"Delhi" Delhi by chizz

We decided to do a trip to India just a few months ago but my husband could only take a short break from work, so I decided to do a tour with Intrepid.
My husband would accompany me to Delhi for 3 days to see the sights and then I would meet up with the group to do the tour around the Golden Triangle - Delhi, Agra and Jaipur for a week.
We arrived in Delhi from Dubai on the 04 July, 2008 and checked into the tour group hotel which was the Pooja Palace Hotel in Karol Bagh. We had originally been booked into the Hotel Grand President just a few streets away, but this was changed at the last moment due to operational reasons. We had taken a pre paid taxi from the Delhi Police booth at the airport for 250 rupees to the hotel and arrived very early in the morning at around 7am. The taxi driver had gotten lost quite a bit on the way, despite assuring me that he knew where the hotel was, but after asking a few other taxi drivers we finally got there!
The hotel kindly gave us a ground floor room as we were so tired after our night flight, but this proved to be so noisy that we had to ask to be moved to a higher floor after a few hours! Eventually we managed to get a few hours sleep before venturing out to take a look at the neighbourhood. The Pooja Palace on the whole is an ok place to stay if you are on a budget and is conveniently located near to shops and places to eat. Just remember to call reception if you want them to switch on the hot water! They have a small restaurant and free internet access. There is a train station just a few minutes walk away which is part of the underground train system and there is a mini supermarket just across the road called "More". The area of Karol Bagh is a budget accommodation area and gets very busy with shoppers visiting the clothes and cloth stores. There is a McDonalds and Pizza Hut also in the region if you fancy a change from indian food too!!

Jama Masjid, Old Delhi

My husband and I decided to hire a local taxi driver to show us the sights of Delhi for 2 whole days. We did this through the hotel and they charged us 800 rupees per 8 hours or per 80km - whichever came first. After this, you can tip at your own discretion (roughly 100-200 rupees as advised by locals on the VT site).
We were picked up at 10am by a small A/C van and presented our list of sights to the driver, who had limited English it must be said. This was not a problem for us as we wished to see the sights on our own without commentary or a guide, but if you like some kind of dialogue as you drive around the city, it's best to ask for a driver with good English speaking skills which may increase the fare that you pay. Parking fees are extra but don't add up to much. All the following prices for entry are for foreigners only as Indian nationals pay a nominal fee which can be 25 times less! The prices quoted are also adult fees which apply for persons over 15 years old.
Our first stop was Old Delhi and the Jama Masjid, a large and elegant Mosque. The entry was free here but a camera fee of 200 rupees was applicable. Suitable attire must be worn with shoulders and knees covered and shoes must be removed before entry. These can be carried with you or left with the attendant at the door for a nominal fee of 10 R or so. Sarongs too can be hired for 50 R if you forget to wear the correct clothing.
The mosque is quite impressive and you can climb the tower for views of the city. You can easily spend 30 minutes plus here.
From here we went to the Red Fort which had a entrance fee of 100 R per adult and no camera fees. Also noticed at the entrance that they do a Sound and Light show which varies its timings from 7pm to 9pm throughout the year for the English show (more details to follow on things to do).
The red sandstone fort is quite impressive and you can easily spend an hour or more admiring its buildings and architecture.
Our next stop was Humayan's Tomb which cost 250 R per adult with no extra fees for cameras. Here you can admire the great buildings and impressive tomb which bears a striking resemblance to the Tal Mahal as it was commissioned to be built by the same man.
The Lotus Temple was our next stop which was free to enter with no photos allowed inside. Shoes must also be removed before entry. You must join a queue to go inside where a short service is performed and on the outside you can obtain a pass to visit the Visitors Centre.
From here we drove to the Qutb Minar with its impressive tower. Entry is 250 R per adult with no extra fees for cameras.
Next on the agenda was India Gate, a giant monument near to the Parliamentary buildings. Here you can stroll in the park, hire a rowing boat or watch the locals playing cricket on the weekend. At night the gate is lit up.
To round the day off, we visited Birla House, the site of Gandhi's assassination which is a very interesting museum and is free to enter.

Raj Ghats, Delhi

At 10am on day 2 we set off to see Raj Ghats first with our driver; this is the cremation site of Gandhi. It is free to enter but there is a small fee to leave shoes of 10 R, as they have to be removed before entering the site. There is a small monument at the site of the cremation and many indians come here to see the final resting place of the great Gandhi.
From here we drove to Purana Qila (Old Fort) to admire its ruins, mosque and buildings. Entry costs 100 R per adult. There is also a small museum which tells the story of the fort.
Our next stop was the Indira Gandhi Museum which is a very interesting place to visit. Here you can see the story of her life in pictures and text and view her office and other rooms of the house. Entry is free and photos can be taken, but no foods or drinks can be taken in and must be left with the guard at the entrance.
From here we went to Teen Murti which is the official residence of India's first Prime Minister, Nehru, who was Indira Gandhi's father. The building is now an interesting museum which tells of Nehru's life. Entry is free and photos can be taken.
Our last stop of the day was the Akshardham Monument, an impressive building of pink stone and white marble which houses an 11 foot gold plated buddha. The architecture of this and the other buildings is impressive. Entry is free but no photos or bags can be taken in and have to be left in the cloakroom. Suitable dress must be worn and shoes must be removed before entering the main monument.

• Pros:Chaotic traffic, dirty, polluted
• Cons:Nice museums and sights, friendly people