Delhi is a shock to the system. It can quickly overload your senses, both in terms of things like sights, sounds and smells, but also in terms of behaviour patterns; for example, spitting and public urination are common. It is decidedly different.

On arrival, I had arranged an airport pick-up and got my first experience of Delhi roads. It seems as if everyone is racing each other, even though the start and finishing lines are different. In the mix are the ancient buses, cars, auto- and cycle-rickshaws, and tonnes of motorbikes. Most of the drivers are male and there appears to be an overload of testosterone. And apparently, beeping your horn makes any kind of driving manoeuvre acceptable. At one overpass with 3 or 4 lanes of merging traffic, I stopped just to try and absorb the full chorus of horns that never stopped. As I lay here in the bedroom of the guest house, I can still hear them as a continual audible backdrop to the Delhi experience.

Perhaps the biggest surprise here has been the bitter cold. Yesterday it didn't get above 14ºC (57ºF) with night time temperatures falling to 4ºC (39ºF). I've had to resort to fleece jacket, walking boots and woolly hat. Apparently, it is unusually cold in North India this year with dense fog dropping visibility down to 50 meters leading to many plane and train delays and cancellations. Of course, in the far North you hit the higher ground and would expect the temperatures to fall, but I am surprised that it is so cold here. I suppose one factor is that, unlike many places I've been to on this tour, I am far from the coast which always has a moderating effect on the temperatures. Inland temperatures are always more extreme.

Despite the cold and the frightening traffic, I have still had a good time wandering around the city. You have to keep a good lookout though - as with other places in Asia, much of the life of the city occurs on the pavements; food, shops, touts. I had a walk through Paharganj Bazaar which has full of small shops, restaurants and backpacker dorms. I've also visited the National Museum (historic art) and National Gallery (modern art). Unfortunately, much of the centre of Delhi has been cordoned off in preparation for Republic Day on the 26th January, so I was only able to see the Rashtrapti Bhavan (president's residence) and India Gate from afar.

But I think the highlight of Delhi so far has been the food. There is something about the range and delicacy of Indian spices that I haven't experienced elsewhere. Every meal is a delight to look forward to, even the vegetarian dishes (and I am definitely a carnivore). I've been given lots of good suggestions (e.g. High Tea at one of the posh hotels) and will definitely try to get to some.

Well, time to done my woolly hat and coat again...