first day in India

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The trip over went well. We were delayed 90 minutes in Baltimore because of wind in Newark. My Dermetogolist and his family were on the same flight from Balt to Delhi for a 2 wk vacation. They are Indian. Was a little concerned about missing my connecting flight in Newark to Delhi but we made it with a few minutes to spare .... and my luggage made it too. 14 hr flight over Norway and Sweden, Moscow and Afghanistan to Delhi. The 777 plane was completely full but food and service was good and I managed to sleep some. Traffic here is amazing, no rules except that the largest vehicle has right of way. Horns are used (constantly) instead of turn signals. (no one uses turn signals.) Such a mass of people! Raunak hotel was nothing fancy but adequate. Had trouble sleeping so the 99 Cable channels came in handy.
Today was a full day. I met a couple from Kentucky at breakfast at the hotel. They are sailing around the world on a 40 ft sailboat and are 5.5 yrs into their trip. Boat is currently in Malaysia and they just finished a 3 wk trip in India. They are planning another 3.5 yrs to get back to the states. Very interesting couple and it was a perfect introduction to India with them as my guides as we walked the streets of the Karol Bagh area around the hotel all morning.
At noon, I took a autorickshaw to ckeck in at the Hotel Connaught were my tour began. There are actually two ladies on the tour ... one married and one single. And 8 guys mostly aroung my age. Very interesting group. This afternoon we toured a huge Mosque in old Delhi, toured the old Delhi market ... amazing, and the Red Fort. Manie, the tour leader is very knowledgeable and arranges everything. And the 24 passenger private bus is very comfortable.

Tomorrow morning we head for Jaipur.

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Photos

Kentucky friends
first morning in India

Goat doing yoga in Karol Bagh
Taken during morning walk

upside down kid
morning walk in Karol Bagh

man smoking pipe
claimed he is 98 yrs old and on his second wife. Karol Bagh

sarees hanging to dry
morning walk in Karol Bagh

Delhi market
unbelievable number of shops and people!

Comments

[Linda Gauvin]

Yippie
Glad you made it safe and sound. Looks like things are going well and the pictures are wonderful. You're good at this. I got a gift yesterday from my HR manager from Cambodia. A beautiful bag with an elephant on it! Hmm... Must mean something. Maybe I need that Ganesh statue soon! I look forward to your continued trip. Have a wonderful time. I can feel you smiling all the way back here. Namaste

[Lee and Joann]

Thanks for the great pix!
Sounds like you are off to a good start. Looks like you had good access to the Internet in Delhi and were able to upload the pix. Will be interesting to see if it is just as easy in other places. A picture that would be fun to see would be one of your entire tour group. There will certainly be opportunities for that. How has the food been? Lots of good biriyanis, koftas, paneers, curries, chutneys? Or perhaps you don't have much time to think about food? Look forward to more lively blogging and pix... Namaste! Lee and Joann Met any swamis or rishis yet?

[Shiela]

Hi from Shiela
Enjoying your blog immensely. Pix are great. Sounds like you are having super time. Enjoy. Finally getting decent weather here... supposed to be in the 60's today. Shiela

[Sue Hauser]

How fun!
Such good fortune to have run into the sailing couple - I guess you just attract interesting people. And animals. I'm enjoying your blog.