Dirty Delhi

Another super hectic city...this time Delhi.

After getting to our hotel late on Tuesday evening, and both feeling tired and a bit irritable, it was nice to have a relaxed day in Delhi on Wednesday.

Luckily, given our hotel is 30km from the centre, there is a fantastic metro system. I think this is going to be an amazing step forward for the city - phase 2 is currently being worked on and will eventually spread out past the airport.

And we've just read about Phase three that adds another 128Km to the infrastructure - the amount that is being invested is phenomenal. What is even more impressive is how cheap it is - a 30 minute journey cost us approximately 30p (for both of us!!)

Delhi is made up of three key areas...Central Delhi, Old Delhi, and Connaught Place, and we're in none of them!

We get the metro (16 stops!) to Ravi Chowk which is in Connaught Place...we're headed for the Government Emporium so we can look around for shopping inspiration. I've never been so harrassed by so many people in all my life and it actually begins to take its toll after a while. "No" obviously does not mean "No" over here!!

What was even funnier was that within 5 minutes we had two people come up to us an comment on my shoes!! Apparently they're cool - Mmm - never considered myself a style icon!! Also it was sad that virtually everyone was directing us to a private travel agency for a map of the city but when we got there is was just another Indian scam - they had no maps and were just interested in selling us trips or booking hotels....

Having gained no inspiration, we head to Old Delhi so we can visit the Red Fort..it's really pretty and we spend quite a while there wandering through the grounds.

After this, we head for Karim's...a restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet. Food reasonable, atmosphere odd (after all we really are a novelty!).

We spend the afternoon walking through the streets/bazaars. It's so full of people, animals and rubbish, it's overwhelming.

We head onto Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India. It's fantastic to visit, but it's just a shame the reception is a bit hostile when you refuse a guide or refuse to tip someone just for telling you a couple of things.

It was at this point that the penny dropped - I realised that India sees Westerners as walking cash machines. It's funny how we get harrassed for tips and get charged 10-20 times more than native Indians. Yes I know that we earn more BUT we'd never get away with that in the UK!!

Finally we head back to Connaught Place where we walk down Janpath, a street with masses of gift/trinket shops...it's like walking into accessorize but probably about a tenth of the price!

Any blokes reading this must empathise with me - imagine 20+ accessorize shops and going in to virtually every one. But I was very patient as necklaces are fascinating - NO, really, they are!!! :-)

I'm impressed I don't buy anything...there isn't anything overly special I think I need or want, so it doesn't seem worth buying for no reason.

We head back to the hotel extremely tired...where we promptly get lost coming out of the metro, but do however find a supermarket where we are able to buy a few bits.

By 12.30pm we finally get to bed, which isn't early enough given we have to get up at 5.00am the next day for our day trip to Agra.

I struggle to get up the next day, thinking I should be having a lie in as it's a holiday, however you can't come to India and not see the Taj Mahal!!!

After a special early breakfast by the hotel, our taxi drops us at Nizamuddin train station in Delhi fo the 3 hour journey to Agra. Even at 6.30am there are loads of people, bags and boxes at the station...this city never sleeps!

The taxi driver goes through every traffic light on red but that doesn't really surprise us as this country really has no road rules!!

After a pretty uneventful train journey we arrive into Agra train station where we are beseiged by people wanting us to take their taxi or tuk-tuk. Luckily they are pre-paid you can't get ripped off...bargain 52 rupees!!

This is such a shame as my bartering skills are coming along quite nicely!!!

We get a tuk-tuk to the Agra fort..we decide to do this first so we can go late to the Taj Mahal and get the beginning of the sunset.

In all honesty, I was probably more impressed with the Red Fort in Delhi than Agra Fort and there's not much to say about it.

Early afternoon we head to the Taj Mahal...both of us are really excited about the visit!! It doesn't disappoint and just takes your breath away.

The Taj Mahal was built by an emperor as a memorial to his second wife who died giving birth to their 14th child.

The impressive building datss from 1653, after 22 years of construction involving 20,000 workers. It cost the equivalent (in today's money) of US$70 million to build.

The whole building is in perfect symmetry from whatever side you stand on. We spend the whole afternoon lazing in the grounds until the sun starts to go down and you can get the most impressive photos of the Taj reflected in the water at the front of it. My memory card is now full!

The whole touting thing is even endemic in the Taj - the gardeners were trying to make a fast buck from us by trying to show us the best places to take photos or even trying (and I mean TRYING) to take our picture!!)

It's actually quite sad having to leave as it's been an amazing experience, but we have to rush back to the train station for the 6.55pm Taj Express back to Delhi.

What Em neglects to mention is that we get lost (AGAIN) trying to get out of the Taj area as we try to find an ATM and somewhere to eat. We still find it amazing that the locals don't seem to have a clue about there surroundings and where things are.

We eventually find somewhere to eat as recommended by the bible and then start sweating as the food takes ages to come even though we explain that we're rushing for a train. Eventually the food comes and we bolt it down in 2 minutes flat and then run to a tuk-tuk sat waiting outside. We ask him to hot-foot it to the station which was tantamount to suicide as tuk-tuk drivers are lethal at the best of times!!

We're now on our way to GOA for a bit of chill out sunshine to get us nice and relaxed after all the stress! Look forward to updating you soon...