India (New Delhi) Nov 2018 - Part 1

Day 1-6 (first 5 nights in New Delhi) 19-24 Nov 2108; took a day train from New Delhi to visit Agra (Taj Mahal & Agra Fort) 

Air Asia Flight departing KLIA2 19.00 > arriving Indira Gandhi International Airport (T3), New Delhi 23.15

KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2)

Dinner on board the Air Asia flight

Indira Gandhi International Airport (T3), New Delhi

Airport pick up arranged by our hotel in International Arrival Hall T3, outside Red Exit Gate No 4 (Rs580=Rm34)

One funny liner - It happens in India - one of the pics contributed by hostel guests in New Delhi 

Hotel accommodation (5 nights) in New Delhi - Hotel Smyle Inn, 916, Gali Chandi Wali, Main Bazaar, Pahar Ganj, New Delhi Tel No +91-11-2358-4076 - 4 bed family room ensuite Rs2,050 (Rm118) per night + complementary breakfast

Our daily breakfast at the Roof Top of the hotel

Hotel Reception, Smyle Inn

View of Pahar Ganj from the Roof Top of our hotel 

Hotel's Roof Top 

Hotel's Travel Desk office 

Royal visit (April 2016) to a lane in Paharganj where our hotel was located

" Paharganj, and particularly its primary thoroughfare Main Bazar is a bustling backpacker enclave full of budget hostels & tiny shops selling everything from hippie clothes to incense. There is a mix of casual bakeries, no nonsense eateries serving classic Indian dishes and rooftop restaurants whose menus feature global fare like pasta & falafel. New Delhi station is a major railway hub "

1) Paharganj, New Delhi (a must visit like Petaling Street of Kuala Lumpur or Orchard Road of Singapore, each of these places have her own character) - Backpacker's haven, walking distance to New Delhi Railway station, Airport Express Metro, Connaught Place, New Delhi Metro

Pahar Ganj by Night ! 

2) New Delhi Railway Station, Pahar Ganj 

3) New Delhi Metro / Airport Metro Station, Pahar Ganj, New Delhi  

4) Street Food & drink in Pahar Ganj - do you dare to eat or drink ? Why not, if your stomach is strong or prepared for a few bouts of stomach upsets in case things go wrong ! Your appetite grows day by day if you are adventurous to taste Indian deep fried & spicy food ! At times, it is better to go hungry a bit than simply grabbing some street food to bite and if the food are un-hygienically handled & prepared, stomach upsets could occur anytime ! Two of my travel buddies enjoyed drinking fresh promenade juice ! 

5) Fruit & vegetable market in Pahar Ganj & nearby places - our group's favorite fruit ie apples & bananas as for vegetables for cooking, our group chooses  carrots, radish, tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers & broccoli.  

6) Metro Train Rides in New Delhi - bought a daily Metro card for Rs200 (Rs50 refund) for our daily train rides within New Delhi & suburban places - most efficient way of using a Metro especially for foreign tourists to get around & visit tourist sites & places in New Delhi - all Metro trains are air-conditioned and comfortable to ride ! 

Most of the New Delhi tourist attractions are linked to the city Metro Lines !

New Delhi Metro has 5 Lines and some of these lines take you to  major tourist attractions 

If the Metro is jam packed - wait for the next one - just a few minutes waiting

Pink Line, Red Line, Blue Line, Yellow Line & Purple Line - so travel with ease using the New Delhi Metro

Ladies have a special car and seats marked for disabled & senior citizens 

7) Auto rickshaws - most popular mean of public transport in New Delhi - locals paid a nominal charge of Rs20-30 for a short 2-3 km ride, expect foreigners to pay double & vary depending upon the time of the day, number of passengers, your negotiation skills & mood of the driver ! You will observe superb driving skills demonstrated by auto rickshaws in high traffic junctions, narrow roads or lanes so have fun and sit tight in all your rickshaw rides ! Our group used the auto rickshaw to major tourist sites which are normally located 3-4 km from Metro stations !




8) Connaught Place & Central Park, Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi - 10-15 minutes walk from Pahar Ganj