Delhi Warnings Or Dangers Tips by Willettsworld

Public inconveniences

Delhi was my first port of call during my 4 month tour around India and so everywhere and everything was a novelty during my week long stay in the city. Its sights, sounds and smells are pretty strong and in your face - especially the last of those! Nothing can quite prepare you for what you find in Delhi. This is an open urinal on the street which are a fairly common sight throughout India but they are pretty appalling when you walk past them. This one is just down the road from New Delhi Train Station on the way to Connaught Place and so gets very well used. The smell is terrible and you really have to hold your nose as you walk past.

Security

I have to say that for a large capital city, Delhi has to be one of the safest places I've ever visited. There's no malice directed at you and I never once felt threatened. In fact, its just the opposite. You start taking photo's with your digital camera and people will come up behind you and look over your shoulder to see the image on the display! In other places, such as at the Qutb Minar, a group of middle aged guys came up to me and chatted and shook my hand as if they've never seen a foreigner before. I ended up having my photo taken with them and I felt like a famous Bollywood film star! This happened to me all over India. People are inquisitive about you and just want to chat. Let them and you'll feel right at ease.

Safety

Like everywhere in India, you have to watch where you're walking in Delhi, especially in Old Delhi. Pavements, (when they exist), are particularly dodgy and if you're tall, like me, then you also have to watch your head on things. So you end up walking along looking at about three things at once. Also, as there's a lot of cows and other animals roaming around, another thing to watch out for is their, erm, droppings. Also, be careful when crossing roads and make sure you look both ways about three times as traffic goes in all directions. Sight-seeing in or on old buildings is another thing you have to watch out for as there basically are no signs and barriers to warn/protect you from unsafe areas. One example was whilst I was visiting the Firoz Shah Kotla (just south of Raj Ghat). There's an iron pillar stuck in the top of a building and you're able to take stairs up to the roof and walk on the roof where there is nothing stopping you from falling off the edge. India, is a health and satefy officiers nightmare!

Health

When I first arrived in India, Delhi was my first port of call. For the first few days, I was paranoid at everything I was eating and drinking and wandering when or if I was going to get ill within the first week of arriving. You hear horror stories of people getting ill with all matter of things and even some of the people I spoke to told me their stories. I was lucky (or maybe I was cautious), and was only ill once during my 4 month trip around India and that happened some 6 weeks into it. You will probably be just like me, paranoid that is, but as long as you avoid places that are blairingly dirty and try and avoid street food, you should be OK. If you do get unwell then there are plenty of small chemists in Pahar Ganj (the backpacker centre) where you can obtain all matter of pills and potions.

Weather Climate Review

When I first arrived in Delhi in early November, it was hazy with a kind of smokey, misty, polluted atmosphere. It was fine and dry, mind, but as you can see by the photo's of Connaught Place, when I arrived back in March everything was much clearer. Delhi also suffers from bad fog during December and January. In fact when I flew back to delhi after travelling to Calcutta and Orissa, my flight was delayed because of it.

Drink bottled water Tap water Review

As with the whole of India, only drink bottled water and use it when you're cleaning your teeth. I kept a bottle with a bit of water in it beside the sink so as to remind myself to use it. Also, avoid ice and salads as they will probably have been washed in dodgy water. Its all common sense really but if you stick to it, you limit the chances of getting ill. A litre of water only costs from between Rs10 and Rs15 so its cheap and available everywhere.