Death Defying Delhi (By Justyna)

Well, what can I say about today, especially following our very eventful first day and flight! Neither of us slept particularly well at the hotel Vivek - the heat is stifling and incredibly uncomfortable and even though our room has AC of sorts, it is very third world. But we wanted to make the most of our day here, so got up and went out at about 7AM. Triston needed a haircut so we decided to kill two birds and had breakfast next to a barber shop. Breakfast was great - chapatis with cauliflower and potato on the street, and as I sat and watched Triston being pummelled by the hairdressers, who with each new 'treatment' seemed to be raking in the cash (price of original haircut 50 rupees, price of haircut, blackhead removing face mask, rose water treatment, massage, creaming - 450 rupees - but how can you say no?!) We had decided to see Humayun's tomb which is the predecessor to the Taj Mahal and had to take a Tuk-Tuk there. Our driver pretty much as soon as we got in, started to tell us what we ought to see and that he would show us the 'creme de la creme' of Delhi. Politely we were able to decline everything bar from his insistence on taking us the the most prominent Sikh temple en route. We felt a bit weird, like VIP's but slightly out of place as we were taken by our guide through all the rituals in this beautiful, white marble building. No tourists ever go there but actually it was pretty cool - best of which was the visit to the voluntary kitchen which feeds about 20'000 people per day for free. I even got to roll a couple of chapatis with the locals. Following this diversion, the tomb was stunning, well worth the trip and it will be interesting comparing it to the Taj in afew weeks time. From here we took another death defying drive by Tuk-tuk to Chadni Chowk - the main bazaar area of Delhi, and having navigated 1000's of stalls, people, beggars, dogs in the intense 45 degree heat, we were both losing our cool. Thankfully our efforts were yet again rewarded by stumbling at the 11hour (prior to my biting off someone's, probably Triston's, head) upon a really lovely restauarant which had a very good punjabi menu. The frozen daiquiri and gin and tonic worked a treat as well, and even though on the way home we were witness to our 7th prodding beggar, a naked man with balls the size of a football, yet another impertinent indian man who somehow bumped into my breast, and a bag full of skinned rats, we got back to the hotel full of joie de vivre, though very very tired and in need of some calm. Delhi is mad: certainly the most manic, smelly, dodgy, weird city I have ever been to and I won't lie to say I am really looking forward to flying out to nepal tomorrow to a much more cool and calm environment. But it has been a huge adventure and I am truly blessed with the most perfect travelling companion, who is my protector when i need protection and my sense of humour, when i have none.