Delhi

I arrived in Delhi at half past one in the morning and fairly scooted through passport control  - the longest wait being at the baggage area where it took ages for my rucksack to appear.   I had arranged a car for pick up to my first hotel as I'd thought that an easier option than trying to find a taxi after a long flight -  it never appeared.   Not to worry most big airports I'd read had this option called 'pre-paid taxi'.   But first money - rupees are not a currency which you can get before you travel and I always carry a pre-paid card as its easier to use ATM's.   Find the ATM's.   After waiting in queue - everyone had same idea - hoping that the machine would not run out of money I eventually had Indian rupees in my hot little hand.

Off I trotted to find the pre-paid booth.   Handed over the information about my hotel in Delhi and was handed a slip with details for my taxi driver and told to go to number 30 taxi stand.

The pre-paid taxis are the common black and yellow topped cars in Dehi.    They do however come in all shapes, sizes and ages..   Some are what I can only call extended auto rickshaws to what will pass as a taxi car old and new.    Mine of course was an extended auto rickshaw.

This is a picture taken of another ride in a black and yellow taxi - see auto rickshaw in front - is this a dual carriageway - you decide 'cos I never made sense of the road rules.

Anyway to continue - my rucksack was loaded into the taxi and driver has the travel slip.    By now it its around 2.30am and so my first experience of the trip into Dehi is one of Indian driving.   What can I say - the horn goes constantly and lane discipline (whats that?).   Passing signs to India Gate so realising that I'm approaching the city and now I'm looking for signs to Karol Bagh where my hotel is.    Karol Bagh signs approach and I'm thinking great only to realise that driver of course does not know the hotel and stops frequently to ask people (yes there are people up at this time 3.30am).   We drive up and down unlit streets getting chased by packs of dogs when by accident I spot the name of my hotel and start waving like a mad woman in the back - eventually I make myself understood and he turns round to go back to the building.

I am deposited at hotel and after giving genourous tip - all 100 rupees= £1.50 am registered and shown to my room - by now it is 4am so catching some sleep before a hectic days sightseeing tomorrow.