First Impressions

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India from the air is so neatly segregated into squares that it looks like a mosaic made in brown and...brown, cut into segments by ribbons of road-railway-river, stretching away as far as the eye can see. Delhi is a huge sprawling city - in some places the houses form regimented grids, in some they just spread out and round, right the way up to riverbanks and forest edges.

It is a long drive from the airport to the hotel. The Indians drive on the same side of the road to us, for what it's worth, but more often than not the road is one way. Cars, buses, motorbikes and bicycles - with and without trailers - jostle for position. There are no road markings, although a lot of building work is being done and the newer roads have lanes, traffic lights and stop signs. However they are largely ignored and a 3 lane carrigeway will often be four or five cars abreast. The buses, with their barred windows and little or no glass, remind me of the trucks used to transport animals in England, the people packed in like battery hens. You fail to see how opening the windows will make it any cooler when it is so hot outside - I keep expecting to walk outside and find fresh air, but it is really the opposite.

There is little grass, and what there is is dry and brown, but there is actually a surprising amount of greenery. Lots of trees line the road, and for a long time we were driving along the edge of what appeared to be woodland. Some sort of creeper with bright pink flowers adorns most of the fences and trees.

Stalls by the side of the road sell 'refreshing cold water' at 50 paisas a glass - I'm guessing this is half a rupee, which is less than one penny. The exchange rate is approximately 80 rupees to the pound, which means I got a huge wad of money when I changed up my sterling, making me feel rich and alarmed, in pretty equal measures.
My hotel appears to double as a tourist agency, which means that no sooner had I arrived before I was asked where I was going in India, for how long and when, before being told to come back later and they would sort it all out for me - I think I'm going to have to be quite firm to get out of that one!

So, rested and showered and armed with my rupees I'm going to descend on Delhi; try to find some food, somewhere to stay tomorrow night, and hopefully someone who wants to visit Amritsar with me. Wish me luck!

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Comments

[Dad]

Amritsar
Glad to know you arrived safely Hope you find someone to go to Amritsar with you. I am sure it will be an amazing sight. Love Dad

[chris]

Woo
hows the heat going? sounds like the fun is starting! have a hug!

[weeble]

Good luck, fion!!!
Yay, fionchadd's in India! *waves* Miss you, stay safe and have fun!