The last 24 hours have been quite a change from first few days in Delhi...in fact, I think I just got to the real Delhi. South Delhi was green and open, and while there was poverty and lots of people, it is nothing compared to where I am now. So first things first. Yesterday (Sunday), I spent a delightful couple of hours wondering around the Lodi Gardens which was just a walk from my hotel. Really nice park, lake, and old mosques right in middle. Quite beautiful, and apparently the "Lovers Lane" of Delhi. There were couples everywhere, on benches, under trees, laying in the grass...I can only guess that they live with their parents until much older and need a place to go.
After I headed back to my hotel to take a taxi to Central Delhi where I would meet my tour group that night. WOW. What a ride. Not only did we pass a monkey crossing the road and two cows chilling on the sidewalk, but once we entered the area I was staying it was pretty insane. The world "culture-shock" really doesn't do it justice. Imagine going from staying in the Central West End to going to East St. Louis (or Chinatown to Anacostia...). There were people everywhere, cars, rickshaws, just hundreds of them. So noisey and dirty and smelly. We couldnt find the hotel and I was seriously questioning my tour company and wondering if it was all a scam. We passed goats, pigs, and a butcher that I can't even discuss. FINALLY, we reached the hotel and it was at least out of the craziness (my roommate calls it "mental"). So I held back the tears, put on my big girl face, and got my room where luckily my roommate was waiting. A girl from London who is on her "Gap Year" which is between high school and college (yes she is 19). She had just spend 6 weeks in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam and she still thought Delhi was insane.
So we met the rest of the group - 8 in total, I'm the oldest and the only American. There are 2 couples from Denmark, 1 couple from England, and my roomie (thank goodness for her!). The age range is 19 up to me ;) Everyone seems cool though. We went out on a group dinner with our Indian tour guide (G...not his real name but he said we could call him that), it was nice to have someone to ask what the food actually was. After a not good nights sleep (very noisy place, luckily I have earplugs for tonight) we ventured out to Old Delhi today. We went to the largest Mosque in India, which was neat. Susanna (roommate) and I climbed the tower (which you are apparently not supposed to do without a man) and had great views of Delhi. We couldn't take our shoes and the man tried to charge me Rs10 to get them back but I did not gived it to him. By this time I am SWEATING BULLETS, it is so freaking hot and I do not have the right pants and it seriously looks like I wet myself. Awesome. I hadn't wore these pants before and don't think I will again. Eventually I had to tie a wrap around and at our next stop a nice Indian man told me I should buy some Indian clothes. I now see why all the women's shirts go down to their knees...it is to hide this quite embarrassing thing.
Anyway, we walked on and words just wont do it justice. Small tiny streets, monkeys hanging everywhere, wires hanging down, hindu temples in these little huts, people everywhere!! Crazy. And smelly. There is no way I could have done this part without a tour, I probably would have stood in the street wondering when I would wake up (actually I wouldn't stand in the street because I would be run down in no time). So after the group headed to a cafe for a much needed rest. Now we have a free afternoon. Susanna and I are at an internet cafe in Connaught place which is a big shopping area. We're going to eat at a highly recommended lunch place and then probably retreat back to our rooms before we melt. Anyway, I've gone on long enough and I'm not sure anyone needs this much detail but I think writing like this helps me mentally. I appreciate this experience immensely even if it has been crazy, I'm sure this is only the beginning!!
I look forward to our 7am train out of here tomorrow morning where we head on to Agra and the Taj Mahel. HOPEFULLY -Apparently there is a caste uprising in the State of Rajastan, which is where we are traveling, so there are major protests and we are not sure whether we will have to adjust the tour to avoid some of that chaos.
After I headed back to my hotel to take a taxi to Central Delhi where I would meet my tour group that night. WOW. What a ride. Not only did we pass a monkey crossing the road and two cows chilling on the sidewalk, but once we entered the area I was staying it was pretty insane. The world "culture-shock" really doesn't do it justice. Imagine going from staying in the Central West End to going to East St. Louis (or Chinatown to Anacostia...). There were people everywhere, cars, rickshaws, just hundreds of them. So noisey and dirty and smelly. We couldnt find the hotel and I was seriously questioning my tour company and wondering if it was all a scam. We passed goats, pigs, and a butcher that I can't even discuss. FINALLY, we reached the hotel and it was at least out of the craziness (my roommate calls it "mental"). So I held back the tears, put on my big girl face, and got my room where luckily my roommate was waiting. A girl from London who is on her "Gap Year" which is between high school and college (yes she is 19). She had just spend 6 weeks in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam and she still thought Delhi was insane.
So we met the rest of the group - 8 in total, I'm the oldest and the only American. There are 2 couples from Denmark, 1 couple from England, and my roomie (thank goodness for her!). The age range is 19 up to me ;) Everyone seems cool though. We went out on a group dinner with our Indian tour guide (G...not his real name but he said we could call him that), it was nice to have someone to ask what the food actually was. After a not good nights sleep (very noisy place, luckily I have earplugs for tonight) we ventured out to Old Delhi today. We went to the largest Mosque in India, which was neat. Susanna (roommate) and I climbed the tower (which you are apparently not supposed to do without a man) and had great views of Delhi. We couldn't take our shoes and the man tried to charge me Rs10 to get them back but I did not gived it to him. By this time I am SWEATING BULLETS, it is so freaking hot and I do not have the right pants and it seriously looks like I wet myself. Awesome. I hadn't wore these pants before and don't think I will again. Eventually I had to tie a wrap around and at our next stop a nice Indian man told me I should buy some Indian clothes. I now see why all the women's shirts go down to their knees...it is to hide this quite embarrassing thing.
Anyway, we walked on and words just wont do it justice. Small tiny streets, monkeys hanging everywhere, wires hanging down, hindu temples in these little huts, people everywhere!! Crazy. And smelly. There is no way I could have done this part without a tour, I probably would have stood in the street wondering when I would wake up (actually I wouldn't stand in the street because I would be run down in no time). So after the group headed to a cafe for a much needed rest. Now we have a free afternoon. Susanna and I are at an internet cafe in Connaught place which is a big shopping area. We're going to eat at a highly recommended lunch place and then probably retreat back to our rooms before we melt. Anyway, I've gone on long enough and I'm not sure anyone needs this much detail but I think writing like this helps me mentally. I appreciate this experience immensely even if it has been crazy, I'm sure this is only the beginning!!
I look forward to our 7am train out of here tomorrow morning where we head on to Agra and the Taj Mahel. HOPEFULLY -Apparently there is a caste uprising in the State of Rajastan, which is where we are traveling, so there are major protests and we are not sure whether we will have to adjust the tour to avoid some of that chaos.
2 comments:
Keep the details coming! Love to hear how things are going. Sounds insane, but a great experience. Miss you! -LHB
I love your interpretation of the long shirts they wear. that is priceless!!! I love that you are putting pictures up. And I cannot believe your group is SO young! I would have never guessed. Keep posting, you have great stories!
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