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April 5-6 - We've done this route before. The AMS-DEL leg took longer than normal however. Pakistani airspace is now closed so we had to fly a modified route; once over Iran the plane made a horseshoe loop over the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean to approach from the south. This in opposition to the prescribed route on the flight monitor, which was a little eerie; fortunately the pilot alerted us of the plan. Good flights though, extra legroom helped. Remarkably not as exhausting as previous long-haul flights although once at the hotel at 4:30 am (28 hours of traveling) we fell into our comfortable bed and slept on Sunday.
The last time we visited Delhi (aside from the airport) was 2007. The change in pollution is staggering. Even at 4 am, the smell and smog is visible walking outside the airport. It stings your eyes. The duty-free shop was fully staffed (who wants to shop at 4am?), plenty of cars and buses on the road. No wonder the smog doesn't abate.
April 7 - Our room at the Radisson looks out onto a busy highway, honking horns audible even through closed windows. No elephant making its way down this road like we had on our first Delhi morning in 2007. The Do Not Disturb sign is nowhere to be found; our room's doorbell rings at 10. "Do we need laundry done?"
After a tasty extensive Indian buffet lunch, Russ napped, I spent time in the pool. At dinner five of us joined Megan, our guide, for a light dinner. We need to be in the lobby at 1:15 am for our early flight to Bhutan. Is it worth going to sleep?
- comments
Janet Keough Really looking forward to your blog from this trip!! Have a wonderful time and good birding!
Tracey This is interesting, Delhi sounds like a place I do not need to visit...Nice they are prompt about doing laundry!!!!