So we made it! We stepped off the plane into a dark, but still rather warm (89 degrees at 8 pm) Delhi Airport. After our driver from the hotel forgot to pick us up only one scary rikshaw driver tried to con us into getting in with him before the police stopped him. He was apparently a "bad man!" We followed the police offer to the pre-paid taxi station and were on our way.
We stopped off for our first beverage in the country, a fresh coconut, hacked open by one of the dwellings that are all along the sides of the roads. Following that pleasant experience we were told the hotel was not a good place, but finally after insisting that we wanted to be dropped at the New Delhi station we found out way through Main Bazaar to the Viveck hotel.
Today was our first proper day in India. It was a mix of insanity and amazement! We woke around 4 and had deliciously sweet coffee and toast that tasted like it had cheese inside while watching the sun rise to wake the people sleeping on the rooftops across the way. Setting out for our day around 6 or so the streets were empty. We wandered our way up to the Red Fort. (actually took the subway which was very nice and air conditioned!) Stacy and Jess said it was far better than the one in NY.
The Red Fort was deserted when we reached there at 7:30 and we (by we I mean Stacy) took tons of amazing shots of the buildings and, as people streamed in, all the beautiful saris! We met a lady from Australia who is here for work. She took us, in her hired car, to a few bazaars, the gate of India, and dropped us off at the train station to get home. A very pleasant surprise since we wanted to get some traditional clothing!
Finally we had our first real India meal on the rooftop restaurant of the hotel. Chicken butter masala and curry chicken with plenty of water... (I don't know if I have ever poured sweat like I have today.)
Our final excursion led us back to the train station to see if we could secure tickets for the 6am train to Agra to see the Taj Mahal... Since the tourist office was closed we were taken to the local Delhi tourist office where we found out the train we wanted to take was full. We are trying to figure out another way because we are all pretty determined to stay on track with the plan.
