New Delhi - Third And Last Stop In India

17th Aug to 24th Aug 2007

Having said good bye to Jaipur we where on the train again. This time our trip would take about six hours. We where in a coach class train carriage, with sit up seats and plenty of leg room. We where delivered dinner which I didn't touch we where also given tea and coffee and bottled water. Even though we booked for Paige they don't cater for children so Paige was very happy with her potato chips that her and I shared.

We arrived at New Deli a head of time and made our way up the stairs with a couple of disgruntled porters. The station was different to the other train stations that we had been at before, here there seemed to be two exits. We where approached by a number of people asking if we wanted taxis and knowing our friend Geoff was coming we said no.

Time ticked past, we soon realised there was a problem as Geoff was no where in sight. I was coming up with some reasons why he might be late, one was maybe I told him the wrong date? maybe he had fallen a sleep as it was 12 midnight? I had done that myself one time before with one of my sisters. I borrowed a mobile phone from one of the strangers near by and made a call. Turns out there where two train stations in Deli, New Deli and Old Deli so Geoff had been at the New Deli one where we where and hadn't seen us and then he went to the Old Deli station in hope of finding us. So after talking on the phone we waited a short while longer and out of the blue the person whom we borrowed the phone from came running up and said "Your friends on the phone". How funny that was the stranger had found us, turns out Geoff couldn't find us, he was at the other exit to the station. With everything sorted it was nice to see Geoff. We felt so bad that in the communication by email, information was lost a long the way. Geoff and his driver was such a star running around and finally finding us. We headed back to his apartment to catch up on some well deserved sleep and a story to remember.

Seeing it was the weekend we spent the next day with Geoff as he was off work. It was really nice to catch up on what we all had been up to since we all had left Indonesia. Geoff, Michelle and their cat Manky where our neighbours there. Michelle, Geoff's wife was back in Australia and couldn't make it back to India while we visited so we missed her very much during our stay.

During the day Geoff took me to one of the local shopping areas to pick up some food items and I was surprised at how clean and the range of items you could buy, plus everything was written in English. What a change this made from Mongolia. Ben had come down with a tummy bug which had laid him up in bed, we think it was from the train food he ate. I am so glad I settled on the chips we had brought along with us.

Over the coming days while Geoff was at work we had the use of his driver so sight seeing wasn't a problem. Our first site was to see the Red Fort. An impressive building from the out side but once inside there wasn't much to see. Once again so many building left to rack and ruin by the Indian government.

Picture: Entrance to the Red Fort

Picture: One of the many funny signs we saw

Dinner we spent with friends of Geoff and Michelle's, Kelly-Anne and Micheal, who had been living in Deli for about six months. When we arrived at the restaurant Ben had to change into a pair of long pants as to our surprise the restaurant had a dress code. We all saw the funny side of this. Later in the week Kelly-Anne had offered to take me out shopping which I did take her up on.

Picture: Bernadette, Paige, Ben, Micheal, Kelly-Anne & Geoff

Picture: Bernadette, Paige & Manky the cat

The next day Ben, Paige and I headed to one of the malls to pick up some books and Cd's and I was very surprised at how many malls where in New Deli, I don't know how people remember which mall is where. I didn't think New Deli was going to be as modern as it was. I couldn't get over the beggars that come up to the cars while stopped at traffic lights. Many women have babies that tap on the window asking for money. I was told that some women higher babies to beg with. I couldn't get over the sight of some babies heads wrapped in bandages banging on the windows, some even had what looked like fake blood on them to try and get more money from people in the cars, the babies where all smiles so I figure they couldn't be to hurt.

Picture: Humayun's Tomb a tomb we visited

Our time in New Deli seemed to fly by. Each day Ben seemed to be getting over his stomach bug, on a couple of occasions I went exploring to some of the local markets on my own as Ben wasn't well enough, Paige had plenty of Daddy time. I was lucky enough while we in New Delhi the expat lady group was meeting so I went along with Kelly-Anne for the coffee morning. I was surprised at how friendly the ladies where and how organised the group was. New Deli sure seemed an easier place to live then Mongolia from the accounts I got from some of the ladies.

Picture: Full bus on one of New Delhi's roads

On one of our visits to a local market I decided to get one of my hands done in henna. I had seen it on some of the women and thought "why not". I decided to go with very plain design and only had one of my hands done. It is meant to last up to two weeks so when Paige said she wanted to do the same I convinced her to do the sticker form that they use for kids.

Picture: Henna design and Bernadette's hand

Picture: Stickers on Paige's hand

On our second last day in Deli we took a day trip to visit the Taj Mahal. It was a four hour drive each way and turned out to be worth ever minute of travel. Paige coped OK as we had her portable DVD player, (a must when travelling).

The Taj Mahal was breath taking. Described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love. The Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his second wife, Mumtaz, who died giving birth to their fourteenth child in 1631. I had seen pictures before but I cant say they give you the full picture in taking in the workmanship of this building.

Picture: The Taj Mahal

Picture: Ben, Paige & Bernadette sitting in front of the Taj Mahal

New Deli was our last stop in India. With the three cities we visited I think New Deli was the one I liked most. It was so nice to stay with our friend Geoff and spend time with Kelly-Ann who lives there. A big thank you to them.

India is a wonderful place filled with history and culture. Like most places there are good parts and bad parts but I did really like India. I would describe India as "A woman who is full of surprises that has beauty that needs a bit of TLC". India is a place I know I would like to return to and explore more of.