After another full day of sightseeing in Delhi and surroundings I was full of “tourist” things. After all I have had my own car with driver for a couple of days and felt more or less as the British must have felt some decades ago: Like the Indians were there to service.
So I wanted a taste of the real India. No guides, no driver. What better place than the subway I thought. And I was right. I was the only white on the subway and people were looking at me, like if I was lost… I chose a station to get of at random, and got of at Chandi Chowk.
The place emmanated “real India” and there were thousands on the street looking at all the bazars, clothing and so fort. I don’t really get it: Yes they are 19.5 mio. people, but why must all shops sell clothes, shoes and obscure toys? Certainly this was real and not for tourists, but it looked like the traditional tourist trap… Well I continued and after miles of this I felt like doing something spontaneous, so I just turned left into a small alley. And I walked, and walked, and walked. I became less and less lit, and people were fewer and fewer.
After an hours walking around, I was lost and in a dark place out in the “outskirts” I felt. A sneaking feeling of insecurity came to me, and I felt like it was time to get back to the well-lit areas of town. The centre… After another 10 long minutes in the dark, a tuk-tuk stopped and asked if I needed a ride – I really love that they all speak english!
Oh yes, I would love that. Long story short: 8 km. and 15 minutes later, I was at the centre of Delhi – Connaught Circle. Here I relaxed with a sundae – after all it was still 27 degrees at 22 in the evening. From there: Subway and walk home to the hotel.
Curage? Nope. Stupid? Not really. Exiting? Not really. But genuine experience of the Indian way of life.
