The traveling manatees by Nancy French: New Delhi, India

Courtyard of the Jama Mosque

Last December, we started planning a getaway. It literally took longer to plan the trip than the length of the trip itself. It started with Alan's desire to visit the Maldives and snorkel with the Giant Manta Rays. But since we were traveling to the other side of the world, nearby India was a natural add on. We decided to add a stopover in Egypt as well, which would allow us to visit the Pyramids and travel down the Nile, two additional bucket list trips. We knew we did not want to drive in either India or Egypt, and with the language barrier in these countries, we wanted to hire guides. Starting with general Google searches and Trip Advisor, I narrowed down the Indian options to 10 companies and then did the same for Egypt based on reviews of the companies. Of course, both are large countries, so we also needed to pinpoint where we wanted to explore as well. Then I started emailing tour agents to get specifics. The Maldives was even more challenging. Known for their high-end resorts, which is not our mode of travel, I started researching the inhabited islands rather than the resort islands, to find more reasonable accommodations. With around 200 inhabited islands spread over an area of roughly 115

Hallway at the Mosque

square miles in the Indian Ocean, trying to narrow down which island to visit was not a simple task. As I arranged everything for once we were in the country, Alan went to work arranging as many of our flights as possible using air miles, also an onerous task.

Traveling to India for US citizens requires a Visa and the request for this document is filed online, but unlike cursory applications, we have filed for other countries, this is a multi-page, detailed history of family, travel, and even past military service. Once approved our tourist Visa allowed us entry to the country twice within a 90-day time frame.

One piece of important information about India was noticeably missing from the general research about the country. Prior to departing, we happen to see a newspaper photo with a byline showing intense air pollution in Delhi. Going online I found the air quality index for the city hovering at around 400, a hazardous level, so I purchased N95 air masks in case we needed them during our trip. Luckily, prior to our departure, rains in the city helped bring the level down somewhat, but still in the unhealthy range. India, as it turns out, has the worst air pollution in the world, something that was never mentioned in the countless articles, reviews, and blogs I had read.

Rickshaw winding through the market

Flying from Florida entailed 19 hours of actual flights and an additional 14 hours of layovers. Arriving at Delhi airport at 1:30 AM, we spent the next 2 hours in line at immigration. Even with our middle of the night arrival, chaos reigned. Luckily, as part of our tour of India's "Golden Triangle", an airport pickup was part of the deal and our prearranged driver, Dinesh, whisked us to our hotel. As we passed through the airport, we stopped at an ATM to obtain Indian rupees. As a closed currency, it is not possible to purchase rupees prior to travel, and if you have any left at the end of your trip, you cannot exchange them once you leave the country.

With a tour of Delhi scheduled to start just a few hours later, we squeezed in a little sleep before our morning sightseeing began. Having booked the tour through Yolo India Tours, we had the same driver throughout our northern visit. with different guides meeting us in Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Dinesh arrived promptly at 9 AM with our guide, Raj. Then, we were off to visit the Jama Mosque completed in 1656, one of the largest mosques in India with space in the courtyard for up to 25,000 worshippers. Next, we hopped on a rickshaw ride through the nearby 300-year old Chandi Chowk Bazaar. Narrow, colorful, and noisy streets met us as the pedicab wound its way through the market

Colorful shop in the Bazaar area

place.

Gandhi is ubiquitous with India, a national hero, for bringing some level of equality to the country and helping rid the nation of the British colonial rule through the use of nonviolent civil disobedience. The Raj Ghat is a memorial to Gandhi, and a black marble platform marks the area where he was cremated following his assassination in 1948. Next, we moved on to the India Gate, a war memorial, which honors fallen soldiers from conflicts of the past. The sandstone arch is reminiscent of the Arch of Triumph in Paris.

With a population of roughly 25 million, and with streets built decades ago, to say that traffic is chaotic would be an understatement. Though we witnessed no accidents during our travels it was hard to understand why not. There seemed to be no rules of the road, and red lights seemed to be only a suggestion. Dinesh skillfully maneuvered the congestion, sometimes inching his way along, in a roadway not only crowded with vehicles but shared by roaming cows and camel carts. Driving here is not for the faint of heart. Dinesh shared that driving in India requires 3 things, good luck, good brakes, and a good horn.

Next, Raj introduced us to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a temple that started in 1783. It is one of the largest Sikh temples in India, with the white marble structure elaborately decorated with gold throughout the interior. No photos were allowed inside but a number of worshippers prayed the sacred Hindu chants as we passed thru. The adjoining building contained an industrial-sized kitchen with a nearby dining area where anyone is welcome to eat for free, no questions asked. Food is donated to the kitchen and volunteers prepare and serve the food, providing hundreds of meals each day. We walked thru the kitchen as a noonday meal was being prepared, and fresh naan bread, hot off the grill, was offered as we passed by.

Silk thread carpet

Our guide then arranged a stop at a shop where we were shown the type of looms on which the renowned carpets of India are created. Each strand of the carpet is a separate thread that is looped and then knotted and cut. Obviously, a slow process and the room-sized pieces we were shown were reasonably priced even though they can take months to complete. Made from the wool of the pashmina goat or silk, the rugs were gorgeous, colorful works with intricate designs.

Gandhi Smriti was the place where Gandhi lived the last several months of his life and the site of his

Gardens at Gandhi Smriti

assassination. It is now a museum presenting stories of his life through numerous dioramas, information boards, and photos. Lovely, tranquil gardens are at the back of the property.

Late afternoon we headed to a local home for dinner preparation followed by the vegetarian meal. Our hostess, Anju, greeted us with juice, and prior to starting the dinner, she provided a sari for me and a Nehru type shirt for Alan so we would be appropriately attired for the dinner. She helped dress me in the 5 yards of fabric which make up the sari, knowledgeably wrapping and tucking as needed. Then we proceeded to the kitchen where we watched as she prepared aloo gobi (spicy cauliflower and potatoes), basmati rice with cumin seeds, a flavorful chickpea masala, and traditional chapati bread. Our clumsy efforts to make the bread took twice as long and bore little similarity to the perfect circles which Anju whipped off so easily. The meal was concluded with a cup of chai masala tea and fresh fruit.

It was a full day and an interesting introduction to India.