Day one in Dehli – the one where I walked.

After 30 hours on a train with a screaming child next to me, I arrived in Delhi and made my way to the Lord Krishna Hotel in Pahar Ganj (it’s the Delhi version of Koh San Road in Bangkok. But with less Pad Thai, more chapattis – and no McDs). I met Buda and Maja (again!) in time for their last night in India before they headed home to Serbia. Having waved them off at 1am, I crashed out for the night – and woke up at 7am to the soothing sound of scooters, cars, cows, people, dogs... It’s a very peaceful neighbourhood.

I decided to break myself in ‘gently’ so, after breakfast (including a fix of my latest addiction; masala tea), I went for a walk down the Main Bizarre to Connaught Place. It’s a bit like London in rush hour - all the time.

After the sixth man ‘accidently’ fell into step with me and asked for my name, my age, my marital status, my plans for the day, my feelings about India and my feelings about Indian men, I decided to get into a rickshaw and hide myself inside the National Museum for a couple of hours.

Lots of stone figurines, swords and miniature paintings later (actually, the paintings were really interesting!), I braved the outside world again (dodging rickshaw drivers and a few more friendly young men) and headed to the Ghandi Smriti. This was a very different walk - compared to my morning stroll it felt eerily deserted. Long, wide tree lined roads with empty well kept pavements.

The Ghandi Smriti was really good – and free! As well as the home where Ghandi spent the last days of his life, there’s a memorial pathway that follows his last walk to the place of his assassination. With quotes from Ghandi posted along the path, it’s a moving experience. There’s also an incredible interactive section to the museum – a cross between my childhood memories of the hands on bit of the science museum and the Tate Modern.

Feeling calmed, I tracked down the nearest Metro station (which was not 5k away as the rickshaw drivers tried to tell me!), and rode the ladies only carriage back to New Delhi Station (which, confusingly, is not in New Delhi but between Old Delhi and Pahar Ganj).

Dinner, book, bed.