The journey was long but so worth it!
I finally arrived in Delhi and since I didn't have checked luggage I thought I could walk straight out of the gate, and get on my cab. To my surprise once I got to the exit/immigration there were endless lines with both Indians and tourists. I didn't want to waste my time so I started asking people who work there for help but they spoke no english at all. Then I decided to use common sense! I had already gone through customs in Chennai so why would I have to do it again? I decided not to go on the lines and kept walking past everybody. Then I saw a tiny sign at the end that said "domestic flights" and just like that I avoided the endless lines that I did not have to do.
Since I was early for my pick up I decided to stop by Airtel to get a SIM card for my phone.
Having a local cellphone will literally save your life and save you lots of money!
I love having a phone so I can text my mom, get directions, post on Instagram, or check out trip advisor.
Today I had a maddening experience while getting a SIM card! The guy at the airport counter tried to sell me a SIM card for 1,650 rupees that's $26!!!! I asked to see a price list and he wouldn't let me! He said that that was the price, I thought he was trying to take advantage of me and totally ripping me off! No SIM card should be more than $5 so I said "I will try another store, thank you" and left. It makes me so angry that people at the airport are totally tricking tourists because they don't know better! Later I went to the store and paid 300 rupees ($4.75) for a sim, with the same talk time and database than the one offered at the airport! Ridiculous!
The ride from the airport was my first real Indian experience; cars here drive on the other side but to be honest they drive on the left, on the right, and even sideways! Jaja my driver had an affinity for driving in the middle of the road!!!! Therefore making people behind us angry and honking all the time! I always thought that traffic in El Salvador was bad but compared to here they are decent! I even saw a guy just totally stop in a lane ( he didn't even pull over to the side) , get out of his car, and go pee in the bushes! Hilarious!... and dangerous!
And look at these people on the bike with two kids... I couldn't help it! I had to take a picture:
The poverty is indeed sad! I saw a lot of people living in sidewalks of main streets. A guy who looked like a teenager was having a bath/ shower on the sidewalk pouring water over his body and scrubbing himself with some soap. So sad!
Finally arrived to my hotel and is beyond cute and clean for $30/night.
The hotel is located by the New Delhi railway station and looks like a really really busy area. This is the view from the balcony:
I was tired upon arrival but from seeing the people outside I checked in into my room, washed my face, brushed my teeth ( did a couple of private happy dances in the room) and decided to go explore!!
First stop was the SIM card so I got the hotel shuttle to take me to Connaught Place and then walked from there!
Connaught place was very busy, they had an outside market with all kind of fake merchandises. People trying to sell "Ray Bans", "Nikes", food etc.
If you know me, you know I LOOOOOVE Indian food! Seeing all the street food made me hungry and want to eat some, specially some of my favorite: Bhel Puri! I passed a guy selling it and came back, stared at the food and had a discussion in my head wether or not I should eat it... The rational part of my brain won! I can't have uncooked food that has been sitting there for hours as my first meal although I really want it! I need to start with steaming hot food where most of the bad stuff pretty much got killed by the heat. Sadly, I walked away from the Bhel Puri :-(
I decided to go inside Palika Bazar where they have many small shops selling all kinds of things, including clothes, toys, and jewelry.
I had to go on the woman's lane and get inspected in order to get in. That is a first for a shopping mall.
Once inside it was a little overwhelming. Most of the stores were managed by guys and they all want tourists to come in and they were a little too much. I could just handle it for about 10 mins before I got out.
Once outside I just stood for a little bit on the side and observed people. I saw men selling tea, people bargaining for clothes, and just took everything in, smiling from the disbelief that I am in India... I still can't believe it!!!!!
The guys at the hotel told me to get into a rickshaw/ tuk tuk from Connaught place to the hotel for 50Rupees but I thought not exploring the metro would be a missed opportunity so I decided to take the metro back.
Once again I had to go on the woman's lane and go through security. This time I had to place my bag in the belt to go through a scanner and I had to go to the left into a private walkway where two Indian ladies checked all the girls. I did not like this procedure! I had to leave my bag unattended and that just freaks me out! Thankfully nothing happened and I ran out of the little room to go get my purse.
Once inside the metro it was yet another experience. Trying to figure out the metro system is always fun and confusing. I always somehow tend to choose the wrong direction so it wasn't a shock when I was in front of the yellow line going the opposite direction! I re traced my steps and this time went the other way.
I try to be safe so I looked for women waiting to get in. I swear, the metro is 90% men so it was a difficult task! I got in and made sure to stay by the door since I was going to get off at the first stop "New Delhi".
Once on my stop I got out and they were hundreds of rickshaws trying to offer me their services.
I wanted to explore so I said no. I got 120% lost! I had no clue where I was but I had no place to be so I decided to just walk. Many times is unbelievable where you end up by just going with the flow. I remember a couple of years ago in Budapest I had nowhere to go and I decided to get on the next bus and see where it took me and it was... MAGICAL!... It dropped me off in the middle of the queen's bridge with one of the most fabulous sunsets I have experienced... Once again, magical!
This time it wasn't as magical but it was special! I got to walk through the streets of Delhi, avoiding getting hit by cars, rickshaws, buses, and cyclists. Plus, I put to test my sense of direction! I remember seeing a big building and it's location from my hotel and also recalled that the guy at the front desk told me to go up the stairs by the railway station and walk on the bridge to get to the metro. I also remembered that a trip advisor review said that metro was like 10 mins away from the hotel so I gathered all that info and started my little adventure!
There are many guys ridding bikes and offering you a lift for very cheap so that was one of the things that I had to deal with. This one man followed for me for at least 5 mins even though I kept saying "no"! He wanted to take me to the market he kept saying "spice market", "beautiful saris" "go"... He started with a higher price than I can't recall and ended up offering me the ride for 5Rupees!!!!!!! ( that's less than $0.10!!!!) I was so tempted to just get in 1. So he would stop bothering me 2. Because it was so cheap and he was working very hard for 5 rupees. I ended up saying NO! and kept walking! I didn't get in because my whole point on getting into the metro was to explore and get used to the area! If I wanted a ride I would have taken one from Connaught place!
The more I walked the more my brain started to put the pieces together and I knew exactly where I was and where I was going (too bad I have no idea how to do it again! Jajaja) I found myself walking up the bridge that the men at the hotel talked about!
Once I got to a familiar place I decided to explore the street market!
(Who knew you could buy an STD in India! Jajaja)
This was only one of them! When one stopped another one began! I walked and put on my blinders! From all my research I know I have to ignore most of them and they do leave you alone!
I never made eye contact (in their mind they think eye contact is flirting!), instead I looked at their shoes to recognize who was coming back to me. It was in a way hilarious!
At the same time I felt bad, I love meeting new people and having conversations... Am I missing out on this whole Indian experience by not making these connections?
Later on in the food market I realized that this wasn't true. I can make connections with safe people but maybe keeping conversations to the minimum with random guys walking next to me is the best thing to do to keep safe.
By 4pm I was starving and was having a hard time choosing what to eat. So many food stalls, so much to chose from! I walked back and forth through the restaurant alleys trying to decide and paying attention to the food. If food was not hot, it was a no. If food looked like it had been standing there for a while, another no!
I reeeeeally wanted this chana palak I saw a lot of people eating but it was sitting in a huge pan so maybe it wasn't as safe so very sadly I had to say no.
On my 3rd walking round I decided to look how full or empty the restaurants were and decide. I truly believe that a place that is busy with locals is better than the one that is empty!
I finally made my decision based on pretty much 3 things: 1. What I wanted to take a picture of, 2. The welcoming staff, 3. Fresh food (and maybe 4. The cute guy eating in there!)
I had a really delicious paneer tikka masala with chapati for 100Rupees ($1.50!)
I sat on my own and ate my whole meal with my right hand! I stared at the guy eating in front of me (not the cute one) and copied the way he cut his chapati (even though my friend Vasu had already taught me how.) I think my eating got a little messy because one of the guys put a whole bag of napkins in front of my plate mid meal and smiled! Jajaja
I did a great job at eating with my right hand (left hand eating is a big no no since - apparently- that's your bathroom hand!) I did notice myself licking my fingers and I immediately stopped! That's another no no!
After my meal I happily walked back to the hotel and decided to rest so I can have yet another AMAZING day here in Delhi tomorrow... Can't wait!!!!
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