Cheap India

India was cheap, as expected and hoped. I did not spend that much on accommodation for three weeks, especially considering I stayed in hotels. But even those were cheap. I think I could have spent a bit more, for a little bit of luxury. The nights in the Radisson were essentially free, but I used […] Read More

Last day in India

Before flying out to South Africa, I had a last morning in Delhi. Time for a little stroll into the old part of Delhi, the ‘grown’ part, that is so distinct from New Delhi’s constructed and planned-out map. It’s pure Indian craziness in there, with the traffic, the people, shops, Bazaars… like Varanasi, maybe a […] Read More

Mellow Delhi

Again, like yesterday, I had no energy for sights… I went to the beautiful Lodi Park a bit South of the center. Surrounded by beautiful and clean tree-lined streets, there were a number of beautiful houses and nice gardens in the area. Obviously a better-off area. The tuk-tuk let me off at one of the gates […] Read More

Indian Middle Class

Mallory left yesterday morning, which left me with two more days in Delhi on my own. On my list a number of sights to see: temples, graves, government buildings, parks, and a street food tour… And in the end, I guess, I won’t really do much of it. I just don’t have the energy for […] Read More

Indian Pride

I heard from a friend that Delhi would hold its annual pride march on November 30th. Of course Mallory and I had to try to find it, and we did, after a little odyssey through the center of Delhi. We missed the march itself – due to our prolonged Thali lunch, but then saw a […] Read More

Movember Day 30

I did it. I managed to get through the whole month and grew a mustache in the name of men’s health…. I mostly forgot about it, Except when an Indian kid said: I like your mustache, sir! I go: who? me? Oh yeah, right! So, this is it, I raised 25 Euro. From myself. I […] Read More

Epic Thali

As a vegetarian, Indian food is one of my favorite, and I had some really great food experiences here in India. The Palak Paneer, the Chana Massala, the different Nan, the curries, the Dal, the Jeera Rice, just to name a few of my favorites…. But the Rajdhani Thali Restaurant in Connaught Circle in Delhi beat it […] Read More

The kids of Kathputli Colony

Mallory and I visited the Kathputli Colony, the biggest slum in Delhi, in the Shadipur neighborhood. Built some 50 or 60 years ago, the colony now comprises 65 acres, and is home for some 2800 families with about 40 000 people. It has a big community from Rajasthan and other ethnic or religious groups. People live in […] Read More

Sunrise over the Taj

We got up shortly before 6, to walk over to the Taj Mahal. Our lovely Aman Homestay Guesthouse was close to the ticket counter, and we got there just in time for opening at sunrise. There was already a huge queue, but – once opened – it moved fast. We were there in time to […] Read More

Agra Fort

If you live without a job for such a long time, you simply don’t know what day it is any more… Monday, Friday, Sunday – all the same to you. However, if you book a trip, in that case to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, you should at least check if, on the one day […] Read More