Thursday 2nd october - day 41
Delhi

After an eventful death ride to the hostel and some major confusion once we got there (which they insisted was our hostel, even though the name was completely different) we konk out in the room in the sweltering heat.

When we get up in the morning we ask the hostel for maps but they insist on us going to a tourist centre to get what we need. They also insist on us taking a driver (for free) who will also take us for breakfast. this seems really odd but we agree anyway. apparently you cant walk around delhi easily as theres no proper pathways..
we have chole bhature for breakfast - which is spicy chickpeas with fluffy fried bread - its ridiculouly tasty and only costs us 60p each plus a few tips here and there.

We are dropped at the tourist centre but after over an hour there, the guy ripping our itinery to shreds, stating it will be impossible for us to get a train around rajasthan at such short notice and that the trains for the south are nearly also sold out - we start to panic abit. He quotes us a price of £680 each for us to have a driver around the whole of rajasthan, trains, tickets, hostels etc..
what the heck.. sure we only came in for a map.. this is obviously a scam - the hostel brings you here in the hope of scaring you into booking tickets with them.
We tell him no straight off.. our plan for travelling india is to travel it ourselves.. not be chauffered around for a small fortune. we agree to think it over and we may take him up on booking the southern trains for us if they are nearly sold out.. i ask him how much he makes on booking things for us and he insists.. nothing.. absolute s***e. I tell him we are quite capable of planning our trip, booking trains and hostels.. we did china on our own with no help from anyone. He offers me $100 if i manage to book a train here..he also tells us there are no buses we can get and shows us pictures of the local buses swimming with people saying this is what we could end up on. little does he know i wouldnt mind that bus at all aslong as i had a seat and it was cheap.
when he realises were not booking anything with him - his attitude towards us completely changes.
we finally get the map we wanted and agree to come back later or tomorrow and let him know...lift back to the hostel.. why we cant just walk i dont know.
once back at the hostel we get googiling and find out theres a ton of buses we can get around rajasthan on.. including a load that leave tomorrow. we pick one and agree to book it tonight. realising we are being scammed left right and centre, we head out the hostel with the map and explore ON FOOT. Weve met a slovakian girl - sarah so she comes with us. it becomes apparent its bloody fine to walk the streets of delhi.. we buy some aladdin pants and walk all the way to chowdi chowk and to the red fort which takes over a hour. Yes its hectic and youre harrased by people, yes its dirty, yes the roads are wacky races and theres goats and cows eveywhere, but we are quite capable of walking down a hectic road. most of the people offering goods or transport back off once you say no thankyou, and already its alot friendlier than china.
our hostel is in a great location.. right in the main bazaar with lots of shops and places to eat, and theres quite a few other tourists about. new delhi train station is only 5/10 min walk down the road too.
we venture up to chandni chowk — once delhis most uperclass boulevard with grand mansions and shops, its now a maze of run down buildings, pop up stalls, sprawling markets and bazaars. its absolute bedlam and chocker block with people and goats on leads. certain roads specalise in certain things, so one lane is filled with jewellery stores.. another filled with tinsel garlands and decorations. There also a few mosques here within the old town along with the old train station and town hall.
The paths and roads are filthy.. goat poo, rubbish, dirt.. and we see one group of cows feasting from a rubbish tip, but unless youre completely anal and forgot it was one of the poorest places in the world.. its not a big deal and we reach the red fort easily.
The red fort spotted in the distance from chandni chowk was built in 1639 and was then the seat of mughal power. we decide not to explore inside as its really busy and starting to get dark. we head back in the direction of the hostel but towards the jami masjid mosque. we manage to get stuck in one of the many chandni lanes on the way to the mosque and this happens to be the bloody goat market. THOUSANDS of goats are being bought and sold here and the path is flanked with them. Going in both directions we are pushed and shoved about by the goats and their owners. When it feels like we are never going to escape goat hell, we come to stairs which lead up to the mosque. its unfortunately closed but there is an amazing view over the old city. people and goats are up on the roofs of the nearby buildings along with the many homeless and beggars lining the steps of the mosque.
The sun is setting and the ouline of the mosque against the pink sky looks fabulous.
Not wanting to venture back into goat alley, we get a rikeresh back to the hostel which is as an experience in itself.. we get some chicken tikka and chippati from a place called nirvana by the hostel and its really good - and only for $1.50!!