Today was my first full day in India, and I was really looking forward to the day ahead now that I was feeling more refreshed. So, after breakfast it was time to explore both New and Old Delhi. Our first stop was to see the beautiful Shri Laxmi Narayan Temple (Birla Mandir) in New Delhi which is a large Hindu Temple dedicated to the principal deities, Lakshmi and Vishnu. It was built by the Birla family and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The temple has over three hectares of land and is so clean and well looked after. It features multiple shrines, beautiful and fragrant gardens, and fountains. Unfortunately, no photos can be taken in here to show the immense beauty of the place, so you can only take some photos from the front that don’t really do the temple any justice at all. You will need to take your socks off to walk around the temple area, so you may need to bring a pay of socks with you if you are wearing sandals and don’t wish to walk around in bare feet! There are a lot of birds flying around the temple, too, that include whistling kites and green parakeets.

Next was a visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque that was built between 1644 and 1658 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, and is one of the largest mosques in India. Muslims traditionally gather here for Friday communal prayer. The mosque has an incredible courtyard that is constructed from white marble and red sandstone – quite magnificent! Women need to cover up their shoulders, arms and legs here and any men wearing shorts need to cover up their legs. The place was really organised, and robes were issued to everyone on entry so that everyone looks the same and can be correctly covered up without having to worry.

Our next stop was in Old Delhi where we got the chance to have a rickshaw ride, which is basically a seat behind a bicycle. I really enjoyed this little trip around Old Delhi, even though it was a little hair-raising at times because I thought the rickshaw may overturn while the cyclist was trying to engineer the bad road conditions. It was, however, such an authentic way to see the town that is vibrant and busy but offers the ‘real India’ with no frills. We passed old cultural buildings and many little street stalls laden with fruit, vegetables and spices that would put most of the UK supermarkets to shame; they looked wonderful!

Delhi is like many parts of India in that the roads are extremely busy with often many people in every vehicle. Horns are honked all day long on the roads, but I think I became immune to the noise after a while. There are also a number of beggars and pedlars, as in most areas of India, along with stray dogs and wandering cattle and goats. Litter is quite apparent in some areas, too, that mingles in with the poverty. Lots of local crafts are on offer in bright colours from Indian bangles to jewelled handbags. The Indians do enjoy a good haggle, though, so this is the place to practice your bartering skills, and you will hopefully manage to get lots of well-priced souvenirs and gifts to take home with you

Our last visit before lunch was to India Gate in New Delhi which is a memorial to the 90,000 Indian servicemen who died during WWI. This is a slick and impressive memorial made from sandstone amidst beautifully landscaped gardens, and it has an archway that is like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The whole area had a very regal feel about it.

After a nice break for lunch at a small restaurant in New Delhi, we resumed our sightseeing with an afternoon visit to Qutab Minar which is a 73-metre-high victory tower. The UNESCO World Heritage site was built between 1192 and 1220 and is made from red sandstone and marble. It is quite a large complex with some beautiful stonework. The wildlife was quite apparent throughout India, and here was no exception when numerous tame chipmunks appeared around the grounds.

My first day had been busy, but pleasantly tiring. The weather was glorious all day, too, but it didn’t feel too hot. I did manage to annoyingly acquire several mosquito bites during my first day, so I needed to up the insect repellent the next day. I did notice a few mosquitos hanging around under the shade of the trees, so make sure you bring plenty of repellent with you if you visit. So, it was finally back to our hotel to get freshened up and off to eat before getting some much-needed sleep before the next day’s adventures…