Day 2 in Delhi
on Roundabouts in Delhi (India), 14/Dec/2010 04:00, 34 days ago
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Making garlands outside Sai Baba Mandir So, the difference a day makes.  At least I was a bit less scared of Delhi today than I was yesterday. I couldn’t really say what has changed specifically today except that the more of the city I get to see and the longer I have to acclimatise the less daunting it seems.  I think also that despite being resolved to keep an open mind it still came as more of a shock than I thought it would, the smells, the sheer numbers of people and stray dogs, my helplessness in shops at not being able to speak Hindi, the children begging on the street that relentlessly follow you with their hands outstretched and tugging on your clothes. I knew to expect all of this but there is a big difference between sitting at home reading a book about it and seeing pictures to actually being here and being confronted by it. I thought I’d of known better from past experiences of travelling but every new place is different and sometimes although you expect the unexpected you forget that the situations you expected to find can come as just as much of a shock.  I’m sure tomorrow will be different again but slowly some of my fear seems to be changing to curiosity.