We were now in the middle of nowhere and the driver started to slow down to a crawling pace, eventually he stopped; my heart beating ten to the dozen. The front passenger got out. “What's happening”, I yelled, only to be told he needed a pee. Oh the relief.. for him and us. After another twenty odd minutes we pulled up outside what in the pitch dark looked like a high rise hotel. We quickly paid the taxi driver and headed in; the reception looked just finished with the smell of paint still in the air. Formalities completed in triplicate we were shown to our room: very basic, cold but everything we might need. Now time to sleep.
The next morning we headed out of our room towards the lift, only to find the structure wasn't complete: you could literally walk off the edge and fall three flights and this in a hotel open to the public, we had to laugh: welcome to India.
Next stop New Delhi, I have never seen so many people in one place, all heading in different directions; utter chaos. We visited the massive 17th century Red Fort (Mughal Fort), then we had the silly idea of walking up a street just as everybody was finishing work and was walking down the street. Impossible, it was like we were swimming up river in a flood. Turn and go back was our only option. The smog, dust was thick in the air: time to retreat as quick as possible.
Streets and streets full of everything you might or might not possibly need. But after what seemed an age we came across the right street for what I was looking for, but the choice in the end it all comes down to price; they, of course, win but to us it's still cheap so with both stones and a small silver coloured box to keep them in: mission accomplished. Delhi done but not dusted, this was the beginning of our trip to India but far too much to do in one piece so I will do the rest later and there is lots more to come over the next months, plus it gets much hotter. |