This morning we decided we were going to "splurge" to go first class on the train back to Delhi. India had other plans for us, as always. Turns out the train we were on didn't have first class so we ended up back on The Prison Train. At least this time it wasn't soaking wet and crammed full. But we did regret not getting to experience the first class ride (AC and your own seat suddenly SO luxurious). Ah well, next time. 
We also decided that we were not going to let Delhi get the best of us. I did not want to leave India with only the negative images of Delhi that our first days here had left burned in my brain so we decided to spend our last day here and conquer it once and for all.
We retur
ned to the street where we spent our first night in India, along the main bazaar in Paharganj. We paid a random hostel to keep our bags for us, fortified ourselves with one last Indian meal and then... went shopping. We actually hadn't done any shopping since being here so we wanted to spend some time wandering the bazaar and grabbing up some cheap finds on our way out. And cheap finds I found. Score!
ned to the street where we spent our first night in India, along the main bazaar in Paharganj. We paid a random hostel to keep our bags for us, fortified ourselves with one last Indian meal and then... went shopping. We actually hadn't done any shopping since being here so we wanted to spend some time wandering the bazaar and grabbing up some cheap finds on our way out. And cheap finds I found. Score!We then hired a taxi driver to take us around to some of the main sights in Delhi. Seemed a shame to be here and not have seen at least one of the major sights in the city. W
e went to a beautiful temple and the India Gate, both of which it turns out were just lovely at night. We also technically saw the Akshardham Temple (the most famous and most beautiful of them all) and the burial site of Ghandi, but only technically. Both were closed when we go there, but at least we sort of saw them. At least we tried.
e went to a beautiful temple and the India Gate, both of which it turns out were just lovely at night. We also technically saw the Akshardham Temple (the most famous and most beautiful of them all) and the burial site of Ghandi, but only technically. Both were closed when we go there, but at least we sort of saw them. At least we tried. 
At some point we had to face our fate and head to the airport. Since our flight leaves at the ungodly hour of 3:30 am, we didn't think it was worth it to get a hotel room, only to have to leave it at midnight or so. So we planned to just spend the evening hanging out at the airport, having dinner, reading and catching up after being offline for so long.
But, yet again, in true India fashion, the Delhi Airport is the best and worst of everything. The best: it's actually quite remarkable, clean and new and modern and well-kep
t and full of great stores and restaurants (it's so surreal to walk from the streets of Delhi into such a luxurious place)... and in the waiting areas they have seats that lay completely flat so you can really rest while you wait. The worst: the fact that it has WiFi, but you can only access it if you have an Indian cell phone number. Considering that a minimum of 75% of the passengers in the airport are non-Indians and surely don't have Indian cell phone numbers, it seems like a stellarly stupid system. So, yeah, six hours in an airport twiddling your thumbs.
t and full of great stores and restaurants (it's so surreal to walk from the streets of Delhi into such a luxurious place)... and in the waiting areas they have seats that lay completely flat so you can really rest while you wait. The worst: the fact that it has WiFi, but you can only access it if you have an Indian cell phone number. Considering that a minimum of 75% of the passengers in the airport are non-Indians and surely don't have Indian cell phone numbers, it seems like a stellarly stupid system. So, yeah, six hours in an airport twiddling your thumbs.Ah, India, you trump me in the end after all!
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