Back at the Navrang for $3.00 a night. Back to its peeling walls and stained pillows and blankets that are filthy to touch. The Navrang’s rooms have always reminded me of the kind of place that Colonel Kurtz would have stayed before he descended into madness on his way up the Nung River.
Out the ally and across the street, it’s back to the rooftop restaurant that I’ve eaten at so many times before. Eggs, potatoes, toast, and a coffee for $2.50. And a decent view looking down Main Bazaar, to the crowded streets and millions of colours, smells, and faces, four stories below.
Delhi took a while to grow on me. But it did.
Every morning, fresh fruit on the corner. The selection was better in the summer, but it’s still decent. And they’ll chop it all right in front of you to make a nice salad. Down the street, just past the bazaar’s main junction, you can pick up some of the best pasticcios I’ve ever tasted. The same stall is the only place in Para Ganj where I’ve found bottled water kept on ice.
It’s a lot cooler here now. I’m writing this in the early afternoon and with the sun on my back, I guess that it’s about 15C. The air feels a lot cleaner than when I last visited. Although in June, it was so hot that just getting out of bed in the morning left you dripping with sweat, which I guess when compared with that, almost anything seem clean. Regardless, the climate feels perfect here this time of year. Sipping my coffee in the gentle sun while a cool breeze blows through my t-shirt, I’ve got nothing to complain about.
Social tagging: delhi > india > travels
Nice and cheap! How’s the internet access situation? Easy to come by and also cheap?
Hey Mike. The internet situation is pretty good here. The cafe connections are super fast and only charge 50 cents an hour. And for C$40, I can buy a wireless stick for my laptop that will let me access the internet from (allegedly) anywhere in the country. Rates for the sticks start at C$5 for 250MB and run up $C14 for 10G, $115 for 10GB, etc. So after Bhutan, I’ll probably pick up a stick. Just can’t stay away.
Very nice… stick access seems around half what you’d pay here!
ya, i think most of those numbers were completely wrong.
Hi Travis!
Have a great fun-filled 2011!
Dan forwarded on this link and said you have left the Straight indefinately and they miss you.
Glad to see you are getting into Delhi – but you might be happier if you spent a little more to get a cleaner place. Alternatively, you play the Sahib, put on a turn, pretend to be really angry, and demand clean sheets, etc., etc. This often works wonders and is the major technique used by Indian middle-class women when staying in less-than-salubrious digs.
Whatever happens, have a ball and know that I will be sending you warm thoughts from the Great Down Under from time to time.
Cheers,
John Hill and Jo Wynter
Hey John. Great to hear from you.
You’ve read my mind. 24 hours and I’m already on my way out of Delhi, taking the 2pm train today to Gaya. From there, I hope to immediately make my way to Bodhgaya, where I’ll settle down for a couple of days before continuing on to Calcutta. And the on to Bhutan.
I’d love to hear more about your recent trip to India. I’ll write you an email shortly with what will likely be thousands of questions.
Say hi to Jo for me.