Smooth Introduction
During the first days of tour in India we stay in a hotel which is situated on the side of a beautiful park in Delhi. It is a perfect way to get a smooth introduction to the Indian way of life. In the middle of the park there is a mausoleum from the 17th century, around that there are trees and stretches of grass. Indian people are taking a nap, reading a book or just chit-chat. The most beautiful bird sounds make the image complete. It’s peace man! We haven’t got a lot of time in Delhi but there is time enough to visit The Red Fort, one of the touristic sites. A rikshaw should take me there in half an hour. The broad lanes get narrower and the traffic more chaotic as we approach the city centre. I showed my driver a picture of my destination so I’m sure he’ll take me to the right place. Meanwhile all kinds of transportation are fighting for priority. The bigger, the better and also a big horn will help. It’s a way of enforcement.The way back to the hotel is tricky, because how to choose a reliable rikshaw driver when everybody looks reliable. Of course a get a lot of help, but I don’t get the impression that the people know the address of our hotel which I wrote on a piece of paper. What doesn’t help either is the fact that I don’t recognize a thing. It’s the same every time I visit a new city: My eyes see so many new things that the only things I seem to remember are moving objects and big advertisements. Not very handy for a reliable sense of direction. To me everything looks alike. Just after a few days my eyes seem to relax and I’m starting to recognize details. As for now: the driver does his best and after a lot of questioning he brings me to the gate. I’m remembering the entrance. Greetings, jelte