So here i am in Delhi with a really fast internet which is cheap as chips (like 20p/hour) so pics to come too...

1st October - We arrived in Delhi early morning and took a taxi to our hotel the 'Star Paradise' - wasnt too optimistic about the paradise bit. Here we had our first taste of what is the road system in Delhi - id heard all about how hectic this place is, but its still another thing being in the middle of it all. It took us about an hour to do about 5 miles to the hotel in the stiffling heat - already at 8am. It really is like a rat race, or being on the dodgems at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Drivers use their horn as an indicator to tell other drivers where they are going, and overtake at all angles and all speeds. Cars, auto and cycle rickshaws, buses, cows, pedestrians all share the road which ends up in mayhem. The buses are crammed to the max with people looking like cattle on their way to the slaughter house. All cars have numerous dints where they have had collisions. I was suprised we got to the hotel in one piece but that we did. Our hotel was tucked up an alley in one of the main bazaars of Old Delhi, true India style. It was not a paradise however it was still a luxury to have a real bed and the staff were really friendly.

We organised a guy to take us around the sites of Delhi all afternoon where he waited for us at each stopping point. We did this for about 6 hours for which we paid a fiver - bargain. Sites included - Jama Masjib (biggest mosque in india), Red Fort, India Gate (like Arc de Triumpe), Humanyun's Tomb (which Taj Mahal was later based on) and the Lotus Temple (looked just like the sydney opsera house). We walked through the biggest and oldest market of old delhi 'chandi chowk' which was an experience in itself. We weaved amongst the traffic being pestered by every person insight desperate to be our 'guide' for any money rthey could get. Even random locals follow you for no reason and don't even say much, just follow?! The area was full of rubbish everywhere, locals selling fruit of every kind, men poushing overloaded cartss, stray animals, locals kipping on the floor or on their rickshaw. The smells, sights and sounds of delhi are something that takes time to get used to. We later stopped at one of the famous markets where we drank Chai (indian tea) and tried on sari's. After this we looked like we had just jumped in a swimming pool it was so damn hot and sticky. Not nice. Needless to say the shower back at the hotel was the best id ever had. We ate out at Connaught Place the main hub of new delhi. The curry was lush. We got through our first day in delhi alive which was a plus.

2nd October - I had the best lie in of the whole trip this morning - 11am, unheard of! We had a little shop around the bazaars of where we were staying- Pahar Ganj. The narrow streeets are lined with shop after shop selling everything you could think of. Since me and Nat are still so white (despite the sun in africa we rarely got to sit in it) and blonde we stick out even more than other tourists and the shopkeepers hassle you to high heaven. I bought some gorgeous stuff for next to nothing, we are loving the India prices, much gentler on the pocket than africa. We spent the afternoon sippiing lassi and coffee with a scottish man we'd met who was lovely despite not seeming to know his queue to stop talking and let someone else talk. he was studying hindi in calcutta. We took an evening coach up to Dharmasala/Mcleod Ganj where we would stay for the next few days. We were chucked on a cycle rickshaw with both our massive rucksacks and various bags chucked on the back and some tiny skinny indian guy who had to cycle us to the bus station. i really felt for him but at the same time wondered how the hell we were going to stay on this thing. Needless to say the poor guy struggled and had to push a lot of the time while we sttempted to duck and dive through the main road traffic. Scary stuff. We began to worry he didnt have a clue where he was going, it was difficult to tell since he spoke no english. After an hour cycling it became apparent after he asked many locals in hindi where to go that we were lost. on a cylce rickshaw. in the middle of sweaty smelly delhi. Well we did get there, 30mins late...skinny guy still demanded a tip which was not wise as we were less than impressed by this sweaty point. Next we jumped in an auto rickshaw (slightly better) and whizzed to catch the coach at its next stop. race agaisnt time, thank god we made it. Queue our 12 hours overnight journey up to the northern part of india climbing through the mountains up to Dharamsala.

3rd October - We arrived at McLeod Ganj (tourist town above Dharamsala) at around 7am having had not a bit of sleep all the way. We found a little hotel called the 'Loseling' run by Tibetan monks- again down one of many alleys coming off the main bazaar street. Despite having an asian toilet which im just about getting used to it did have hot water - bonus. Also bonus was the price - 1quid per night between the 2 of us. McLeod Ganj is home to his Holiness the 14th Dali Lama and is where many Tibetans have set up home since being forced to flee nieghbouring Tibet. Since 1949 when China began to 'liberate' the Tibetan people of their lands and culture, 250,00 have claimed asylum here in India, many in this area just over the Himalayas from their homeland. Mcleod is now a centre for Bhuddism and Tibetan culture, and you can do all kinds of courses on the religion and things like mediatation, yoga etc. We ate a traditional breakfast (Tibetan bread is a new fave now) at a small Tibetan 'restaurant' up from our hotel called the 'Gakyi' and proceeded to spend the day soaking up all the Tibetan culture on offer. The small hilly streets are lined with traditional shops but the people here are noticeably less pushy than in Delhi which was nice. I have now bought even more useless stuff in the form of bracelets etc, you will not be able to see my arm soon. We went to see the Tsuglagkhang complex where the Dalai Lama lives in the ajoining temples. We saw gazillions of monks wporshipping and taking part in traditional debates with eachother where they do these rather bizarre theatrical hand claps. We have samples loads of tibetan foods like 'Momos' which are effectively bread dumplings filled with vegetables - nice actually. Tibetan 'Butter Tea' is a no no though, basically melted butter in a mug not nice at all. Yet again I have been approached by both Indian and Tibetan people asking to have a picture with me - they are bemused by the very white skin (yes no time for sunbathing) and blonde hair/blue eye combo.

4th October - This morning Nat went off to a meditation class which i should really have done however not my sort of thing think i would have struggled being calm and not talking through it ha. For breakfast we tried Tibetan style porridge called 'Tsampa' made of barley it looks like baby food or very runny porridge but tastes really good and is really healthy especially if you have a bad stomach which im luckily still waiting to get... We visited the Tibetan Museum and Dal Lake where Tibetan children have a refuge and education centre. We easily made a few new friends around here since it is so so small, one guy who works in Goa who will be a good contact but who informs me it is raining in Goa - sods law i feel.

5th October - Our little coach friend from the night journey back down to Delhi 'Laurie' (also from Goa) helped us out getting a taxi to our hotel where we would be meeting our group for our whirlwind tour of India. Since we have been used to some interesting accommodation so far the Raunak seemed like a luxury! There are 13 in our group - a couple of other english girls and the rest europeans most of which however live in London. The tour will be very different to our tour in Africa as we have lots more free time to do whatever we wish and meals etc are not included. We shall see... we travel to Agra on the train tomorrow morning so Taj Mahal to come...