Blogs from National Capital Territory, India, Asia - page 3

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Asia » India » National Capital Territory » New Delhi August 5th 2018

India day three After yesterday's very stressful Delhi Day, I was super keen to explore a different area of Delhi away from the main tourist sites and the old town craziness. Turns out the craziness is endemic to the city and not restricted to one area! On my way to the metro station in the morning I passed the usual street hawkers pedaling their wares of fly covered fruit and vegetables and the general clothing/silver jewellery. There was also a lot more people about today and I couldn't work out why until I saw a jeep with the back part converted into a shrine and a couple of people in orange robes preeching into a microphone - it was a Sunday, people were off work and school. No wonder the streets were packed! I made my ... read more

Asia » India » National Capital Territory » New Delhi August 5th 2018

India day three After yesterday's very stressful Delhi Day, I was super keen to explore a different area of Delhi away from the main tourist sites and the old town craziness. Turns out the craziness is endemic to the city and not restricted to one area! On my way to the metro station in the morning I passed the usual street hawkers pedaling their wares of fly covered fruit and vegetables and the general clothing/silver jewellery. There was also a lot more people about today and I couldn't work out why until I saw a jeep with the back part converted into a shrine and a couple of people in orange robes preeching into a microphone - it was a Sunday, people were off work and school. No wonder the streets were packed! I made my ... read more

Asia » India » National Capital Territory » New Delhi August 4th 2018

The past couple of days in Delhi have been fairly mad, the city just doesn’t stop! Wikipedia tells me it has a population of 16 million to just slightly more than Hangzhou and about 1/3 that of Shanghai but it honestly is such a sprawling metropolis that it feels much bigger than any city in China. On Saturday, my first full day here, after sleeping for 13 hours I took a Tuk Tuk to the Red Fort. The ride itself was an experience- I don’t think I’ve ever seen the underside of so many trucks so close up! We did get there much faster than any metro though and, as it was school time, the traffic in the city was bad so we went the long way and through the President’s area with some beautiful gardens. ... read more
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Asia » India » National Capital Territory » New Delhi August 3rd 2018

Hello! It feels slightly odd writing a blog post again after three years out but India and Delhi are more than deserving of some ramblings. Landing in Delhi at 2am was never going to be one of my finest ideas. Deciding to sleep in the airport was again possibly not one of my finest ideas, or so we all thought. However, after an hour clearing immigration, I made the decision to sleep in the baggage hall thinking that the arrivals lounge might be a little chaotic. I was heartened to see that I wasn't the only one settling in for a couple of hours nap - there were loads of people finding spare seats to snooze in! Definitely the most popular airport I've seen for overnight sleepers. Anyway, at 6:30am I headed out into India and ... read more
Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Train station

Asia » India » National Capital Territory April 28th 2018

Awake early, got picked up at 5am to go on cycle ride around old Delhi. WOW! SCAREY! Being in the middle of all that madness! The guide told us just to keep going and that’s what we did, praying while we peddled oh and the odd swear word under my breath!! We rode to the largest mosque and fort that we had seen earlier on in the week but then we went into the back streets, we watched a bakery prepare the bread, enough to put you eating off for life! (But it won’t! )We then went to the spice market where the spices were so strong we were all coughing and spluttering, he pointed out various other things of interest but the best thing was the ride itself I mean it’s not everyday you have ... read more
Local bakery
What the bread is mixed in
View from the roof of the spice market

Asia » India » National Capital Territory April 27th 2018

Breakfast and then had to say bye to 6 members of our group who were going onto 2 day game drive to see the tigers (lucky devils) long drive back to Delhi (6 hours) did stop for lunch on way thank goodness, on the motorway?? Did stop while driver got out to argue with another driver who kept trying to cut in, quite funny to watch, once in Delhi had to say bye to our tour guide Yusof, who has been lovely throughout. A few of us then went for a walk to the market, talk about busy but really good to walk around without getting hassled it was just a proper local market and not a tourist trap, we then stopped for a bite to eat, we only wanted something light so only ordered starters!!!!!!! ... read more
Saying goodbye to yusof
And this was just a starter!

Asia » India » National Capital Territory April 27th 2018

Early morning walk around the grounds followed by a quick swim in the lovely pool before having breakfast on the terrace. We then walked into the local village to visit the children’s school, they were all getting ready to take their exams, the seating arrangements were very cleverly arranged, you never had 2 children the same age sitting together, you’d have a 5 year old sitting next to an 8 year old etc, reason for this was so they couldn’t copy off each other. We then went to a temple where they were in the middle of prayer, it was a krishner temple, everyone was so passionate about their prayers, it was quite moving to watch. We then walked for a while before getting a rickshaw back to the hotel (or should I say palace? Or ... read more
Exam time at local school
Men at work!!
Local scaffolding! Health & safety???

Asia » India » National Capital Territory April 27th 2018

Busy day today, firstly we drove to Amber fort, the fort us high on a hill so we had to take a jeep to the top, a lot of people were getting up there on the back of elephants but our tour company didn’t believe in this as they thought it was cruelty to the elephants and after seeing how high they had to climb I quite agree. The fort was really impressive but the views from the walls were more so. We then passed Hawa Mahal, the palace of the winds, we drove through, the pink city, passing ‘the water palace’ next we went into the city palace looking through the museum and hearing all the history behind the city, oh we the went to an observatory built in 1728, like I said a very ... read more
Amber fort
Elephants climbing
Couldn’t resist this ☝️

Asia » India » National Capital Territory April 26th 2018

Early start, stopped at marble shop & watched how they carved all the patterns into the marble (I certainly wouldn’t have the patience) we then drove to Agra fort very impressive & huge we then drove to karauli, the hotel was a real place where the king and queen of the area still live. Everything about the hotel was brilliant, it was all still in its original splendour, it was like a museum, the grounds were filled with animals and there was lots of peacocks walking around. We went for a swim in the outdoor pool before sitting in the courtyard and to enjoy a beautifully cooked meal. If I could describe liken this palace to anywhere I have visited it could only be beamish museum in Durham.... read more
Entrance to our boudoir
Going for a spin
Farm yard

Asia » India » National Capital Territory » Delhi April 23rd 2018

Well managed to get down for breakfast on time! Left hotel at 7.45 am for 5 hour coach journey to Agra, quite a nice trip stopping a couple of times for toilet breaks, Agra was not what I expected at all, in a good way! I thought with it being the home to the largest monument it would be quite cosmopolitan, but it was explained that the money made from tourism went to the government and not to the local economy! After checking into hotel we headed straight to the Taj, to say it was spectacular would be an understatement! 22 years to build! I don’t think any picture could do it justice. Julie & I sat on one of the benches near to the Princess Diana bench and spent the next half hour being asked ... read more
one of many!! Absolutely amazing
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Julie with the children




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