Dodgy Dealings in Delhi!

The Lonely Planet guide book that I have with me warns of all sorts of scams aimed at confusing the foreign visitor to India to part with their hard earned cash. I wasted about 2 hours this morning experiencing this first hand! :( I didn't part with any money but it was a frustrating couple of hours. Between taxi/auto-rickshaw drivers trying to take you to a similar sounding destination (to rip you off - where they get a cut from a "tourist information" office) to being approached by people looking for money. You need to keep your wits about you here and know exactly where you want to go when getting in a taxi (so you know if they're taking you to the wrong place!). Unfortunately the result of all of that is that after a couple of hours making your way around the city you begin to find yourself questioning everyone's motives, even when the odd person is just trying to be helpful. I only have one more full day in Delhi (tomorrow) and then part of my last day in India before I fly on to Thailand - I can't say that I'm disappointed about that!

Having said all of the above, after a very frustrating start to the morning, I actually enjoyed myself today. I visited the Indian National Museum which contains all sorts of pottery, coins, paintings, sculptures and other items of historical interest about the British East India company etc. Historical stuff dating back from a recent times back to a few thousand years BC. Two-tiered pricing is in operation at all the touristy spots where as a foreigner you're paying a massive multiple of the Indian price. Some of the places I visited today were a few (less than 10 Rupees, 1000 Rupees = about 20 euro) for an Indian national and in the 100-250 Rs region for a foreigner. Now, I don't mind paying more as a foreigner as its still not that expensive, however it really highlights the relative poverty of your average Indian, despite the Indian economy doing very well, this obviously hasn't filtered down to everyone (yet). There are noticeable numbers of homeless living everywhere and anywhere on the streets throughout most of the places I visited today. You also see a strong army presence (well a few guards at least) outside government buildings like the National Museum that I mentioned (both inside and out).

The Brits definintely left there mark here in Delhi. There is a real colonial feel to the street layout in New Delhi with nice wide tree-lined streets arranged into city blocks. There's a feeling of order to it all that you don't get in some of the other parts of the city. Particularly when you compare it to the Pahar Ganj area (where I'm staying), although that probably says more about Pahar Ganj which is a budget accomodation hub near the New Delhi train station. Its a series of narrow alleyways containing all sorts of shops with cows roaming the street and not the cleanest of spots. However my hotel is fine, the rooms clean and from over-hearing some people at breakfast this morning who've been to this part of the city before it sounds like I've done well, they were telling a few horror stories of being ripped off to stay in a dive nearby where they were paying twice what I'm paying for my room.

After visiting the National Museum I attempted to make my way to the official Government tourist office - this was another challenge. However, I was on alert from my mornings experience and armed with some info from my guide book I got there in the end. The office is on a street called Janpath, but the crafty auto-rickshaw driver tried taking me to a place on Janpath lane which is nearby where he would have received a commision from anything that I booked. I think my reward for doing him out of the commission he was expecting was that I was dropped about 2 blocks from the tourist office - but to be fair he did tell me the direction to head in, he just neglected to mention the distance. Having made it to the genuine tourist office (where they funnily enough don't try to sell you anything and are there for info and maps etc), I discovered that I had been on the right track in the morning. I was trying to buy some train tickets but couldn't find the ticket counter for International visitors. They make you go to a special counter as a foreigner and I was misdirected by a "helpful" guy at the station who worked there. The lady in the tourist office was very helpful and explained that this happens a lot to visitors. You'd wonder why they don't improve the signs at the station if thats the case!

After loading up on maps and info I had a bite to eat in a vegetarian restaurant thta specialises in cuisine from Southern India and after feeling suitably re-charged and re-hydrated after hiding from the heat for about half an hour I made my way to visit two tombs that are in the Southern part of Central Delhi.

Safdarjang's tomb was built by the nawab of Avadh for his father in the mid 18th century and is one of the last examples of Mughal architecture before the empire of that period collapsed. After my visit there, I made my way to Humayun's tomb (built in the mid-16th century by Haji Begum, Persian born senior wife of the second Mughal Emperor Humayun). This place is a superb example of Mughal architecture and elements in its design were to be refined over the years to eventualy create the magnificence of Agra's Taj Mahal. (and yes most of that is shamelessly copied verbatim from my guide book! ). Visiting these two tombs definitely left me with a feeling for the sophistication and rich cultural heritage which is evident in India. I finished up my sight-seeing about half four this afternoon, at which point I wasn't able to take any more of the 42 degree heat. I slinked back to my hotel and wussed out on having a second go at organising my train tickets by opting to get the hotel to organise them for me. They were up front about the "service charge" they levy on top of the ticket price and at that stage in the day seemed to be the best option.

Tomorrow am planning to visit the Red Fort and a few other spots in Old Delhi.