We toured sites in Delhi this morning, before travelling by coach to Jaipur.
Delhi.
We left the hotel this morning for a coach tour of Delhi. We drove through both Delhi and New Delhi, and our guide pointed out places of interest as we passed by them before stopping to walk around different places.
Jama Mosque.
Our coach dropped us off at the Jama Mosque so that we could walk around it. We climbed the steps to the tourist entrance, and our guide paid the entrance fee for us all to go inside. The woman were all asked to wear shawls over their heads and sarongs to cover their legs. The men in the party could not wear shorts that allowed their legs to be seen, either, and because I was wearing shorts, I was also given a fetching blue sarong to wear to cover my legs.
We walked inside the complex, and our guide, who had come in with us, told us all about the place. After giving us a description of the place, we were given a short time to explore and take photos.
Jama Mosque Photos.
These photos were all taken when I looked around the Jama Mosque in Old Delhi.
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When we left the Jama Mosque, we all got in different Tuk Tuks for a tour of Old Delhi. A driver of one of the Tuk Tuks grabbed me and Vijay and told us to get in his Tuk Tuk. I believe he would later regret this, as neither of us was what you would describe as slim or lightweight. We were soon in a line of around 14 tuk-tuks and were being taken through the back streets and alleyways around Old Delhi.
We passed many tiny shops selling local goods and produce. We went underneath the thousands of electric cables and fibre internet cables, which were strung above us, going into the homes and businesses we passed. There were many ruts and potholes in the roads we travelled along, and it soon became apparent to the driver that it may not have been such a good idea to put two large men in one tuk-tuk as he struggled to pull us up the small rises in the road or across the potholes. Our driver had to get out several times to pull the wheels of the tuk-tuk out of a pothole. And on one slightly larger slope, he had to get out and pull the bike up the hill as his legs couldn't pull us up it. It was strange as the roads were full of traffic, and he weaved through it, pulling us behind him. Several times, he passed a police van on the wrong side of the road or cut it off to get through the traffic, and the police did nothing. It was a wild ride, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and managed to capture the entire experience.
Video of my tuk tuk ride through Delhi.
Raj Ghat.
Our next stop was at the Raj Ghat complex. I liked the gardens at Raj Ghat, and the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi was simple yet pleasant. It fit the picture I had in my mind. It was not extravagant, like many memorials, and was done in good taste. Our guide, Digamber, shared some of the history of the Raj Ghat and also informed us that the Indian ex-prime minister, Indira Gandhi, was not related to Mahatma Gandhi. He told us that Gandhi was her married name and that the name Gandhi was a common one in India, meaning "grocer."
Raj Ghat Photos.
These photos were all taken as I looked around the Raj Ghat complex in Delhi, India.
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Drama restaurant.
As we left Delhi, we stopped at a restaurant called Drama for lunch. The service was very slow, and despite ordering before anyone else, I was still waiting for my meal as everyone else had finished or was finishing theirs. Most of the other guests had ordered curried meals or vegetable meals. I had something like chicken nuggets with a mayonnaise dip. It tasted pretty nice, but I later wished it hadn't arrived at all.
I was also disappointed to find that the waiter did not return with my change from the meal, instead opting to hang out at the bar, pretending to be busy, while the coach party left. I had to follow without my change to ensure I got on the coach.
Jaipur.
On our way to Jaipur, about an hour out of the city, we took a break from travelling when the coach stopped at a service station along the motorway. We all got off the coach, stretched our legs, and got coffee or other drinks. I stopped at a coffee shop called Nothing Before Coffee. The coffee was quite good and significantly cheaper than at similar places in the UK or Spain.
The traffic going into Jaipur was crazy, but something that I soon got used to travelling through India. It seemed at times that there was a concerted effort to see how many people could travel on one motorbike at a time. Seeing four or more people on a motorbike at once soon became standard.
Delhi and Jaipur Photos.
These photos are from my time in Delhi and my journey by coach to Jaipur.
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Ramada by Wyndham, Jaipur.
The hotel for my stay in Jaipur tonight was the Ramada Jaipur. I went downstairs to the hotel restaurant for dinner, but I couldn't eat much as my stomach had started to rumble, and I was beginning to feel unwell. I stayed long enough to see some of the ladies on the trip present my dinner companion, Michael, with a piece of cake and a candle to celebrate his birthday.
After everybody had sung Happy Birthday to Michael, I went back to my room to try to sleep.