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Day 2 - Delhi in a day
This morning we set out early, knowing we only had one day to see as much of Delhi as possible. We visited our friendly guide who collected us from the airport yesterday to discuss our options. It turned out our best bet was apparently to hire a driver for a day to show us the sights, which struck as us odd; we'd already experienced the traffic.
Anyway, throwing caution to the wind at the prospect of a dedicated driver for the whole day for the price of 550 Rs (about eight quid), we hopped in the back seat. The first shock came almost instantly when we realised there were actually seatbelts today, but our delight soon turned to incredulity when we discovered there were no holders in which to plug them. Cue eight hours of getting in and out of the car and attempting to fasten our seatbelts anyway. At least our instincts are still in tact.
So, our first stop was Lodi Garden, a park in central New Delhi. Well, our first stop was actually at India Gate followed by our second stop at the Indian President's House (or the gates thereof). The two are joined by a long, straight road which the driver claimed was 2km in length. However, we could only jump out of the car, take a couple of pictures and jump back in because there was no parking allowed, and the Indian Army Commandos lining the road were enough of a deterrent to ensure we did just that.
Lodi Garden will therefore be classed as our first stop (it's our trip, so we can do what we like). Everything we thought we knew about Delhi was dashed in seconds. The park was an oasis in the middle of this hectic city which was as unexpected as it was beautiful. The fog, poverty, rubbish and rubble were all forgotten as we found ourselves walking through glades of palm trees, around ponds furnished with elaborate fountain and with chipmunks scampering through the bushes all around us. In spite of a short period involving an acrobatic begging girl following me (James) around incessantly repeating "Plee Sir, Plee Sir!", Lodi Garden is a must for anyone visiting New Delhi.
After an hour we moved on to Qutb Minar, an imposing five-storey tower built in 1193AD by Qutubuddin Aibak, a slave of the Muslim raider Mohammad Ghauri, to mark the first Muslim dynasty in India. Considering its age, the tower was incredibly impressive. Constant rejuvination and repairs have taken place over the past few years to reverse structural damage caused by exposure to the elements (and possibly the War), but they have all been carried out using traditional methods. The result is that the renovations are unnoticable next to the tower's original features. It did become apparent soon into our visit, however, that the theme of the day was likely to be children harrassing us; this time it was teenage school kids who insisted on getting photos with us and wishing us Happy New Year. They were all very friendly, though, and begging for pictures is better than begging for cash.
Next, we were taken to... a carpet shop. Our driver was probably mates with the owner, who lured us in by showing us a traditional carpet being made (which was incredibly interesting) before attempting to assure us that nothing could serve us better during 9 months of travel than a yak's wool rug (which was incredibly stupid). We soon scarpered in search of lunch, before moving on to Humayun's Tomb.
At first glance, the tomb seemed a let down. The monuments, although impressive, were nowhere near as grand as Qutb Minar, and even a Bear Grylls inspired trek around the battlements of an enclosure did little to lift our spirits.
However, after walking through an archway a little further down the path, a great mausoleum appeared before us to drive Qutb Minar far from our minds completely. The mausoleum is the actual part we should have been looking for, but having done no research into the matter beforehand, the sudden appearance of the massive building was jaw-dropping. It's said to have inspired the Taj Mahal, which should give an idea of just how impressive it was.
The drive was a great idea. It gave us a real feel for Delhi and allowed us to take in the major historical sites. Along the way we saw all sorts. The Lotus Temple was closed, but we stood on the pavement taking pictures. When we turned around a snake charmer had revealed his cobra. Sensing our fear, he assured us the venom had been removed and that we would be quite safe sitting on the floor beside him. He didn't realise it was him we were fearful of, not the snake.
We'd recommend this method of getting around Delhi to anyone visiting. We paid less than you would on the subway, the driver pointed out various sights on the way ("Very good Rajasthani hat shop. You go?". We didn't), and he was delighted with a 45 Rs tip at the end of the drive. About 65p, for those of you who haven't checked the exchange rates lately. All in all, a good day. New Delhi is a remarkable city.
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