First day of our tour - Delhi

We have such a great group.  Eleven of us.

 This is actually a photo from the end of the trip but it's one of the few photos with everyone in it.  Back row is Sarah (United Kingdom), Pauline (Australia), Vaughan (United Kingdom), Connor (United Kingdom), Me, Cathryn (Canada), Nic'ee (New Zealand), Diane (Canada), Danita (Australia), Leanne (Canada), Alanna (Canada) and Anjali (India)  our tour guide.

 

The start of our tour we have breakfast on the rooftop terrace of Hotel Perfect.  We then walk to the metro and catch the train to Old Delhi.  As you can see a part of the sign, there is one area just for women and another area for men.  This makes it safer for women in crowded areas.

 

 

Fresh produce ready for market as we make our way through the Chandri Chowk marketplace.

We stop and watch this man prepare Masala Chai tea for all of us.  Delicious!

Seeing cows in the streets whether they are working (like this one) or just walking around becomes a common site.

 

 Look at this Bad Boy!

Monkey on a pole??

 Looking up as I felt eyes on me!

Arriving at the Jama Masjid, Delhi's oldest and largest mosque.

 

Cathryn and I trying our hand at rolling out japati with the women at the Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple).  Meals are free to whoever needs them at the temple.  A huge process providing these daily meals.

 

That's a big pot!  We toured the kitchen of the Sikh Temple and it takes a lot of work to feed so many people.  Any one is welcome at no cost!

 

 

 Inside the temple

 

Outside the usual total chaos with people and traffic!

We then head off to try some street food...we relied on our tour guide Anjali to point us in the right direction in order to avoid experiencing "Delhi Belly".

Very tasty...everything from very hot to sweet.

 

 

A "Haveli" of residence of someone who is wealthy...we didn't go inside but was quite decorative from the outside.

 

We then take the metro back to our hotel...we'll pick up some snacks along the way for our train journey tomorrow...exciting and scary!  Not sure what to expect.

The next morning we are up early and at the train station to head to Jaisalmer and Thar Desert.  It's going to be a 19 hours overnight journey!

This is our berth...there's room for six however there are only five of us assigned for this berth...hopefully the sixth person (unknown) who will be boarding the train at some time during the night will find another berth?? 

This lovely family was staying across the aisle from us.  We had some great conversations.

 

Pretty cozy...tight quarters but the rocking motion of the train gave me a good nights sleep.  Being in such close proximity to so many strangers was strange but everyone settled down early and it was relatively quiet.

And just across the way was Cathryn.  Nighty night!

 

 

Ahhh...made it through the night and am welcomed with hot Masala Chai in the morning - Breakfast in bed to a whole new level!