Delhi - Old and New Part 2

Hello from Delhi,

I've been staying with some of my mother's friends in the Defence Colony neighborhood of New Delhi. Defence Colony is an upscale community of Delhi, housing many doctors, retired military personel, etc. Make no mistake that Defence Colony is still in India, so it's outward apperances will not seem particularly upscale to the American eye. Poverty is still evident, but less so than other regions of Delhi.

My hosts, Rajesh and Poonam, have been extremely kind to me. In fact, I've been very impressed by the hospitality of the Indians I have met. I came to India very paranoid. For the first day of or so, I expected every person I met to have a secret agenda to steal my money, or to trick me into a scam. After speaking to many Indians, I found that the majority are extremely helpful. I still walk around with my hands stuck in my pockets as a preventive measure against pickpockets, but I'm much more willing to engage with Indians. After all, I came to India to experience India. And the only way to do this is the engage with the people, who represent the spirit and core of the country.

Many people ask if I have come from China, and I have formed the habit of not correcting them. I found that it is advantageous to appear non-American or European. We all know that America and Europe are racially and ethnically diverse. But the common Indian conception of 'American' and 'European' is white-skinned with a hair color that isn't black. 'American' and 'European' is also associated with the dollar sign, which makes sense--because if you can afford the plane ticket to fly to India, you are richer than a large percentage of her people. That is why they charge Indian nationals 10 rupees to see Humayun's Tomb, and 250 rupees for foreigners. Although I still paid 250 rupees to see Humayun's Tomb, I find that I've avoided many scams and overcharged services just by looking Eastern Asian. So temporarily, while I'm still in India, I am born and raised in China with a remarkably good American accent. I haven't even bothered to explain that I'm actually Taiwanese, since many of the people believe that it is a region in Japan. Shhh. Don't spill my secret.

So here are some general advice for those who are thinking about traveling to Delhi or India in general:
1) Dress comfortably. Cottons are good in Delhi ANY time of the year. Currently, the peak temperature in Delhi is around 37 degrees centigrade, and it is only going to get hotter.
2) Dress conservatively--especially if you are female. I cringe everytime a see a foreign traveler wearing short shorts and tank tops. Just look at the Indian women around you. They're all dressed in a saree or a salwar kameez--all of which cover their legs and most of their arms. Keep in mind that the dudes on the streets of Delhi stare. Sometimes, but not always, it's the kind of lecherous stare that really creeps you out. It gets worse if you expose more of your skin.
3) Try to develop a bladder of steel. Delhi toilets are disgusting. If you can't develop a bladder of steel, carry with you coins worth two rupees. You can gain access to nicer loos if you pay two rupees. It sounds stupid to pay for a dump, but it prevents your gag reflex from getting overused.
4) Manage your money wisely. This is the strategy that I have used so far: I always carry a money belt that holds the majority of my cash and travelers cheques--along with my passport. This repository is always concealed underneath my clothes. From that main repository, I would put 1000-1500 rupees in a money pouch. If I only have a 1000 rupee note, I would ask for change. I would then use rubber bands to tie together notes of similar value. For example, I would tie 50 rupee and 10 rupee notes together. This bundle of notes would be used mainly for auto-rickshaw rides (yes, I did ride several auto-rickshaws...just as a means of convenience and to satisfy the curiosity of certain individuals who read this travel blog), because the drivers ask for exact payment. Any notes of higher value--100 rupees, 500 rupees, 1000 rupees, etc--would be tied together, although I would avoid flashing a 1000 rupee note. The point of this is to reveal money suitable for its occasion. You wouldn't want to show an auto-rickshaw driver that you have 500 rupees when you only want to pay 70 rupees for your trip. They will almost always ask for more payment if you do this.
5) Negotiate on a suitable payment with an autorickshaw (aka auto) before you step into the vehicle. If you don't do this, they may take you to your destination on the most indirect route to increase the count on the meter--therefore, more money for them. Unless you know the streets of Delhi very well, always negotiate on a price before your ride with the auto.

After reading the above, you may think that I'm being too tight-assed and precautious to fully enjoy India. I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Delhi so far because I have taken the time to think of ways to, for example, manage my money. In fact, within these two days I have seen and visited the entire city, from the cow-ridden streets of Old Delhi to the trendy shops of New Delhi. Hopefully, many of my tips will benefit those who wish to visit India in the future.

Finally, I apologize for this long entry. When I get up into the mountains, you won't hear from me as often as you do now. My last Delhi entry will focus on all the places that I've visited. Hopefully, I will be able to get some photos uploaded, so I can make the next update a photo entry, with minimal text. I'll let you guys Wikipedia the tourist sites yourself.

--Vania