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Delhi School of Driving
Today is Saturday....I can hardly believe that I have been here 3 days already.Today I awoke early....still seem to be struggling with jet lag a little.I had breakfast with a Chinese man from Hong Kong called Ming......(I know, I giggled to!!).....over his egg and ketchup sandwiches and my toast (still not brave enough to have anything else!!) we had a very stilted conversation, his English was weak and my Cantonese.....well none existent other than Black Bean Sauce! He had just returned from Tibet, I really wish I was going!!
I took an Auto Rickshaw to Connaught Place, after reading up about it in my Lonely Planet guide it was described as the shopping/bazaar hub and where the likes of Costa Coffee, McDonalds etc could be found.So......in the hope of air con and free Wi-Fi in Costa I headed off.The trip was a total disaster! The driver ripped me off by dropping me what he called 'round the corner'....in reality it was a good 15 minutes walk....in the heat.....whilst men stared, shouted and followed me along.He had done what lots of drivers do, dropped me outside a bazaar where he gets paid commission from the owners for taking people there....I simply didn't walk in and instead started my LONG walk to find the ever illusive CostaCoffee.
Connaught Place is like Wonderland......its 3 circles which run into one another, it's impossible to find ANYTHING!!Instead I spent an hour wondering backwards and forwards along the broken pavements - after the 2nd man followed me trying to make conversation, asking me to go for coffee with them I placed my ring on my wedding finger......that's where it will stay!!!
After finally finding Costa and been told that the Wi-Fi isn't working I had a cold drink and got out my brick of a guide book.Seen as my plans of emailing, skyping and blogging had been scuppered I had to find something to fill the next 6 hours before I met my tour group.I decided upon the Red Fort, one of the main attractions of Old Delhi.I haggelled with a rickershaw driver and set off on the scariest trip £1 has ever got me before! Rickershaws are terrifying at the best of times; they are basically oversized powered tricycles which drive too quickly, don't give way and drive way too close to other buses, cars and bikes.But this was a ride like no other......we came to a sharp stop in heavy traffic.....as the driver pushed his was through it became clear what was causing the jam......a man pushing a loaded 7 ft cart up the road piled high with fruit!!
Upon arrival the Red Fort I heard a confused sounding English voice.....having had little company in days I was ready for a chat and so struck up conversation with the stranger.Turns out the chap, David, had been on business here in Delhi and was seeing the sights before his flight.He works on exhibitions so we had good chat about Events world and headed into the Fort (which he kindly paid for).Old Delhi is very different from New Delhi and really is a sensory overload - the sights, smells, noises all compete for your attention.But once inside the Fort it's like a different city, serene and peaceful.The Fort is sandstone ruins of the Mughal era when the fort would have been overrun with eunuchs, grandeur and pomp.
From here David asked if I would like to join him as he had a driver for the rest of the day.I agreed, and my terrifying trip from earlier soon seemed timid as we climbed aboard the cycle rickershaws!!!This precarious bike was scary enough as we competed for our place on the road against buses and taxis alike.However, as we pulled over to get into our proper taxi at the side of the road without looking a minibus van started reversing into the bike......hitting my side of the carriage and moving the bike sideways.....the driver seemed completely unaware even with us shouting and banging on the van!!When he eventually noticed he simply shrugged this shoulders and moved on!!!Feeling a little shaken we got into the luxurious, old school comfort of a 1940's taxi with the sweetest Sikh driver.
We decided that we would go to Humayun's Tomb, LP describes it as 'Delhi's most sublime delight' and it didn't fail to live up to the hype.The tomb was built in the 16th century the elements of its design were to be refined over the years to eventually create the Taj Mahal's design, it was breathtaking.We wondered around this peaceful and stunningly beautiful place, taking pictures, enjoying the company and late afternoon sunshine.
I've finally met my group, there a mixed bag to say the least!There's Erin & Brandon a Aussie couple who have been living in London for 3 years and are making there way back home, a very pissed off lesbian couple from America, one of which we've only met briefly as she is ill, and the other I can't work out if she's a midget or just short.....!!!!There's then a chap from Nottingham of all places, a lovely girl called Ella from Brighton who's just on holiday and then weirdly another Alana!She is also starting an around the world trip, she's 20 and a great laugh.I'm hopeful that we'll have a great trip.....I just need to make some plans as to what to do after the tour ends now!
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