It is here in New Delhi that I take India for the first time in the face. Sylvain was in Bombay. Because arriving in India is not trivial. We remember his first time in India.
MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN ON TV
I waited with particular impatience to see India. “Incredible India” as the Indian tourism ministry advertises abroad. With what I could see in the documentaries I expected to take full eyes but I suspected the directors to linger on the most impressive.
And yet in truth it is even more so
An explosive arrival
2 minutes after our arrival still in the airport the person in charge of the prepaid taxis tries to rip us off with aplomb. He has forgotten a good part of our currency.
We ride in my first rikshaw and en route: the overwhelming heat, the smell of spices, the human anthill, whole families on motorcycles, monkeys everywhere, obvious poverty but also sparkling smiles and beautiful Indian sarees colorful …
Tourites Street
The first hour has passed and here we are in the streets of the tourites in Delhi completely lost. This street or neighborhood is rather Pahar Ganj. The scenery: a dirt street that buzzes with activity, dubious electrical connections, a white cow forcibly sacred passes in front of us … My eyes are wide, “Is it really there?”
A friendly young person who speaks good English approaches and offers his help to find our way. A few meters further to the suspicious look of a policeman we realize that he is not there to help us but to attract us elsewhere by taking advantage of our naiveté. We go back on our steps it was the good street.
Another few minutes and here we are in our hotel. After the tiny reception we go upstairs. The metal grid floor allows us to see all the lower floors. In our room the sheets are doubtful and the fan that turns crooked only sends us back the burning air.
That’s it, let’s go! Welcome to India