Delhi will chew you up and spit you out if you let it, and I almost succumbed. My first day in the city while having travelled through the old town and then into the new I kept trying to fit Delhi neatly into a box. This was my first mistake. Nothing about Delhi is neat, and nothing about it was ever going to be put into a cookie-cutter mould without going down kicking and screaming first.
It was the old part of Delhi that nearly instrumented this near tipping to the edge of my travel capabilities – Filthy, searingly hot and humid, people literally taking up virtually every square metre of space and tuk tuk drivers, beggars and poverty everywhere you turn. There is no escape of this sensory overload and after being in direct sunlight for 6 hours, an overnight train trip and an argument with a taxi driver, you could safely say I was at the end of my tether. I hated Delhi at this point, and just wanted to be rid of the city as soon as possible.
New Delhi is completely different – Green, with wide roads, roundabouts and luscious five star hotels. After a day relaxing at one by the pool, I was able to calm down and appreciate Delhi for what it is, worts and all. I see now that I was cocky and I didn’t respect the old town for the wondrous place that it is. I was longing for it to be a place I was comfortable and familiar with and I was getting angry with it when it wouldn’t budge.
If I ever make it back to Delhi, this time I’ll be prepared, and I certainly will respect and remember my surroundings a little more. I mean, where else in the world can you feel like you have just stepped back in time and onto a crazy movie set in full swing, with elephants, crazy old men and the swirling colours of women in saris, tuk tuks and taxi’s whizzing past? Not many.
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ahhh i know the feeling well. i’ve been living in delhi for 7 weeks now and still have to mentally prepare myself each time i got to old delhi. i still don’t feel like i’m fully ‘in the moment’ when i’m there – i’m always on guard, overwhelemed…but i’m hoping that each subsequent visit will get easier and easier. like you said “here else in the world can you feel like you have just stepped back in time and onto a crazy movie set in full swing…..”
Thanks for being so honest in this post about India.
In Rome I encountered a similar feeling of being bombarded with people trying to rip you off and shady taxi drivers every single day but I had the great food and architecture to bring me back into happiness.
India would be a culture shock for me but I look forward to the bad and the good of this unique place.
When you consider the next time you’ll ever be in such a place it is easier to enjoy the eccentricities and go with the Indian flow.
The Wanderfull Traveler
canadianculinarytravel.blogspot.com/
I am not sure I could handle India. Like the previous poster, I appreciate the honesty!
Thanks Scott!
Thanks, yes I think India is great, but it’s definitely small doses for me! Some people thrive in the craziness, but I think I’d go mad if I stayed too long!
Hi Kay, wow, I take my hat off to you! I’ll be following your blog to see how you adapt to living there!
I also get easily overwhelmed in new, crowded and busy places, especially after a long day of travel! Thanks for the heads up, I’ll have to remember this when I visit India in the fall.
I haven’t been to India yet but would love to go. I totally get what you are saying– you have to be mentally prepared and know what to expect.