Hits

Apartments near Hauz Khas Village

Delhi

I had the pleasure of visiting Sri Lanka for about 5 days back in late January of this year and, working with a limited window of time then as well, I tried to maximize my exposure to as much of the country as possible. Upon several recommendations, I skipped the capital city of Colombo altogether so I could make room to see other more beautiful areas of the country.  With that said, after visiting India and seeing just a sample size of all that both New and Old Delhi have to offer, I’m starting to think I made a big mistake by skipping out on the Sri Lankan Capital.

Tomb of Safdarjung, New Delhi

Sunny days in India

I’m not talking about the weather here. My driver, Sunny (recommended by a friend who visited India shortly before I did), was timely, professional, and actually an excellent driver. Referring back to Sri Lanka once again, after having the driver from hell, it was nice to be on the road with someone whom I felt comfortable enough to sleep in the car with. For those headed to Sri Lanka, Sunny can be contacted at (+91 75033 23333 ) or his brother can be reached at (+91 99586 28181 or jasvirsingh678@yahoo.co.in).

Now this is what I call roadside service

Holi Festival

Colors, drinks, music, water, fun…repeat!  I timed my trip to India around this festival of colors and it did not disappoint!

No, those aren’t a bunch of extras for the sequel to ‘The Avatar’ 

Music, dance, and Holi Festival fun!

So much fun you’ll bust outta your pants…literally!

The Taj Mahal

There are multiple entry points to the Taj but, as I was told by a local of Agra, the east gate is typically the least crowded. While the entry fee has traditionally been 750 rupees for foreigners, as of 01 April 2016 the price has increased to 1250 rupees.

Word to the wise—get there early!  The Taj opens at 6:30 but try to arrive as early as 5:30 in order to secure a prime spot in the queue (which has separate lines for men, women, and locals). If you happen to be in town during the once monthly full moon, plan to see the Taj at night and then again the following morning for a totally different viewing experience.

A red sun in the red sky over Jawab Masjid

The Taj Mahal

Hotel in Agra

Agra has a host of accommodations, suitable for any budget; however, I opted for a Taj-facing room. Being able to gaze off in the distance at the Taj during dusk was the perfect way to build the anticipation of seeing it the next morning. The Crystal Sarovar Premiere Hotel was a beautiful, new hotel that allowed just that.

The view from my hotel

The March weather

We all know that at certain times of the year India is hot. Not hot like, “Oh, I’m sweating a little…” but hot like, “LAWD, please hose me down ‘cause I’m burnin’ up!” Fortunately for me, it was not the latter.  I was comfortable in a t-shirt during all hours of the day, mornings and evenings included, and never felt overwhelmed by the heat—not even during a one hour walk from my Delhi hotel to Connaught Place (The British-built business district with lots of shops, restaurants, and bars).

The traditional markets

One of the first things I did upon arrival was walk down to a local street market to buy some clothes because…well…who packs clothes when they go on vacation to India. For the equivalent of less than $15USD I was able to purchase a nice traditional outfit to wear during Holi and enough clothes to last me the duration of my stay.

A jewelry vendor at the Babu Market

Misses

The anti-markets

While the traditional markets are lively, bustling places filled with people from all walks of life looking for the best deals.  Every now and then I came across the “anti-market.” This is like the villainous, arch-nemesis of the traditional market. Anti-markets are those places that tour guides take foreigners to buy goods at prices that are highly marked up and can easily be found in traditional markets at a fraction of the cost.

No ghosts sightings

Prior to heading to India, I was determined to do my best Ghostbusters impersonation and conjure up some spirits. As I walked through the ruins of Qutub Minar and stared up at the tower where 45 people died during a tragic stampede on a December day in 1981, I felt a deep feeling of sorrow for the victims and their families…but saw nor heard any ghosts. Again, while visiting Agrasen ki Baoli, the search for ghosts came up short. Initially, as I descended the long staircase to the bottom of the dark, desolate Agrasen area, I thought I heard the echoes of voices in the distance—but those echoes turned out to just be pigeon calls.

There weren’t people there when I took this photo…could it be?!?!

Although ghastly in appearance, there was nothing scary about Feroz Shah’s Tomb

The poverty

There’s no way around it…you will definitely come face to face with poverty while in India. It may happen while taking public transportation, at an intersection, or simply while walking down the street. It’s a sad but true reality.

Dark days and cold nights

Hotel check-in in Agra

After the long drive from Delhi to Agra, I made it to my Agra hotel in good time with a bit of daylight remaining.  That last bit of daylight; however, was largely consumed by a check-in process that took nearly an hour. Frustrated, I voiced my concerns to management via email and they did an excellent job making up for their error—unfortunately I couldn’t truly indulge in the comped meals I was provided due to reasons described below.

Food Poisoning

I’d heard horror stories of first-time travelers to India stricken with “Dehli-belly” yet I scoffed at those accounts.  I told myself, “I’m savvy, I’ve been around the block as a traveler, and that sort of thing definitely won’t happen to me.” Even after meeting a fellow American traveler at a bar during the evening of my first night who told me how she lost a few days during her trip to stomach issues …I still felt invincible. Well, I made it all the way to Agra where, after being so upset about the delayed check-in, I decided to head next door and play it safe by eating some KFC.  Big Mistake! My stomach was never the same after that meal!

Though there were some misses, in the end, if given the chance to go back and follow the exact same itinerary (food poisoning and all), I’d do it again in a heartbeat!  There were both highs and lows during my short stay but, after all was said and done, Operation India was another travel success.