Delhi Day 1

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1/10/2008 DAY ONE DELHI

A fairly uneventful couple of flights, Dubai airport being just as we left it!! I wasn't wrong about the bodies in shrouds, hopefully just sleeping; prize draw luxury cars but surprisingly no free suitcases with the whisky?? I had hoped to buy a cheap pair of Oakley's or RayBans but cheap they were NOT. I think I'll get some fakes for now and wait for the sales for the good stuff!

We arrived at Delhi airport which was OK, had the usual wait at immigration and a heart stopping moment when David's backpack arrived but not mine. Seems some kind official had off loaded it at the end of the conveyor belt and it was sitting waiting to be claimed??? Took the wrong door out of the airport and thought that the taxi drivere hadn't turned up. Seems he too was waiting elsewhere but found him eventually.

Both the Taxi and the journey into Delhi were certainly another experience! Delhi drivers seem to think that a solid white line is a guide for you to follow with 2 wheels on either side. Thus 3 lanes of traffic into 2 do go!! Seems that like SE Asia cars don't work unless you hit the horn every 10 seconds but here they go at 60 mph too. It will be good when the metro goes all the way out to the airport in 2010 though I doubt we will be coming this way then!!

The hotel Jyoti Mahalis a little haven in a back street that would shock my mother (and probably my kids!!!). It is a little gem and our room complete with a/c and fans and a large comfortable 4 poster is a delight. Free internet access the lot!!
The street it is in has more pot holes than road and the obligatory cow and wild dogs roaming free!!

After a few hours sleep we set off walking, sussed out the metro and headed for the centre and Connaught Place. Had a good laugh with the motor rickshaw driver who said that the metro was closed just as a train roared overhead. A very nice lad offered to show us the way on his way to the Temple. He very kindly took us way out of our way (though not his) and pointed us in the direction of a government Tourist Information Office, which of course was NOT, it was a travel agent. Funnily enough we saw a few of those whenever someone tried to help us.

Anyway we found our way 'home' eventually, by metro and are now off to sample the cuisine of our lovely hotel.

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Photos

Dubai Airport
No change there then

The Street
This is where our hotel can be found

Guardian Angel
He stands outside our door while we sleep