Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Our journey began when we waved goodbye to our parents in Norwich and headed towards Gatwick airport. We spent the night holed up in a vile Travel Lodge drinking a very expensive bottle of champagne (Christmas present) out of enamel travel cups before trying to get some rest before the flight. We flew to New Delhi on the 10:50 flight via Istanbul with Turkish airlines, whom we were very impressed with.... Food was lovely and they plied us with white wine and Turkish beer which is always welcome. As we sat in Istanbul awaiting our flight we quickly realised we were of a small minority.... The young inexperienced traveller's, the ones who want to see what is out there but has no idea how to do it or what to take with. As I sat there with my six hundred pound camera and my GHDs reading Cosmo I felt a bit nervous. For surrounding us was mostly Indian families heading home or the dreadlocked hardened traveller who looked like they had been doing this for years. I got chatting to one such guy with his long dreads and various piercings who informed me he was heading back to India after working back home in UK for a few months. He had a friend who was storing his bike and his belongings and hadn't booked a hotel or anything on arrival (which we later found out amused the guys at customs no end). His girlfriend was due to join him but didn't have a passport so he now had to kill time for a month prior to her arrival. This guy was awesome.... Told us all the best places to go and his hand luggage consisted of Morgan's spiced rum and some smokes!
Upon landing in Delhi we were both shattered.... We hadn't managed to sleep despite the cosy environment. On board we had been given ear plugs, cosy socks, an eye mask, blanket and pillow, I couldn't sleep though and chilled out with soppy movies. In typical fashion where ever I go someone flakes out and it wasn't long before the inevitable came through the tannoy (in several languages) "if there is any medically trained person on board can they please make themselves known to the crew" at this point a very enthusiastic German girl three seats from me leapt up and I let out a sigh of relief! The passenger in question was fine and calm was once again restored! Poor Steven thought we were going to have to make an emergency landing and we were over Afghanistan at the time ha-ha...
By the time we landed in India we had lost five and a half hours and it was five am before we landed and nearer six by the time we had passed through customs and collected our bags. The whole process being relatively painless, I had heard nightmare stories about Delhi airport and wasn't relishing in the thought of passing through when I felt like I had done a whole night shift. However the airport was calm, spacious and empty... Customs took no time at all and awaiting our luggage was a lengthy process but drama free, well unless you count our new dreadlocked friend falling off his luggage trolley and smashing his bottle of complimentary wine all over the floor... The Morgan's was fine though! At arrivals we were met by a smart and smiley man from 'GA Adventures' who was our driver... Or so I thought! He took us as far as the front door before passing us on to a small Indian chap with little English and a not to happy persona... I would say that man at arrivals was the last cheery person we met till we explored Delhi and met some locals.
On exciting the airport the warmth hit us first then all the people! They were everywhere and it was very surreal as it was incredibly foggy. The guy strode off in front of us and as we followed him further and further away from the airport towards an underground car park I had a moment of realisation. I realised then that we were a long way from home and alone. From now on we had to put our trust into those around us, trust that they were as lovely as I imagined when planning my trip... here we are following this little Indian guy to goodness knows where?? Thankfully it was actually the car park and eventually we were on our way to the hotel.
The journey was long as we were both shattered but that was no reflect on his driving as he ensured he drove between eighty and ninety km/hr at all times and had a tendency to brake late.... Very late! Quite the white knuckle ride. As we neared the city I could see that everyone starts their day early here... There was people walking around and at the traffic lights a guy was selling very large replica planes. There was also a young girl... carrying an infant and asking for money! She caught my eye and sore my empathy and that was it! It was horrid! Kept saying we didn't have money on us (you aren't allowed to bring rupees into India... Although the currency lady at Gatwick said we could, but just don't declare it!! Alaaaarm bells!! We declined) ...anyway I suppose the division between the rich and poor is so much more obvious here and I will have to get used to the begging and harden to it otherwise I will run out of money before I've reached the hotel.
On finding the hotel it was a little haven in the chaos of Old Delhi and it was nice to get somewhere clean and with the promise of a bed (by this point I was semi-conscious). We are taken to our room and I was impressed.... Clean, airy, massive bed, flat screen TV and big shower! Yes!! Welcome to India ...then when we shut the door I realised there was no window! I'm not a fussy traveller... Well much! However I started having a panic attack as I get really claustrophobic and like to see an escape route I case of fire etc. Steven trying to calm me was pointing out all the cool things in the room and incidentally stumbled upon a window. It was by the wardrobe under a screen and although frosted glass.... Still let in natural light and could be broken if needed. At this point we fell on the bed and slept solidly for a good six hours or so. .....welcome to India.
- comments