DELHI, INDIA
Hello, Delhi!
(Wait a minute, I already used a variation of that joke when I arrived in Bali. Sorry!)
Anyway, here I am in India, lucky country #13. And after being here for a few days, all I can say is: I'm glad I've already visited Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, because those countries were good preparation for what I'm experiencing here.
When I've talked to other travelers about their impressions of India, the word "shock" comes up often, and now I see why. India assaults your senses from the get-go: It's ridiculously hot (especially after nice autumn weather in China), noisy, dirty, smelly, colorful, and crowded beyond belief with the entire spectrum of humanity--everything from well-dressed businessmen and ladies of leisure to ragged beggars living in filth on the street. It's overwhelming, really, and it's only now, after a few days of taking it all in, that I'm beginning to appreciate some of the nicer aspects of the city.
You've probably heard of New Delhi and Old Delhi--they're really just parts of the same city, so referring to them separately is a little pointless. I'm staying in the Paharganj area, which is sandwiched between the two, and is about as chaotic place as you can imagine. Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it does. Some typical sights: I'm walking down the street today, it's 92 degrees in the blistering sun, and people are frying up piping-hot doughnuts on the street. A motorcyclist weaves through a heavy crowd going at least 40 mph, blaring his horn constantly, but never slowing down--miraculously, no one is killed. A whole bevy of ice-cream salesmen are sleeping curled up on top of their carts. A guy asks me if I want a shoeshine, even though I'm wearing sneakers. And a cow decides to take a nap in the middle of the street, causing a traffic jam. You really have to laugh at stuff like this, or it would quickly drive you completely 'round the bend.
To make things even more confusing, it's really hard to know who to trust, as there seem to be as many scam artists here as there are genuinely helpful people. The guys who run my hotel are pretty nice, but the autorickshaw and taxi drivers have all been a little shady, and all too willing to "take you for a ride," so to speak. It's too bad, as it tends to make you a little paranoid about everyone else.
Apart from soaking up the (cough) atmosphere, I've mainly been taking care of travel arrangements and going through the ordeal of buying a new digital camera, as my old one stopped working in Beijing. I finally succeeded in finding one a little cheaper, smaller, and better than my old one, although I don't think I got as good a price as I could have back home. Sigh...
Hello, Delhi!
(Wait a minute, I already used a variation of that joke when I arrived in Bali. Sorry!)
Anyway, here I am in India, lucky country #13. And after being here for a few days, all I can say is: I'm glad I've already visited Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, because those countries were good preparation for what I'm experiencing here.
When I've talked to other travelers about their impressions of India, the word "shock" comes up often, and now I see why. India assaults your senses from the get-go: It's ridiculously hot (especially after nice autumn weather in China), noisy, dirty, smelly, colorful, and crowded beyond belief with the entire spectrum of humanity--everything from well-dressed businessmen and ladies of leisure to ragged beggars living in filth on the street. It's overwhelming, really, and it's only now, after a few days of taking it all in, that I'm beginning to appreciate some of the nicer aspects of the city.
You've probably heard of New Delhi and Old Delhi--they're really just parts of the same city, so referring to them separately is a little pointless. I'm staying in the Paharganj area, which is sandwiched between the two, and is about as chaotic place as you can imagine. Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it does. Some typical sights: I'm walking down the street today, it's 92 degrees in the blistering sun, and people are frying up piping-hot doughnuts on the street. A motorcyclist weaves through a heavy crowd going at least 40 mph, blaring his horn constantly, but never slowing down--miraculously, no one is killed. A whole bevy of ice-cream salesmen are sleeping curled up on top of their carts. A guy asks me if I want a shoeshine, even though I'm wearing sneakers. And a cow decides to take a nap in the middle of the street, causing a traffic jam. You really have to laugh at stuff like this, or it would quickly drive you completely 'round the bend.
To make things even more confusing, it's really hard to know who to trust, as there seem to be as many scam artists here as there are genuinely helpful people. The guys who run my hotel are pretty nice, but the autorickshaw and taxi drivers have all been a little shady, and all too willing to "take you for a ride," so to speak. It's too bad, as it tends to make you a little paranoid about everyone else.
Apart from soaking up the (cough) atmosphere, I've mainly been taking care of travel arrangements and going through the ordeal of buying a new digital camera, as my old one stopped working in Beijing. I finally succeeded in finding one a little cheaper, smaller, and better than my old one, although I don't think I got as good a price as I could have back home. Sigh...
posted by John Kuge at 10:12 PM
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