delhi yuck.

jennifericous · Jun 13th, 2005, 16:51

oh i now officially hate delhi.
we spent what felt like my whole life walking in circles around connaught place. we were looking for a hsbc, and everyone kept saying go left go left.

and its all dirty and smelly. at least we have a nice hotel we can hide away in. the rest of india weve seen is amazing. does this city have any redeeming characteristics? besides its proximity to the taj mahal?
Jenn xx

SHIMLA · Jun 13th, 2005, 16:59

Its a pity you did not like Delhi ! The city has more plusses than minuses, but as they say, first impression is last impression and your first impression wasn't good. As for it being dirty and smelly, most of India is so!

Indiamad · Jun 13th, 2005, 17:07

I'd have to say that Delhi (for me) was the toughest city to enjoy, mainly because of the pollution and for the awful night I spent in a seedy hotel in Pahargani - you know, offers of a free massage because I looked so tired and weary

dirty, overpriced room with suspicious looking bed linen

I couldn't wait to get out of Pahargani.

However I did have a fantastic stay at the Hotel Broadway on Asaf Ali Road - great place, fantastic food, interesting entertainment and I felt very safe there. They even looked after my luggage for 2 months at no cost! I'd highly recommend that place.

The Bahai temple is a great place to find some peace and tranquility...and oooh, Janpath market is good fun!

rab · Jun 13th, 2005, 17:29

Not sure how long you have been there yet but I loved Delhi on about day 3! Plan ahead your spots of safe retreat and solace and you will be fine. Try the rooftop restaurant at the Hotel Metropole in Pahar Ganj. Contrary to Indiamad's comment I loved Pahar Ganj, enjoyed wandering around the markets and felt so safe there.

The pollution is bad in Delhi but again just pace yourself, take it a bit at a time.

Good luck

rab

nhoa · Jun 13th, 2005, 17:46

When I arrived first time to Delhi, I didn´t want to go out of the hotel room in pahar ganj, but my husband told me to keep walking the city and I quite like there now

I love Jama Masjid, old street like chandi chawk, pahar ganj... relaxing at rooftop restaurant at night... and I love to hear the sound of bamboo stick that policemen hit somewhere in the night...

Dino · Jun 13th, 2005, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennifericous

what felt like my whole life walking in circles around connaught place. we were looking for a hsbc, and everyone kept saying go left go left.

Hi jennifericous,
I remember our first vist to Delhi walking round and round CP looking for a moneychanger.Go left,go right,go up that alley,just up those stairs etc,etc.And our hotel,which will remain nameless,was the hotel from hell.I could write several pages on that place.

But despite it's shortcomings Delhi's charms are there to be found.Try and find a copy of Sarah McDonald's "Holy Cow".An Aussie media presenter who gave up her high profile job to live in Delhi for a year after marrying.She moved from absolute hatred to love and respect of all things Delhi.I guess it's just a time thing,and some cities charms take longer to reveal themselves.

machadinha · Jun 14th, 2005, 01:20

Some things to do, the rickshaw rides (or walks short-distance) there are all at least half the fun:

The nightly sound & light show near the Red Fort if it's still on. Bring mosquito repellent. The sound got a little crappier each time I saw it so it may have failed altogether by now, but it's quite good and imaginative for what it is really & will actually teach you something about the history of India from a bird's-eye view.

If the Jami Masjid is still open to visitors is unclear to me but I assume the Red Fort at least is.

Strolling around Old Delhi esp. at night, bring some friends in case you feel uncomfortable. Karol Bagh is another popular market/shopping place.

Raj Ghat for an amazingly tranquil park (the cremation site of Gandhi by the way) smack-bang in the middle of the city, nothing like that patch of green at Connaught Place if it's still there where you won't get a moment's rest. Visit nearby Feroz Shah Kotla, the ruins of one of the former cities of Delhi (the fifth), quite undervisited.

In the South there's a whole array of sights, including the already mentioned Baha'i House of Worship (Lotus Temple), the Lodi Gardens, Hauz Khas and several more remains of previous Delhi settlements. Once a week Qawwali singers perform near the Hazrat Nizam-Ud-Din Aulia, make local enquiries.

Once you get into the habit of moving around the place should start opening up to you -- hopefully. There's many more sights, too much to mention here. Good luck with it. Connaught Place can be a lot of frustrating roundabouts yes or so I found it. The underground bazaar isn't half bad if it still exists, if only because it's cool.

jay_m_222 · Jun 14th, 2005, 01:25

Check out Delhi Haath....Excellent shopping area which is secluded from the chaos of the city...

I think you will settle in and possibly enjoy it..if you find some specific locations that have been recommended by the members here.

byronic · Jun 14th, 2005, 01:30

This weeks forcast for Delhi:

Tonight: Mainly clear. Low 84F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow: Mainly sunny. High near 105F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow night: Clear. Low 84F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny skies. High 104F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday: Sunshine. Highs 106 to 110F and lows in the low 80s.

Friday: Mainly sunny. Highs 107 to 111F and lows in the mid 80s.

and "BLOWING DUST" . I say, get out of there as soon as possible !!! Glad to hear you have arrived safe and sound Jenn and have experiences some good stuff besides the heat and dust of Delhi in the Hot Hot HOT Season.

cyberhippie · Jun 14th, 2005, 01:55

All the sites are covered above, apart from one, go to the Gandhi S.I.M.T.R.I (or something like that) It's the place where Gandhi Ji spent his last years, also the place where he met his death.
Even if you have a passing interest in this great man it's a very poigniant place to visit,
Einsteins quote aways sticks with me " In years to come people will scarce believe that such a man walked this earth"
It's close to India gate if I remember rightly, the address is in the guide books!!
Oh Jenni judge this visit to Delhi against your next one, it's interesting how India changes you!!

crvlvr · Jun 14th, 2005, 01:56

Quote:

.. and its all dirty and smelly

. Unless you build up a tolerance for pollution (of all kinds land, air, noise) rather quickly you might not enjoy any city in lndia.

whatsilliness · Jun 14th, 2005, 02:21

side question:

i was thinking of staying over in Delhi for only 2 days, inbetween my fly-into the country and connecting flight to Leh.

so, fly in 26th at night, spend all of 27 and 28 there, and then catch the 6:30 am flight to Leh...

is this a bad idea, and just simply too hectic-- considering how Delhi takes getting used to/i will be jetlagged and totally new to the area/alone/ etc?

thing is, otherwise i wont get to see Delhi or any of the northern cities outside of the Ladakh area.. because i will be going straight South from there.

machadinha · Jun 14th, 2005, 02:38

Hm yes my conflicting advice would be to a) get the hell out of there as it will just be too much for your first arrival (but then anywhere would be probably) b) to take it easy there for a couple of days since rushing about upon arrival is not a very good idea. 2 Full days should really be OK for a first visit though I reckon, unless you take an immediate liking to the place.

Maybe the golden mean is take it easy there for a bit, try to visit some of the sights, and if it's not for you don't be skimpy on getting a taxi back to your hotel (that you shouldn't be too skimpy on either for a modicum of comfort) and relax there. Try to find a place with a rooftop terrace of which there are many & just take in the sights and the smells and the sounds, you'll have fond memories of it later. Oh and another class of people not to be gotten down by are the seen-and-done-it-all kind of fellow travellers whose sense of burnout can easily rub off on you. Remember, you're just embarking on your great adventure, not on your way out.

bijapuri · Jun 14th, 2005, 03:12

Circling Connaught circus until you go bonkers is a rite of passage !
I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me, until I started staying in Karol Bagh or South Delhi (when I can afford it) and stopped going to CP as much as possible. when all else fails, there's usually a Nirula's somewhere to regain your composure in. "Sal Se Puede, Muchacha!" (get out while you can, in Californian)

Merchant · Jun 14th, 2005, 03:17

It's hard to see how Delhi is fundamentally different from any other Indian metro for the first time arrival. All of the big cities are "smelly and dirty." It's crowded--traffic, cows, etc. There is plenty to see and do in Delhi, much of it remarkable. All Indian cities are overwhelming when you first touch down.

Jun 13th, 2005, 16:51	#1
jennifericous Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: IRELAND Posts: 190	delhi yuck. oh i now officially hate delhi. we spent what felt like my whole life walking in circles around connaught place. we were looking for a hsbc, and everyone kept saying go left go left. and its all dirty and smelly. at least we have a nice hotel we can hide away in. the rest of india weve seen is amazing. does this city have any redeeming characteristics? besides its proximity to the taj mahal? Jenn xx

Jun 13th, 2005, 16:59	#2
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,125	Its a pity you did not like Delhi ! The city has more plusses than minuses, but as they say, first impression is last impression and your first impression wasn't good. As for it being dirty and smelly, most of India is so! __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

Jun 13th, 2005, 17:07	#3
Indiamad Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 175	Surviving Delhi I'd have to say that Delhi (for me) was the toughest city to enjoy, mainly because of the pollution and for the awful night I spent in a seedy hotel in Pahargani - you know, offers of a free massage because I looked so tired and weary dirty, overpriced room with suspicious looking bed linen I couldn't wait to get out of Pahargani. However I did have a fantastic stay at the Hotel Broadway on Asaf Ali Road - great place, fantastic food, interesting entertainment and I felt very safe there. They even looked after my luggage for 2 months at no cost! I'd highly recommend that place. The Bahai temple is a great place to find some peace and tranquility...and oooh, Janpath market is good fun!

Jun 13th, 2005, 17:29	#4
rab Honorary Mod Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: McLaren Vale, South Australia Posts: 1,217	Not sure how long you have been there yet but I loved Delhi on about day 3! Plan ahead your spots of safe retreat and solace and you will be fine. Try the rooftop restaurant at the Hotel Metropole in Pahar Ganj. Contrary to Indiamad's comment I loved Pahar Ganj, enjoyed wandering around the markets and felt so safe there. The pollution is bad in Delhi but again just pace yourself, take it a bit at a time. Good luck rab __________________ IndiaMike Mod Team (The Honorary One)

Jun 13th, 2005, 17:46	#5
nhoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: spain Posts: 16	When I arrived first time to Delhi, I didn´t want to go out of the hotel room in pahar ganj, but my husband told me to keep walking the city and I quite like there now I love Jama Masjid, old street like chandi chawk, pahar ganj... relaxing at rooftop restaurant at night... and I love to hear the sound of bamboo stick that policemen hit somewhere in the night... __________________ shanti, shanti... Last edited by nhoa : Jun 14th, 2005 at 01:38.

Jun 14th, 2005, 01:20	#7
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 11,445	Some things to do, the rickshaw rides (or walks short-distance) there are all at least half the fun: The nightly sound & light show near the Red Fort if it's still on. Bring mosquito repellent. The sound got a little crappier each time I saw it so it may have failed altogether by now, but it's quite good and imaginative for what it is really & will actually teach you something about the history of India from a bird's-eye view. If the Jami Masjid is still open to visitors is unclear to me but I assume the Red Fort at least is. Strolling around Old Delhi esp. at night, bring some friends in case you feel uncomfortable. Karol Bagh is another popular market/shopping place. Raj Ghat for an amazingly tranquil park (the cremation site of Gandhi by the way) smack-bang in the middle of the city, nothing like that patch of green at Connaught Place if it's still there where you won't get a moment's rest. Visit nearby Feroz Shah Kotla, the ruins of one of the former cities of Delhi (the fifth), quite undervisited. In the South there's a whole array of sights, including the already mentioned Baha'i House of Worship (Lotus Temple), the Lodi Gardens, Hauz Khas and several more remains of previous Delhi settlements. Once a week Qawwali singers perform near the Hazrat Nizam-Ud-Din Aulia, make local enquiries. Once you get into the habit of moving around the place should start opening up to you -- hopefully. There's many more sights, too much to mention here. Good luck with it. Connaught Place can be a lot of frustrating roundabouts yes or so I found it. The underground bazaar isn't half bad if it still exists, if only because it's cool. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jun 14th, 2005, 01:25	#8
jay_m_222 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Reading, Ma Posts: 117	Check out Delhi Haath....Excellent shopping area which is secluded from the chaos of the city... I think you will settle in and possibly enjoy it..if you find some specific locations that have been recommended by the members here.

Jun 14th, 2005, 01:30	#9
byronic back in the ussa Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Rang De Basantistan or Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 489	This weeks forcast for Delhi: Tonight: Mainly clear. Low 84F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow: Mainly sunny. High near 105F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow night: Clear. Low 84F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday: Sunny skies. High 104F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Thursday: Sunshine. Highs 106 to 110F and lows in the low 80s. Friday: Mainly sunny. Highs 107 to 111F and lows in the mid 80s. and "BLOWING DUST" . I say, get out of there as soon as possible !!! Glad to hear you have arrived safe and sound Jenn and have experiences some good stuff besides the heat and dust of Delhi in the Hot Hot HOT Season. __________________ http://www.flickr.com/photos/byronic501/

Jun 14th, 2005, 01:55	#10
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,009	All the sites are covered above, apart from one, go to the Gandhi S.I.M.T.R.I (or something like that) It's the place where Gandhi Ji spent his last years, also the place where he met his death. Even if you have a passing interest in this great man it's a very poigniant place to visit, Einsteins quote aways sticks with me " In years to come people will scarce believe that such a man walked this earth" It's close to India gate if I remember rightly, the address is in the guide books!! Oh Jenni judge this visit to Delhi against your next one, it's interesting how India changes you!!

Jun 14th, 2005, 02:21	#12
whatsilliness i like to go through obsessions... Join Date: May 2005 Location: new york Posts: 102	side question: i was thinking of staying over in Delhi for only 2 days, inbetween my fly-into the country and connecting flight to Leh. so, fly in 26th at night, spend all of 27 and 28 there, and then catch the 6:30 am flight to Leh... is this a bad idea, and just simply too hectic-- considering how Delhi takes getting used to/i will be jetlagged and totally new to the area/alone/ etc? thing is, otherwise i wont get to see Delhi or any of the northern cities outside of the Ladakh area.. because i will be going straight South from there.

Jun 14th, 2005, 02:38	#13
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 11,445	Hm yes my conflicting advice would be to a) get the hell out of there as it will just be too much for your first arrival (but then anywhere would be probably) b) to take it easy there for a couple of days since rushing about upon arrival is not a very good idea. 2 Full days should really be OK for a first visit though I reckon, unless you take an immediate liking to the place. Maybe the golden mean is take it easy there for a bit, try to visit some of the sights, and if it's not for you don't be skimpy on getting a taxi back to your hotel (that you shouldn't be too skimpy on either for a modicum of comfort) and relax there. Try to find a place with a rooftop terrace of which there are many & just take in the sights and the smells and the sounds, you'll have fond memories of it later. Oh and another class of people not to be gotten down by are the seen-and-done-it-all kind of fellow travellers whose sense of burnout can easily rub off on you. Remember, you're just embarking on your great adventure, not on your way out.

Jun 14th, 2005, 03:12	#14
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,602	Circling Connaught circus until you go bonkers is a rite of passage ! I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me, until I started staying in Karol Bagh or South Delhi (when I can afford it) and stopped going to CP as much as possible. when all else fails, there's usually a Nirula's somewhere to regain your composure in. "Sal Se Puede, Muchacha!" (get out while you can, in Californian) __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Jun 14th, 2005, 03:17	#15
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,101	It's hard to see how Delhi is fundamentally different from any other Indian metro for the first time arrival. All of the big cities are "smelly and dirty." It's crowded--traffic, cows, etc. There is plenty to see and do in Delhi, much of it remarkable. All Indian cities are overwhelming when you first touch down.

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