Well here we are moving through the second day on Indian soil. We haven’t actually done it tough. Like Sri Lanka the proliferation of Tuk Tuk’s (called Rickshaws here) means that getting from point A to point B is very easy.
I had a list of things for us to do today. But first I needed to set off and find an ATM before breakfast. I left Sally getting herself organised, this does take a lot of time but at the end of it it has to be said that she is a very organised traveller.
I failed in my attempts to find an ATM because it turns out you have to find an international bank to withdraw internationally. I found out by piecing together information from the multiple touts, who were now insisting on helping me, that these banks were in the centre of the city and too far away for a pre breakfast dash.
So back for the very splendid breakfast laid out at the hotel. After brekky we set off by Tuk Tuk to find a bank. Deutsche Bank wouldn’t give me any money…on to HSBC…they would only give me 10,000 Rupees…less than $200. This is a real bummer because you have to go to the bank more frequently and you get charged over $10 a pop. Well just suck that up Princess. By this time a Tuk Tuk driver was promising us the world in terms of visiting the sites we wanted to see for a reasonable price. I wanted to go to the State Handcraft Emporium and it was the only thing open early in the morning, so off we went.
It was really great…full of lovely things but I can’t carry anything so I got a couple of small souvenirs for myself. BUT, then I got sucked into the pants department…no pants to fit me of course but making them…no problem!! A couple of pairs of linen pants for $70 each to be delivered to the hotel tomorrow. God knows how that will go but give it a go!! Sally was an invaluable fashion advisor re materials etc.
When we got back to the Tuk Tuk our No.1 driver had disappeared. The No. 2 driver took us back to our hotel and basically dumped us with another driver who wouldn’t have a bar of the previous price of course. So we did what we should have done in the first place and just went to one site at a time. They all want to take us to a shopping arcade, I guess they get a tip for delivering tourists to them, but we are very definite in resisting. No different to Sri Lanka in many ways although I do think a little more chaotic and life threatening on the roads.
Next stop was Humayun’s Tomb. A really beautiful C16 tomb of red sandstone and white marble, surrounded by beautiful gardens. We wandered around there, including also the tomb of Isa Khan, enjoying the magnificence of it all. Then another driver took us to the National Museum. That was also a treat, full of beautiful treasures in stone, bronze, marble and of course ivory. Paintings that I just loved and more.
By this time we were hot and tired. The other place I wanted to go, Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Dargah was closed during the day. 3 out of 4 items ticked off ain’t bad!! Now to the pool for some down time!!
A couple of hours spent by the pool, having a dip and sipping a Singapore Sling….why not? We also got some snacks, ordered far too much and probably don’t need much more food today really…but I guess we’ll see about that. More later after we’ve set off again for a late afternoon/evening sortee.
And now for the rest of my evening. Sally hopped into bed and went straight to sleep. I tried to wake her, called her name loudly a number of times but she was immovable, so off I went out into the chaos that is Delhi at night. I walked the blocks, the street bazaars, past the shops and arcades. The traffic was total chaos and getting from one side of the street to the other took courage I can tell you. I came back to the hotel an hour and a half later and Sally was still asleep!! The funny thing about that is that she swears she hadn’t been asleep.
Another quick walk later…just to get Sally out into the Delhi nightlife!! We came back at 8pm and I sat in the bar by myself and had a drink while Sally went back up to get ready for bed. I think I might netflix for a bit now!!