yellow. For them it is winter now, but we still feel pleasantly warm. Women wear mostly jeans with fancy traditional shirts/blouses if they are more of western style, or others or covered with draping material which is usually white or again an earthen tone in more traditional style. No-one wears short sleeves or shorts/skirts but women especially are always fully covered on the arms and legs. I have hereby taken to wearing a shirt and trousers and Kath a traditional Indian dress with long sleeves in attempt to blend in and stay respectful.
You can do a lot in Delhi but you must not be led off your path, as many people want to distract you and take you to shops you don’t wish to visit. If you are direct with them and to the point you will avoid this agro. The food is amazing and just going through the streets is awesome. All in all a great place.
The cab is a dilapidated jalopy, with a wooden bench in the back and holes in the floor so you can see the road beneath. As soon as he makes his way onto the highway (if you can call it that) you see there are no rules to driving in Delhi. People swerve from one lane to the next without any seeming order. A man in front swiftly does a u-turn and heads back towards the oncoming traffic the expression on his face one of calm, while in the back we make noises to express our fear and amazement. Others are unperturbed; motorcycles pass with one man on the front and one on the back holding a stack of boxes which must be over 2 metres higher than his head, other motorcycles are ridden by men with beautifully dressed women sat on the back – sideways – as if they are having some romantic sit in the park or a candle-lit dinner – and everyone always smiling, not raging despite the madness.
The side of the road is littered with things to see; poor people clad in only dusty rags contently sit aside boiling pots of food which smells delicious. There are discarded materials stacked to create what must be make-shift dwellings, tarpaulin strewn across the top to create sort of permanent tents. Amongst these there are people and livestock, scrawny looking cows or goats and men and women, all toiling away in the heat to survive. Everything looks stripped down to the barest, the dogs look tired and unhappy and the buildings seem to be the minimum amount of shelter to be functional. Nothing looks finished, everything still being built or maybe falling apart. It is almost like an organic form of urbanity: a growing mass of buildings and people that seems to be ever-changing.
Nearer the centre there starts to be commercial activities. So colourfully, stalls and shops line the streets creating an amazing feast for the eyes and the ears and nose as well, as smells sounds and sights hit you unavoidably. The shops are well dressed and inviting, yet they make the bottom floors of gigantic tower blocks which appear to be room upon room, although what kind of furniture or facilities lay within I can only guess. The upper levels have open sections, the paint has long since worn away and pieces of wall, timber and many wires all haphazardly protrude from the structures. The shops themselves are not like those we know but a crude series of shelves with a front desk perhaps. Each one looks different and is independently run; there are no chain stores here in India it seems. Products on sale range from usual snacks and drinks, groceries, and quickly made curries too unexpectedly many mobile phone stores. There are also men with carts stacked with fruits and vegetables at the side of the road providing extra colour to the already crowded streets. Central Delhi around Connaught place you see occasional signs of India’s newly found wealth, with awesome high rise offices and the curved tower blocks of its central government offices juxtaposed with this makeshift and haphazard style which is more common.
The sound in India is ever present, car noise and honking horns is standard and inescapable, then there are the street sellers waxing lyrical about their products at full voice. There are many dialects, all of which blend to create a constant buzz in the back ground that is indecipherable but so distinctly places you on another continent. The air in Delhi too has a scent. A slight charcoal twang perhaps from all the fuel burning in the heat is interspersed with the occasionally beautiful whiff of fragrant spice. It is not an unpleasant odour not so much that of sewers and grime as I perhaps expected.
The dress here is also different to expectations. Not so colourful and elaborate as the saris you see in England – most wear bland earthy colours like brown and grey and heavy maroon. The men wear smart trousers or jeans and shirts with polished black or brown shoes, and many wear waistcoats that are thick and warming above their shirt in bright colours like orange or yellow. For them it is winter now, but we still feel pleasantly warm. Women wear mostly jeans with fancy traditional shirts/blouses if they are more of western style, or others or covered with draping material which is usually white or again an earthen tone in more traditional style. No-one wears short sleeves or shorts/skirts but women especially are always fully covered on the arms and legs. I have hereby taken to wearing a shirt and trousers and Kath a traditional Indian dress with long sleeves in attempt to blend in and stay respectful.
You can do a lot in Delhi but you must not be led off your path, as many people want to distract you and take you to shops you don’t wish to visit. If you are direct with them and to the point you will avoid this agro. The food is amazing and just going through the streets is awesome. All in all a great place.
day 4 - now were touring
Today we are determined not to get taken off track and waste time with these scammers so we are up early (I feel like shit from the beers) and we get straight to the train station. Here we sort out all are tickets, this takes approx 1 hour as each time you need to fill in a form and submit it to a desk for completion, but all in all its pretty hassle free. We eat again at the curry place across the road, this time it is even better – more spicy but we thing we lay off the street vendors for a while after we see a rat scurry under the table in front.
We hire a tuk-tuk to the old town and tell him no shops etc, 2 times previous we have been blagged into going into shops against our will but this time we are ok. We get to the Ref Fort – Lal Qila, it is spectacular from the outside, with tremendous red walls towering above the chaotic streets. We pay 250 to go inside and it is a good experience, although somewhat not what we expected, there is a tranquillity and beauty inside as well maintained gardens and ancient buildings are secluded from the chaos outside. There is a run of the mill museum inside, but generally it is well worth a visit and a welcome peaceful walk through the gardens does us the world of good.
After we get a bicycle rickshaw to take us to the magnificent mosque which divides old Delhi. I feel bad as the old man huffs and puffs with us on the back while we relax and take in the sights. Old Delhi is even crazier, the traffic barely moves as people and bicycles choke the streets and bring them to a standstill. The buildings are even more primitive and derelict in appearance, few having doors or windows and most having an unbelievable number of layers. One building is built upon another until you can see a mass of dwellings all upon one another spiralling on forever. No wonder Delhi is the most densely populated country in the world.
The mosque is the most beautiful sight I have seen so far in India. Unsurpassed until the Taj Mahal. It is eloquently placed in the midst of such absolute chaos, but it echoes with peace and calm. The main dome is fantastic white structure above the dusty browns of the city and the two towers stand tall above the skyline, the tallest things in sight. I am not religious but can feel the power of the building in the midst of such a busy place, as within all is calm and quiet and people are respectful. We go up the tower to the top and look out over the city for a fantastic view of the red fort and the old towns winding streets. We learn that north of the mosque is Hindu only, and the south reserved for Muslims: Interesting how in this city unlike others, different religions live so harmoniously.
We take a walk through the market bazaars of Old Delhi and it is intense. The streets are alive with activity, like New Delhi but tenfold. Here the sprawling wires and makeshift shops are haywire and haphazard how it all works is a mystery as cable after cable engulfs the skyline and ramshackle signs in English are the only hint of normality in what can only be explained as organised chaos. It looks like Victorian England but with a bit of crude technology thrown in as person after person lines the bazaar and ambitious motorcyclist weave in and out of the pedestrians. We drink some massala chai and eat some strange potato thing while other less adventurous tourists just watch and take pictures.
All in all this was a great day, now settled in we have less hassle and finally do some proper tourism.
We hire a tuk-tuk to the old town and tell him no shops etc, 2 times previous we have been blagged into going into shops against our will but this time we are ok. We get to the Ref Fort – Lal Qila, it is spectacular from the outside, with tremendous red walls towering above the chaotic streets. We pay 250 to go inside and it is a good experience, although somewhat not what we expected, there is a tranquillity and beauty inside as well maintained gardens and ancient buildings are secluded from the chaos outside. There is a run of the mill museum inside, but generally it is well worth a visit and a welcome peaceful walk through the gardens does us the world of good.
After we get a bicycle rickshaw to take us to the magnificent mosque which divides old Delhi. I feel bad as the old man huffs and puffs with us on the back while we relax and take in the sights. Old Delhi is even crazier, the traffic barely moves as people and bicycles choke the streets and bring them to a standstill. The buildings are even more primitive and derelict in appearance, few having doors or windows and most having an unbelievable number of layers. One building is built upon another until you can see a mass of dwellings all upon one another spiralling on forever. No wonder Delhi is the most densely populated country in the world.
The mosque is the most beautiful sight I have seen so far in India. Unsurpassed until the Taj Mahal. It is eloquently placed in the midst of such absolute chaos, but it echoes with peace and calm. The main dome is fantastic white structure above the dusty browns of the city and the two towers stand tall above the skyline, the tallest things in sight. I am not religious but can feel the power of the building in the midst of such a busy place, as within all is calm and quiet and people are respectful. We go up the tower to the top and look out over the city for a fantastic view of the red fort and the old towns winding streets. We learn that north of the mosque is Hindu only, and the south reserved for Muslims: Interesting how in this city unlike others, different religions live so harmoniously.
We take a walk through the market bazaars of Old Delhi and it is intense. The streets are alive with activity, like New Delhi but tenfold. Here the sprawling wires and makeshift shops are haywire and haphazard how it all works is a mystery as cable after cable engulfs the skyline and ramshackle signs in English are the only hint of normality in what can only be explained as organised chaos. It looks like Victorian England but with a bit of crude technology thrown in as person after person lines the bazaar and ambitious motorcyclist weave in and out of the pedestrians. We drink some massala chai and eat some strange potato thing while other less adventurous tourists just watch and take pictures.
All in all this was a great day, now settled in we have less hassle and finally do some proper tourism.
day 3 - no more hassle
Yesterday night I managed to get my hair cut at a local barber for 50 rupees (70p). He did a brilliant job although I was a little worried by his blunt scissors. He made Kath a sweet massala tea while she waited. It was a good experience. In the morning we woke late after an exhausting day before, and I went to find a new hotel at a better rate. After a couple of inspections a satisfactory place was found called the Astoria, and at 750 a night it was a lot cheaper than the previous place. When I go back to the hotel Kath is panicking her passport is gone. But its ok its in the bottom of her bag! Phew.
We move to the other hotel and a man says he’s from the hotel and will help with bags, he then waits outside while we get ready. Today we want to see the markets and old town and he will take us on his tuk-tuk when were ready to go. We set off but soon realise once again were being taken to the “tourist information” they won’t take no for an answer so eventually we go along with them and we go inside and ask about a bus to Agra. 1500 he says –we don’t know if this is any good so we leave but not after being hard sold 100 things we don’t want. We say to the drivers now we want to go to the market but they take us to another office! I get angry and tell them I have wasted enough time but somehow they persuade me to go inside. Like a mug I listen to the sales man, they are so good at selling it’s unreal, I would definitely have given them a chance at my old job in debt recovery. We wasted another 45 minutes in the shop – this time being told we can get a train ticket from him when all the rest said I couldn’t get one. However we must come back later. He then goes back to trying to sell us a car and driver for 7 days – despite my explaining we are backpacking on a tight budget. I finally get pissed off and walk out raging that we wasted half the day speaking with these fools! Later we go to the train station to find we can book tickets without problem but we must have our passports, so we schedule a visit to the station the next day first thing. Advice for any other travels, booking trains is stress free you don’t need to book months in advance or worry at all. Go to the station and you will be able to book directly with no fees and no hassle.
We visit Janpath market on foot after our bad experience with the tuk-tuk, visiting Macdonald’s on the way where you can get an aloo-tikka burger for 25 rupees. This is a pretty tasty snack for 35p! The market is amazing, the colours are fantastic and crowds of people hustle and bustle their way through the streets trying to negotiate the best deals. We stay clear of the market because it is a bit stressful, with sellers hastling you if you look into their stall with too much interest – “we have good price, best quality – you like?”. I’m still a bit stressed from before so try and keep a wide berth. We goto some shops close buy and get a good deal on a couple of items. These shops are fixed priced too so less haggling and less chance of getting ripped off.
We grab a couple of beers from the shop and head to a park area to drink them – there are very few bars in India and people mostly don’t drink or just drink in the home. As we drink our beers people come over and ask for our picture many times. We get this a lot here – especially Kath – all the children say hello and shake her hand and want a picture, I think she likes the attention. We also get hassled for ear cleaning and shoe shinning but we manage to get away without paying any money.
After the train station we head into the area opposite where there are many food stalls where the people do the cooking at the side of the street. One place is particularly busy so we decide to stop and try it. We get 4 types of curry and unlimited chappati for 60 rupees each (90p): we sit on a bench next to other customers who are all scoffing away, here you don’t use a knife and fork but mop up the sauce with bread and then eat the rest with your fingers, we get a spoon however. It is really tasty and we survive the next day without Delhi belly. A good risk taken. The owner is very friendly and when I offer extra money as a tip he refuses, so I give 20 to the cook, it is good to meet some nice friendly people for a change.
After we head down the area where all the hotels are called Karol Bagh, near the station. The streets are lit up with neon signs like Blackpool and it feels more like Amsterdam than Delhi, many winding side streets lead to seedy looking places and every alleyway has more and more shops. We find a bar and finally get some beers. The bar has no windows and from outside looks slightly dodgy I think this is because drinking is somewhat taboo. In side there are blue neon lights and glass tables, it seems like something from back in Manchester, there are no seats so we sat at the bar. Kath is the only girl in the whole places and she gets a lot of attention from a fat Sikh bloke. We also get chatting to a bloke called Gerry from England who is an ex army guy who is now on a spiritual journey. It’s a cool evening and we head back to the hotel and get a bit more drunk, all in all a decent day despite the hassle.
Monday, 6 December 2010
day 2 - tourist information
On day 2 we learned that in india tourist information means tourist mis-information. We swiftly leave our shady room and get to the main place in delhi - connought place. We soon realise the place is vast, what looks like piccadilly in manchester on the map is the size of the whole of Manchester. It takes time to get everywhere and from hotel 1 to connaught place takes 50 minutes on a moratrized rickshaw, this is a scooter with a bench seat on the back and the cheapest way a to b. So were dropped off in search of our next hotel. Except everything is closed, but hello a well dressed well spoken man says in english hello are you lost. He explains he will help us but everything is closed and we best goto the tourist information. How helpful - he sends us in a a rickshaw (tuk-tuk) and just for 10 ruppee's. Great, so we speak to the gent in the tourist information explaining we just want a hotel and a train ticket to agra. Oh no he says we cannot get the train it is all fully booked, and we dont want to spend more than an afternoon in Delhi, we must drive to agra tonight then to some places I have never heard of all with a driver and car, and this will cost 60,00 rupees. (approx 900 £) - what an arse. I realise he is full of b/s but cannot escape the office, he points to a map of Delhi, says he is the tourist information office on the map, it even has the right address written on the office doors, but clearly this is not true. As we leave he says if I leave Delhi is not safe and I will not come back etc etc, other people are not good they will take advantage of us... hmmm and hes a saint I geuss? As we leave further we are mobbed, cab drivers, rickshaw drivers, people selling hanckerchiefs and who knows what other crap!! AHHH....... we make an exit towards a coffee shop to formulate a plan.
While we sit in the coffee shop we see a spy from the office inside, so we decide to quickly leave with our massive travel bags and goto a hotel in our guide book called palace heights. We dive out of the coffee shop to the nearest rickshaw who takes us there reluctantly when we say we have a booking, although he says "what a shame you have booked, my unlce runs a good place - good price. (I bet!) So we get to the hotel and the man demmands 100 rupees althought the journey was less than 3 minutes. So this is what its like being a toruist I think. Thats the last time I ever got in a taxi or rickshaw without setting price first.
We go into the hotel but like it's name its a palace and well outside our price range. However we are taken to a man who knows a man, he says get into this car and take us to another office! Oh great. However this salesman is not so forceful and books us a hotel for 1800. We get there and it is very nice clean and good although located in what seems to be a crazy free for all market place with endless mazing streets. Finally we relax sort out our bags and have some breakfast. While the driver from the office waits outside. He will take us around the city today for 600 - a decent price it seems.
Later we do the sights of delhi - india gate, palace, ghandi museum, hindu temple and new city markets etc. Finally we have arrived. It only took a whole day and a half to get to grips with this mad city. So the driver takes us back to the hotel, and I pay, except he has no change and I only have 1000 notes. I manage to sqeeze 200 change back from him but overpay for the experience. Still day 2 is a good day some amazing sights. I just cant help going to bed feeling a little sour. But it's nice to be in a good hotel and it even has a proper hot running shower!!!
While we sit in the coffee shop we see a spy from the office inside, so we decide to quickly leave with our massive travel bags and goto a hotel in our guide book called palace heights. We dive out of the coffee shop to the nearest rickshaw who takes us there reluctantly when we say we have a booking, although he says "what a shame you have booked, my unlce runs a good place - good price. (I bet!) So we get to the hotel and the man demmands 100 rupees althought the journey was less than 3 minutes. So this is what its like being a toruist I think. Thats the last time I ever got in a taxi or rickshaw without setting price first.
We go into the hotel but like it's name its a palace and well outside our price range. However we are taken to a man who knows a man, he says get into this car and take us to another office! Oh great. However this salesman is not so forceful and books us a hotel for 1800. We get there and it is very nice clean and good although located in what seems to be a crazy free for all market place with endless mazing streets. Finally we relax sort out our bags and have some breakfast. While the driver from the office waits outside. He will take us around the city today for 600 - a decent price it seems.
Later we do the sights of delhi - india gate, palace, ghandi museum, hindu temple and new city markets etc. Finally we have arrived. It only took a whole day and a half to get to grips with this mad city. So the driver takes us back to the hotel, and I pay, except he has no change and I only have 1000 notes. I manage to sqeeze 200 change back from him but overpay for the experience. Still day 2 is a good day some amazing sights. I just cant help going to bed feeling a little sour. But it's nice to be in a good hotel and it even has a proper hot running shower!!!
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Namaste - First days in inida
Hello, this is the first post from abroad and due to restrictions on time and internet it must be short.
We read the books heard the stories and had the warnings, but nothing can prepare you for the chaos of Delhi.
The plane journey wasn't exactly stress free, we had snow causing massive delays, we had to de-ice the plane and all in all it took over 20 hours of travelling during which i had zero sleep. much of this was due to the Indian passengers who made up most of the clientèle. Lets just say there culture is different, and walking up and down the plane chatting in the aisles and putting their feet on your arm rest is pretty standard stuff. Nobody had the right seat and an old sage with a beard had mine to start with and he didn't look keen on moving for me. Then later during the journey the lady sat next to kath demanded she moved only to subsequently spread out and sleep in the space while kath was forced to squash next to a 15 stone beast of a man. This i soon learned is the way of india.
Upon arrival the cab we got was more like a roller-coaster. Dodging in and out of swerving rickshaws, while other people are just parked up chilling out in their car right in the middle of the road for no reason. It appears the only law on the roads is beep and if that doesn't work beep louder. Indicators it seems are an unwanted optional extra for showrooms only.
When we reach out hotel we find no sign, no English speaking staff and later no running water. It appears either hostelbookers.com have set this up, and the web page is a fake, or some opportunist has set up a fake hostel 2 minutes down the road from the real one. We will never know the truth, but we were scammed, but at least the mattress was soft and room quiet (by Delhi standards) and we manage to get a good sleep which we desperately need.
The next day we find out more about this scamming culture, but this is the next installment. I will update asap, we are however having a brilliant time now, but it takes a few days to realize in Delhi you are like a walking ATM everyone wants to help you, for a fee. Once you get over this the time is amazing and i have had the time of my life already.
We read the books heard the stories and had the warnings, but nothing can prepare you for the chaos of Delhi.
The plane journey wasn't exactly stress free, we had snow causing massive delays, we had to de-ice the plane and all in all it took over 20 hours of travelling during which i had zero sleep. much of this was due to the Indian passengers who made up most of the clientèle. Lets just say there culture is different, and walking up and down the plane chatting in the aisles and putting their feet on your arm rest is pretty standard stuff. Nobody had the right seat and an old sage with a beard had mine to start with and he didn't look keen on moving for me. Then later during the journey the lady sat next to kath demanded she moved only to subsequently spread out and sleep in the space while kath was forced to squash next to a 15 stone beast of a man. This i soon learned is the way of india.
Upon arrival the cab we got was more like a roller-coaster. Dodging in and out of swerving rickshaws, while other people are just parked up chilling out in their car right in the middle of the road for no reason. It appears the only law on the roads is beep and if that doesn't work beep louder. Indicators it seems are an unwanted optional extra for showrooms only.
When we reach out hotel we find no sign, no English speaking staff and later no running water. It appears either hostelbookers.com have set this up, and the web page is a fake, or some opportunist has set up a fake hostel 2 minutes down the road from the real one. We will never know the truth, but we were scammed, but at least the mattress was soft and room quiet (by Delhi standards) and we manage to get a good sleep which we desperately need.
The next day we find out more about this scamming culture, but this is the next installment. I will update asap, we are however having a brilliant time now, but it takes a few days to realize in Delhi you are like a walking ATM everyone wants to help you, for a fee. Once you get over this the time is amazing and i have had the time of my life already.
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