In India.

Photos from India Gate and Bahá'í House of Worship (Lotus Temple) in New Delhi, India.

Of everywhere I’ve traveled so far, India has been the place whose first impression lived up to the image I had in my imagination. Unpaved streets lined with garbage and neon lights. Cows and elephants intermixing with cars and motorbikes and rickshaws on the road. Stares from every man.

It’s the kind of place where you either absolutely love or absolutely hate. A mutual feeling that can change in a heartbeat.

I arrived late in New Delhi, after 2 in the morning and hijacked my way into a hotel pickup I didn’t reserve. But after midnight, by yourself, in a new city you aren’t sure you trust, it seemed the best way to go.

I arrived at the hotel, luckily, just as Jaime woke up to check if I had made it and after checking in went immediately to sleep.

Can I tell you how amazing it was to see Jaime? Jaime, who I met online about a year before I left. Jaime, who I met live in real life for the first time in Brussels. Jaime, who I last saw about six months ago when we shared an apartment in Valencia.

It’s kind of awesome to be back together again!

The next morning we took to the streets, tried to figure out the railway system, dodging dodgy men who assured us the ticket office was closed and we had to go somewhere else to reserve. We finally managed to find the tourist ticket office, but the line was so incredibly long that in the end we decided to hit up a travel agency later in the day.

So Jaime, Carolin (a friend he’d had met in Germany), and two German boys got a rickshaw and headed off too see some of the sites instead.

First up we made a quick stop at India Gate: the national monument of India.

And then we headed off to the Bahá’í House of Worship, aka the Lotus Temple.

And before heading back to our hotel we explored a couple of markets, explored some of the streets.

After a little bit of a rest we headed out for a delicious thali dinner and then tried to get train tickets for the next morning. It took three tour offices, several phone calls, and too many long pauses, but we finally managed to get overpriced tickets for our journey.

And so, the next morning, with really no time to collect my thoughts, to get acquainted, to set my bearings, we hopped aboard a train, on to our next destination.

New Delhi, India – Photos from India Gate and Bahá’í House of Worship (Lotus Temple) in New Delhi, India.

Bucket List Idea: Travel to India