Delhi Darling!

Delhi Darling!

Apart from the horrendous traffic the first thing that I noticed touching down was that there was no money in Delhi...or India for that matter! A few days before leaving the UK the Indian government decide to take out all high value notes (500 and 1000 Rupees) out of circulation in an effort to stop corruption. However, they did not think to print any new currency before doing so! Most banks and ATMS were out of cash all together and those that did had cues 3 hours long for a maximum withdrawal of 2000 Rupees (about 25 quid).  I changed my 100 British pounds and will try to stretch it as far as possible! Apparently the situation is so bad some men have committed suicide as they cannot take out money to feed their families L !

Apart from the cash problem and pollution Delhi was an interesting city with some amazing temples. You can also do what you want on the roads so my cycling seemed to fit in quite well. Even driving a car down the pavement seems to be pretty acceptable... or an elephant.  I took the bike for a spin minus the panniers to get a feel for the roads at rush hour. The locals seemed to egg me on when it came to traffic weaving and crossing red lights at busy intersections. It was a good chance to perfect the skills practiced on London roads (and of course I was wearing my helmet Janet Panther) and I was beginning to enjoy Delhi. After experiencing the local nightlife and getting in trouble at the hostel for trying to bring some locals back from the nightclub it was time to hit the road.