Delhi's delights:
• the metro system- it's modern, clean, cheap and incredibly well signposted and clear announcements.
• the street food!! So much choice and cheap.
Delhi's downers:
• the scams and hassle you get everywhere!

Saturday: I headed out and got the Metro to the Red Fort- one of Delhi's main attractions. It is a huge fort originally built in the 1600s and inside are various museums and the old castles, etc. The museum of India's struggle for independence was interesting, once again focusing on the British- this seems to be a common theme in many countries I visit and it really is shameful how we exploited the labour and extracted the valuable resources, while killing thousands who rebelled. I got the metro to India Gate which in the area with government buildings and is a big arch monument in a park dedicated to the soldiers who've been killed. I was walking back to the metro and a couple of kids, who were no older than 14yrs, started asking me for money. I said "no" and walked on, but they followed and were grabbing at my t*** and bum, then one of them was waving his c*** around. I wasn't sure if they were trying to tell me they were pimping themselves out or threatening to rape me. But I eventually found some other people in the street and they left me alone! I got the metro back to the hostel and booked trains to Agra for tomorrow. Then did the free tour with the hostel which was really great! We went first to a stepwell which is a giant stone stairwell that goes down to a watering hole. Then we went to a huge, famous Sikh temple- I knew nothing about Sikhism and tend to avoid these places when alone as I never know what's appropriate or expected. So we had to take our shoes off, wash our hands and feet and wear a head covering. It was a beautiful temple and we sat inside watching the guys play instruments while chanting the holy script. It was full of Sikhs, so I didn't like to take pictures (although some did), but they were very welcoming. There was a huge lake outside the temple with holy water where they bathe themselves. They told us about the religion- it's a branch of Hinduism but only believes in one god and promotes meditation to rest the soul and focuses on equality. Most Sikh temples worldwide provide free meals; this temple serves 50,000 a day!!!!! Can you imagine? We were taken to the kitchen where they had huge pots cooking and we could help flip and make the chapatis- it relies solely on volunteers and donations to produce these 50,000 meals a day. I thought it was just amazing and a testament to the religion (I hate religion generally) that their belief in equality means the wealthy Sikhs are giving their time and money to enable the poor to be fed, although anyone of any faith is welcome to eat there! As we went round they were giving out free desserts which we could all have (again volunteers) and other volunteers were standing pouring water for us to drink with our hands. We finished the tour with some street food and got back about 8pm. I had a coconut water from a nearby stall and when I'd drank it he cut it open and scooped out the coconut for me to eat! I had a much needed shower and the hostel were offering a free night out, which sounded good but I declined as I have a full day at Agra tomorrow.
Sunday: got the train at 8am with a Chilean girl and Dutch guy, so we shared a taxi to the station. It is a relatively new express train that does 188km in 100 minutes and it's very modern with air con and free drinks and a decent meal. It was about £8, so a bit expensive for India, but cheap compared to England! The other two were staying in Agra, so we shared a tuk-tuk to their hostel and I walked from there to the Taj Mahal.
I must admit I wasn't expecting much and was just ticking off a "must-see" sight. I had been advised it was worth getting a guide, so agreed to pay one £3.60 (it's about £9 entrance, only £2 for Indians, but foreigners get a free water, free overshoes and priority entrance.) Some of it is being 'cleaned', as is always the case, so it had scaffolding up. But it was pretty impressive- everything on the site is symmetrical and the elaborate hand carvings that went into the building, which took 22 years! It was relatively quiet too, as it's low season because of the heat and monsoon (it was bloody hot, but no rain!). The guide was very good and also my photographer which was handy. From there I planned to go Agra Fort and as I walked a local guy started talking to me and helped me get a cheap tuk tuk, but then he come with me and tried to kiss me and cuddle me!! It was like being back in the Middle East. So I bid him farewell and went into the fort, where I again treated myself to a guide. I don't think I'll need to do anymore forts in India, but it was alright. It was only about 2pm and my train was not til 5.50! So as I stood checking my lonely planet to see what else I could do, a sweet old fella come over and said he'd take me to a few sights and around the town for the next couple of hours, then drop me at the station for £6. It seemed fair enough, as I had nothing else to do. So we went to the baby Taj Mahal- another tomb built before the Taj Mahal but not quite so immense. You could see the river Yamuna (which is also in Delhi) and it was full of cows?? They looked like hippos, but apparently they like to stay cool in the water here?! We went to a park where the guy who built the Taj Mahal was going to build another one in black marble for his own tomb, but his son imprisoned him in the fort. A good view of the Taj Mahal from here! Then to a temple, then around the town and local areas to see real Agra. Then to a load of shops- Agra is a handicrafts hub- so much marble and jewellery, etc. but I had no interest! My left ankle and hand has come out in a lot of p**** tender spots- they are very painful and red and swollen and not getting any better, so he took me to a pharmacy where I bought a weeks worth of antibiotics- fingers crossed! Then I got the same, nice train back to Delhi.
Monday:
I managed 5 hours sleep, then the hostel got me a taxi for 3am. The roads were very quiet, but so many people asleep on the pavements! My flight was 5.40am and only an hour, but got a meal. The scenery here is spectacular- surrounded by snow capped mountains at an altitude of 3500m- you're welcomed with warnings of altitude sickness and lots of chemists offering oxygen, but (touch wood) I feel fine. I got a taxi to the hostel l, where I was able to check in and so went to bed for a couple of hours. I'm having a rest day to allow my ankle to heal and acclimatise. I went walking around the town; a stark contrast to Delhi- small and old. The local people do not look Indian at all, but very Tibetan- I guess we near the border and in the Indian Himalayas. I got some breakfast/lunch- disappointing and relatively expensive! Then I started walking around the tour agencies asking about trekking- most were pretty unhelpful and just said they didn't have anything?!?! It is meant to be peak season! As a single traveller it makes it hard, they could arrange something but you pay more! They said I need two days to acclimatise and I'm not sure about my ankle and foot- it's so swollen and still tender and I can barely fit my shoe on, but it's stupid to come here and not do anything. I bought some iodine gel for the wounds. And come back to the hostel to chill, but then a couple of people noticed my wounds and have insisted I go to the hospital- so I'm just waiting for the manager to take me.
Hope you're all well!! Thought I'd update now, save the next blog being too long!