So far so good!

So far so good!

So the woman at the check in desk put the fear of god into me saying that you had to be at the boarding gate by 8.45 (take off at 10pm!) and the ticket says the gate closes 30 minutes before.  She said that if I wasn’t there by 8.45 they would start looking for my luggage to unload it.  What a load of crap – they don’t accounce the gate until about 8.45 although it’s a good thing I didn’t hang around as I only waited a few minutes to go down there and I got there just after 9 and they started boarding nearly straight away and we took off early!!!

Got myself a nice window seat and made myself comfy and had a nice journey chatting in parts to a lovely woman next to me who was an Indian living in America on her way to visit family.  She even gave me her phone number and address in America to look her up!  She lives in Philadelphia though so I’m not sure I will make it up there. 

Delhi Airport was not what I was expecting.  I had prepared myself to be confronted with hundreds and hundreds of people and being jostled and hassled everywhere and queing for ages.

It wasn’t like that…..it was so much BETTER!  It was really quiet on the arrivals side and then baggage collection was quite smooth and then walking through into the arrivals hall – yes there were people – but it was fine!!  Hardly anyone – plenty of space to move around – it was great!!!  I found the Delhi Traffic Police Taxi stand without much hassle but there was no one there and then all these blokes sitting in different booths were trying to call me over to get a taxi….ignoring them I walked away and found another official booth and managed to get a taxi receipt from there. 

It was only really when I went outside that India hit me!  Lots of people milling about, and very hot and humid, although better than I was expecting.  Finding where to get the taxi from was a bit confusing but one of the drivers came up to me and bundled me in.  Now for the most scary ride of my life!!!! 

So he asks where I am going and I tell him and he looks like he has no idea – I think to myself, don’t worry – I read that this was the normal taxi driver reaction – then I try to give him more information, and still he has no idea.  Then I show him the address and he says its not a proper address, he needs a block name or number or something.  But don’t worry!!!  He will take me to the district and find the tourist office and we will ask there where it is!!!! 

Ok I think…..well I have pre-paid, he can’t charge me more, I’ve heard the taxi rides are interesting……… 2 stops, one for him to put some kind of air in the car (if you can call it that!) and then the next at the side of a busy road where I thought he was asking directions but then it turns out I think he was checking in with the wife!!!.  Anyway we made it to the tourist office went in and the guy called the hotel, got the area a bit more and the driver looked like he was more confident – how wrong I was!!!

We drive on a bit further and he stopped and asked about 3 different people where the hotel is – however I should never have doubted him as he did get me here in one piece!!!  As for the driving – wow – I think even driving in London can’t prepare you for driving in India – there are NO rules, there are lanes, but no one uses them, if someone is in your way you just hoot, you have a bloke on a motorbike with a helmet on and then the wife and 2 kids balanced on with no protection on them at all. 

I get assisgned a room at the hotel and I go in on my own, thinking about going down to explore but having had only about 2 hours sleep on the plane the bed is too tempting.  About an hour later, a knock on the door and another girl arrives, Kelly who is also on the trip.  Apparently she had got here earlier and had been put in another room but then got moved as she was in the wrong room – we think that she still isn’t supposed to be in my room according to the list – but it doesn’t matter!!  But that’s India – nice and organised J

We decide to venture out on our own to explore the local area and what a shock to the senses it is.  Its just people and cars and bikes EVERWHERE!!!  There are no road names that I can see so far so its very easy to get lost.  We were probably wondering around for about 15 minutes when we thought, ok, lets head back and see if we can find the hotel again- that took probably about 45 minutes!!!   I ended up getting something to eat from a little place near the hotel – just a somosa and some paneer pakora – the paneer was great, the somosa was sooo spicy!!!

We met our North India guide Kuush in the evening and the rest of the group who seems nice.  A good mix – 1 couple from the USA, another couple from London, 2 girls travelling together, one greek and one Spanish doing a round the world trip but nearing the end of it, another girl from Denmark, and a few more from the UK I think! There were some more people arriving late last night so I’ll meet them very soon.  Kuush guides us to a local restaurant, one that Kelly and I had walked past earlier and I noticed was busy and looked good.   A very good first meal of a veggie thali – ordered very very mild – and it was really really good and not too spicy – although the sweat was pouring off me but it was yummy.   

We all headed back to the hotel and I was in bed and asleep by 9pm, ready to feel refreshed and face my first proper day in India!!!  I'll try and post some piccies but i'm not sure how long it will take as about to head down to breakfast before we go out for the day.