Friday 30 March/Saturday 31 March 2012 - We left Hong Kong on Friday night but had a delayed start as we turned back from the end of the runway due to a problem with a hydraulic pump. Luckily some two hours later we headed west.
As it turned out Delhi airport was a breeze as we seemed to have missed the midnight congestion as all the European flights arrive and we made it in record time to the Eros Hotel - managed by Hilton !
On Saturday I had arranged a car and driver and sensibly agreed a late start. So after a big breakfast we spent the day visiting the highlights of Delightful Delhi. Our first stop was Lotus Temple. We thought this would be a ancient monument dating back tio the Moghul times but it turned out to be a concrete building set in nice grounds built by the American Bahia Faith. Think the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City ! Our next stop was Humayun's Tomb. This was a very impressive Moghul tomb which has been significantly renovated by the Aga Khan Foundation - rebuilding part of the walls that surround the tomb and also replanting the gardens and renovating the water feature. Before lunch our drive stopped at the Delhi Haag - unfortunately not the real one where we were soft sold pashmina's of very varying quality. Next stop a vegetarian lunch !
New Delhi was laid out by the english architect Edward Lutyens - who also designed the Hampstead Garden Suburb where Trevor grew up. The India Gate lies at the centre of a series of radiating avenues. From Imperial Delhi we headed to Moghul Delhi Getting to the Lal Qila - the Red Fort - we took our life in our hands as it lay across a dual carriageway from the car park which itself was India chaos ! Passing through walls which are metres thick you entree into a large palace complex which since the time of the British and up until 10 years ago was the army headquarters. Originally the Palace lay on the banks of the river but that now seems to be a dual carriage-way. But the original buildings remain a ham man, a very impressive marble Diwan that was cooled by flowing waters. Unfortunately the Aga Khan has not worked his magic here but the whole is still very impressive.
Back to hotel we had a very nice India meal and off to bed as the jet lag and a short night's sleep caught up with us.