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What has happened to New Delhi? This place just feels so different than a month ago! Or maybe the change has happened to us. But anyway, Delhi is just great. Still polluted, noisy, slightly chaotic, very hot (they had some heavy rain on Thursday, the monsoon was due to arrive on 29th, but so far it's been dry as in Sahara), but it doesn't matter at all. Maybe we feel like this because it's our last morning in India. The morning sun was warm and gentle, we were walking in the Main Bazaar trying to find a nice breakfast place in order to celebrate Emma's birthday. Restaurant Metropolis has an honor to be our choice for this special occasion with it's superb menu and a comfortable atmostphere!
Our journey from Rishikesh to Delhi went really well, allthough we totally panicked at the train station, having bad flashbacks from the previous, rather catastrophic train adventure. This time we made sure to ask as many people as possible where exactly to go ("Did you get it what he said?" "No idea, not really mastering the Indian accent yet, plus all this noise...!" "Ok let's ask that official looking train-dude next." "Yeah."),
double-checked everything, and voilà, were lying comfortable in our AC sleepers for the short 4,5 hours the express train took. And in Rishikesh the booking went more than smoothly from the travel agency next to our cottage. They arranged everything: the tickets and the taxi to the station. All we had to do was wait and pay! Magnificent service! What a bliss that didn't need to go and stress in the city center.
Yesterday we had the most magnificent pamper afternoon ever. We took a rickshaw to one of Delhi's biggest and coolest shopping area, South Extension, and spent the most wonderful 3 hours in a luxurious spa (3rd floor at the same building as McDodo, at the 1st quartier). Aaah! The prices were about the same as in Europe, but the place was SO posh and professional, that is was worth it. Walking one month in flip flops on the dusty roads really hadn't made justice for our poor feet, hehe. So, some massaging was just perfect! We also made some shopping.
Some shopping, whom am I kidding here? Ok, we did the whole "shop 'till you drop" thingy! Obviously spending one month basically middle of nowhere, away
from the civilization woke up our inner shopaholics. We went totally nuts with all the shops, having euphoric feelings about hearing western music (funny how much you start missing it just after a short time!), enjoying the cool temperatures due to the superb AC machines, and did some major bargains in the big brand sport stores. So, quite a great day!
Tonight we're heading to the airport, Emma takes her flight to Thailand, and I'll hang around at the airport till the morning until it's time to catch the plane back to Paris. I can't believe it's already over!
Most useful items in India: EARPLUGS, sleeping mask, mp3 (although mine broke after 2 weeks, modern technology, can't even handle the Indian heat, pffff...But anyway, listening some music was such a mind-saver sometimes. Just had to close eyes, put lots of volume to escape the traffic noise and mind-travel somewhere far away!), flip-flops, lip balm, sun cream, hat.
Could have left home: mobile phone (had it switched off anyway most of the time, was with me only in case would have not find Emma. But there's phone booths everywhere or travel agencies where you can use the phone
with low cost).
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