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Published: November 28th 2006
It has been difficult to get too involved with Delhi, as we have all been tired from the last few days at home, tired from travelling and tired from having Ronan unwell, not really sure where the jetlag fits in, but there is a lot of relief at Ronan being on the mend, so we can now start noticing where we are....
Delhi is big, busy and dusty, I can already feel my throat acting up, and being driven through the busy streets is an experience, horns blaring (lots of lorries have 'beep horn' written on the back, and 'no horn sounding' signs are ignored, as are most traffic rules, but as everybody drives the same way it seems to work, as everybody expects everybody else to pull out in front of them, and in what seems like maddness seems a system, an people do look out, as we ahve driven off twice with out a rear door shut properly and gesticulations from passing drivers drew our attention to it.
Cows roam the city, wandering around shopping centres, residential areas and busy main roads, one sight was watching one finish off someones pizza from a covered area in a
Delhi
From our friends roof topshopping centre. They seem quite healthy, living off fast food. Ronan noticed they have a hump over their shoulder I believe has the same purpose as a camels hump.
Millions of small motorbikes and scooters, so far the record is only four on one bike, but we are keeping our eyes peeled for more. Street vendors sell crash helmets, all piled up by the side of the road in boxes, a big proportion of riders wear them, but a lot dont.
Big tricycles carrying anything and everything, selling sweeping brushes, eggs and more. A bicycle carrying three (record so far) bicycles carrying three gas bottles, two like panniers, one on the back rack.
Beggars, so far I have seen as many in pasrt of Glasgow, although I am sure we havent seen anything yet...,here they follow you and sometimes tug at your clothes...it is hard to ignore them, but advice is to give to organised charities rather than individuals. Talitha has already made a comment that they frighten her. We gave a banana to a street kid who came to the car window when we stopped at a light, he smiled while tapping on the window, and spotted the banana on the seat... At lights men also try and sell magazines, releigious trinkets or toys.
There are so many people, walking, sitting, standing, watching clothes draped on crash barriers and metal fences, presumably drying from being washed, but getting as dusty again..So much life and business is carried out on the edges of the roads.
We are however staying in a relatively quiet middle class area (still with the odd cow) Tillys apartment has a great roof terrace, wheare they have built a bamboo hut, to remind you of the beach, and from their balcony we have seen green parakeets, a blue bird that resembles a large kingfisher, loads of pigeons, and a number of kites, which ae similar to our red kite, and to the kites which scavange the rubbish dumps in Kenya, I suspect they do the same here.
We have picked up our train tickets for our journey north, we were wondering about putting it back a day or two to keep an eye on Ronan, but I think he will be ok. Laila, the lady in the office who is dealing with our trip also suggested that the cleaner mountain environment might be better, and I am inclined to agree. I just hope we can all enjoy the camp, as we are still sooo tired.
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steve
non-member comment
greetings
Glad to here your surviving despite Ronan's wee downturn. Weather here on Skye just an endless stream of winter storms - still good excuse for warm fires and even warmer drams. Will follow your progress....