Now for a few tips some of you might find useful when traveling in India:

1. Out of a dozen domestic airlines, GoAir and IndiGo accept international credit cards online. Those are the ones we tested. JetAirways and JetConnect do too, according to reports from fellow travelers. One that doesn't for sure is SpiceJet.

2. You can have a lot of things delivered to your hotel - like pants you buy but need altered (which is free by the way) or bus (or plane - see point 1 !) ticket from a remote ticket office. Delivery is usually free or costs peanuts. It's cash on delivery.

3. Indian food is spicy in general. If you're like me and like it hot anyway, order chicken vindaloo. Now that WAS spicy! Tears rolled down my cheeks.

4. Metro at Delhi airport leaves from terminal 3 (international). If you fly into T1 (domestic) take a free shuttle bus to T3. If in a rush, you can take a paid shuttle to take you directly to the next metro station - AeroCity - instead.

5. Always insist on taxi or rickshaw using a meter if they have one. This invariably works out cheaper. If they say "meter broken" find a new driver. This usually works wonders to fix the meter. This strategy seems to be less effective in tourist-infested areas of Delhi, however.

6. When in Delhi's Paharganj, rely on Everest Bakery Cafe and Kathmandu Cafe (a joint Nepali operation) for excellent breakfasts, juices and momos. Finding good value with a smile in that area borders on impossible.

7. Due to crowds (1.2 billion people, remember?) you will only be let into an Indian airport with a valid ticket and only up to 4 hours prior to departure time. It's worth remembering that. You can be accompanied by family, in which case they will need to purchase a visitor's ticket. Yes, you heard me. In Bombay this costs roughly the equivalent of €1.