Land of Sweets and Spice

(Lauren) I am attempting to go back and recount everything that has happened, but on a current note, I am getting over 'delhi belly' and so my mind is a bit blown out and exhausted from it. I just ate my first solid meal in 24 hours.

Day 1- Delhi

After about 3 hours of sleep, Steve and I 'woke' up around 6am India time and decided to venture out and start getting down to business b/c we wanted to get the heck of Delhi. We had a great breakfast and then headed to the train station where we were scammed. Here's how it when down: We try to enter the train station and the train employee! the guy running the metal detector tells us the ticketing office is no longer in the station and is now around the corner. He showed us his badge to prove it. Next thing we know we were off in a motor rickshaw being whisked away to a 'government' travel agency. They told us there were no tickets out of Delhi to either Agra or Varanasi due to Holi for the next 4 days! They would hire us a taxi to take us to Agra and then book a train to Varanasi from there. He quoted us 90$ per person which is about double the amount this should cost. I knew this, but in my jet-lagged fog, I couldn't face returning to the train station again and what if it was true? So out came the plastic and our travel was booked.

We ventured to Connaught Place, where we were quickly preyed on. The most annoying was the ear cleaner guy who tried to clean Steve's ears w/out permission.

After much ado, we found the Delhi subway, designed recently by a Japanese team is amazingly clean and functional. Our ride cost about 25 cents and we were quickly in Old Delhi. I don't think I have the ability to describe how congested and crazy old Delhi is. Wild wild place, but a bit much for two jet-lagged tourists. Our next mission was to find our wedding rings. There is a row of all jewelry shops. I look for a while and nothing was quite right and then there it was. Its a antique diamond sterling silver ring. it's gorgeous and it fit me like a glove. Indians believe that objects are made with a name on it and the shop keeper insisted this ring was made with mine even though it is over 40 years old. Steve opted for a simple band. He bought a gold one but had it polished to match mine. They were perfect.

Next we tried to get a bike rickshaw to take us to lunch. We could tell the driver did not really understand where to take us, but thought he would somehow figure it out. He didn't and we ended up at the largest mosque in India, Jama Masjid. It was awful, us complaining him not understanding, crowd gathering. We realized to argue was futile and jumped out. A kid about 6 years old started begging for money and followed us for about 10 minutes pulling on Steve, it was awful.

After a tasty Indian lunch we picked up our rings and heading back to our hotel. We decided to take the subway again. The problem was the subway exit left us on one side of the enormous Delhi train station and by the time we circled it to our neighborhood on the other side, it was about a 45 minute walk and I was dying of exhaustion. Steve bought some clothes and after showers and a nice meal on a roof top restaurant, we felt much much better. Then to bed early for our 6am tax ride to Agra.