OzBus 14

A free day for us all in the city, so Andrea and I decide to go sight seeing.  After finishing breakfast we hop into a tuk-tuk with a vague idea of where we’re going.  The weather was now the hottest we’ve experienced on tour and it felt disparagingly hot.  First stop on our list was the Red Fort – a huge fortress filled with tombs, relics, stages and greenery.  A leisurely walk and few photos later, we decide to try and walk to the river as on the map it seems doable.  If there was one thing I could recommend when in a new city, it’s to find a place you want to go and have a rough idea of where you are going – then get lost!  In the process of finding our way to the river, we stumble into a local market and come across another temple (made of red stone, but the name passes me).  The temple has near to no tourists within it, making for a very interesting photo opportunity.  We do have to pay to take photos, and pay to leave our shoes at the front, but when you look like a tourist all you can do is expect to be treated like one.

Realising our attempts to walk to our destination would be in vain, we hop on a rickshaw in the hope that we will finally find the river.  Our driver was very nice (or at least working hard to earn an extra buck) and, despite his initial dislike, took us to our river.  Arriving there we see that there is nothing to behold, so our driver kindly “offers” to take us to a local spice market, citing that it’s the only place in the city to go and see.  Offering us a deal that is, and I quote “whatever price you are happy to pay, I am happy to take”, we reluctantly accept his offer to take us around town.

If you’ve never been on a rickshaw before, you will find the first time a bit difficult, especially those who feel the need to help out someone that looks like they’re in need.  For those that have been on one, you will still feel the same sort of necessity as trying to cycle uphill in 40 degree heat with two fully grown adults in the back made me, the passenger, feel tired.  We eventually get to the spice market and it’s a wonder that we didn’t expect to find.  Our driver doesn’t give us the change to get off the rickshaw, which was probably a better situation as the passing glimpse of the market had a greater impression.  As with most of India, the sights, sounds and smells hit us the hardest.

Our driver, whose name I forget, wanted to continue the tour of the city, but we felt to restricted and almost in an organised tour, so we decide to pay him off and find our own way.  This was easier said than done, as the amount of money we wanted to give him didn’t seem to “make him happy” (so much for his previous agreement).  After giving too much, we finally get rid of him and head somewhere for lunch.  Light lunch, then we walk down to India Gate.  The traffic going down to the gate was heavy; an intricate jigsaw of tuk-tuk’s, cars and cows, interlaced in an unorganised, yet controlled jumble.  The sun isn’t so warm by this time of the afternoon, so a stroll in the park to see the gate was pleasurable.  More pictures and we decide to call it a day and head back to the hotel for a rest.

Getting back, I find Liam in the lobby wanting to buy a new camera.  Seeing as we were so successful buying a new one in Turkey, I decide to tag along and try to find one before we head out to dinner.  After a few hours of searching, we find a new camera and head back for dinner.  Tonight it’s a local restaurant that was fairly expensive.  Typical menu and nice decor, there were no complaints for the dinner.  Delhi has left a good impression on us all so far, but is nowhere near as crazy as many had originally depicted.  Good or bad, this was not going to affect our experience, which had so far been positive.

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