We didn't get much sleep between Atlanta and London but were determined to get into town during our 8 hour transit at Heathrow. After a late landing and all the immigration jazz we had 3 hours to do our planned lunch and visit to Getty Images Gallery before we had to head back to the airport.
As always lunch at Govinda's was excellent and the Getty Images Gallery museum was just fantastic, such an inspiration. Got all this done and still some time for a cuppa before jumping back on the tube to Heathrow.
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| Getty Images Gallery Museum, London |
The arrival in Delhi was not what we expected. No crowds, immigration and customs were practically deserted and we were through in a few minutes. Even outside the airport there were only a few touts and they didn't bother us at all . As promised the driver from
S B Inn was there and we were off to the city in no time at all. This is when things changed! The roads are chaotic and roads lanes don't mean much. Everyone is trying to pass everyone else and if there is a gap a couple of inches wider than the car, they hit the horn and go for it!
SB Inn is situated down two alleys and is quite hard to find. The driver showed us where to go and what to look for when we go out on our own so we can find our way back. The staff at the hotel are really nice and friendly and extremely helpful. They even gave us a card to keep with us with the address and 24 hour contact details for them in case we have any problems while in Delhi. Our room is basic but nice and clean with air con and bathroom. It is also away from the rather noisy street.
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| Fresh fruit and veg markets are everywhere |
Going out and about in Delhi for the first time was a bit of a shock for us. The only way to describe it is 'organized chaos'. There are so many cars, rickshaws, motorcycles, and people that at first it is a bit disorientating. Then there are the touts, young men who start conversation and start giving advice on where to go and what to see. We soon learned to ignore them or just tell them to go away as they become extremely distracting and are obviously up to no good.
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| The chaos continues late into the night |
Our firs ride in an auto-rickshaw was a wild experience. They zigzag through the traffic and shoot through the narrowest of gaps. It was pretty scary at first but they are actually quite good drivers and there are not many accidents, although most cars are minus their wing mirrors or have them folded against the body.
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| The reason these mirror are inside is they wouldn't last 30 seconds outside |
Delhi has a very clean and efficient metro system. It is cheap too. Fares range from $0.20 for a short trip to $2 for an all day pass. The only thing that took some getting used to is that people getting on don't wait for those getting off. So when you get to your stop you need to put your head down and push. The same goes for getting on, if you hesitate they will push you out of the way and you won't get on.
Next - Some more about Delhi and then Agra and the Taj Mahal..........
