Delhi Belly

A humorous description of going around the city of Delhi

                                                   Delhi Belly

 

                      When the warm October sun draws in and the prospect of another holiday is on the calendar, like everybody else I, too, feel the excitement in the air. The first sentence itself states the contents of the article; a passionately written day-to-day travelogue. Some of you may put down the paper in exasperation while some others, more sympathetic to a novice trying to express his thoughts may continue reading or maybe today being a lazy Sunday afternoon.......

But this ain’t your usual travelogue. When one visits Delhi, for the first or second time, they are usually rushing across the city to look at the Qutab Minar, then compare the real thing to the notes they had made prior visit, then throw another volley of questions at the harassed tour guide, or maybe gaze blankly at the Red Fort from a distance, not quite realizing that it’s red, all the while wondering Should I really go inside? And then after a quick glance at the watch and another few minutes shuffling through the itinerary list decides Nah, waste of time. There’s also the India Gate and then a trip of Chandi Chowk which is almost going to take half a day.

That’s a typical tourist; a tourist who goes to Delhi for a short trip-say a week or two. True, Delhi is huge and seven days just flies like a remote control helicopter with the amount of things the metropolis offers.

But then again, I am not your usual tourist.

My rendezvous with Delhi started when I arrived at IGA at around 12 noon and right after a meal at a relative’s place (I was staying there) headed out to Ansal Plaza which was a short distance away.

Travelling to Delhi after nearly eight years, I was promised to a lot of changes. And to be frank, even if nothing had changed, I was still promised to a lot of changes. (I did not remember Delhi at all)

For those of you who don’t know, there is a Candyland in Ansal Plaza. It does exactly offer a wide variety of candies since most of the bowls are usually empty, yet I still managed to get some really great ones,although I would suggest you don’t try the marshmallow.

Dinner that night was pizza from Papa John and I need to really say this: Improve the size, it’s not big enough for even one person,especially when that person has a bottomless pit for a stomach.

That was my first conquest. Ansal Plaza: taste Candyland. Check. Papa John. Check.

The next morning, my cousins took me to M Block. And realized it was Tuesday. (It’s closed on Tuesdays) So after a lot of debating, we headed towards Saket Mall.

We took the auto to Saket.  As soon as I saw the gigantic building looming above the road, I felt my jaws going limp. It was colossal; that is the only thing I can say.

I entered the mall with my mouth still hanging and wished I had dressed better. The impeccably styled place was full of girls in high heels and leather jackets though the guys were dressed as though they just got out of bed-so maybe I looked okay compared to them. Anyway.

We went straight to TGIF and had this huge meal combo and after a lot of burping went to Hamley’s. And God. God. Those toys. Everywhere it was full of toys, soft and cuddly, from angry birds to Hedwig.

And we started playing with them; the Artic wolves, Doremon, a huge Bengal Tiger, then Marty from Madagascar and a white cat and a puppy and...it was actually a hilarious sight: three college students and a fifteen year old playing like five year olds.

The walk around the mall was long and we passed all the shops of international designers: Forever 21, Mango, Vera Moda, Promode, Aldo and....

Next stop: Cocoberry. I helped myself to chocolate yogurt and three different sprinkles of almonds, chocolate chips and more chocolate chips.

It was heaven. I mean who knew yogurt could taste so yum?

And then in Starbucks, with its panelled wood and overstuffed sofas, I chose a plain coffee which blew off my budget, but then again, it was Starbucks. And Starbucks is Starbucks. I almost felt like Catherine Zeta Jones in-wait I forgot the name of the movie.

That day: TGIF. Check. Cocoberry. Tick. Starbucks. Check. Select City Mall. Double check.

Vasant kunj. That’s DLF Promenade to you. Vasant kunj can pretty much be the Soho of Delhi or Fifth Avenue, if you want to go to that extreme. It was an exhilarating experience. If I thought Saket was too good to be true, DLF was the ultimate. Gucci, Armani, Louis Vitton...we headed towards the food courts. Because that was the only thing we could afford.

The food court was a huge expanse of floor with different shops offering a huge array of well, food. I ordered a lasagne and it was so good! I had never tasted lasagne so good. No wonder it’s called cheesy.

In the grocery shop at DLF, we picked up a selection of frozen meat: ham, bacon and sausages, then baked beans and juice (we were planning on an English breakfast the next morning) and while the payment was being done,helped ourselves shamelessly to the free snacks on display.

I know.

DLF. Check.

The next morning, we went on another expedition. We took an auto to Sarojini Market.

Sarojini has a crowded and gay atmosphere , and I had to shout to hear myself above the cacophony of different voices . It felt a little like being in Diagon Alley from Harry Potter. Anyway, there I ended up buying a whole lot of things within my budget and left feeling very clever indeed.

Later that evening, it was Lajpat Nagar and another round of clever bargaining, and then to McDonald’s where I helped myself to a large Maharaja Mac. It really was a Maharaja of a burger. There I also developed a taste for my newest favourite drink: iced tea.

Sarojini. Check. McDonald’s. Check. Lajpat. Check.

An actual PVR experience was another thing I wanted to take back with me. So the morning we spent watching the latest PVR release Gravity in 3D. More than the movie, it was the experience that counted for me. 

Khan Market is one of a kind. No, actually, it’s not one of a kind. There is absolutely nothing special about it except for this really small, tiny...bakery L’Opera. Now that’s an authentic, like really authentic French bakery. Everything right from the decor to the goodies available...it was so French. And way too expensive. But then it was too tempting for me and finally, I ended up happily with a chicken quiche and an actual chocolate croissant on my plate. Lovely. So meaty and so crusty and so everything.

CP. Connaught Place. We had taken the metro and the moment I walked through the corridors of CP, those white arches and Roman-esque designs, old memories came flooding back to me. I was having a moment there. I was kid again holding my mom’s hand, walking through the same corridors.

PVR. Check. L’Opera and Khan Market. Check. CP. Check.

I spent the last day at M Block. My cousin had to get a blouse so I went along because I still hadn’t gone to Dunkin’ Donuts. Earlier my experience of donuts is that they were dry and rubbery and awful but donuts in Dunkin’ Donuts were anything but. It was soft and chewy and was filled with a creamy warm liquid so whenever you bit into it you were rewarded with a heavenly taste. So yum. And cupwich. So bloody addictive. I would suggest whenever you visit Dunkin’ Donuts, go for the cupwich. Just another piece of heaven fallen from the skies.

M Block-Tick. Dunkin’ Donuts. Check.

Then the next morning at the airport, I settled for a steaming hot coffee from Costa Rica and chicken sandwiches. And then I flew back home on my own.

Some of you might think I had thoroughly wasted my seven days. Who goes to Delhi and only roams around in the South extension? What about the cultural heritage of the capital?

Sometimes for a tourist, it is best to just take it easy and relax.

 It is about the essence of the place that you acquire and when you leave you know and feel like a different person who has seen and done things through their own casual laid back perspective. And it the end, that’s what counts

And that explains my statement. It’s not exactly a travelogue.

 

 

Pixie Holt