Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 India Friday 18th-November-2016. Moradabad to Delhi. 106 miles. I had a nice early start today as I wanted to reach Delhi. But I wasn’t sure how far it was or whether I would make it or not. After getting on my bike, I put my headphones on, and it was head down and cycle! I never put my headphones on and listen to music (I like to hear what’s happening around me), but I knew it was a dual carriageway to Delhi, and I just wanted to get there.
After looking at the map last night, I debated only going as far as Ghaziabad today and sorting a hotel out for my last few days in India from there. Oh, how I wished I did!
I knew it was a mistake to arrive in Delhi in the dark! The traffic was a nightmare, and I couldn’t find any hotels. After cycling around and around, I eventually stumbled upon a group of hotels. The only trouble was that they were all at the top end of the market, all five-star hotels, and I hate those types of hotels. But by now, I’d had enough, so I chose the unbranded hotel or rather a brand I didn’t know and hopefully the cheapest.
Initially, the over-officious security guard wouldn’t let me take my bike past the security gates and into the grounds. But there was no way I was leaving my bike outside the hotel. A hundred or so yards away from reception. He was having none of it, but I kept arguing with him. Eventually, he got a manager, who dismissed him and let me take my bike up to the hotel entrance.
Finally
After checking in and having a shower (I’m not surprised that the security guard wouldn’t let me in after looking at how dirty I was!) I went up to the “sky bar” on the hotel roof only to be refused entry because I didn’t have shoes on! I explained that I was staying in the hotel and that I’d cycled here and didn’t have any shoes. In the end, he relented and let me in but stuck me in a corner away from everybody else, where I got ignored by the waiter!
After a quick beer and something to eat, which no doubt has cost me a small fortune, I went back to my room to try and find a cheaper, friendlier hotel. That was after paying for the wifi, which you usually get free, but expensive hotels always charge for some reason! In fact, everything in posh hotels is a chargeable extra!
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Delhi Man! I expect they inherited the class system from us. Will you come back with a sitar strapped on your back? I admire your grit.
I doubt it I’m not musical at all, I couldn’t even play the recorder at school!