Day 49 (Fri 25 Aug) - Delhi
Got up and completed the last bit of blogging from the previous night.
Main plan for today is to get our mobile phone sorted out. With this in mind we belted off to Airtel in Connaught Place with our passports. When we got there however the woman told us that we also needed two passport size photos. Sarb got a little heated with her pointing out that the buffoon we'd met the previous day made no mention of this fact. Anyway we went and got some mugshots of Sarb and returned to the shop where we met a third representative of the great Airtel organisation. After speaking with this guy for about 15 minutes we deciphered that the coverage would not be very good, that we would have to pay to register with other mobile operators when we crossed state lines and that the whole thing was a lost cause. So the upshot of three seperate visits to Airtel was no SIM card.
Walked to Kwality Inn where we had quite an expensive lunch. Waddled out from here and in the searing heat walked to one of the main Sikh temples in Delhi.
Quite an impressive building although Sarb was not too sure as to how to get into the complex. Decided the safest course of action would be to take a few piccies from outside.
Walked near to the Presidential Palace and India Gate. Very impressive! The layout is very similar to Buck House, the Mall and Admiralty Arch.
By now it was so hot that we would have dived under a cow for some shade. Whilst waiting for inspiration Jo tried a novel approach using a bottle of sun screen of keeping some beggars at bay. Inspiration flared and we saw on our map that there was a Modern Art Gallery over a busy road from us. Glossing over the fact that the gallery was air conditioned we felt that we were missing a little culture and so attempted to cross the road.
Some 15 minutes later we were still trying to cross the road. We had to walk up the road a little before we flagged down an autorickshaw driver and explained that we basically needed to get onto the other side of the road.
Got to the gallery and handed over a wad of cash in order to have our dose of culture. We'd like to say something great about the main exhibitor but can't. We must be missing something but taking a load of sticks, painting them and then throwing them into a room just doesn't do it for us. Luckily the air conditioning did. Whilst we were walking around looking rather stunned at the 'art' around us we played a little game of 'What do you reckon the artist called this work?'. It was Sarb's turn and in front of him was a 1 metre square canvas painted a vivid yellow. Feeling pretty arty he said 'A field of yellow sunflowers seen from a great height above'. It was actually called 'Yellow Picture'.
Left the gallery and feeling a little frazzled got an autorickshaw to a cocktail place called DV8 in Connaught Place. Very cool, relaxed place where we quaffed a few potent cocktails.
Tried to get back to the hotel but the traffic was too bad so we consulted our trusty book and found another bar nearby. Had a few drinks (even tried Indian wine) and then got an autorickshaw back to base.
Sarb phoned his relatives in Ludhiana to let them know that we would be trying to meet up with them next week and arranged the accommodation in Chandigarh.
Took in the view from the top of our hotel and retired for the night.
Main plan for today is to get our mobile phone sorted out. With this in mind we belted off to Airtel in Connaught Place with our passports. When we got there however the woman told us that we also needed two passport size photos. Sarb got a little heated with her pointing out that the buffoon we'd met the previous day made no mention of this fact. Anyway we went and got some mugshots of Sarb and returned to the shop where we met a third representative of the great Airtel organisation. After speaking with this guy for about 15 minutes we deciphered that the coverage would not be very good, that we would have to pay to register with other mobile operators when we crossed state lines and that the whole thing was a lost cause. So the upshot of three seperate visits to Airtel was no SIM card.
Walked to Kwality Inn where we had quite an expensive lunch. Waddled out from here and in the searing heat walked to one of the main Sikh temples in Delhi.
Quite an impressive building although Sarb was not too sure as to how to get into the complex. Decided the safest course of action would be to take a few piccies from outside.
Walked near to the Presidential Palace and India Gate. Very impressive! The layout is very similar to Buck House, the Mall and Admiralty Arch.
By now it was so hot that we would have dived under a cow for some shade. Whilst waiting for inspiration Jo tried a novel approach using a bottle of sun screen of keeping some beggars at bay. Inspiration flared and we saw on our map that there was a Modern Art Gallery over a busy road from us. Glossing over the fact that the gallery was air conditioned we felt that we were missing a little culture and so attempted to cross the road.
Some 15 minutes later we were still trying to cross the road. We had to walk up the road a little before we flagged down an autorickshaw driver and explained that we basically needed to get onto the other side of the road.
Got to the gallery and handed over a wad of cash in order to have our dose of culture. We'd like to say something great about the main exhibitor but can't. We must be missing something but taking a load of sticks, painting them and then throwing them into a room just doesn't do it for us. Luckily the air conditioning did. Whilst we were walking around looking rather stunned at the 'art' around us we played a little game of 'What do you reckon the artist called this work?'. It was Sarb's turn and in front of him was a 1 metre square canvas painted a vivid yellow. Feeling pretty arty he said 'A field of yellow sunflowers seen from a great height above'. It was actually called 'Yellow Picture'.
Left the gallery and feeling a little frazzled got an autorickshaw to a cocktail place called DV8 in Connaught Place. Very cool, relaxed place where we quaffed a few potent cocktails.
Tried to get back to the hotel but the traffic was too bad so we consulted our trusty book and found another bar nearby. Had a few drinks (even tried Indian wine) and then got an autorickshaw back to base.
Sarb phoned his relatives in Ludhiana to let them know that we would be trying to meet up with them next week and arranged the accommodation in Chandigarh.
Took in the view from the top of our hotel and retired for the night.
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