Destination India

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Well after a 24 hour delay here I am a few days into my big adventure. Due to traffic on the M25 I missed my flight grrrrr! However I rebooked to fly out the same time the next day. I recovered my bag from the relevant area of Heathrow and decided to accept my fate. So I are a hearty breakfast at Cafe Rouge, took the National Express to the Ibis and had a restful day safe and sound. The next day I was awake mega early and headed to the airport and negotiated checking and passport control successfully.

The flight to Amsterdam was delayed due to a no show and their bag had to be removed from the plane for security reasons. I thought blimey that was me yesterday lol.

I began to panic and thought I'd miss my connecting flight but all was well and I had time to let it round Schipol airport and find my connecting flight. I saw a black nun and it just reminded me of Whoopie Goldberg in Sister Act - one of my favourite films :-)

The flight to Delhi was fine. I chatted to the chap next to me on and off. He was travelling back from Canada to see his family for two months and then taking them back when he returned.

I managed to get a bit if sleep, ate the meals provided and watched a couple of films - Hunger Games Catching Fire and Wolverine. Surprisingly 7 hours isn't too long a flight.

I landed and got through immigration ok and found my ruck sack adfe and sound and very relieved to see it I was. I did however forget to collect my essentials shopping bought at Boots at the airport so had to go to baggage reclaim it. Loo and behold it was there so I was very impressed with how it all went. I then got my rupees and headed to the prepaid taxi point to get a cab to the hotel.

The taxi driver was a young chap and very chatty asking lots of questions and smoking way too much, but the windows were down as air conditioning and he did ask if it was ok and I said yes.

Here and now I have to say the driving in Delhi is total madness but people seem to know what they are doing. Driving at night with no lights on, no motorcycle helmets, no indicators used but an over use of car horns. Cars tuk tuks, cycles, moped, motorcycles, trucks, buses, carts pulled by ox, cows in the road and sducidal pedestrians add to the mix of chaos and mayhem. I'm surprised there are not more accidents.

Finding the hotel was a task itself! The taxi driver had to stop a passing police car, a local bloke on the street, hotel porter and a group of men sitting on chairs on the side of the road to fine it.

I have to say arriving at 3am in the morning and looking at the local area did have me worried and I thought what the hell have I let myself in for. Litter lined streets, dogs roaming and people sleeping on the streets, pavements, steps and anywhere else they could find. However we eventually found the hotel, I checked in and was relieved to find a comfy clean room with king size bed.

I managed to catch up on my sleep and had the first day in the hotel just chilling and sleeping. Next day I put my big girl pants on (as my sister would say ) and ordered a taxi to take me sight seeing. I visited the Shri Lakshmi Narain Temple, India Gate and Government buildings, Humayuns Tomb complex, and Qutb Minar complex. I visited in World Heritage day so got in free. I was also going to visit the Lotus Temple but there was a massive queue as it was a holiday here too, some gave it a miss.

Not too far from my hotel is a monkey sanctuary with a magnificent brightly painted statue out side. I'd like to get a photo but it's on a busy roundabout with a fly over in the way. As I don't really like monkeys and the freak me out I probably won't visit just in case they want me to feed or pet them. No thank you Mrs Wembley.

Yesterday indent to the museum and had a look at the current exhibition which is about the body's in Indian art. I had a personal tour from a lovely elderly gentleman who knew his suff and was happy to talk for hours about the exhibits . So very beautiful exhibits and stories and histories.

I have noticed they do like to charge foreign nationals more money to get into places and they charge you for taking a camera to take photos! In the temple I made sure my arms were covered and I removed my shoes. I got hassled outside. By a street vendor to but a book which I did eventually but for half the price he wanted .

Food wise I've been careful on what to eat sticking to mild chicken curries, Chico, soup, eggy bread or boiled eggs and toast for brick kid and of course drinking bottled water.

I was taken to a couple offending markets selling rugs, pashminas, art, jewellery etc, god do they hard sell! However there was nothing I wanted and managed to extricate myself without parting with any rupees.

Today is another chill out daybeds i know the next two weeks will be crazy. I meet my fellow travellers this evening and my tour officially starts tomorrow.

Watch this space for more updates and I hope to be able to add some photos once I have sussed out how to do it.

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