Mr and Ms X never had India on their bucket list. Like China, it seemed too hard for these travellers to navigate. However, just like China, they decided to not ‘go-it-alone’, and go on a guided trip. An organised tour with just a ‘taste sized’ portion of India would suffice.

An itinerary which took in the three cities of the Golden Triangle fitted the bill.

Our tour guide for the trip, Janeesh, asked us not to make comparisons with our home countries, unless we were going to do like-for like. That is, India’s population is currently 1,500 million whilst Australia’s is 25 million. Melbourne’s population is currently 5.2 million whilst Delhi is 25 million (the size of the whole of Australia.) With this in mind, Ms and Mr X write their observations without judgement.

As soon as this pair made their way through the arrivals-exit doors, the chaos/fun began!

Sorting 40 people into two groups and onto two buses desperately needed these 2 retirees to draw on their school-excursion skills and take over and boy, did they want to….welcome to Delhi!

The first observation was the traffic which would eventually rule their day. A 2 lane dual highway would often have 4 lanes of traffic each way. These could include cars, buses, tuk-tuks, motorbikes, cyclists and/or rickshaws. At any given time a cow might decided to have a rest in the middle of the lane. Along the road there might be more free range cows, monkeys, dogs or water buffalo. City or rural didn’t always exclude such visitors! Therefore a 200km bus trip might take up to 6hrs with these factors and also the fact that buses were restricted to 55kph.

Busy traffic scene in Delhi, showcasing a mix of vehicles including tuk-tuks and cars, under a construction site that looked like it had been abandoned 10 years ago. These unfinished highways became a feature.
A typical scene on Indian roads, showcasing the bustling traffic and a resting cow alongside trucks, illustrating the unique blend of urban and rural life.

A scene on the road in Delhi featuring cows, monkeys, water buffalo and pigeons.

Welcome to India! Here’s the India Gate, a 42-metre high war memorial and stone of triumph.

Below is ‘Jama Masjid’ (the largest mosque in India) was constructed of alternating vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble.

Mr X and Ms X held on tight as they experienced a rickshaw tour through Chandni Chowk, a colourful shopping bazaar in Old Delhi.