Delhi day 1

Late winter in Delhi, the streets emit the reek of stale urine and rickshaw exhaust awaiting the monsoon cleansing, and "hello friend- where u going?" is the favorite introductory line, little different from Mumbai, yet i am rarely hassled more than this, although the rickshaw drivers will offer you a bonus "tour of a most especial shop- no shopping i reply, no sir you only look"...and so it goes on. South indian for brunch, 'masala dosai' and quite delicious, followed by a superb espresso. Memories flood back from 2 years ago. It sure is a whole lot less emotional for me this time, i will never forget all those first time experiences.

Almost no "culture shock" to speak of, must be getting used to all this travel. I knew i had arrived when upon stepping out of the hotel laneway a large elephant sauntered by, mahout atop, the creature taking no notice of the commotion of rickshaws and small cars passing by below, and the trains of the new city metro above. The metro is a blessing - less than 100 rupees per day for unlimited travel gets you close to many of the most visited sites. I am staying right near a station and a few hundred meters from the crazy backpacker area of Paharganj. Its fun sitting in a street cafe people watching, cycle rickshaws with impossible loads of goods or people, international travellers from many nations, young, 30 something and older types, but most of that older lot misso out by going to 5 star hotels and do organised trips, steering well away from this area. Last nights dinner i sat down and soon was sharing the table with an indian couple, the man a large grey moustache, the woman quietly singing Hindi songs while we waited for food. Its raining now, light rain only, but the cycle rickshaw drivers are bedded down for the night under tarps strung between their rickshaws on the side of the busy road with never ceasing traffic noise, pollution, festival drumming, and noise noise noise...

Not far from here is Old Delhi, rowdy, crowded and amazing, a mix of weathered faces, school children and merchants and labourors - some with old small pox scars, some without eyes- best viewed from the seat of a cycle rickshaw where i slowly pass by trying to take pictures unnoticed. The streets and dark mysterious alleyways are lined with multitudes of shops selling beautiful handmade papers, textiles, spices, flowers, aromas from street vendors mix with cow manure, all the essentials for Indian existence, there is a timelessness about this place, something found in all great ancient trading cities i have travelled to, maintained in part I suppose by an over supply of cheap labour.

An hour on a cycle rickshaw in the Old city, then to the Jama Masjid- the largest Mosque in India, dating from 1644 and quite superb, the red sandstone glowing in the late afternoon light, the great domes and minaret towers, the large square full of peaceful people, a central pool where locals wash the dust off, old muslim men lazing in the shade, young children running at the pigeon flock.

Typical India, i go to post this, the lodge has wireless but the ISP isnt working, so i goto a cafe: 'sorry sir no USB', after a few attempts- 'sir USB no problem', I plug in, but no internet, i just laugh now, you cant fight it.

Finally the wireless is working.









Flying to Jodhpur today, will post from there, excited with all the reports of how good it is.