Finally, I've managed to get around to writing the first entry in my blog! Nameste (Hello), it has been a busy eight days since I touched down into Delhi International Airport last Tuesday morning, but so far it has been great! I'm writing this on my phone with my little bluetooth keyboard whilst sat in our riverfront hotels' private bathing ghat on the River Ganges, in Haridwar. Mmm.. What an amazing afternoon! The sun is shining down whilst children play in the river and men beat clothes with large wooden sticks. (I'm trying not to think of the little ants climbing my leg). But like I said it has been all go since being picked up at the airport last Tuesday by Liz(who arrived in India the night before on an early SwissAir flight), her friend Claire (who is joining us for the first two weeks of the India leg) and Iram (Liz's friend who she met on a previous trip to India). Iram had kindly offered to put us up for our time in Delhi, so we've been able to explore the sites of Delhi from Iram's stylish and comfortable flat in Gurgoan; just outside central Delhi. The first thing I'll say is that I have had to slow the pace considerably here in India, much to the delight of Liz; the weather here is very hot! It has reached 45 degrees in the days, only cooling to 35 degrees in the evenings. It's blooming hot, that muggy close heat! Never has there been a truer saying than "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!". That said, there doesn't seem to be shortage of fine eateries in Delhi with air conditioning so we've been able to make good use of our time here. Iram is an interior designer based in Delhi and it would seem she knows everybody you need to know in Delhi; so we've been a bit spoilt and possibly not had the typical travellers experience of Delhi. We've been to the 'Elle Decor' Party in the luxurious Park Hotel as cheeky guests of Iram's. Here I met an overkeen, leftover hippie also a designer(of what we were not quite sure) offering me advice on alleyways and bazaars I simply MUST visit whilst I was in Delhi. The girls thought she was trying to chat me up and take me home. As lovely as she was, no really, luckily Iram came to my rescue very soon after that! We've had the pleasure of eating at 'Mismo'; a new Mexican come Mediterranean restaurant which Iram designed that has recently opened for business. The chicken fajitas come highly recommended as do the nachos! We also managed to muscle our way in on a photography shoot at another of Iram's designed restaurants called 'The Oak Tree'. Iram had to meet with her photographer to take shots for Elle Décor so we tagged along and I annoyed the photographer with my suggestions before sitting down and sampling the experience properly by, again, eating more tasty food. Unfortunately I had been ill previously with some Delhi Belly so played it safe here with non-Indian minestone soup and a bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich with fried egg! Nice! Couple all that with the many coffee shops, juice bars, ice cream shops Iram has taken us to, together with the fact that Iram herself has cooked traditional Indian dishes with the help of her maid Paru for us when we've eaten in, I think itis safe to say we've been well fed and watered in Delhi.

On our first evening in Delhi we were invited to our friend Samir's house, whom Liz had met on her last trip to India; it was through Samir that Liz met Iram. It was lovely to meet Samir's parents and their friends and be welcomed into a real Indian home. We chatted with everybody about our plans whilst in India. We ate traditional family food; aloo gobi (cauliflower and potatoes), gosht biriyani (lamb curry), bindi,muttar paneer (cheese and peas), fresh roti (bread) washed down with good beer and mango and berry ice cream!

We have all bought 'kurtas' which are typical Indian shirts and whilst on the Janpath also bought the must have leather sandals. Six pairs for about twenty quid.

As for the sights, well we managed to see most of them I think. I particularly liked the Lotus Temple (Bahai Mandir), a stunning white marble construction, strangely reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House, and the Red Fort (Lal Qila), an impressive and huge example of Mughal stone carving craftsmanship. Wanting to tick the Chandni Chowk box on our itinerary list we ventured into this claustrophobic maze of alleyways, spurred on to leave quickly, however,by kids grabbing our arms and the smoke, dust and stench. Its safe to say that we didn't find Chandni Chowk that great and it seems the only thing on offer were fake watches and not much else. Come to think of it maybe we actually didn't find the real heart of the bazaar....but we won't be going back to find it.

What has really shocked me here in Delhi is the amount of people here on the breadline and thus the noticeable difference between the poor and the rich. Outside every major tourist attraction you get the usual people trying to offload tourist tat on you but also lots of seemingly malnourished kids of four or five years old asking for your food and money. At first you feel for them but after the third or forth child, it isn't long until you've hardened up and told them harshly to go away! 'Nah!' In traffic, they continually tap on your windows and all you can do is ignore it!

It is funny though, as a foreigner in another country, particularly a Brit in India, how you instantly become the centre of attention wherever you go. It's almost how I imagine the Beckams or other famous people being treated, being hounded everytime you step off a rickshaw or out of a taxi or car. It's only when you get home can you really let your guard down.

In India they drive on the left side of the road as we do in the UK which surprised me, why I thought it would be different I don't know! But here is where the similarities end! The driving here is manic, yet amazing! Weaving in and out of traffic at seventy miles per hour, blowing of horns on undertaking, overtaking or for any reason whatsoever actually, turning left or right into fast oncoming traffic and simply gesturing for them to slow down or stop by raising your hand. Bizarre! Spotting my amazement with the traffic, Iram kindly gave me a opportunity to drive her car, but for 'insurance reasons' I declined. When you park your car, if there is little space, not big enough for your car, the parking attendant pushes the cars either side to make room!