Weaving through the craziness of cars, rickshaws, scooters and people, we somehow reached our hotel.
Our excitement was at a different level so we did not feel the jet lag and we were quick to get ready and join the crowds in the street to shop and eat.
The city is always something of a culture shock.
I have been to Delhi over 50 times and every time I visit I forget how aggressive the city is. But old habits die hard, and after the first few minutes of acclimatising, I was ready to tackle the city head-on.
People who have a fear of contact should not walk on the street in this very crowded city.
Footpaths are usually occupied by vendors and shopkeepers so you have to walk on the roads . . . sounds unsafe but that’s how life is in Delhi.
Pushing through the throngs of people, we hopped on a battery-operated vehicle — a “tuk-tuk” — to reach the Palika Bazaar.
Bargaining is the norm here. If you can haggle well, you can get things at one-third of the price.
There are many other shopping destinations in Delhi, but I quite like this place.
Located in the city centre (near Connaught Place), Palika Bazaar is an underground air-conditioned market.
We spent the whole day shopping for clothes and shoes.
And whenever we wanted to satisfy our food cravings, we would hit the roadside stalls and enjoy the delicious ram-laddoos, chhole-kulche or pani-puris or something else.
By the end of day one, we were exhausted and, probably due to the air and sound pollution, we all ended up with headaches.
But a little thing like a sore head wasn’t about to stop us.
On day two, the shopping hangover was still lingering so we headed to Chandni Chowk (Moonlight Square), an area where your senses are attacked as you dodge rickshaws, motorbikes and thousands of people; and avoid cows, goats and dogs as you wander down narrow alleyways smelling of incense, street food and sometimes things that are a little less pleasant.
This densely populated neighbourhood of Old Delhi is a treasure trove. It is home to diverse Indian communities and is most popular for its heritage havelis, old markets and places of worship.
Everything you’ve imagined about India being tumultuous and teeming with activity comes to life at Chandni Chowk.
And a visit to Khari Baoli, which is just 1.5km away, is a must for any spice-lover as this is Asia’s largest spice market.
After all the shopping, we headed to the Red Fort on a hand rickshaw, which is the fastest means of transportation in an area that is tight on space.
While we were having a relaxed ride on the rickshaw, it was interesting to see how shopkeepers decorated their stores to attract customers.
Finally we reached the Red Fort — one of the most historic forts of India.
Built from sandstone in the 1600s and originally used as a residence for Mughal emperors, the inner structures have since been destroyed, yet it’s still worth visiting.
Despite being right in the heart of Delhi, it’s surprisingly calming to wander through this large area of green space, and it makes for a tranquil introduction to the city’s architecture.
After the tiring journey it was time to eat at the most famous street in Delhi — the Parathe Waali Gali.
This street is popular not only for its delicious food like pani puri, sev puri and parathas, but also for the excellent service and hospitality.
The next day, a surprise visit from a friend from Bhilwara (a city in Rajasthan) made our day even more special.
And though we planned to do a lot of things that day, we ended up not doing much because of the amount of time we spent chatting at the hotel.
But we did manage to visit the Lotus Temple, a Bahá’í House of Worship that was built in the shape of a lotus flower.
What makes this temple so unique and awe-inspiring is its shape and form. At first glance it reminded me of the Sydney Opera House.
On our way we saw the Qutub Minar — a minaret which is 72.5m high, and the Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s Palace) before we stopped at the India Gate.
India Gate is a war memorial, built in the memory of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in different wars to protect the nation from enemies.
Beside it is the “Amar Jawan Jyoti”, the Immortal Soldier. It’s a lamp that keeps burning in the memory of the soldiers, no matter the weather.
From a tangle of ancient streets and alleyways, jam-packed roads, heritage buildings co-existing with modern ones, it was fun to discover the chaotic beauty of the Indian metropolis before we boarded a train to go to another city.
