48 hours in Delhi...

All I can do is giggle at what a foreigner I am or what I may be perceived as being. My walk, my talk, my dress, my mannerisms, my camera…need I say more. I often wonder what runs through a persons mind when they see me. Am I acting too butch, too foreign, too vulnerable, too sexy, too not sexy, a target? I have no idea, it doesn’t bother me but I would like to hear their internal dialouge when they stare at me.

I got over the staring when I was in SE Asia, scary men, kind of sexy men, sleezy men all at which that take an interest in a foreign women and show this by staring do not bother me at all…here in Delhi, every time I have talked to them, they are pretty harmless and try to charm me and ask me out. I try not to laugh and just brush it off by changing the topic but I do admire their confidence and upfront’ness’. We could all learn something from this approach. If you like something go after it.

Yesterday upon arrival into Delhi at 4am I went straight to my hotel “Hotel Chand Palace” great little hotel, pretty much in the middle of ‘New Delhi’. I slept till 1.30pm in the afternoon and started my day relatively late by travelling standards, but was still willing to go and check a few things out. I hired a driver who took me to a few sights, but I was just so tired that I got home about 6pm, slept a little more, woke up by 9pm went for a walk and check out the streets at night. As I was alone and not too familiar with pretty anything I came back to hotel and slept again and decided to start my day early…

So this morning at about 9am I set off. I had my first rickshaw experience which I must confess was no where near as scary as what I have heard. Again, I think SE Asia has softened me which means not allot puts me on edge. I got dropped off at ‘Connaught Place’ (tourist shopping area) which was closed. So I walked around looking for a coffee place and started talking to this 23 year old local Delhi Boy, who has since become my ‘Delhi Angel’. Anil, gave me an amazing local tour of New Delhi, Temples, Markets, Food, he even took me to a great tailor to get some ‘Ali Baba, yoga style pants tailored’. Get this, 3 pairs, made to measure, delivered to my hotel all for $70 AUD. He even helped me organise a Sim card, which may not seem like a big deal, but is actually not as easy as the UK where I just slipped in 20 quid to a vending machine at the airport and boom!...

Tonight, I’m taking it easy, packing and getting set for my yoga journey. I still can’t believe I am actually here in India and all is soon to unfold!