Delhi is the biggest city in India. We've already decided that we aren't the biggest fans of Indian city life so we made this a quick stop. We were there 24 hours. This was a day too long. True, we didn't explore too much, it was a quick overnighter. What we did see was just a filthy, honking polluted mess. We are not in a hurry to return.

We did meet up with Vishnu though (tea shop man from Varanasi) for breakfast who was here on a short holiday.

This stop in Delhi brought us to the end of our trip through the north of India. Our feelings towards what we have seen have been mixed. It was a shame that due to a combination of the monsoon, heat and time that we missed the popular Rajasthan area as it sounds nice but in doing so it means we can now spend longer in the South taking our time to explore the green Regions, and avoiding some of the bigger cities.

It's unusual for us to have differing opinions of a country, and it makes writing this blog difficult when we do. But to surmise so far, Claire loves India, David doesn't.


Since we haven't wrote too much about Delhi we will finish up this post with some information about tuk tuks/auto rickshaws in Asia for those that have never been.

Tuk Tuks.
As we have now rode in quite a few tuk tuk/rickshaws on this trip alone and god knows how many on our last trip we thought we would explain a little bit about this infamous crazy form of transport found in some form all over Asia.

Tuk Tuk Joys.
They are everywhere. They really can be a life saver. When your stuck for how to get home, when you're lost in the middle of nowhere and when you've got no one to call they'll be there. All you need to do is simply put an expression on your face that you may not know where you are going and you can guarantee that you will here that familiar phrase "You want tuk tuk? Where you go?"

They are quicker than buses, cheaper than taxis, friendlier than most locals and speak better English than most English.

Much like a London cabbie, a Tuk Tuk driver has a knowledge of his (they are always male) city better than anyone's. They go down backstreets, the wrong way up 1 way streets, through parks, on footpaths and anywhere else they can literally fit, all in the aim of getting you to where you need to go in the quickest time possible.

They can be makeshift tour guides. Most drivers will offer very reasonable prices for full day, full city tours and not only that will guide and give you information on all the places you visit.

They can improvise. Though there is only 2 seats in a Tuk Tuk, a driver will easily accommodate up to 7 passengers plus luggage.

Not only that they are simply good fun whizzing round all the streets.

Tuk Tuk woes.

They are everywhere. They are so annoying. Sometimes you simply want to walk somewhere without being challenged on your knowledge of where you are going, or you're quite happy just wandering round for the sake of it without every 10 seconds hearing "You want Tuk Tuk? Where you go?"

They're more expensive than buses, dirtier than taxis, only friendly until you say 'no' and speak English very well until the subject of getting your change is brought up.

A Tuk Tuk driver has a knowledge of his (they are always male) cities scams better than anyone's.
In India in particular but also elsewhere in Asia all the drivers run a very unsophisticated commission racket. A Tuk Tuk driver will always try to recommend shops and/or accommodation for you. This is all so that the driver will get a commission from anything you buy, which would be fair enough but the hotel owner or shop keeper is likely to charge you up to double the price to pay the driver's cut

Tuks Tuks - use with caution. But they are good fun.

Things Claire has said

Whilst looking at a map of the world,
"South Americas not even that big? How come it takes so long to travel across it?"
"Because that's Mexico, Claire. South America is the continent below it.


Planes used - 3
Buses used - 18
Trains used - 15 (+1)
Metros/subways used - 28 (+1)
Cars used - 5
Minivans - 8
Russian Campervans used -1
Horses used - 1
Camels used - 1
Taxis used - 7
Cable cars used - 1
Bicycles used- 1
Tuk tuks/autorickshaw used - 13 (+1)
Scooters used - 3
Elephants used - 0
Ferrys used - 2
CycloRickshaw - 1 NE