Officially I am based in Delhi. Until now though, I haven't spent a huge amount of time there. Even if I don't yet have a flat in the city, and so far haven't met more than a few people there, I'm getting into the process of making it feel like home. During the last week, I manage to spend a couple of days and evenings exploring some parts of the city.
My first impression is that Delhi is (and seems to have been for a while) in transformation. Many of the most visible things (but maybe not the more subtle) are due to the commonwealth games, which began last Sunday.
When I arrived in Delhi, it was pretty much a mess. The central square (Connaught Place – the white buildings in the pictures) was basically a huge construction site, dust and, muddy. Now you're met by a completely different sight. Even though there are many last minute fixes here and there still to be done, a large part of the main work seems to have been completed and the center is now a radically different experience with newly paved roads & freshly painted buildings.
It is indeed a huge city, but New Delhi in the south, feels quite manageable. There are separate districts & colonies and using the metro lines for orientation you can quite easily grasp the layout and structure. The fact that there has been a big city here a long time back means that there are loads of sights to see and many, many places to get lost walking in.
Over the next few months I hope to take the time in between my field visits & other travels to explore much more of this place that, officially at least, is now my home!
