Lost and Trapped in Delhi – Incredible India!

And so it begins!

We’re in India and we’re already being tested!

For those of you just catching up, here’s what happened:

Delhi isn’t kind to travellers.

And I thought I was prepared.

But I wasn’t ‘cos the airline lost my luggage!

LOST LUGGAGE IN DELHI!

We flew Berlin – Munich – Delhi and half-way through the flight, one of the flight attendants discreetly told me that my luggage had been left behind.

In Munich!

In truth, I wasn’t too worried.

Ha!

So we arrived

In Delhi.

And airport staff were waiting with forms and huge smiles.

But what wasn’t waiting for us though, was my husbands’ suitcase!

He has a blue-green Samsonite suitcase which is a 30-year-old model.

I didn’t think it was even worth stealing!

I was wrong apparently!

It was gone!

And nobody knew where it was.

Was it in Germany?

Was it in India?

No-one had any idea.

Sigh!

Thankfully, I had pre-booked a very nice family-friendly bed & breakfast / apartment-hotel.

It was called Aashianaa Living.

I booked it myself via booking.com

I also booked their hotel car!

Because the last thing you ought to be worrying about after a long stressful flight, is where you’re going to sleep or spend the night!

You really don’t want to do that!

Good news!

Our luggage – both suitcases – came two days later.

I couldn’t have been happier!

Phew!

Is that it then?

As if?

Look at the title!

LOST AND TRAPPED IN DELHI!

Err.

So what happened?

Take a seat!

I’m quite an organised person so I pre-booked a “free” walking tour around Delhi.

It was to be an early morning two-hour affair.

But due to the palaver of the night before, we had spent all morning calling the airline and trying to find out where our bags were.

So much so, that by the time we actually left our hotel, it was 09:20.

Our walking tour was to start at 10.00!

No problem I thought.

We’ve got plenty of time.

Wrong!

I called an Uber taxi and then called the tour guide.

Uber is fantastic in India.

If you’ve never used Uber before and you would like to. As a first-time customer, if you use my code – victoriaa12504ue – you’ll get €5.00 off your first ride. It’s like riding for free!

The tour guide told me that we were miles away from the meeting point.

The meeting point was the Red Fort at Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi.

But

We were in New Delhi!

Aha!

He waited for as long as he could and then had to move on, as there were other tourists with him.

He sent us a link of where the next stop would be so that we could catch up.

Umm.

Reader, we never found him!

We followed the Google-link into the market place, but every time we tried to reach the target point, we ended up at the doorway of someone’s private home!

They weren’t pleased!

We went backwards and forwards.

We went around the corners.

We dodged into alleyways.

And then we found ourselves hopelessly lost!

We called the tour guide.

“Oh, you’re just around the corner. I’m wearing a pale blue T-shirt.”

We went around the corner.

And met a stone-brick wall.

We tried and we tried.

After one (1) hour, we gave up.

I called the tour guide and apologetically cancelled the tour.

Ah well.

It shouldn’t be too difficult, we’ll do the “tour” ourselves!

Let’s have a bit of a rest and then find our way out!

Yeah, that didn’t happen.

Haw! Haw!

We searched everywhere for a “restaurant,” but there was none to be found.

We wouldn’t have minded a “cafe,” but in the midst of the Chandni Chowk – one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, such an establishment was alien.

So we went back to Google.

Google said that straight ahead was “a big road.”

Great.

Let’s go there.

We did.

And found that instead of the road getting larger, it was in fact, getting smaller!

It was hot and crowded and we really had no idea where we were.

At one point, the road was so tiny, we were caught up in some sort of scrum and had to leap over piles of filthy sacking and straw that had been thrown put on the floor!

Meanwhile, we struggled to not get crushed by horses, camels, motorbikes, cars, tuk-tuks, rickshaws, people and wheelbarrows stuffed with “things” that choked with so much traffic congestion, that nothing could move!

It wasn’t one of my best ideas. 🤣😆

But we saw and experienced real Delhi so much so, that both The Music Producer and The Tall Young Gentleman were at times quite distressed!

They were brave though and didn’t complain too much as it took us three (3) hours to get out of that mess.

Things began to look up though as local scammers began to approach us so we knew we were near civilisation!

It was a little difficult to shake them off until I spied the Radisson Blu Marina Hotel Connaught Place nearby.

On my instruction, we practically ran there, went upstairs and ordered lots and lots of cocktails at restaurant Fifty9 / The Connaught Bar!

Phew!

IF INDIA DOESN’T BREAK YOU, IT’LL MAKE YOU STRONGER ‘COS INDIA IS HARD!

And for those of you who are over 30 (ahem!).

This blog and the next couple of months weeks, is for you.

India isn’t easy, but if you want to go there.

You can!

And of course, if you’re really nervous, I offer a consultancy, and can help you organise or advice you on many parts of your trip to India!

For more info, click here!

Who doesn’t like an exciting adventure?

Well, follow me over the next few months, and find out!

So  what are you waiting for?

‘Rah! ‘Rah!

LOST AND TRAPPED IN DELHI – INCREDIBLE INDIA!

This article isn’t sponsored, and all opinions and lost adventures in India, are my very own!

p.s. I’ve purposely not mentioned the name of the tour company, as it simply wasn’t their fault.

Stay tuned.

Yay!

That’s it for now.

See you next week!