Delhi/India

Delhi, what a place.

We arrived at 3:00am and were promptly introduced to the “hustle” of the city. Our cab driver, rather than taking us to our requested destination, felt it better that we get some rest first so he took us to his friends hotel. Great, 30 minutes into India and we get Shanghaied*+. After a brief discussion and Ingrid threatening to take the wheel, we’re back on the road to our original destination, the Nepalese Embassy. We get our Visa’s sorted by 9:00am and hit the town. Or should I say the town hits us? Delhi is ~13M people living in loosely defined harmony. The place is everything you’ve imagined and then some. Seeing the temples and monuments first hand feels like walking through the pages of a National Geographic magazine and the entire time I’m muttering Ohm-na-shieva, Ohm-na-shieva, Ohm-na-shieva, or whatever it is the men are chanting when the sadist with the bald head and gold earrings is about to rip Indie’s still beating heart out of his chest. Anyway, here’s a photo of Humayan’s Tomb - A serious monument to a dead guy and you don't want to know what it takes to get a picture with no one else in it (Hint - There's 2.4Million people behind my left leg).

Other Major sights taken in within the Delhi limits include...

The Lotus Temple

The India Gate - Notice Ingrid being approached by a street vendor, roughly 97.3% of photos taken in Delhi include a street vendor.

And Birla Mandir (also known as the Lakshmi Narayan Temple - in case you were wondering).

It's here that the 20,000 swastikas (Look to the right) make you realize Hitler couldn't afford his own graphic arts department and had to steal the now infamous symbol from a religion of peace, shame.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to point out the lovely highlights of the sky, made possible by our official Indian sponsor, SMOG. The pollution in Delhi is unlike anything I've witnessed before. Now before I go any further, please don't confuse dirty air with dirty people. The population of Delhi is impeccable and takes pride in their appearance. Too bad the same can't be said for the air supply.

Lucky for you there's a "Delhi at home" experience.

1 - Go to your vacuum cleaner and remove the bag. Place it on the kitchen table.

2 - Head over to the air conditioner's main vent, the one with the large pink filters you never change, and remove said filter. Place on table next to vacuum bag.

3 - Empty contents of filter into large, microwave safe bowl.

4 - With eyes wide open, throw contents of bowl into face then stick head inside vacuum bag.

5 - Breathe.

That's pretty much the Delhi pollution experience. If anyone wants to experience Gary, Indiana circa 1982, come to Delhi. Here's a snapshot taken a 11:30am to illustrate the point. The locals call it "Winter Sun" but you and I know better. On the plus side, the pollution creates great lighting for my photographs! See how everything looks like it was taken at sunset! I'm turning into Ansel Adams here.

In the immediate future we're looking to head West. We've heard great things about the region of Rajestan and will spend the next 2 weeks getting lost out there. After that we'll double back to Agra and the Taj Mahal before heading to Varanasi and the Ghats of the Ganges. Then we look to head North to Nepal and Mt. Everest. Well, at least that's the plan.


* Still have the right to create words, if you’ve been following the blog you know.

+ Irony here in that Shanghai is located in China, not India – it’s funny ‘cause it’s true.



Kui me lopuks Delhi's hotelli joudsime olime me arkvel olnud ligi 29h. Lend Dubaist oli ligi 3h. ja muretu, kuid kui lennukilt maha joudsime laks meie elu ponevaks. See aga pikem jutt, nii siis pajatan sellest kui koju jouan.

Ohk kui seda niimoodi yldse voib nimetada on tohutult must ja paeva lopuks on nina tundlik, kuna koormav raskus ninakarvadel on vaga raskeks muutunud. Rindkorv on juba paeva algul vasinud pidevast hinge kinni hoidmisest ja kopsude too ylekoormusest.

New Yorki kolides arvasin et seal on maailma hullemad juhid. Siis ma muidugi ei teadnud, et autojuhid(suures osas Indiast parit) on oma juhi oskused kodust kaasa toonud. Rida kui sellist ei eksisteeri. Autode vahele suruvad end kolme rattalised taksod ja nende vahele kus on veel vahe ruumi, trygivad mopeedid, ratturid, lehmad, sead ja koerad. Kui NY-gis saab asjata tuututamise eest trahvi, siis siin on igal suuremal soidukil kirjas "BLOW HORN" /" PALUN SIGNAALITA"ja seda voetakse rohkem kui viisakuse margina, et sa hoolid teistest andes enda tulekust teada.
Kui Eestis pannakse parem suund sisse hioatades, et ara moodu minust, siis siin on see vastu pidi. Aga voibolla neil peabki koik olema vastupidi kuna siin nad soidavad nagu Aafrikas ja Inglismaalgi, valel pool teed.

Kaamlid on vist nyydseks mu yhed lemmik loomad, mitte et nad siiski enne kassi minu maailmas tuleks, kuid siiski on nende jaoks nyyd korge koht.
Nad on elegantsed ja samas vaga robustsed-yhesonaga vaga naljakad.
Kui kaamlit tagant poolt vaadata, arvaks et nad on ainult mees s0ost, kuna nende jalgade asend on sarnane, kui mehed WC-d kasutavad. Kui neid aga eest poolt vaadata, siis konnivad nad kui mannekeenid, kellel on suured sandaalid jalas. Kui nende nagu aga vaadata, on neil kas suu ammuli, kust on naha pikki kollaseid hambaid, voi siis tundub et nad monitavad kalu, kopeerides nende imelikku suu liigutust.
Yhesonaga, vaga vahvad loomad, kes suudavad vastu panna ilma toiduta ligi 3 nadalt kui nad ei pea tood tegema ja kes on suutelised tundma vee lohna 2 km kauguselt. Vot!

Raha yhikuks on siin RUPEE , umbes $1.- = 46.- rupeed

Ja praad on siin umbes 50.- kuni 150.- rupeed. Ja huvitav vordlus on see, et kui Eestis on ligi 1, midagi milj. inimest, siis siin Delhi linnas on ligi 13 milj. inimest.

Inimesed siin on agresiivsed nagu Aafrikas prrovides sulle koikke voimalikku pahe maarida, kuid siin tunduvad nad alati olevat roomsad ja suhteliselt ohutud.

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