Private Car to Delhi

The next morning, Jan was thankfully feeling much better, so we decided to head out right away—being in a hospital is never much fun. It took us a while to track down the doctor who needed to confirm that his tests were all clear. This time, there was no green stuff or blood in his urine, so we were off to see the Taj Mahal! Our hospital stay cost us 3600 rs. As we were leaving, we were followed by some nurses hoping to score a tip, even though they hadn’t been involved with us at all—they just heard we were there. We couldn’t take our luggage with us to the Taj Mahal because there are strict security checks and searches for everything you bring in. So, we headed over to Turists Rest Guesthouse, where we had stayed our first night in the city. They kindly stored our bags while we went to see the Taj Mahal. This iconic site hardly needs an introduction. The entrance fee was 750 rs per person. Everywhere we turned, there were guides offering their services. We thought we’d found one who spoke Danish when we saw “Danish” on his shirt, but sadly, that was just his name! :) The Taj Mahal is absolutely stunning, and the gardens surrounding it are just as beautiful, filled with flowers and fountains. After exploring the Taj Mahal, we settled down in the garden to relax. It was lovely to soak up the sun and enjoy a bit of peace away from all the vendors. We were planning to head to Delhi today, so we made our way to the train station, where we unfortunately discovered that the train would take six hours. The fast train didn’t leave until 8:30 PM, and it would only take two hours to reach Delhi. We didn’t want to wait that long, so when we met an Indian doctor couple who were willing to share a private car for 2000 rs over 200 km in 3.5 hours, we jumped at the chance. The man was Dr. Prakash, an ultrasound technician, and his wife was an ENT doctor. During the drive to Delhi, we had plenty of opportunities to ask if the medication Jan received at the hospital was the right one. We also asked about all the things that puzzled us. They confirmed that it’s quite normal to see cows, pedestrians, cyclists, and bus stops right in the middle of a highway. These roads aren’t exactly what we expect from a highway, which is why it takes so long to get anywhere—cars can’t drive fast because they constantly have to navigate around obstacles! :) When we arrived in Delhi, our first impression of the city was a bit shocking. While we were stopped at a red light, a girl approached the car and knocked on the window. We looked out and were almost fainting. There was a girl outside who had one hand amputated, and a dirty, bloody bandage covered the wound. The others in the car took it all in stride. They told us it was a fake bandage, likely with fake blood from a chicken, and the girl was just a good actress. This was just another way to beg for money. They also confirmed that a lot of begging in India is organized. We checked into Janpath Guesthouse for 650 rs after dropping off the Indian doctor couple at their home. We got their number in case we needed more medical help. Jan is still feeling better, but he’s on a strict diet, so we had dinner at a nice five-star hotel. We hoped the food would be hygienic and good. We struck up a conversation with a couple at the next table. The woman was a designer looking for new suppliers. After we finished eating, we went up to the reception to ask how much it would cost to stay at a place like this. They were fully booked, but one night would cost 250 USD—ah, no thanks, maybe another time! :) Back at our hotel, we discovered that there was no mattress or almost none on the bed—it was as hard as a rock. We had to go down to the reception to borrow an extra mattress and some blankets so we could actually sleep! :)