Furious Delhi

Ohhh the irony of receiving such on the first day of my journey made me laugh; it’s a phone notification from a train app I use back home.

I’m sure all of you who have been to India before will recognise these two words:

Sensory Assault.

I’d read lots about India, scoured other’s blogs and watched countless YouTube videos about this wonderful place. But nothing can prepare you for the raw experience that is inner city Delhi!

I arrived at my hostel just before 4am after a front seat ride in a small van taxi which was only just tall enough for me to fit. It was an exciting/apprehensive journey in 24°C heat but a lovely cool breeze kept things comfortable and I got to see just how different things are on the roads.

After reversing 5m then driving the wrong way up what I assumed to be a motorway, into head on traffic my driver managed to evade a major traffic blockage and get me where I needed to be — all of this with the traditional distorted music on the radio.

I then arrived at my hostel who’d proved that discerning use of a camera lens can purvey a very different look. Once I entered my room and closed the door to quiet, I then thought I’d been ripped off as their was no shower in my en suite bathroom. But I was wrong. I soon realised that the entire room, including toilet and washbasin was the shower ‘room’! 😄 Oh how I had to learn fast here…

At 11am I awoke to much noise from outside and I took the option of a guided taxi tour round Delhi as outside was a rat-run of much busyness where I could see myself becoming very, very lost!

So off I went with Sanjay in his cab and within minutes the touts were out in force but luckily I’d done my research and was prepared — I don’t like being ignorant but when it’s relentless as I quickly found, you have to be. 😔 We toured Delhi where I got to see the sights but more importantly see them with inside knowledge and advice — I’d challenge anyone to do this on their own without a huge headache! Then I was handed over to a cycle rickshaw who took me to the areas where a car would sit in traffic all day.

This was where the fun started…

If you ever come to a busy Indian city and you’ve got balls, you must go on a cycle rickshaw! I have never been so close to a hitting a bus, a car a random dog or even slipping past someone randomly walking in the road! But don’t get me wrong here, it’s all organised chaos and every gap, slipway, or route forward is snapped up right before your eyes and before you know it, you’re on the sidewalk hustling past scooters and pedestrians still in your seat but trying not to dent the roof supports with your grip. Brilliant! 😃

1: Beautiful mosque in Delhi where a visiting couple asked me to appear in their photo. 2: The Delhi Police — who needs printed graphics when you can just paint it!. 3. The view from the rickshaw although that road was quiet. 4. Delhi traffic at full blast — check the guy on the car roof. 5. The Red Fort in Delhi.