Night Train to Delhi

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The train journey was mostly ok. I probably managed to get about five hurs sleep before being woken by people talking noisily at 5.45am. At least I'd managed not to get disturbed by the people snoring. Not long after the tea man re-started his walks up and down the carriages calling out 'Chaichaichai' - a great tactic. Wake people up and what will they want?!

We actually made it into Delhi more or less on time - back to the chaos (although ti's not as though Amritsar was free of noise and pollution). My feelings about Delhi have changed. It's too big and spread out, and every time you try to get anywhere, people try to rip you off! The novelty of the insane traffic quickly ears off. And the constant begging by small children each time you stop at traffic lights (and getting squirted with baby milk in my case) is both annoying and depressing (the children have the pitiful look and starving gestures down to a fine art). Plus you get hassled everywhere.

I got an autorickshaw to the place I'm staying, which far too far out (but will be convenient for the airport). Had a mushroom-packed lunch: mushroom curry and naan stuffed with mushrooms! Heaven! Then went to get a tuktuk back in to Connaught Place and a fight almost broke out, with a big fat tuktuk driver grabbing the chair from the one I was going in and throwing it on the floor. I don't approve of bullying, so stuck with my little skinny driver, who I'm sure was crying as we drove away.

Yet more hassling in Connaught Place 'Why you so suspicious?' they ask! I bought too many Bollywood DVDs and got my hands on a copy of the Gyatry (sp?) Mantra I'd heard in the jeep in Dalhousie (we'd all fallen in love with it!). Then went to Palika Bazaar with Cornelia (as the sights I wanted to see were all shut on Mondays!) and got pestered and ripped off more (do I sound at all pissed off?!), before meeting up with Badam and Fiona for a final dinner. Badam took us to United Coffee House for more good curry (this time not involving mushrooms as even I had had my fill of them) and an Indian take on daiquiry and an overpriced glass of not-great-wine. It wasn't a late night as I had to be up at 4.10 am for the train to Agra!

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Comments

[Pure Majick]

Nice!
Hey virtual, good writing on experiences! am sure u r enlightening so many indian travel enthusiasts with ur experiences. Just a pick....it is Gayatri Mantra (just in case u want to enrich ur knowledge). Just in case u have more of these u can mail them personally to [e-mail] Happy traveling and bloggin! cheers!