India (Day 26 to Day 28)

Day 26 (Saturday 14th) - Delhi

Our train from Varanasi deposited us at a different station in Delhi to where we had been expecting to arrive, so after a little adventure on the new metro system we eventually made it back to the Paharganj area of the city, where we stayed the first night. We met up with the others, just in from Jodhpur, in Old Delhi for lunch, before visiting the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque. We climbed up the minaret, to a tiny gallery at the top from where we got a slightly hazy view of the bustling streets of the city, the Red Fort and the Yamuna river. In the evening, we had dinner at a restaurant in Connaught Place, before going to a bar just around the corner, where the entertainment was provided by a live jukebox!

Day 27 (Sunday 15th) - Delhi

Sunday marked the 63rd anniversary of Indian independence, and so a lot of the main sights were shut for this national holiday. After a late start, I took the metro down to New Delhi and walked around the outside of the Indian Houses of Parliament and President's residency (the former Viceroy's palace). I then walked down the long avenue from here leading to the India Gate, a huge archway engraved with the names of Indian soldiers fallen in the First World War and the Indo-Afghan war of 1919. After wending my way back to the hotel, I met up with Callum for a light supper and then with the others as well for drinks in a rooftop bar.

Day 28 (Monday 16th) - Delhi

For our last day, we visited the Qutb Minar complex, a collection of archaeological ruins to the south of the city, including a giant minaret, and the remains of a mosque constructed from intricately carved stonework. We also visited Hamyuman's tomb, a mausoleum built in a similar style to the Taj Mahal.

Tonight, we are having our last meal in the rotating restaurant in Connaught Place, which will hopefully have some nice views of the city by night. Our flight leaves Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6.30am tomorrow, so we have a very early start! We should touch down at Heathrow around midday! The holiday has been a fantastic experience, and we've been able to see an amazingly diverse collection of places including cities, mountains, deserts, forts, palaces, and Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, and Christian temples!

See you all soon!