After a slightly delayed uneventful overnight flight, we landed in Delhi around 8am. Getting through the airport was interesting with a three step process! Biometric data collected at automatic machines after getting in the terminal, manually filling in an arrival card and finally facing the immigration team. We were admitted! Luggage collected, cash from the machine, we then got a taxi to the hotel. Two hour wait before we were allowed a room and even then we had to pay for an early check in. Being absolutely shattered from hardly any sleep, we paid up and found our room. Fell straight into bed for a couple of hours sleep. Woke up feeling slightly more refreshed, so went for a beer and something to eat in the hotel. Both in bed and asleep by 9.30pm, we wanted a good nights sleep as the next six days were going to be full on.
Dehli – we met our driver Ankit, who is going to be driving us for the six day “Golden Triangle” tour. Set off to Delhi for our first day. The journey was around 13 miles and took over an hour and a half. Traffic was absolutely mental and we would stand no chance of navigating or driving it ourselves. Arrived safely and met our tour guide for the day, Talib. What an introduction to India & Delhi which included;
✅ Old Delhi with Tuk Tuk Ride
✅ Cup of Tea
✅ Chandni Chowk
✅ Jama Masjid Mosque
✅ Humayan’s Tomb
✅ Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Temple
✅ India Gate
Unfortunately no photos were allowed at the temple but it was our favourite place in Delhi. Photo’s were allowed in the dining hall & kitchens – they cook/provide 10,000 free meals a day – run by volunteers. We made a small donation (under no pressure to do so) and Talib said that would provide 20 meals! Had a delicious lunch at a recommended restaurant and left full to bursting. Final stop was India Gate, however we were unable to cross the road to it as an event was being set up for Diwali on Monday, we had to look from afar. Back through the traffic with a few interesting diversions, traffic jams and monkey spotting. Early night as we had a five hour drive to Jaipur tomorrow.
On the way to Jaipur to break up the journey, stopped at an Elephant Village. We were in two minds about this, however it all seemed to be above board and in conjunction with the government. We paid (probably a little too much) to spend about half and hour with an elephant named Rose. The keepers (who looked about 12) spent all their time preparing sugar cane for us to feed to her and taking our photos. Still on the fence about if we should have visited, however we refused to do anything more than pet her and take photo’s. Next up was a big definite YES from G, a trip to the Galtaji Temple (Monkey Temple) It probably won’t surprise you that we met “Monkey Man” there. Vijay Kumar Sharma, has looked after the monkey’s of Jaipur for over 20 years. What a character. The minute he started walking towards the temple, the monkeys appeared. We spent around 40 minutes there, he insisted on doing a mini photo shoot of us and after every photo he showed us. Lovely man though and he was fluent in English and funny too. We had the Macaques monkey with us for the whole tour, feeding them and them sitting on us! M wasn’t so keen, you can see her reaction in some of the photo’s.
