Of Delhi sights and Tuk tuks fights

We have arrived!  The haze of Delhi and all of its sounds and colours and craziness has hit us full force!  Arriving early in the morning was quite nice.  The roads were clear, the sun was bright and molten orange, like someone had thrown a small globe up into the sky and stuck it there.  The taxi driver laughed at us when we put our seatbelt on and made a very confused face when, after laughing at a guy driving and texting, we explained this is illegal in Australia - he appeared horrified, like I had just told him cows aren't sacred.

After finding our hotel and enjoying our very first curry breakfast, we braced ourselves for the streets and headed out to find some essentials for the start of our trip.  What we thought would be an easy purchase of a sim card for our phone, turned into a crazy tuk tuk ride with VJ - who showed us a book of comments from other travelers asserting his trustworthiness, who we were most suspicious of to begin with, however he wooed us with his Indian charms.  VJ's tuk tuk however did not provide such charms.  After the successful purchase of our sim card, VJ's tuk tuk decided that it had enough for the day and died.  VJ ushered us into a carpet shop and 30mins later we emerged, no carpet in hand, only to be told that the Tuk Tuk needed a push.  I took this to mean it needed a push start.  This presumption was clearly set aside when Tash informed me that she could see out the back "window" of the tuk tuk and VJ's mate was pushing us with his foot, using the speed of his own tuk tuk to push us down the road.  Can anyone say road safety?  The tuk tuk didn't like this too much and cracked it, I think that the wheel locked up and tash and I got a rude shock when we nearly face planted into VJ's head when we stopped very suddenly.  Poor VJ and his mate had to tip the tuk tuk and push it to the side of the road, all the time other tuk tuks and cars and buses were just driving around like it was no big deal.  We swapped into another tuk tuk and made it back, where we found a seemingly great little restaurant where the lady speaks excellent english and is happy to explain every item on the menu. We are about to head there now.  I had momos for lunch and am looking forward to what dinner brings - hopefully not an upset tummy.  Tomorrow we brave the roads on a bike tour of the city and then see what we can see.

Love Mards and Tash

Of the last night at home

Well, its 11:30pm on the eve of the day we board a plane to India and have our senses assaulted by a new and colourful experience.  "Have you packed?" "Are you ready?" "Are you excited?" are all the questions we have heard today, to which both of us have answered "No".  So, still at 11:30pm we are packing, having only started at 9:30 following a trip to the shops for last minute items of necessity and decadence.  Our bags lay on the floor of the lounge like half full bags - messy and uneven like they are not certain if they are leaving or arriving.

We think we have everything.  We are tired and getting lazy with the rolling of clothes into the bags and laugh at how close we are to leaving our home and our comfort zone.

2:40pm tomorrow we fly.  Hopefully, we are packed by then!!!!

4 Sleeps to go!!!!

Well, that tales of the travelling gypsy lawyer are about to continue - this time with a legal mate in tow.  Yes, Tash - the studying superstar and I and heading to the land of curry, bollywood and buses full of goats and chickens.

To say the lead up to this trip has been crazy would be an understatment.  There's been uni, changing jobs, applying for uni, attending Supanova, dancing in a French Maid outfit for cancer and a lot of cider and quick planning.  As usual, nothing really is done and the next few days will be a panic, but it will all be worth it in the end.

Keep an eye out for the first installment of Mardee and Tash do India!