Shakti Properties and builders

It was 8 years ago in June, the last time I came to India. The experience was something that has stuck with me ever since so I was very keen to come back. Unfortunately, I was not properly on blipfoto at the time I was there last time, if you remember when Michael Jackson died, that was eight years ago when I was in India. Much has changed since those eight years, understandably. For once I find myself with some time to actually detail my day so I might go into a wee bit more detail than I often get the time to.

I arrived actually at 4am this morning, we were sitting on the plane for about five minutes after the initial rush for everyone to stand up and then literally I reckon 5 minutes later, I was through passport control. Driven from the airport to Noida at 4:30am you might expect it to be quite quiet, au contraire, masses of trucks, forbidden to drive a large part of the day and then we bump into roadworks, the 4:30am let's just do some here.

At the hotel, shortish sleep, up before ten for some breakfast. Having managed to avoid the Delhi belly last time, I am very keen to do likewise this time so I am easing myself in. Out for a wander, to very expensive malls, well I say very expensive, if you imagine the UK, then yes, it is pretty much as expensive as there. Some things even more so.

So that is one change. Another is potentially inevitable. As the 'middle class' moves up, a large number of the rest are not getting any better off. Maybe last time, I was in a hotel which was in a very sanitised area. This time however, the hotel is truly surrounded by what I had seen in other parts of Delhi and other places we visited. There are two malls near the hotel, one easy to get to, well if you know how to negotiate the traffic and the second further away, involving a bit of a walk. On my way back from this second one, a girl aged no more than 4 years old, tried to get my iPhone out of my pocket.

Such is life, reminded me of a scene from Slumdog Millionaire.

Anyway, great to be back, far more vigilant this time round and noticing all the changes.

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