After around 24 hours of traveling, no sleep, and pretty bad airplane food (better than usual though...), my dad and I arrived in New Delhi, India. I was ready to collapse the moment I stood up. We exited the plane, and made our way through baggage claim, and found the man who was to take us to our hotel. To do this, you exit the building, and go outside. The first thing that hit me was the smell. It just smells different there. Not in a bad way, like even in clean places, the smell is just different. It's kind of a thick smell, a crowded one. The second thing that hit me was the heat. It was around 9 at night, and oh my god, it was around 90 degrees farenhight. Yipes. The last thing that hit me was the pollution. Coming from a pretty polluted city, I didn't think that the pollution would bother me, but right away, my eyes started watering. I mean, I got used to it, but it was just a constant thing.
We went to out hotel, and after showering (I hate the feeling of not being clean....eww) I basically passed out on my bed.
Waking up at around 4 or 5 in the morning the next day, we were out of the hotel to explore at around 9. Mistake. Nothing is open til like 11, and we went walking without water. I hardly ever sweat, like I can play a 2 and a half hour softball game at catcher in 100+ heat, and barely break a sweat, but within 10 minutes, I was dying. Also, exhausted still from travel. Back to our hotel we went, and back to bed I crawled.
The next day in New Delhi, we had a guide and a car. We headed off to Lal Kila, the Red Fort. This place was immense. The walls towered above you, and once inside, gardens spread out in front of you. I could just imagine what the Red Fort had been in its day, even grander than now. I wish I could tell you more of the history that the guide explained to us, but I just can't remember. I really, really wish I could, but I can't.
We left the Red Fort, and headed to Jami Masjid, the largest mosque in India. To get there, we walked through the market, Chandni Chowk. It was fascinating. I don't know if you have seen the Harry Potter movies, but it looked kind of like Diagon Alley. The picture I put with this post is from there. The movement, the life, it was just so full of it. Once we got to the mosque, it was quite different. It was quiet, peaceful. As I don't wear a burka, I had to borrow one from the mosque, as did most/all western women. It didn't have the head covering part, and the only reasons I detested wearing it, were that it was my three least favorite things in clothing : 1. Pink. 2. A dress. 3. Flowery. Aiaiaiaiai. A nightmare come to life. ANYWAYS. Jami Masjid is the largest mosque in India. I can't remember the number of people that can pray there, but it is over 30,000 I think. It is a really beautiful building. I would post more pictures with this, but I just got a new computer (YAY) and I am not uploading all of my 2,000 some pictures from India onto it. But it was beautiful, set in Old Delhi.
I'm not one to write long posts, so I will end New Delhi here, and do a part II soon!
Have a cheery weekend!!
~molly
