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Published: October 22nd 2012
We landed in India about half eight on 5
thOctober and Uncle Nidhi’s driver, Danesh collected us from Delhi airport. Traffic was mental, cars, trucks, bikes, mopeds, motorbikes, rickshaws, tuk tuks all fighting to be first and beeping as they go! When I spoke to the driver about it, he said "This is India!" We were driving from the airport to Uncle Nidhi’s when K’s cousin, Nimmit called us to see if we fancied meeting him and his wife Anku at the pub. Straight from the airport!! Needless to say we went 😊 We didn’t even freshen up! I was wearing hiking boots!!
From the very first moment India was intense! Crazy airport, heaving with people - personal space isn't a given here... guess that's probably a result of the fact that just Delhi has the population of UK!! Constant beeping, SO MANY PEOPLE!!! People stare at me and I guess Krish a lot too. There have been times when I have felt a little uncomfortable, when we were doing our sight seeing people would ask if they could have a photo taken with us!! Very strange to feel like the minority, kind of enlightening too.
So our first week in India was MENTAL HECTIC!! Lots of time in the car travelling, on average about 5 hours for a journey, the trip from Armedgargh to Gurgaon took a little under 7 hours - I managed to sleep a lot of that!! We arrived on the friday evening, spent our first few days at Uncle Nidhi's and Aunty Sunita's. We did some sight seeing in New Delhi on Saturday - I went and got measured for a suit! SQUEAL! Sunday we were up and out early for a train to Sarharanpur to visit Uncle Ashoo, Aunty Anita and Aunty Neelam. As we travelled on the train we tried to snooze but I had a little bit of Delhi belly and couldn't get comfortable. I went to the loo and it was a hole in the floor! Uh oh!! Luckily there was a western style loo (which had a hole in the floor too) and I spent the next few miles watching the train tracks whoosh beneath me!! While on this train journey I saw a man pooing in the middle of the train tracks (I was so shocked by this that I woke K up!!) His words "This is India. Some people don't have houses." I also saw an elephant just chilling by the side of the train tracks. We spent 2 nights in Sarharanpur, did some sight seeing locally, visited Missouri (?) not sure thats spelt right?, it's about 6000 ft above sea I think this place and when you get to the top there's a platform and you can see the Himalya's!! We also went to Chandigarh (Dad's uni is here), spent time with cousin Dolly, visited a rock garden ... I'm sure the guy who designed this place was slightly cuckoo!! We checked out Uncle Ashoo's place of work and he gave me medicine for my developing cough/cold - sorry to anyone I made sick before leaving UK!! 😊
The next day we headed to Shimla - another high place, the journey up was bumpy and twisty but I slept just fine! I think Shimla is 7000 ft above sea level, we spent the night here (in a very nice hotel with lovely views). The next day we had a stroll around town and saw lots of monkeys and stray dogs - K and I learnt to stay away from both of these types of animals after scares in Shimla!! The following day we said Goodbye to Dolly as she had to go back to Uni 😞 and we travelled to Armedgargh which is where Aunty Sunita and Uncle Satish live. We stayed here for 2 nights also, had a tour around the paper factory that Uncle runs, had a chill out day - at Uncle Satish's recommendation. We were scheduled to visit the Golden Temple on this day but decided to save it for next time we visit India!! We went for dinner at a cool brewery whilst in a town near Armedgargh, K and Uncle had some beers after dinner we said Goodbye to Aunty Neelam who we dropped off at her sisters. It was starting to make me sad that I keep saying Goodbye to so many people 😞
The next day we headed to Gurgaon with Aunty Anita, had lunch at a theme park place on the way, it was a feast! Channa's, roti and paneer. Mmmmm 😊 Gurgaon is a new city, has a bit more planning than New Delhi (it's neighbour). When we arrived in Gurgaon we stayed with Nunoo, Rucheta, Sunny and Misha for one night. We played with Sunny (4 yrs old) and Misha (almost 1 I think) and chatted with family. In the evening we went to the Kingdom of Dreams and watched a theatre production called "ZANGOORA." It was aweome!! We had audio translator thingies so that we could understand. I loved it!! By this point we had been in India for a week and done SO MUCH!!
Saturday 13th October we returned to New Delhi, back to Uncle Nidhi and Aunty Sunita, where we ate parcel types things that you put some mixture into with spicy water and then pop the whole thing into your mouth. Yummy!! Later K and I went to the salon, K had a hair cut and shave, I had my eyebrows threaded and a facial. The eyebrow threading was 50 rupees. At the moment you get 80 rupees (or so!) for a pound!! SO CHEAP!! My facial was like 2000 rupees tho... Opppps!! 😊 Later that evening we spent time with Nimmit and Anku at their place, we watched Zombieland and 300 while eating LOADS of food and a few drinks. We spent time with their dog, DUDE! The following day we got up late, went to the market with Nimmit and Anku - next time I come to India I am coming with an empty case. So much shopping to be done but I don't have any allowance for anything 😞 In the evening we went to Anku's parents house, AMAZING place, very modern and new. Hope to have a house like it one day! They have a great dane called Tully Singh who was lovely - we have a photo of K and I with Tully. The family of giants!! Haha. Monday morning was an early start up at 4:30 or so to get the bus to visit Jaipur, palaces and forts galore, we visited a world heritage site, with the worlds largest sundial, we spent the night in a hotel called Red Fox - they had placemats like the ones McDonalds used to have. Except for the Red Fox one's had jokes, limmericks, funny stories, etc. Great for chit chat while eating. We had an early night, in bed for 9ish and up the next day at 4am! Ouch!! Again we slept on the coach - in and out of dozing there were a few Bollywood films being played. CHEESY STUFF!! A guy got so mad his shirt ripped and came off in one of the films and he wasn't The Hulk!! Haha. Lots more palaces and sight seeing but the highlight of this day was TAJ MAHAL!! We hired a guide who talked us through the history and took lots of photos. It was so hot/sunny and I'd left my sunglasses on the coach (DOH!!) so in a lot of the photo's I'm squinting!! Oppps!!
At the half way point of our time in India we flew from Delhi to Goa, a lovely 5* hotel/resort that Uncle Nidhi booked for us. In Goa we took some time and relaxed. Although there was a gym so K was at the gym 3 times in 4 days!! We spent time by the pool - it was sooooo hot (I was curled under the umbrella!), went to the beach (I got some shells, reminded me of trips to Blackpool with Mum and Dad as a child!), we took a taxi into a local town, did some shopping, had a massage at the hotel (LOVED THIS!), went on a tour locally, saw a church, temple, beach and went on a sunset boat cruise. Not quite what we was expecting, jam packed floating disco basically. But we had a laugh!
Saturday 20th we returned to Delhi and went out in the evening with Nimmit, Anku and Anku's friend. We went to a very posh bar within a hotel "Blue" - LOTS nicer than NQ Bluu! After a couple hours we went to another hotel for delicious food at like 3/4am!! The following day was Aunty Sunita's birthday so we spent time together and in the evening chilled out and watched The Dark Knight (K's influence...!)
Today it's Monday 22nd and we're taking it easy today - not sure what our plan is for the evening. Things have been very busy so it'll be nice to just relax and spend time with family.
Ok things about India...
TRAFFIC = MENTAL!! For the first few days I was travelling around with my hands over my eyes! There don't seem to be any rules and everyone beeps for everything and anything. SO NOISY!!
ANIMALS = so many animals roaming around, cows especially but "This is India" and cows are sacred. But there are also pigs (usually found near rummaging through rubbish piles!), SO MANY dogs, elephants and camels too but their usually with an owner/doing a job.
HELP = It's a different world here and the relatives have staff/maids/drivers who work for them. A bit surreal for me!
MANNERS = Us Brits do it very differently, when the doors open for something it's a free for all here. None of that queueing business. I'm getting on board with it and managing better as time goes on but I may need some form of re-training when it comes to moving on to another country!!
FOOD = Mmmmm 😊 I've tried lots of new things. For me I don't like the sweet stuff at all usually. My body dislikes the sweets here so much that I usually get goose bumps when trying to choke the offending item down whilst smiling! But the savory and other stuff. Delicious! Also we discovered a new Paneer dish that K and I are very fond of... Chilli Paneer. Kinda of like Chinese Paneer really. Yummy stuff!!
PHOTOS = As mentioned above most people when K and I were sight seeing would ask for a photo, we obliged most of the time, the first few times or when I was on my own I wasn't so keen. But I've warmed to it, I understand we're probably the first white people they've seen!
STARING = Happened so much! At times I'd hide if possible, some people have been a little discreet about it, but there was a guy when we were driving somewhere, he kept pulling up alongside on his moped and outright gawping!!
BEGGING = Hate to save the worst for last. Such an eye opener! UK has problems of it's own so no judgement but it's been difficult. A tiny resenting part of me feels that being white makes us an even bigger target. I'm glad I haven't been in charge of the money - else we'd have none left! I'd have given it all away and be begging probably myself! We have given usually. One of the first times K and I got into a discussion about whether it was right to give or not, whether it makes the situation worse and whether we should just give the money. Mind boggling stuff. The worst we experienced was in a town where Hara Krishna's birthplace is, forget the name. A mum with 3 small children asked for money, we gave her some, she walked off with the money and set the kids on us to get more. They followed us to the coach and at times were holding onto our legs to stop us leaving. I can be clinical/hard faced but what got me was, one of the children (about 5/6 yrs old) was carrying another child (approx 1 or so). The 1 yr old held out its hand to me and asked for the money. Still makes me want to cry just thinking about it 😞 We were banging on the doors of the coach to be let on and out of the way!! It's a horrible negative but it's part of our experience.
For the most part India has been out of this world. I could never have imagined it! I'm so glad we came, I've loved meeting more of the family and I can't wait to come back again... definitely with an empty case for the shopping nd maybe a budget set aside to give away!!
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Debbie
non-member comment
I would be the same
So glad you are loving it! to coin a Maccy D phrase ! I would feel like giving them all my possesions too but you have to understand that they live this life and are used to it, cruel I know, you also are not wealthy so enjoy what life gives you and explore, taste, breathe in all the new experiences that are offered, You only live ONCE !!!!! And this is your time ........ Enjoy xxxxxx Be Safe xx