My introduction to India by way of Delhi was an all-out assault on the senses and ambush of the mind. After a somewhat uneventful 20 hour flight (flight time), I quickly made my way through customs and exited the airport to a melee of taxi, auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk), bus drivers and their incessant pleas for business. Thankfully, one can purchase a pre-paid voucher for any of these services to avoid the requisite over-charging. Though somewhat inflated, the price is nothing compared to the almost double,or triple what any taxi, auto rickshaw, or street vendor will try and hustle you for. Having been to Thailand before, where circumstances are similar with regard to "tourist" pricing, prepared me for what will inevitable become a 2.5 month long bargaining game. I had a general idea of which area of town I'd be staying, but had not made any reservations before leaving Houston. Regardless, I clearly instructed (most drivers understand and speak English very well) my driver to take me to a specific hotel in a specific neighborhood. Alas, I encountered my first in a a very long list of attempted touts in Delhi. They're all the same: a seemingly nice gentlemen will try and befriend you before insisting that you stop by his commissioned based tourist agency to book travel, hotels, tours, etc. Thailand had prepared me for this also and although they're much more difficult to shake off here, I've yet to be taken advantage of. In the end, I found a reputable (per guide book) but somewhat "pricey" hotel room at 1000 Rps (the equivalent of about $21.oo). While I should've been exhausted, and quickly turned in for the night, curiosity and excitement one as I headed out for a walk after getting situated in my 
room. Pahar Ganj (the area in which I stayed) is a tourist (backpacker) hot-spot due to its proximity to the New Delhi train station, though you wouldn't suspect it by the trash-lined "road" and myriad of smells. A step outside the hotel, and one is accosted by a quick progression of very distinct smells: incense followed by cow shit, urine, curry (a good smell), smog, more cow shit, then repeat. As aforementioned, the "road" is in need of some serious repair....or I should say initial construction. Nothing more than a sidewalk-wide lane flanked on either side by dirt track. When it rained( as it has every day at some point since my arrival) the dirt turned to a slurry of mud, urine, cow shit, and leftover food scraps fed to the cows each morning. FYI: Cows are considered holy here, as they are the carrier of all Hindu Gods. Auditorially, Indian music blares on PA systems outside the street vendor's shops as car and motorcycle horns scream non-stop. As in Southeast Asia, traffic yields to the largest moving object. Here, it's a cow or mini bus filled with school children - they love to say hello to foreigners, and seem to be the only honest people I've met so far. Needless to say, walking can be a bit hazardous; good think I still have relatively quick feet.
room. Pahar Ganj (the area in which I stayed) is a tourist (backpacker) hot-spot due to its proximity to the New Delhi train station, though you wouldn't suspect it by the trash-lined "road" and myriad of smells. A step outside the hotel, and one is accosted by a quick progression of very distinct smells: incense followed by cow shit, urine, curry (a good smell), smog, more cow shit, then repeat. As aforementioned, the "road" is in need of some serious repair....or I should say initial construction. Nothing more than a sidewalk-wide lane flanked on either side by dirt track. When it rained( as it has every day at some point since my arrival) the dirt turned to a slurry of mud, urine, cow shit, and leftover food scraps fed to the cows each morning. FYI: Cows are considered holy here, as they are the carrier of all Hindu Gods. Auditorially, Indian music blares on PA systems outside the street vendor's shops as car and motorcycle horns scream non-stop. As in Southeast Asia, traffic yields to the largest moving object. Here, it's a cow or mini bus filled with school children - they love to say hello to foreigners, and seem to be the only honest people I've met so far. Needless to say, walking can be a bit hazardous; good think I still have relatively quick feet. Day one found me running in circles trying to find the train ticket counter while constantly being hounded by more touts. I lost track after 15 attempts. It almost became comical: I'd shake one tout only to have another approach me, explaining the previous guy's intention, only to commit the same offense himself. Having woke at 5am, and still very much jet-lagged, I took what was meant to be a short nap that lasted until 9pm. I had changed hotels earlier in the day to reduce my costs from 100o Rps per night to 650Rps ( $21 to $14 dollars..big deal right?). Most of India starts shutting down around 10, but luckily I was able to grab a quick bite at the hotel restaurant before heading back to sleep.
I woke up early again on Day two (6:00am), but but managed to make it a productive day by quickly purchasing my train ticket to Jaipur (I would leave the next day), then heading off to visit the "Red Fort" and Chandni Chowk - a bustling bazaar district in "Old" Delhi. 
The Red Fort was the once capitol of the Mughals in the mid 17th century. The structure far exceeded my expectations, as I hadn't seen any pictures and had only read a brief history of it in the guide book. As the English name suggests, the fort was monolith; bright red, with towering walls that stretched for 2 kilometers (you do the math). Inside the walls were a myriad of lesser structures, each with specific uses for the Maharaj and his cohorts. Across from the fort is Chandni Chowk: a dizzying maze of small alleyways where spices, industrial goods, textiles, and (for some reason) millions of light bulbs are sold. The bazaar is located in Old Delhi, which gave me at least some glimpse into the everyday life of the average Indian. (Top picture is Red Fort - Below is Chandni Chowk)
The Red Fort was the once capitol of the Mughals in the mid 17th century. The structure far exceeded my expectations, as I hadn't seen any pictures and had only read a brief history of it in the guide book. As the English name suggests, the fort was monolith; bright red, with towering walls that stretched for 2 kilometers (you do the math). Inside the walls were a myriad of lesser structures, each with specific uses for the Maharaj and his cohorts. Across from the fort is Chandni Chowk: a dizzying maze of small alleyways where spices, industrial goods, textiles, and (for some reason) millions of light bulbs are sold. The bazaar is located in Old Delhi, which gave me at least some glimpse into the everyday life of the average Indian. (Top picture is Red Fort - Below is Chandni Chowk)
Delhi is not known as a major tourist destination; it is merely a stop--over for onward travels. I take some solace in my firm belief that I've seen the worst of India...not that it was all too horrific, but I am expecting much better going forward. This is also what compels me to travel and I have no qualms about seeing the good and bad of every place I go, and I've learned to appreciate them equally.
I am now in Jaipur - The Pink City. More to follow in a few days.
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