So the time had finally come!It was destination, New Delhi, as I boarded an Air India flight bound for the capital. After a lengthy spell, the pilot welcomed us to Indira Ghandi airport, and I had never been as excited in my entire life to step foot on foreign soil. My childhood dream had been accomplished, even though I had been severely jet lagged and a little bit grumpy. I raced to the emigration desk and showed the officer my visa. He waved me through, and there I met my childhood friend Siddarth Sharma, who had kindly offered his extended services throughout my stay in India. He was accompanied by two of his friends, Abhi Garg and Rupender Mundakhera, who would also show their full support and trust throughout the trip. It was back to Sid’s place to relax and to try and take it all in. He lived a short distance from the airport and due to my tiredness we called in an early night. The next morning I was refreshed, after a great sleep, and a wash, and some traditional Indian food, a bowl of Chole Bhature, with a Kati roll, it was time to get going and to start the day productively. I was off to wander through the scenic streets of Delhi. It was quite unique.

The dangers that are strongly highlighted throughout western media aren’t visible at all. I felt very safe. My first objective was to get a train ticket for Delhi metro, as well as some additional Rupees, to help me over the next week. The streets were packed and I had never seen such crowds in my entire life, men, women and children, all squashed together, trying to make it to their intended destinations, while I was more concerned with trying to avoid taking part in a stampede.Walking the streets of Delhi was challenging, as it involved an endless number of people trying to walk, or as I call it, aggressively moving their hands and feet wildly, even some people on bicycles trying to squeeze through, some even holding and dragging sheep and chickens, with an occasional bump or two. Trying to walk the streets was more like an obstacle. The repeated beeps of the Tuk-Tuk’s passed us by, in their hundreds and hundreds. It was official, INDIA WAS PACKED!

We made our way to the Red Fort, right in the heart of Delhi. The clean gardens and architecture were impressive as we slowly walked around the fort, reminiscing over some old stories. It was nice to relax at this part of the city, after such a busy morning. It’s no wonder that Amir Khusraw famously stood in this location and said “If there be a paradise on the earth, it is this, it is this, it is this.” We then went for lunch in a small, but busy restaurant, as I continued to test some traditional food, this time a Chicken Masala dish, with a plate of Naan bread.Then it was onto India Gate, as we jumped into out fifth Tuk Tuk of the day. Tuk Tuk’s in India are different from Tuk Tuk’s anywhere else on the globe. They don’t follow the rules of the roads, and they just barge past, or sometimes into people, on a daily basis. You must be extremely observant no matter where you walk, as you will be sure to get hit because they don’t seem to stop for anything or anyone, regardless of the situation!

A few days later, we made our way to Agra, an old historical town, and a very famous town for obvious reasons. We jumped on the early morning train once more from New Delhi, and the most exciting day of the trip was soon to follow. We met our guide at the Agra train station, a very friendly man who spoke broken English, and he then drove us around Agra, stopping off at the historical sites, the gift shop, and at a nice restaurant. This time is was time to spice things up, some roasted stuffed Litti, and a Palak Paneer dish. I was now becoming very fond of Indian food.Then it was onto Agra Fort, and I finally set my eyes of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Taj Mahal, a three hundred and fifty year old palace, a lot bigger than I originally expected. We made our way along the Yamuna river, along with the hundreds of tourists taking plenty of pictures, before we made our way inside, covering our feet, to get a glimpse of the deceased Shah Jahan, along with his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Due to the strict guidelines, I was unable to take any picture inside the Taj Mahal. Our next destination was further north, to a town called Dehra Dun, which is famously portrayed in the Bollywood movie Bang Bang, staring Hrithik Roshan. It was a very scenic route and we stopped off once more for some nice food, this time a combination of Tandorri chicken with some Rumali Roti. We arrived a little

after eight, and were greeted by some locals, who were forever welcoming and curious about my life. They showed complete hospitality. They were full of exciting stories, and willing to help out if assistance was needed. Overall my experience in India was positive, and I would love to go back one day to wander around the streets of Mumbai or Chennai this time. I now have a strong connection with Indian food and this is a huge positive. The Indian people are very welcoming and Delhi in particular is a very exciting and cheap city with plenty to offer. English is widely spoken and it’s easy to get around with the extended train services, busses and Tuk Tuk’s, always available on request. I was left with good memories and I still wonder why it took me so long to set foot on Indian soil.