DAY one of our journalist familiarization tour started as quick as the sun rose upon New Delhi. Monday the 19th of August, a hot day brewed with the weather here, always staying up the thermostat. A low of 29 degrees up to a high of 32 degrees.
Believe me when I say, it seems like it hugged 32° mark for almost the whole day. It is monsoon seasons here, and while I am complaining, in a way, I should appreciate that PNG weather hasn’t got anything on India’s heat which can reach above 40 plus degrees in the hotter months. The day’s visits were to the International Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR, that basically is a classified setup hosted by the Indian Navy where maritime and security is furthered with top notch state of the art surveillance.
The picture below was the only one that was taken, with all asked to take observation and mental notes due to the instruments used being advanced to real time. And yes, that’s how classified it is. At any given time, this particular facility monitors over 10,000 plus vessels navigating the vast Indian Ocean, that also includes Asia Pacific.
The horn of Africa which is the outlet from the Suez Canal The facility has representative militaries from 14 other countries that operate there. Monitoring thousands of kilometres of undersea internet cables as well. I think this is where I stop before I get in trouble.
As the sun was about to hit its apex for the day, it would only seem fitting that we visit the International Solar Alliance (ISA) at Gwal Pahari, Gurugram. This international alliance was born in 2015 in a co-partnership between France and India. It takes on a mandatory effort to bring effective solutions to the capture and utilisation of solar energy and the effective use of the renewable energy source.
I perused the membership, noting Papua New Guinea as being a member, also our flags instantly caught my attention the moment I walked into the room. You know the feeling anyone gets seeing their national flag among others is always a good one, especially overseas. A couple of initiatives has seen us benefit from programmes and reports which sadly have not reached our local media in terms of the good work being done that our government is doing through relevant agencies that have not being relayed to our greater population and the press.
Done from ISA, we were about to take on real Indian traffic. I would like to put out a disclaimer for impatient drivers like myself, that I will never complain about our traffic conditions back in Port Moresby. And yes, if you thought Gerehu to Waigani, 9 Mile to the overhead bridge at Erima are epic traffic conditions, wait till you see this.
The queues here were as far as the eye could see in either direction. As the sun beat down on our bus, the air condition was at war with the heat from outside. At best I lost track of time as I drifted to sleep as a result of the AC fighting with the Delhi temperature.
When I woke up as we took a turn to exit one of the eight lanes, I was informed that August 19 is the Raksha Bandhan, celebrated annually by Hindus worldwide, honours the bond between brothers and sisters. People all frequent visits to the public park that contains The Gate, a memorial to fallen soldiers from India during World War I. Key rituals include tying the rakhi, exchanging gifts, and observing fasts.
It was approaching 3pm when the festival takes full stage. Public places teeming with people. Traffic in Delhi is a science of its own, I kid you not.
Driving is a game of physics, brain and eye coordination. The number of near misses on their roads would give a number of people I know severe anxiety attacks. Will not name names in fear of reprisals when I get back home.
Drivers here weaponize the horn. It is the most single important apparatus on any moving vehicle or motorcycle. From the smallest rickshaw, the largest dump truck.
Honking is always continuous on the roads and I wouldn’t blame the motorists, comes with the territory. The horn levels the playing field on the roads here. Lanes operate where drivers predetermine their trajectory and make some of the boldest moves I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world on my travels.
We visited our host at the Ministry of External Affairs and was impressed with the level of global leadership in the head of the foreign affairs sector. Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar is a well-versed operator for the state. Not only a seasoned politician, but a seasoned diplomat at the heart of India’s step up in global affairs (more in separate news reports to be published on PC Online).
Motorised rickshaws are everywhere here. Single motorbike fitted with a passenger cabin. There are bicycles running the service.
But they are very few, with almost all motorised these days. Travelling to around four Asian countries already I have never taken on the opportunity to take a ride in a rickshaw. The night was hot and humid, but the situation of getting supplies beyond the hotel precincts demanded the exploration out into Delhi’s night shops and markets.
(Rupees)₹150 (K6.95) is the cost for us to get there. A 10-to-15-minute drive out we were in search of three particular things.
A pair of change for our South African colleague who decided to come with only three pairs of clothing. Don’t ask me why, only he and someone wise back at home gave the brilliant advice to travel light. We were also in search of an ATM machine at the stated location, and lastly, as with all good gentlemen with a hankering to try the local brew, the search took us around in circles rather to a liquor shop tucked away from the main road.
We ended up at a night flea market named Janpath. A market filled to the brim with clothing and accessories both traditional and current. Every seller eager to make a sale, they almost literally grab you by the hand or shoulder to take you into the burrows of their stalled walled up with garments and other knickknacks.
Prices thrown about in the air and your bargaining skills thoroughly tested out. So, to sum up, we pretty much hunted for a rickshaw, then hunted for some clothes, hunted for an ATM, and finally managed to purchase local brew called ‘Hunter’. Yes, I know a bit on the nose with that named brand but it’s nice when things work out narrating this diary entry.
Day one ended on a high on different levels, but on the other goals I mentioned in facing off with a monkey in the street, my quest still continues on that as soon as I have some free time from the long tour schedule. The incredible journey continues to day two. Lukim yu.
...
