Agra, Friday

1643 OK, went out, found west gate and ATM. Bit uneasy with touts in street but nothing like Hellhole Road or Connaught Place in Delhi. Got cash, need to stash it away. Felt bit edgy in street with cash and with cash card exposed. Saw one microscopic 'shop' where water might be available but didn't really like to go in.

Had quick fiddle with air conditioner, doesn't seem to work. Do wonder if it's overridden centrally and not available unless you ask. The master switch for the room lights is outside in the corridor!

Couple of guys tried to get me into their restaurants, I am a bit unsure what to do. Hotel has a rooftop restaurant but not sure if it will be open yet and it's a bit early. Feel a bit displaced in some strange way. Nothing to do but don't feel that comfortable going out for a wander or just eating somewhere random, on both bodily and financial health grounds.

1702 Oh, the bloke I met on the train was going to Kerala, not sure but think he's based there. He said he was south Indian, tho don't know if Kerala is south India or not (he could have moved, I appreciate that). He said I should have got a tour from Delhi and come on the bus instead of taking the train.

Anyway, I'm going to pop out for a very brief wander see if I can find somewhere to buy water and snacks. I have some nut-mix kind of thing from Delhi but be good to get further supplies in. I may well want to bolt something at arse o'clock tomorrow morning or after doing Taj before trying to get tuktuk for the afternoon's tour.

Chap at desk recommended is it Fahetabar Something, 30kmish west, for second full day here, but he said unless you go by bus (no, no, a thousand times no) you have to get a taxi for a day and it's like 1200-1300 (ie more like 2k by the time you tip). Not saying I won't do it but solo it seems pricey and makes me feel a little exposed to the rapacious instincts of my driver. Will look in guide book, see how amazing it's supposed to be.

Anyway, bit nervous - irrationally so - but let's go quest for snacks. Then come back here and see if I can get food and possibly a beer when go out again 7ish. Fortunately shovelled down a couple of bananas at hotel and my usual 150g packet of bourbon biscuits (on train this time, didn't get up in time to eat them at hotel) so not starving, though by 630-7 I expect to have a keener edge on my apetite.

1728 OK, there is a small (open air, without many actual shelves) shop just opposite the hotel, so I got some tiny packets of peanuts and a bottle of chilled (yay! - Reliance Fresh stuff wasn't, and I didn't like to turn on the fridge in the room which was unplugged) water. That means I didn't get to scope out the other nearby dining options, but it's OK. I am not going off this street so it's fine after dark. Someone just turned the light out on me, I said 'sorry?' meaning 'WTF?' and they turned it back on, but FFS. I am probably going to want to go for a slash at 3am and find the lights don't work.

1918 OK, let's go out. Uploaded some more photos though not all, still, connection works fairly well. Couple of power cuts didn't help.

1928 At Shanti Lodge rooftop restaurant. 200 for a beer! (large) I am having a diet coke for now. Thought I couldn't see the Taj but it is indeed looming way huger than I expected as a silhouette on the night sky; I assumed it would be illuminated, dunno if this is not the case generally or it is because it's closed on Friday.

Diet coke can is 330ml but is amazingly tall.

I am actually feeling just the teensiest bit cold; could be me but I suspect it's 'real', maybe being a few floors up makes the difference too. It is OK, it's sort of pleasant in a way.

Am reading Kurt Vonnegut's 'The Sirens Of Titan', which is good - very good in fact - but I am wondering if I have read it before years ago as it is oddly familiar. No big deal of course.

Not super busy up here, three other tables occupied.

May have a beer after this rather than faff going somewhere else. Obviously don't want to be out mega late or get remotely drunk but one or two won't hurt. The view is as good here as it's going to be anywhere else, actually there is something quite cool about the understated silhouette on the horizon. I could sort of imagine someone being brought in without knowing where they were, then sitting here and after five or ten minutes suddenly noticing this huge familiar silhouette.

Oh, as I was following the taxi driver out of station earlier I could swear the guy behind me was feeling my back with his fingers. Could he have been searching for hidden belt (which isn't *there* on me) or was this just my imagination?

2000 Not bad though meat a bit chewy. Still. Will get a beer if can attract any attention.

2040 Sod it, will have a second beer then call it a night. Beer here is Kingfisher Gold, labelled as is evidently usual here as between 3.25% and 5%. Also as evidently usual it has a stamp saying 'for sale in Uttar Pradesh only'; beers in Delhi had similar.

Oh, lots of people seem to spit in Delhi. Noticed it myself, plus signs on metro etc prohibiting it.

2051 It's now so dark the Taj is just a sort of ghostly shadow which takes some effort to see.

Guy at hotel said I can take my mobile into Taj but the leaflet he gave me says I can't, as does my ancient guide book. I will leave it at hotel, if I read the bumf on Taj tonight I can get by without phone-as-guide-book and I don't want to risk being turned back or losing it if they offer to keep it, and can pick it up at hotel afterwards. This is one reason wanted to check the walk over to entrance today. I expect a stream of pilgrims on that route tomorrow morning anyway.

(Guide book says printed guide books are not allowed as well. Leaflet says you can't take 'handbags'. Who knows? Not a big deal even if a bit weird. They give you a bottle of water apparently, good job as guide book says you can't take your own in. No food allowed in and none to be purchased inside too. Definitely need to guzzle something in the morning jic...)

2119 Got bill, 700, of which 400 is the slightly pricey beer. Made it 850. Not too bad, and though food nowhere near as good and atmosphere much less 'rich' (which is generally more suited to me), compared to 1100 at Kwality with just one beer (tho with coffee) isn't too bad, especially considering the 4th or 5th floor setting with view. I bet the view is better during the day, and it is perhaps more packed. Seems oddly 'right' first view of Taj is this silhouette and need to make a serious effort to be up early tomorrow for proper viewing.

2128 Back at hotel, which is a minute or less walk down road. Odd to hear some music in street, presumably from some other bar - there was no music up at that restaurant, so just bits of other people's conversation to hear.

Seeing henna tattooing ad in street am reminded that saw couple of (Indian) women on train with ornate flowerly subtle-but-large-areas-of-hand-and-arm tattooing, which struck me as odd (or exotic if you want to spin it that way). Hadn't noticed that on any of the women I saw in Delhi, maybe it was there and I just didn't notice.

Will probably try this hotel's rooftop restaurant tomorrow night, or maybe for lunch if I don't feel mega rushed. Frankly unless someone somehow offers (eg via hotel desk) to share a car out to that other place, my inclination is to spend Sunday either doing anything I don't squeeze in tomorrow and/or revisiting Taj eg late afternoon. With regard to lunch, if I really am at Taj by 630, even several hours sightseeing probably gives me plenty of time for a restaurant lunch before going out. Hotel chap half implied his recommended tuktuk driver would be waiting outside, but a) FFS, I am not only tourist even at this hotel, let alone in town, what are the chances he is free? b) While deliberately not saying I wasn't interested, because I am, I was keen to avoid any awkwardness about implying I had to be back here to hire him at any specific time.

2144 Oh, the guy on the train (who incidentally wasn't the chap who told me about the fold-up back to the seat) said it was a shame I was here on my own, it was better to see things with someone so you could share impressions etc as everyone saw things differently. He had a point, but I didn't argue the case (which I do think exists) for seeing things on your own (while I am travelling solo out of necessity, I do think it is a good way to travel in some sense) - if we'd been in a bar I would, but on a train not-far-but-not-sure-how-far from my stop and with other people round and with his at-approximately-similar-level-to-my-Spanish English I wanted to keep the conversation lightish and let him do most of the talking. (I understood 90% of what he said, and he said at one point he got about 50% of what I said. He also said it took time for him to get used to my accent and speed of speaking, but he was getting it during the 30-60 mins we talked, and I also got a bit better with his speech.)

2156 By sheer coincidence, I just read the bit in Sirens of Titan about how Roomford's home on Titan is a replica of the Taj Mahal.

2227 Just had a shower. A hot shower. Which was nice if not as specially nice as I might have imagined.

Am remembering that during today was very glad am travelling light. Felt vulnerable and touristy enough walking to New Delhi stn with bag without trundling some enormous suitcase. Then there would have been extra hassle on the train. Then in the cycle rickshaw to hotel I had to put my bag on my lap, fuck knows how they handle people with bulkier luggage. It was the first time I'd been in a cycle rickshaw, I am not *blaming* the guy but man did it feel ponderously slow, and it's not as if me+my bag is a huge weight. What a shitty job. He was welcome to his (voluntary; would still rankle if I was outright tricked) generous tip. I wish I hadn't given the cab driver such a large tip, but I didn't have a 50 handy plus I knew he would sort out the onward cycle rickshaw and with having my bag on me especially felt vulnerable and no time to be pissing people off for the sake of 50p.

I'm not saying it would be great but I could imagine life being OK (well, the working bit, who knows what kind of lifestyle they have on that income?) as a tuktuk driver. Being a cycle rickshaw 'driver' seems much worse.

Should be going to bed but no major rush, if I'm not tired I'm not tired.

0013 Should be going to bed but apart from not being mega tired, I shaved and despite not as far as I can remember being mega careless, I seem to have ripped half the skin off my face and am waiting for the bleeding to cease. Bit worried the pillow is going to have that pig-slaughtering quality in the morning regardless.

Delhi-Agra

1113 On train, which is a relief. Corridor v narrow and people with loads of luggage.

1121 Swapped seats with chap separated from his family group. No skin off my nose. Rationally the people on here some normal and decent, despite my irrational fears the thing would be a tout-ridden hellhole.

Hotel called me at 8am, unasked, to remind me about checkout. I said 'but it's 12 isn't it?' and they hung up. Sigh. Didn't get to sleep til maybe 3 anyway. Didn't want to get up, anticipating problems checking out or getting safely to station or getting on train. It was fine, they made me wait in reception while they checked the room but no problem. Didn't tip except for the 500 left in room. No touts on way to station except one chap who latched on to me on station forecourt - the bag must attract them - but I pressed on platformwards and he left me alone. No one stole bag as it went through the security scanner. I stood on the platform and was generally ignored; one chap offered to clean my shoes and I was as cautious as I could be in case he threw shit on them - would be awkward to be stuck on train smelling of shit and might be forced to have let him clean them. Chap squatting next to me on platform did show me his ticket and say something I didn't understand, maybe in Hindi, but he left me alone after that.

We are pulling out dead on time. Only problem is cos we're sat on sleeping berts, the benches are really deep and so you can't support your back up against the wall because your upper legs aren't long enough (it's not just me, you'd need about a foot of extra height *in the upper leg*). No one is talking to me and that suits me fine, but if anyone does the people seem like normal families so no problem.

1326 Back is hurting. Only an hour to go. Worried about fucking transport to hotel but nothing I can do about it. I was at Sita International, 3/10 DB Gupta.

1327 Ah, some chap sat opposite just pointed the 'bed' lifts up to form a seat back. The chap sat next to me didn't seem to know either, and in fact most people don't seem to have bothered. Much more comfortable though.

1413 We've been sat in middle of nowhere for ages. We are due in in 12 minutes. In a way it's OK, but for no apparent reason the hotel says to let them know if you will be arriving after 4pm, and if there's a delay plus the expected cuntery on the ...

1452 Chap next to me is talking to me, I have his card, he's a manager at some flooring company. Nice chap. He reckons we will be an hour late into Agra. Fingers xed on the transport. He has popped off so writing this.

1558 OK, at hotel. Toutish chappy collared me at station but he showed me a printed (possibly fake) tarrif and charged me 200 for taxi to Taj, which was also printed on another building outside. Anyway, I figured for peace of mind that was worth it. I made it 300 which is a bit insane but if it's my choice I don't mind, plus I had my bag. Cars aren't allowed near Taj (or tuktuks, possibly) so he put me in a cycle rickshaw to hotel. Taxi driver said it would be 10, guy quoted me 50 and I gave him 100. Meh, it's not at the level of that guy doubling his price two minutes into the journey and when I have my bag I feel more paranoid. Both of them would obviously have liked to take me to a different hotel but I said I'd paid for this in advance. (I hadn't, but in theory they could bill me for the whole stay if I didn't show up, not that I saw any reason to take a chance on some random hotel anyway.)

Wifi appears to work. Guy at desk helpful if slightly pushy outlining a programme for me, so I need to be up 6am-ish to be there for sunrise, then he recommends a specific tuktuk driver for the afternoon to do some other sights. I am OK with that, if the guy can be trusted. Anyway, I need to go out and get cash (I was only allowed to withdraw 10k INR at last machine went to) and also scout out the route to the west gate (hotel near south gate, but it doesn't open til 8am) ready for tomorrow. I may have to fend off cycle rickshaw drivers but let's see how it goes.

Delhi, Thursday

1253 Just getting ready to go out. Bit slack but sod it. Woken  by hotel phone ringing 630ish, no one there when answered. Drowsed fitfully on alarm til maybe 12ish. Had some bananas and bourbons by way of breakfast, now need to go out and withdraw cash and then over to station to buy ticket Agra-Jaipur.

1352 At tourist booking office at stn. Break from 1400-1415 but not a big deal. I am no 245, they are serving 233 now. Much less busy that yesterday (later today of course)

One chap chasing another down street as I emerged from hotel. I assume a snatch-and-grab sort of robbery. Gave me a bit of a shake I must say. I was intending to walk to the station with my bag tomorrow and I may still do it, but not quite so sure. If I do walk with it I need my most exposed pockets empty of valuables anyway, since I won't be able to keep hands in pockets.

It is amazing how much less maneouvrable (sp) I am with my hands in my pockets. I suppose it's logical in a way, but it does periodically surprise me.

No touts on way over.

1434 Got ticket, tho guy called my number too early so end up stood there while he served other person. Only 425 for ticket, odd as this is further and probably faster than the Delhi-Agra ticket. Meh.

1600 At Kalkaji Mandir metro, returning into town after seeing the Lotus Temple. It is very elegant, the grounds are attractive and while I wasn't allowed in (guide book doesn't say you can or can't go in, but when I took my shoes off and hovered near a pile of shoe bags wondering if I should wait to be 'served' so I could tip, the chap said something in incomprehensible English but which I inferred to be something about 'only the devout' - I don't think a service was on, hordes of other people were going in) they didn't even give me the opportunity to leave a donation.

Metro v rammed from New Delhi to Central Secretariat, I expected better mid-afternoon. Still, it was OK and beats being taken up the arse by a tuktuk driver any time. I had about 14 of my original 50 credit left but have topped up another 100 just in case. Will be here a day or two at end of trip if not before.

Pushing and shoving to get on is pretty fierce, doesn't help when I have a hand in pocket all the time. Seems a little extreme actually. Also people shove past through the metal detectors in what seems very rude way, but still.

Train here.

1651 At Kwality. Bite me. Emerged at Rajiv Chowk in middle of Connaught Circus, thought would semi-experimentally wander but favoured this way. Heaving. Moderately touted up. Fobbed off a tuktuk driver, a shoe cleaning cunt dropped some shit on my shoe but I didn't let him clean it off, then a chatty chap latched onto me as I crossed road heading over here. Fortunately managed to wipe most of shit off on some grass between the two and popped up to bog to do what I could with the rest here. Some chap hanging around in bog but never actually did anything beyond gesture at the hand towel dispenser, so I didn't give him any money. He wasn't there yesterday. Fear there is a slight stink of shit from remains (I had to clean it off in toilet cubicle cos bloke was there) but probably largely imagination. Will be OK once it dries. If I were wearing slip-ons this would be less annoying as the front top would be smoother and more easily wipeable, still, what can you do? He did pick just about the worst possible time to do it, since any other time I'd be either outdoors or back at hotel. Obviously wasn't going to pay that cunt to remove it and perhaps get pickpocketed into the bargain.

Anyway, what with that and the chatty chap there was no way I was going to wander to find somewhere different to eat. I will return via Patel Chowk metro to south as yesterday and go up to New Delhi station.

Didn't see the chap dump the shit on my shoe, though to be fair I was concentrating on keeping walking and not looking down.

1734 Coffee. They obviously remember me. It's starting to get dark, which isn't a problem but I am somehow surprised it is getting dark so early. Rogan josh was OK though meat was on the bone and rather fatty with it. Still think I can smell a bit of shit intermittently, but not much can do about it. Not too strong and hope not too noticeable away from me.

1755 930 with the usual '20% discount' ??, made it 1100. Off. Fingers crossed I don't stink out metro, tho think tis better than was and not that bad.

1857 Back at hotel, via Reliance Fresh for food/snacks/water so no need to go out again. All staff greeted me as I came into hotel with armfuls of food. Need to check out in plenty of time tomorrow in case they argue (eg say I haven't already paid), and still not sure what to do about tip. (Didn't hand key in at reception when left today in case asking for room cleaning service increased my obligations, so the tip from other morning is still naturally sat on table.) Need to book hotel in Jaipur tonight, but going to bum around for an hour or so first.

2128 Wifi seems to have gone on the blink. Have however booked a hotel for Jaipur; went for three nights, i.e. two full days, on grounds I can always move hotel if necessary if I want to stay longer and can't or choose not to extend at first one.

Would like to get e-mail saying I paid upfront for this place onto phone but have to wait for wifi to come back. Have precached Agra map on phone and have hotel location on there if GPS works.

Am a bit dithery/worried about tipping as I leave tomorrow. Don't want to be compelled to hand over five quid at desk on top of the five quid I'm leaving in the room and maybe a quid to the chap on the door. FFS, it's not like I've had stellar service, I don't normally expect to tip heavily just for staying in a hotel. IIRC the three nights cost about 42 quid, so a fiver is already over 10% more. I haven't even had any breakfast despite it being included, nor (inferring this is how it works from other mentions in guide book) have I had them lug any  buckets of hot water up for me. FFS2, they've only cleaned the room once over my four night stay (because I don't like to leave the key with reception, as mentioned before) and the dirty footprints I somehow ended up with all over the bathroom floor the first night didn't get cleaned up then anyway.

0236 Been in bed for at least two hours. Can't sleep for no obvious reason. Sigh. Guess it doesn't really matter.

Delhi, Wednesday

1045 Just got up. Usual story, woke feeling OKish 730ish then went back to sleep and felt a bit crap on the alarms and snoozed. Dreading going down to reception to ask for my passport, they just seem to lax about the whole business. Not looking forward to going to the station either. Anyway, let's have some food before facing all that.

1137 In international tourist bureau at New Delhi station. Accidentally took two tickets at machine, so I am nos 199 and 200. Currently serving 138ish. Got passport back on and came over with it and phone and cash zipped inside inside jacket pocket and with jacket zipped up. Bit warm but not too bad and better safe than sorry. Actually nowhere near as bad as I expected, I didn't get approached by a single tout anywhere between here and the hotel.

It's busy in here but not mad, there are free seats. Most people look Indian, I would assume they are non-resident Indians given the signs on the way in. I can see exactly one white guy, who is sat wearing a silly hat with his mouth open gormlessly.

1151 Lots of people seem to be filling in or clutching reservation forms, but I see no obvious source of them. Incidentally there is no announcement or beep when the numbers over the counters change, so the chances of missing my slot seem high. I guess I am in no huge rush, I can afford to wait through several rounds of ticket-then-service.

1200 OK, saw someone extract forms from box on shelf opposite side of a pillar to my seat. Have filled it in. Only serving 160 now. Of course I am likely to have to come back here tomorrow to book a ticket on from Agra since I can't assume it is safe to leave it until I get there, but I can't do it now since I don't know where I want to go or what trains there are. Not the end of the world, especially since with luck I won't be so intimidated at coming here tomorrow. I could imagine doing Agra-Jaipur if that if possible, or maybe Agra-Amritsar, but I want a direct train if I can. Something to look at tonight or maybe when I get back to hotel after leaving here, I could come back today. The only other 'must see' in town I can remember is the Red Fort and there's no huge rush, if nothing else I can see that when I am back in Delhi before flying out. I might do that this afternoon and come here again tomorrow morning. Anyway, let's see how this goes first.

1245 Up to 193. I'm going to have to stop reading soon and start staring at screen. Bit hot in here, jacket doubtless not helping, but what can you do? Bit of a headache and it sounds as if there's a cicada in here somewhere, though I presume it's really machinery.

1253 Done. 710. The guy had no change for a 500, fortunately I had change. He said 'thank you very much sir' as I pulled out change, I hope this wasn't an invitation to tip, I would help felt awkward as fuck. Anyway. Back to hotel to take jacket off and maybe shower and stuff.

1316 In hotel. Of course they wanted to clean my room the instant I got back not while been out. Told them to give me 5 mins. Have shuffled stuff around and hidden passport and going to have quick look at guide book and chance my arm at Red Fort via mini-supermarket (for a bottle of cold drink and change for a 500) and a tuktuk in the street.

1518 At Red Fort. Sat under a tree with chipmunks (not striped like the ones my parents used to breed, differently striped) scampering about. Hacked off. I am developing a prejudice against Indians, I fear. I am sick of being chiselled and manipulated. I'm going to start arguing instead of meekly taking it like a proper tourist soon.

Got tuktuk to Red Fort. Guy quoted me 200, I said OK. Two minutes later we are in a traffic jam and he says 400. Bit confusedly I say OK, I'll get out here and start to climb out. I also hand him the 200 at that point. Anyway, somehow I didn't get out and we carry on. Later he pulls up in busy street and says it's round the corner. I say OK, I'll walk. I get out. He says he wants 400. I say I already paid him 200. He says 400. I point out the meter reads about 38, so 200 is generous, and he said 200, and he leaves it. FFS. What a cunt though. Yes quote me the stupid tourist price if you like, I can turn it down if I like. But don't fucking try to double your price once I've got in.

Anyway I walked down some street towards a red building which turned out to be the adjacent mosque. 300 to take a camera in, fair enough. Some Indian guys wanted to take their photo with me in courtyard but that seemed not to be a scam. I then paid 100 to go up the tower. Or did I? I got escorted all the way by some chap, so it was super rushed. He took me up the tower and some people wanted photos with me and he took some of me. The guy at the bottom of the tower (I'd been carrying my shoes since I went in, but had to leave them at bottom of tower) then charged me 50 to have looked after them. Then the guy who'd escorted me demanded a tip. I unluckily had a 500 note loose in that pocket and pulled that out first. I handed over 100 and he said 200. I said I'd already paid 100 to go up and he said 200. I felt a bit vulnerable (we were still on the raised access to the tower bit, not back in the courtyard) so I said 'OK, you've got me over a barrel' and gave him 200. Prudently refrained from calling him a cunt.

Then walked through market over here. Managing to be relatively tout resistant in general. As I get to the fort, a lovely gap appears in the traffic and loads of people start to cross, but a tuktuk driver waves me back telling me to be careful. The body language of the situation was that he was saving me from stepping under a car I hadn't seen. This allows him to trap me on the central reservation for a sales pitch. He had some business cards of Western diplomat types and some UK numbers in his phone. Wow. To be fair he seemed a nice enough chap, and I hope he isn't waiting by the exit when I leave.

I then eventually found the ticket office. It's 250 for foreigners (10 for Indians - but I can accept this kind of dual pricing). Since all the robbing cunts had depleted my supply of change I paid with a 500 and the fucker behind the counter gave me 200 change. I realised immediately but at this point I am just expecting to be ripped off left right and centre. Five seconds later I found myself wishing I'd argued with the bastard. It's only 50p but you don't fucking just shortchange me. (Hell, I wouldn't put up with someone doing the same thing to me for the same amount back home, would I? I hand over a fiver for a 2.50 coffee and they just give me two quid change - no way!) I might be a tourist but I'm not fucking stupid, mate.

Obviously I am a bit vulnerable so it's difficult but it's getting to the point where I've just about had enough. Being poor doesn't entitle you to con me. You can openly overcharge and if I want to pay anyway, that's your prerogative. But no more fucking cons or telling me my 100% tip isn't big enough, unless I feel seriously threatened.

I should obviously be sightseeing instead of writing this but wanted to get it out cos I am not happy and figured this might help.

Oh, as I came out they asked if I wanted my room cleaned, and it turned out I had to leave the key with them, so presumably that's why they didn't clean it yesterday. Slightly odd but still. My cynicism is suggesting that's so you feel more like you're asking them to do you a favour by cleaning your room instead of it just happening, hence more tips, but that's probably overdoing it.

It's 1532.

1753 At Kwality. Taar gosth with peas pulao rice, butter naan and a bottle of black label which is going down far too well. Got metro back from Chatra Chowk (sp - can't see map as write this) after red fort to Patel Chowk which is walking distance of here. Bit of language difficulties and I seem to have paid 100 deposit for smartcard despite a big ad saying it's now 50 but sod it. Bit rammed but it is probably peak hour. Clean and the journey cost me something like 10-15. May walk back down there and get metro up to New Delhi stn after.

Tempted by cheaper option of Eagle Boys Pizza down the road (value meal is like 250, so call it 500 with gorging myself and tip; this will be 1000) but sod it, the food is good and it is at least local-ish style and they have beer. Unless mega tempted not intending to go out for a beer tonight, will have quiet night in. No point forcing it and if I don't feel comfortable wheres the enjoyment? I am sure a natural circumstance when it feels 'right' to go out and have a few beers one night will come up sooner or later.

Not had anything to drink since 250ml of mango pulp thing bought at Reliance Fresh before going to red fort. Just may have a second beer here, bit heavy on the alcohol consumption but sod it, let's see anyway. I am only customer in here right now.

Waiter presented bottle of black label to me before opening it, just as I imagine he would had I ordered an expensive wine.

1824 Was v good. Always wonder if I'm being super uncouth soaking up the sauce with my naan but fuck it. The beer did hit the spot, I might pop out tonight after all, anyway, let's see. For now I am not having a second beer by way of allowing some leeway, just getting a coffee as I suspect I can't get change anyway so on yesterday's experience might as well make the bill up a little nearer to 1k.

TV is showing news. It says 'Headlines' and the name of the sponsor (Dunar Basmati Rice) solely in English, then all the headlines scroll underneath in Hindi. Bizarre.

1832 There's something that always strike me as madly decadent about coffee with cream.

1849 Bill 903, made it 1100. Off, fingers crossed with the metro and coming out at New Delhi.

1938 Back at hotel. Picked key up, guy at desk was all 'is everything OK with the room, let us know if there is a problemm. Come back, they have indeed cleaned but left tip alone, fuck knows, will just leave it there.

No major problems coming back via metro - either I'm getting better or more likely it's only certain roads that are majorly tout infested - but naturally (unless I just took wrong exit) the metro comes out on the Asomething Gate side of the frankly gigantic station and the signage is a little poor. However I kept my hands in my pockets and with that precaution felt safe, it's so busy I couldn't imagine a violent crime. Memories of this morning and mention of two gates on the guide book led me to cross the (heaving, long) bridge across the platforms and indeed there were signs to the Pahar Ganj side. Once out of the station it was just the usual schlep down DB Gupta and I got a bit lucky with the traffic and perhaps I'm getting more accustomed to it. Still a bit of a hike from the station but still. I think in future heading out via New Delhi metro has to be the way to go, fuck the tuktuk drivers.

Quite a few people in Red Fort gardens wanted their pictures taken with me. I kept my hands in my pockets in case this is a pickpocketing scam, but maybe it's genuine. I do wonder *why* though. While I was surprised at the huge Indian:obvious foreign tourist ratio (maybe 5% obvious foreign tourists) inside the Red Fort, it's hardly as if Westerners are a genuine rarity here. Maybe they think I'm Woody Allen or something.

Torn about going out later, may well do, anyway let's faff around a little bit for now and maybe pop out to shops for change later, no need to go out to bar for at least an hour.

2027 I have booked a hotel near the Taj Mahal in Agra for Fri through Sun nights. Taj is closed on Friday, so that's quite good from my perspective - no pressure Fri then can visit it Sat and/or Sun. There is some shit about making a bank transfer to the hotel for a deposit which is probably going to incur enormous fees and/or hassle but let's see what happens.

2052 OK, back at hotel with groceries. I am seriously tempted to go out for a couple of beers but am manfully resisting. I suspect I will be able to have a nice meal and a beer or two at the rooftop restaurant at the hotel in Agra overlooking the Taj Mahal (with much less staggering distance too ;-) ), much better to wait that go have a couple of stressed-out shitty beers in the bar down the road here with DB Gupta to cross afterwards. I am tempted as I say but I do also need to look into my onward journey from Agra so I can buy a train ticket tomorrow and this will give me a chance to upload some more photos.

2219 Internet connection at hotel so slow I can't get any photos uploaded. Meh. Also noticed I left the camera set to Singapore time zone until now, so photos taken in Delhi before now have wrong time zone. Oh well, not a big deal.

2338 Poking at Agra-Jaipur trains on the web site of Indian Railways, except on Friday (no good to me) when there is a train leaving 1030(am), they all leave at arse o'clock in the morning or late afternoon/evening and hence get in well after dark.

If I feel I can risk arriving in Jaipur late-ish, the best given my dislike for getting up early (and remember I have to fight with tuktuk drivers or whatever to get to the station) is probably the non-Thursday (no problem) train 12036 AF-JP Shatabdi Exp which leaves Agra Fort at 1620 and arrives 1950 (i.e. 3h 30m, which is super fast; next best is 4h5m, then 4h25).

A quick look on booking.com suggests there is plenty of availability in Jaipur from Monday, so I could go and book that train. I am wondering if I should stay in Agra an extra night, but probably not necessary. Basic plan is to do the Taj Mahal early one morning and mid afternoon the other full day, then do Agra Fort the afternoon I do the Taj in the morning. It might be best to do the morning session the second full day, since I can then scope out the entrances without time pressure the first day. If for some reason I want more time there I can go back later in the trip, at this rate I will have 'done' three of the four semi-planned places (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, but not Amritsar) within the first week and a half. I would also like to go to Bwhatsit to see the rat temple (if only by way of homage to Crazy Noel ;-) ), but that's out past Jaipur so can come later. So if I really really want more time in Agra I can squeeze that in later, and it's nearish to Delhi so could be done a few days before I fly home from Delhi.

In a way it's a shame to be booking trains up in advance and commiting myself, but I understand it's necessary if you want to be sure. Also, I have no huge plans for tomorrow and the railway station is easy to walk to. Even ignoring the risk of not getting a seat, I don't have much free time in Agra to schlep over to the train station to buy an onward ticket, plus it would probably require tuktuks to and from the station which adds to the cost and hassle.

0023 Done quick spot of laundry. Should be moving towards bed but not mega tired and even if you believe the 8h thing I don't need to be up before about 10 and on that basis 2am would be fine. I need to withdraw some cash tomorrow morning, it is scary how quick that first 10k rupees/100 quid seems to have gone, especially given I had paid for this hotel up front and it didn't come out of that money. Obviously a small amount is still stashed away for emergencies but still. I am not going to sift through what's happened to see where it went, although I suspect tuktuk drivers account for a fair proportion of it. With the possible exception (and it's hardly an insane decadence) of the two ten/eleven quid meals at Kwality, I don't feel I've been living particularly extravagantly.

0242 FFS, need to go to bed.

Delhi, Tuesday night

2100 At My Bar, on Main Bazar Road. While it seemed an awfully long way perpendicular to DB Gupta, I wonder if this is Hellhole Road. Anyway, this is at a T-junction with the road back to DB Gupta. I didn't get touted beyond a small boy at an ice-cream stand. Feel slightly uneasy here mainly in case someone joins me at my table but should be OK.

110 for beer, paid 140 so I can go when I want. Dunno if I had to pay on delivery but I feel safer with the option to go.

2126 Just about done. This being more an exploratory foray than an enjoyable night out, and apart from anything else I damn well don't want to be crossing DB Gupta while anything like pissed, I'm offski after this rather hurried 630ml black label.

2139 Back at hotel. No problems in the perpendicular street, though while waiting to cross DB Gupta (which was a bit hairy, especially with the extra haste induced by this) a chap on a pedal rickshaw moderately persistently offered me a ride, marijuana or a prostitute (a smoke or a lady, to use his words). Yeah, cos there's no way at all *that* could go wrong, eh?

It was OK in My Bar. I felt super worried someone would come over and start talking to me - I've been 'not in the mood' before, but not sure I've ever been worried it would happen. I may go there again tomorrow and/or Thursday, I can't see myself braving taxis and touts to go out anywhere more remote at night, I may not, it depends. I suppose I could take one of the million tuktuks or bicycle rickshaws back to the hotel just to avoid any problems crossing the road, and now I feel a little more confident the route is not beseiged by touts I'd be a little more at ease. Anyway, we'll see how I feel tomorrow.

2215 Having had look online, there is availability (no idea how good location is, but still) in Agra for Friday/Saturday. Guide book says touts are terrible there so half tempted to leave it for later but probably best to do it ASAP. As suggested (without the 1 prefix) train 12626 Kerala Express from New Delhi at 1130 arriving Agra Cantonment 1425 looks a reasonable train; I don't have to get up ridiculously early and I'd arrive in daylight.

I have signed up for the online booking thing on the Indian Railways website but of course it's fucking stupid. It asks for the country you live in, then insists you provide an Indian mobile number and the 'zip code' for your address must be six digits. I haven't had a confirmation e-mail yet and having entered an incomplete mangled will never work version of my UK mobile number I will never get the confirmation SMS. Let's see what happens. I will probably make my primary project tomorrow being to go over to the station and buy a ticket; however, I don't much like the idea of taking my passport into what the guidebook makes out to be a maelstrom of touts and thieves. I may go over without it at first and see what happens. Just possibly the online purchase will be an option, but I doubt it.

2231 Ah, got the email confirmation but it says I will need to provide my mobile verification code when I activate my account, so that's not happening. Oh well.

2242 The seat availability checker returns incomprehensible results even looking at the key underneath, but for 29th (unlike a couple of days later) it doesn't say REGRET so maybe there are seats. Have to see what they say at the station I guess. The fare checker suggests the fare is probably INR1020 for second class air-conditioned.

I guess I'm going to have to take my passport over there. I can stick it in the hidden belt on the way out, but getting it back in there to come back to hotel may be difficult. This is assuming the hotel haven't lost it of course.

2251 OK, some searching online suggests I may need a pen to fill a form in. I might wear my jacket over there, then I can zip the passport in the inside pocket and perhaps even zip the jacket shut. It's not that far and it's not totally stiflingly hot.

0028 In bed. Fucking hope they have my passport at reception tomorrow morning. Oh, am leaving INR500 with a note saying 'tip, cheers' in room. I am not sure they came in today - admittedly I never hung the 'please tidy room' sign up, but equally I didn't have the 'do not disturb' up - but if they did they did nothing more than pull the bed quilt back up, they didn't rearrange the pillows, I suspect they didn't come in or did but did nothing. 500 seems a bit excessive for four nights when I may end up having to tip down at reception and/or the doorman but fuck it. Let's see if they take the bait.

Delhi, Tuesday

1042 Just got up. Bit shit but could be worse. Woke up by myself about 730 feeling not too bad. Went back to sleep. Snoozed on alarms since about 930. Having some bourbon biscuits (since I don't want to assume I can find anywhere to eat) then will try to get my stuff together to head out.

1133 OK, finally heading out.

1443 At India Gate. Tout shit this morning, sigh. Got to national museum, went in tho bit hacked off. Now walked over here with only moderate toutage. It is quite nice here, tranquil despite crowds and inside the barriers at least the touts seem kept at bay.

Anyway, taking advantage to stare at phone and try to find somewhere I might get some food. The trouble here is there's no discoverability, since walking the streets at random inevitably leads to capture by a tout. So I am at the mercy of the guide book.

1541 At Kwality restaurant, from guide book. Moderately busy. Bit pricey from my sneaky glance at menu as I waited to be shown to a table, no prices shown outside, wouldn't have come in (too poncy/private) had it not been in guide book. Walked over here from India Gate without being too heavily touted or lost, though woman pinned a little Indian flag on me and tried to get money for an orphan school as I was leaving India Gate.

They haven't given me a menu yet, I don't feel super welcome but fuck it.

1550 Ordered bhuna gosht with basmati rice and a garlic naan, and 650ml of local Black Label (INR150 for 650ml bottle). Feel a bit intimidated by the excessive staff but it's not too swanky. The beer appears to be 'between 3.25% and 5%' according to my casual glance at the label.

1620 Food not bad, though shame meat was on the bone. Getting a coffee, perhaps foolish  but WTF. Managed to get a bit of sauce right on T-shirt (white) under chin, oh well. I shall try to walk home after, on the grounds I can tell any touts I am going to my hotel and I know where I am going.

1627 Got coffee and then bill unasked, I think the guy might have been going off shift but not clear. 840ish apparently with a 20% discount on both food and beer, have paid 1000 and don't expect any change. At least I'm getting something worthwhile for my money here and while not cheap that's not amazingly expensive.

I handed my passport in at desk this morning. Yesterday's chap not there, two others. One seemed completely uncomprehending, almost like I'd offered him a fish to smoke, but the other seemed to get the idea and I left it with them for better or worse.

1638 OK, let's good. Maybe I should get a tuktuk but FFS it's broad daylight and I have a definite destination and sod it.

1719 Back at hotel. Crossing DB Gupta remains an epic adventure, I only did it with the aid of human shields. Either I'm getting better or luckier or heading in this direction is easier, 'cos I only got one friendly tout round Connaught Place and he did help point me in right direction and I fended him off without massive rudeness or inconvenience. A few (but not as many as I expected) rickshaw/tuktuk drivers offered me a ride but they weren't too persistent. Maybe genuinely knowing where I'm going adds a perceptible degree of confidence to my appearance.

Saw a woman selling fruit on street. Not sure her English was great. Asked her how much for two bananas, I thought she said 200. I said '200?' and she didn't seem to respond so I said thanks and walked off. She called 50 after me but a) I had only a 100 note b) I was in a walking away mindset by then. Would happily have paid 100 for 2 but 200 seemed a bit of a pisstake. Maybe she only said 100. I dunno, I hate to haggle anyway.

So this morning I made it to the northern fringe of outer circle of Connaught Circus before being accosted. Some 'office worker' chap did the friendly thing. He tried to get me to go the CCI (from memory) shopping centre. I pretended to follow his directions but didn't. I then got accosted by another chap who also wanted me to go there. He said India Gate was closed just then for some presidential thing. I said in that case I'd go back to my hotel. He 'insisted' it would be better to go to this big shopping centre, only 10 rupees in a tuktuk. Figuring a) it would get me away from him and b) it might be a big shopping centre with food and a taxi rank I gave in. He asked a tuktuk driver how much to go and the guy said 10 rupees. Clearly a fix. Anyway, I got in. We got there and it looked more like a single shop than a shopping centre. I gave the driver 100 and darted off down the street. He called after me but I ignored him and got another tuktuk up the street to national museum. The driver quoted me 150, I figured WTF and it would get me away from there. He actually transferred the fare to another driver who did take me there and who I gave 200 to. (This is one reason I never seem to have any 50 notes. I just assume no one will give me any change.) That tuktuk did actually have a meter, and I think it showed 120-130ish by the time we got there, so 150 is probably not too bad as a tourist, assuming the meter is not just a complete fake.

Anyway, let's do a bit of laundry and maybe some other random chores and perhaps I will head out and see if I can locate one of the bars down the street shown in guide book later. Frankly a bit nervous about being in a bar on my own as if anyone local does speak to me I will assume it's a scam.

Oh, in the national museum were several school parties (v noisy). A group of about 5 girls maybe age 12ish passed me and one said hello and started talking to me. Honestly, it took a few seconds for me to realise that presumably a group of girls on a school trip probably were just practising their English instead of trying to scam me

Museum was OK if not amazing. There was a very impressive carved elephant tusk showing scenes from Buddha's life. I wish the subject matter meant more to me because it was beautifully carved and the tusk was huge.

There was an exhibit in one of the halls of a skeletal piano with a flat-screen attached to it showing a scrolling movie of a 'pitch on Y axis, time on X axis' kind of representation of some Beethoven sonata as it played. Oddly cool and slightly BBC Micro-esque, except the speaker it was playing over was amazingly tinny on the high notes and you could hear the thing from the adjacent floors and it really fucking grated on my nerves after a while. I'm no audiophile, this was serious low-fi stuff.

Maybe it's the beer or the proper food or the lucky run back without the touts but I do feel a bit better generally.

1859 Booked a Spanish lesson for 1930, did homework, popped out for groceries. Yesterday the bananas left were frankly foul, today they were OK so I got four (admittedly small) ones for 15.21. I'd still have paid 100 for two from that woman on the street but 200 really was taking the piss.

2042 OK, slightly against my better judgement going to make tentative foray out for beer. If I can't find the place I have in mind or it's a touty hellhole I am going back. I am *not* walking anywhere with anyone and I am not getting in anyone's vehicle. Will send this now in case phone gets nicked.

Delhi, Monday

1501 I appear to have been ripped off by the airport ATM. I withdrew 10k, when I paid for the taxi I made a fool of myself by handing over a note which I 'knew' was a 500 as I chose to get all my withdrawal in 500s, and it was a 100. Allowing for the 500 spent one way or another on the taxi, I evidently got 19 500 notes and a 100. I can't quite believe the ATM would deliberately fuck me over, and I struggle to believe they misload it to fuck people over either. [Guy just came in with a toilet roll and some slippers. I had cash on the bed, I covered most of it over but FFS. Are all these visits necessary? I AM FUCKING LOSING THE PLOT AND I HAVE LITTLE CHANGE TO TIP WITH. I still don't have my passport either.] The most charitable interpretation I can put on it is that they have charge me a 400 fee which came out of what I asked for rather than being on top of it. I am a bit dubious but I guess we will see what happens with future withdrawals.

I don't think I am going to be able to stick India if this tipping business is going to be such an issue. I can't go handing over a quid to every single person I speak to, but equally I don't want to be unnecessarily stingy.

Also, with the cab driver, FFS, I paid for a private cab and he then wastes half an hour, probably more, of my time taking this Australian chap over to the other terminal. I didn't *mind* but way to kind of screw me over then tell me I haven't tipped you enough.

1538 No sign of the passport yet. Still, if I'm not tipping, why would they bring it up? I did offer to go down for it but they said they'd send it up. I don't like being separated from my passport at the best of times. I suppose the one consolation is that if it *does* get stolen, I can spend a day or two queueing up at the UK passport office for a replacement, and it won't matter about losing the Indian visa because I'm already here (and if I get my passport stolen within three hours of arriving, I'm probably not going to want to stay anyway).

1823 Back at hotel. I may be overreacting but I HATE FUCKING DELHI. Will write more later. Time for dinner, i.e. what I could obtain at the convenience store down the street and didn't have to discard after paying for it because they don't have any plastic bags.

1912 OK, bit calmer. *Not* going out again, I'm writing tonight off.

So, I wandered down the street, into the convenience store down the road recommended by the seems-fairly-nice chap at hotel desk. I left my passport with him, I don't have a receipt for it - he sort of offered me one but what's the point, if I don't trust him the receipt does no good anyway - but it's probably OK and after tonight, overreaction though it is, I feel happier knowing it's probably safe back at the hotel.

Convenience store sort of big but a bit run down. Anyway, I bought a bottle of diet fizzy apple juice with caffeine, something like that, and a small Cadbury's chocolate bar. I ate and drank those mostly while stranded on a traffic island up one end of the street. I was basically just intending to do a little circuit, see if anywhere looked OK for food and/or beer, and probably go back to the hotel.

In hindsight that was all fine. Yes, it was noisy. Yes, the traffic was heavy. Yes, I nearly got hit by a motorbike coming out of a side street. Yes, there were a lot of people about. But it was OK, moderately exotic and certainly tolerable.

Inferring the street names from Google Maps now, so they could be wrong, I think I went along DB Gupta (road my hotel is on; that is, incidentally, about as identifying as saying 'the guy's name was Smith'), crossed over to Sang trashan marg via that traffic island then turned back 'parallel to DB Gupta' along Gurudware wali gali. That's where it all went wrong. That street, whatever it's called, is heaving and it seems thronged with tourist agencies and the like. I got a fair way down it without any problem, then some chap started talking to me. Clearly the hook here is that you don't feel you can be rude to someone making pleasant conversation. Anyway, he was from the Invicta travel agency (IIRC) and he inveigled me in. Apparently they are in Lonely Planet and they showed me some glowing testimonials. I lied and said I was there for two weeks. Anyway, they sketched out a 10 day itinerary (no price) and also said something about arranging a car and driver for about 5 quid from 11am to 5pm to see the local sights. They may well be reasonably above board, however I am strongly disinclined to ever set foot in that street again anyway.

After I left them I was accosted by a youngish chap, Raj, who told me he was a student and didn't want paying and just wanted to practice his English. I didn't really want his company but the whole politeness compliance thing meant I felt compelled to allow him to lead me down to Connaught Place. I was keeping an eye on there being other people in the streets and it was just beginning to get dark and I didn't really like it but didn't see what I could do. He dropped some hints about a beer or a chai with him or maybe one of his mates but I pleaded jet lag. I started to say I just wanted to get a taxi back to my hotel and he said there was a taxi rank up ahead blah blah.

Anyway, we ended up at some tatty looking tourist office (though the taxi driver also indicated an equally tatty looking tourist office, so maybe it was genuine). Anyway, it's like 75% of the way to full night at this point and there's him and about four other guys outside and they're telling me I can get a map inside ("I already have one" "No, a better one than that") and when I say I just want a taxi back to my hotel they say they will arrange a complimentary taxi for me inside. Yeah, right. At this point I decide there's no mileage in the politeness thing so I sort of turn round and walk off. Raj sort of comes after me and suggests I get a tuktuk, but I say I want a proper cab and walk on and he evidently gives me up as a bad job.

At this point I want to hail a cab off the street but I can't find one. A beggar comes up and wants money for chapatis and if I'd been walking along the street knowing where he was it would have been OK but I felt really freaked out and compelled to start walking. Some other helpful chap on the street asks me what I want and waves towards yet another tourist information office when I say a taxi. I double back and walk away and he calls after me that he doesn't want anything. My GPS is working and if I could just get some FUCKING PRIVACY to look at it I could walk back, but I can't.

A tuktuk comes past at this point and offers its services, and feeling rather like I'm escaping from some dastardly plot I leap in and tell him to take me to my hotel. We seem to be going a while and I naturally worry he's taking me somewhere else. However, I dig my phone out and the GPS shows we are indeed going towards the hotel. A tiny girl tries to beg persistently from me as we're stood in traffic but I need all my pity for myself and fob her off relatively well, the driver eventually shooing her off.

Seeing we are back on DB Gupta and wanting to get supplies at the convenience store I tell the driver anywhere on the left is good. (I do like it that they speak the same language as me here, but at the same time it's like the locals all have a secret code language as well. I think - but not sure - the group I walked away from outside the first tourist information office were all speaking what I assume was Hindi between them.) He pulled over and I asked him how much. He said it was up to me. I asked if a hundred would do him. He said fifty more. I said 'have 200'. [Someone just brought my passport up to my room. WTF? Sod it, I will hang on to it tonight and maybe hand it back in for safekeeping tomorrow. I didn't tip him.] I suspect he completely shafted me (based solely on the fact 150 seems a sizable fraction of the 425 it cost for the 45 minsish trip from airport) and also do wonder if I should have haggled when he said 50 more, but a) I have no idea what's fair and even had I read it couldn't trust the stone-age guide book b) he did get me out of what I imagined to be a shitty situation c) he did at least take me where I wanted d) in some sense I felt I lost any right to argue about the price when I got in without asking him the fare up front. I could have waited for 50 change but somehow I felt like giving him the 200 and just walking.

I then walked up and down DB Gupta missing both the hotel and the convenience store but that was OK because DB Gupta is busy but not rife with touts. I then bought some water, crisps, biscuits, peanuts and a razor at the convenience store. This is when it turned out they don't supply bags so I had to leave one of my three bottles of water behind (only cost about 35 rupees but still) and awkwardly lug the rest back by hand. Fortunately it isn't that far.

I then shoved food down my gob for the period between the back at the hotel entry and the start of this one. It's 1939 now BTW.

Honestly not sure what to make of them giving me my passport back. Is it just a mistake? Did the guy at the desk want an up-front tip for keeping it? Fuck knows. If there's any chance of a repeat of tonight's shenanigans I don't want it on my person, as I say I will hand it in at the desk tomorrow morning.

Oh, Raj (but not Invicta) said there is some big political shit happening tomorrow which could kind of trap me in Delhi for 4-5 days. I am assuming given Invicta didn't say the same, that this was some schmuck bait to pressure me into booking shit at the tourist office. Everyone (taxi driver, Invicta, Raj) says it's a bad idea to waste time in Delhi (the chap at Invicta said 'Delhi is hell-y' which is probably trite but summed up my experiences earlier nicely). That may be the case but I've paid for four nights here and I'm not legging it immediately. I may well write off one night depending on how it goes.

I think the lessons to be drawn from tonight are:
- every fucker in Delhi is out to get me ;-)
- be rude to people who make conversation on the street, pretend you've got to get somewhere, just say 'sorry, not interested', fuck 'em
- certain streets are seriously tout prone, others would be OK if you knew where you were and where you were going

I can half see the appeal of signing up with a tour of some kind on a kind of protection racket basis; the guys who get their teeth into you will keep the others off. But I really don't want to spend 3-4 weeks on a fucking tour (I kept lying and saying I was here for two weeks, that I had no plans whatsoever, whatever came to mind), nor do I want to do a rushed 10 day tour of Agra and Jaipur and some other places and then have to find other stuff to do (because I'm not going to go back to Agra a second time on my own), when I'd rather do it a bit more leisurely.

I think my kind of plan for tomorrow is to get up moderately early, perhaps even have breakfast at the hotel since finding somewhere trustworthy to eat is obviously an issue. Hand the passport in a second time, perhaps offering the guy a tip at the same time, though that does feel rude. (They hardly seem to be guarding it super carefully, but as said earlier probably better than someone mugging me for it.)

Then go out for the day, maybe without camera (but to be fair, if the memory card is backed up before I go out, losing the camera wouldn't be the end of the world, it's showing its age very slightly and it might be nice to get something more slimline, though it would be annoying to have to buy one here), and see what I can manage to do by myself on the metro in terms of sightseeing. Invicta made out the Red Fort and the thing near it were very unpleasantly pressured, so perhaps I would avoid those and save them for a tour or at least when I've found my feet and my conscience is properly callused and I can be rude to polite strangers in the street with no qualms. I might essay to charter a taxi for the day myself if it works out somehow that I find myself in a cab, but basically try some independent tourism and see how it goes. I am hopeful that if I know where I'm going and what I'm doing I can fend off touts, and I also hope/suspect (DB Gupta is fine, for example, despite being super busy) there are only a few hellholes like the one I got caught on earlier.

I will keep an eye out for dining options during the day and have lunch as and when I see something OK. I will take stock back at the hotel tomorrow early evening and then I can decide if I need to eg ask the hotel about chartering a taxi to do the sights or if I need local tour services. I should then have a bit more idea how keen I am to fuck off out of Delhi and can look at booking hotels and train tickets to eg Agra. Raj said you need to book these things a few days in advance, obviously he had an ulterior motive though.

I am thinking I would check online hotels in Agra, if they are fine then go buy a train ticket before booking hotel (or book a hotel with free cancellation). I am assuming you can get the train over.

I am inclined to go to Agra before Jaipur because the Taj Mahal is probably the single 'must see' thing in India (and I do want to see it). So let's do that first, a) in case circumstances conspire against me and it takes me weeks to get there b) so that if the whole of India turns out to be a hellhole of touts and scams and I lose my rag and just jump on a flight out of the country, I'll have more chance of seeing the Taj first before that happens. I think b is unlikely, if I hadn't ended up walking down that tout-infested street I'd have been OK tonight.

(Amritsar is also a strong possibility if I pull off anything like the planned programme with time to spare, which in theory isn't hard. I am here for nearly four weeks. Barring a sudden "you know what, fuck India" escape on a big silver bird, of course.)

Oh, to be scrupulously honest, the room does have aircon. There's a unit hidden behind the curtains. I had a very brief fiddle with the complex manual controls and am completely unable to get it to do anything, but it exists. It really isn't necessary right now, the temperature in here is very pleasant, so given the risk of breaking something and my states of mind since returning from my foray earlier I haven't spent significant time or mental resources on trying to coax it into life.

Honestly, I expected to be horrified by poverty and/or truly terrifying 'Make Room! Make Room!'-esque crowd densities. I didn't expect to feel myself a plump victim for over-friendly touts.

I wonder if it might help to pretend to be Spanish. ("My wife, she speaks the English. I go meet her.") But probably showing any kind of willingness to converse is a bad idea, probably better to just keep repeating "I'm sorry, I'm not interested" or something over and over again. I think also saying (if not truthfully, at least plausibly) "I am going to X" where X is "the metro" or "my hotel" would also help put people off.

Some dogs barking in the street outside, as they were earlier while I was in Hellhole Road, but with so many people about and this being super-urban the dogs are not an enormous concern right now. That might change, of course. 2007 now, been churning this pap out more or less continuously.

2039 OK, let's say something nice. I hadn't shaved since leaving Bangkok, as I didn't want to fly with a razor and it didn't seem worth buying one in Singapore. As I should have done but didn't in Thailand, having several weeks probably without a flight, I splurged (INR 38.22) on a not-totally-disposable razor at the convenience store. As it happens, I got a Gillette Vector (maybe Plus, it's not clear). This is a twin blade. I just shaved with it, it works, I will buy some spare blades next time I go to that shop. But - and I have no idea if this is purely psychological, but it has always bugged me - it has a tiny little bit of plastic which you can push down to dislodge cut hairs trapped between the two blades. Genius! Of course, it would almost certainly be better if there was just one fucking blade in the first place and nowhere for hairs to get trapped, but still.

2111 Reading guide book. It mentions fake tourist information offices as a typical scam, I have to guess that's what the business with Raj was about. I doubt I'd have got beaten up but I doubt I'd have got my free taxi either, and it being after dark I'm glad I didn't go in and struggle out against verbal pressure, it was bad enough as it was.

Guide book makes out there is loads of stuff worth seeing in Delhi. Not so obviously the taxi driver (though he did offer to take me to a tourist information office, so may have been same scam) but the other people perhaps had more interest in selling me a tour and hence would play down the local attractions. To be fair Invicta did off me that tour.

2129 As I noticed in Bangkok towards end of time there, the maps in the Kindle Rough Guides are virtually useless. I am using the official Kindle app, and as you zoom in on the larger maps you realise the detail just isn't there and the text is truly, fundamentally, unalterably illegible.

From reading guide book and looking at map I do wonder if Hellhole Road is actually Main Bazar Road, not the road I inferred it to be earlier. I think tomorrow's plan has to be to head east along DB Gupta, *not* go into the railway station (I will go in to check it out, but not taking camera in given it sounds like pickpocket central), head south down to Connaught Place, have a look round there and maybe see if I can spot taxi ranks (guide book says you shouldn't flag cabs down on street unless you want to haggle under pressure) and then head further south down to India Gate, have a look round there and maybe check out the National Museum. I can peep down Main Bazar Road and see if it is a hellhole, even if not the one I went down earlier.

I don't think I will need to use the metro but depending on how things pan out I may just get on it anyway for the hell of it, or I may just wait and see if I can use it to go to Red Fort another day without having to tangle with cabs. The idea of chartering a cab for the day sounds nominally luxurious but even the guide book says it will cost about 1500 and that's ancient, plus in reality I just wouldn't trust the driver not to either disappear after taking a deposit or to charge massively more than agreed at the end of the day. Still, no need to worry about that now.

I think I need to check out maps a bit more in advance and at least have some idea where I'm going. Pulling phone out to fiddle with and stare at maps (especially when there's no compass to indicate direction) probably won't get me mugged but leaves me super vulnerable to 'helpful' touts. I guess if I do get lost I need to just keep on and dive into a cafe (if I can find one) for a cup of tea or something while I get my bearings (or I can maybe ask staff inside, I assume they aren't touts in disguise).

2200 Called Lloyds via Skype, my PIN had been blocked, they are unblocking it. I will have to be careful when I next try the card and give the two most probable PINs a try without getting confused.

2300 Just not had a shower. There's no hot water. I tell a lie, if you turn on one of the shower taps, part of the shower feels lukewarm while some of the outer jets are icy cold. I haven't called down to reception to ask them to stoke up the boilers. Nor did I have a cold shower. I held a towel under the spray and washed myself down with the towel.

Not very impressed. OK I should try not to let my earlier problems with cunts on the street bias me against the hotel, but is providing some hot water too much to ask? My passport also stares up at me plaintively from its resting place in my shoes (since if I put it in my pocket I may take it out without realising), reminding me that this is a hotel whose idea of 'looking after my passport' is to have someone bring it up to my room a few hours later.

2307 I must admit the idea of just booking a flight out of here is quite tempting. What do I have to look forward too tomorrow? Fending off hordes of touts while I get my wallet, camera and phone stolen, and either having my passport stolen or lost for me by the hotel.

0034 Going to bed. Last entry probably bit of overreaction but meh. Fingers crossed I can drag myself out of bed tomorrow instead of deciding it's all too fucking difficult.

Singapore-Delhi

0548 On platform at Bugis waiting for MRT. No sign indicating how long til next (or would it even be first?). Should be all good. Asked guy at ticket office, couldn't put credit on my expired tourist pass, not sure why, perhaps because it's first use and ticket office opens at 10am? Really not sure. Feel a bit groggy, just shoved 2.10 in change into machine for a single, fuck it anyway, it's change so it's 'free'.

Probably got to sleep 0130ish after going to bed maybe 0015-30ish. Then woke up 0250. Then back to sleep, woke up and snoozed on 0500 alarm til 0520 feeling tired. Got up, packed last bits, probably left hotel 0535ish.

Plenty of time etc but eyes really feel tired.

0555 Sign illuminated, 6 mins to train. Maybe this is the first. Anyway. Not too worried about time. Fuck me I feel tired, as I say it's that behind the eyes sort of pain and my eyes feel like they've been sandpapered. If I feel like this tonight - I probably won't - I'm going to bed early and not fussing about 'doing anything'. Not going to try and figure out how the time zones work out right now, but I suspect they mean I will be tired even earlier at night local time that I otherwise would be.

I was at Hotel 81 Bugis while here. More or less diagonally opposite the Intercontinental. Goodish location, clean and relatively cheap. Just a shame about the plastic/vinyl coated mattress. I don't think that can be blamed for poor sleep this last night, since it didn't get too much of a chance to be a big problem, but the previous two nights I really don't think it helped.

Check out took all of 10 seconds, incidentally.

0605 From my current narrow perspective, I am super pleased I booked my initial hotel in Delhi for four nights. Takes the pressure off. All I need focus on today is getting there.

0620 Tanah Mera (I have the half-known lyrics to Guantanamera in my head), waiting for train to Changi airport.

0756 Outside gate F30. Security is at the gate here so I left my coffee at McDonalds to rush down here, as it says 'boarding 0815' on my boarding pass. As I half suspected but couldn't know, that means the gate opens at 0815. So I could have sat and finished my coffe. Meh, I wasn't that desperate to but still.

As on other occasions, disappointed McDonalds only doing breakfast menu - I don't know why I fancied 2 plain hamburgers and fries, unless it was something which crept into my fancy as I dragged myself out of bed, back home I probably hadn't been to McDonalds since the office Christmas party last December - but I had the breakfast deluxe supreme which was OK and for an airport not too bad value at about SGD8.

Feeling a bit more alert (even before I had the coffee; it just takes me a while to get up to speed in the morning) though eyes still feel slightly tired.

I got a new woman (she had a badge) at the check in counter so it took a while but all Ok. She didn't weigh my hand baggage, fingers crossed they won't do so at the gate but even if they do I am probably OK. I put my jacket on before going to check in counter, it's not a bad idea to have it on on the plane anyway as aircon can be a bit fierce in just a short-sleeved T-shirt. Hardly any queue to clear passport control.

I think I do prefer the UK style system of having the security checkpoint before you get 'airside'. At least then once you're through you know there are no unpredictable delays except possibly the walking time to the gate, and you can occupy yourself knowing how long you have. Obviously there's still some uncertainty but here I was worried I'd get stuck in a gigantic security queue and maybe miss the flight. (What if 'everyone' turns up last minute? Are they really going to delay the flight while security grinds through the queue?) Still.

0804 There's free wifi here if you give them your (international OK) mobile number to text you password. I am not risking additional text spam for the sake of it. Were I desperate I could slip my Thai SIM in (it may work for roaming, dunno) and use that number, but I'm not. It does say something about going to wifi kiosk if you can't receive password by SMS, so there might be other options. As I say, not that interested, just writing this as I'm bored.

0833 OK, through security no problems, though single channel so bit pressured unloading shit into tray, and the carrier bag containing my laptop is seriously ripped. I threw away loads when I repacked on leaving Thailand and the only ones I seem to get at shops here are microscopic and/or rip under weight of bottles as I get the stuff back to hotel. I also seem to have somehow used up all the security checkpoint clear resealable plastic bags which are otherwise handy for emptying pockets and putting contents inside bag pre-security. Meh.

Oh, note to self from packing last night, don't bring white or predominantly white clothes in future. The mostly white polo shirt looks a bit grubbily yellow in places, as far as could see when packing, evidently white is hard to hand-wash.

Clothes still damp this morning - they were just on cloakroom-style hooks, no wardrobe in the room, since yesterday morning when I had to take down travel clothesline so cleaning staff didn't see it/could get in. I had to pack them damp last night. I suppose in theory I could have put the travel clothesline up from 6pmish last night but it seemed too much fag. They're not wringing wet and I've done it before and I will hang them up (if there's a wardrobe!) in hotel in Delhi.

0855 FFS. Guide book says there are no ATMs at Delhi airport 'though this may change'. Mind you, it also says there is a rail link being built which is due for completion September 2010. I bought this fucking guide book a couple of months ago. What a crock of shit.

If there are no ATMs I fortunately have some pounds, some travellers cheques and a sprinkling of SGD for the currency exchanges. I can't believe there won't be any ATMs now, but equally I can hardly believe there weren't any in 2010. India - Delhi, FFS, not some place in the middle of nowhere either - is hardly a technological backwater.

Of course, if the airport rail link does exist I have no idea exactly where it goes, since the guide book is so out of date. But I would assume it links up with the metro. Have to wait and see.

I possibly noticed the guide book (Rough Guide) was old but had no choice; either the Lonely Planet one was equally old, or I was put off by the preview of the contents vs Rough Guide or my experience of the appalling hypertext formatting of their Georgia guide. (Rough Guide hypertext isn't fantastic, but it's at least half decent.) The choice of *electronic* guide books is more restricted than paper, so I may not have had a third company to choose from, I can't remember, if I did evidently some perhaps foolish idea of sticking to the tried-and-trusted influenced me. The guide book is telling me something is due for completion in September 2010. FFS.

I have no idea how many rupees to the pound, but I can get a rough idea from the currency exchange windows even if there are ATMs I can use.

Oh, I do at least have a seat and a half, the middle seat of my bank of three being empty. Legroom seems better than on AirAsia flight in, possibly my imagination. (This is an Airbus A319, I think that was a 737-200, but I think seat pitch is chosen by airline when they order not fixed by model anyway.)

I am glad I didn't pay extra (if I could have anyway) for emergency exit row, the legroom doesn't appear massively better. Anything 3+3 seems to offer relatively negligible benefits there. If it's free or v cheap worth having I suppose.

0935 I don't fucking believe it. The recline on this seat is broken too. It isn't as bad as the previous flight, but it slowly reclines under bodyweight without the button being pressed. I put it upright before takeoff, then a stewardess told me to put it forward, and I did and wondered why I needed to. Then I noticed it kept slipping back during takeoff. I had to keep leaning forward and pressing the button to get it back upright. FFS.

1014 Was drowsing heavily before they served us breakfast, which was surprisingly edible. Taken jacket off, it seems a very warm flight. Very mild pain in lower left jaw, assume it's wisdom teeth deciding to fuck around a bit.

Screen at my seat and spare seat to left and some others I can see stuck on 'entertainment system will be available shortly', while I can see some other people watching films. So I have to assume mine isn't going to function. Not the end of the world, but not impressed with these little glitches.

1029 Just asked a flight attendant about screen, she is going to reset it, says it will take 20 mins. If she can get it going will help me stay awake (not sure if that's good or not, but now I've taken jacket off and/or eaten second breakfast, feel less as though I want to sleep, and all else equal probably best to save it for tonight) and reduce use of phone battery.

0811 Switched to what I hope is Indian time.

1120 Up to maybe 20 mins ago drowsed/slept feeling horrible, mouth dry, eyes 'sticky'. Odd swig from small bottle of water didn't help much. They came round and gave me a small glass of coke and a bulging-with-gas packet of 'Punjabi Punch' (some sort of spicy potato snack). I feel awake now and slightly better but still this pain behind the eyes. I don't have my jacket on and it's still warm, if not intolerable. Are they just softening us up for the hellish temperature of Delhi? I have no idea what the weather is like there.

1404 Sat in prepaid taxi at other terminal. We left my terminal 1325. Some Australian chap missed his connection and my driver seems to have picked him up and be helping him.

1445 At hotel. We left just as I wrote the above. Frankly I am a bit off balance. Cab driver was OK if bit chatty, reasonably good English. But when we got here he parked other side of street and carried my bag over. I gave him 60 as a tip - about all the change I had - and he said that wasn't very much. I said I didn't have any other money. FFS, I agree 60 isn't much in absolute terms but it's well over 10% (it was 425 for the prepay, the guide book said it would be 250 but I guess there's been a bit of inflation since the colonial period the guide book dates back to). Also I felt a bit pressured and I don't like that. Gave him a handful of SGP coins and said I had no notes. Guy carried my bag up but I didn't have any suitable small notes, nor did I want to be rude offering a tip. As I say seriously off balance. My passport is down at reception, they are going to send it up, I am sure that will be OK but FFS I wish I had it back. On the other hand the room while large and nice in a faded sort of way has no safe in so maybe I need to leave my passport with them.

There is a notice saying to give them 10-15 minutes notice if you want hot water, how the fuck does that work?

It's not as insanely hot as I expected. Announcement on plane said it was 24 or 34, I didn't catch it properly, but maybe it was 24.

Wifi signal seems very weak on phone. Guy at desk said he might be able to help if I had connectivity problems. I am not sure what he could do. It might be OK and netbook might do better.

No a/c but there is a fan, I don't know what there is supposed to be but it's fine without a/c if it's no hotter than this.

Seriously thrown off balance by that bloody driver and his arsiness (well, he wasn't bad natured, but fucking persistent) over the tip. Made me feel all vulnerable, especially with having my bag on me which never helps.

I am now assuming the staff here have it in for me cos I haven't tipped them yet. Fuck it, they must be used to people coming in from the airport.

Guy brought some towels up and asked me if I wanted mineral water, I said I'd go out and buy some, fearing the hotel might rip me off on it.

Anyway, let's see if I can send this.

Singapore, Sunday

1200 Just getting up. This is shit, but... as I went to bed about 1-2ish I started getting all these weird muscular aches. Couldn't get to sleep til something like 3, maybe later. Might have woken up again in the night. Snoozed on 945ish alarm, been feeling a bit knackered all morning as drowsed. Not too bad now. Have to be up at 6ish tomorrow if not earlier as flight to Delhi is something like 9am. Happy happy joy joy.

I did at least check the weight limit - Air India allow 8kg+laptop, which is better and should mean I don't need to fart around, though I may wear my jacket (unburdened with junk) in the terminal to hedge my bets. What's happening to the world? I could swear these limits have got so much tighter.

1253 Finally heading out. Checked in online for tomorrow's flight, I might have pre-selected my seat already, can't remember. Anyway, have aisle seat and at time of writing in fact have whole row to myself. Not got boarding pass as 'further details [which I wasn't asked for] are needed', so I get to faff going to an internet cafe to print the non-boarding pass out even though I already have a printout of my details from the lastminute.com e-mail which I did in Bangkok. Anyway, food.

1307 At Nando's. Bite me. Exactly as in UK - not that I've been to one there in years - except it appears to be entirely table service. I had to choose my soft drink, so I might assume the staff will top it up for me. Meh, tis OK. I couldn't go on a major soft drink binge anyway as don't want to be assuming I can get access to a toilet all afternoon.

1346 Food OK, though they didn't bring my drink until I asked after I was halfway through the food, even though it took 10-15 mins to come. Oversight or a plan to keep down consumption? It costs them fuck all so probably the former. It's pissing it down so going to camp at table a bit. FFS, I've paid for a 'bottomless' soft drink and had one glass and I'm going to be compelled to tip for the hardly stellar service so what the fuck. Slightly irrationally annoying group of young English people at next table.

If/when I leave/get booted out I will probably go into the MRT (which I think is under cover from here) and go the short-walk-but-insanely-convoluted journey over to Little India to print that vital non-boarding-pass, assuming the rain stops by the time I get there. Basically looks like today is going to be a write off for doing anything by the time I get this shit sorted out.

1351 OK, some guy just came to clear my table so have asked for the bill. Not very happy really. That's right, stand over me while I pay the bill. Fortunately I wanted to break a 50 anyway.

Oh no, they've included a service charge - bill is 29.20 - so I'm taking all my change.

1428 Wandered round shopping centre at Bugis a bit, got MRT to Dhoby Ghaut, come out, spitting a bit. Tried today and last night my normal Lloyds bank card, which I am not using normally because Metro Bank has better foreign currency withdrawal. I've either forgotten the PIN through not using it for a couple of months (I think I remember it, but not sure) or the card is knackered or no Singapore bank likes it. (Sometimes the message says my PIN is wrong, sometimes it just says the transaction is cancelled.) Yay. Of course due to 'security' it is virtually impossible to get a bank card replaced while you are abroad. I have others, but obviously this makes me that much more vulnerable to loss. I must test the third card and see if that still works.

1952 Walked to National Museum, spent quite a while there, waffle later. Been back at hotel a while, going out now for food and if convenient a drink or two, but need to be up super early (5am, 6 absolute latest) so need to be careful. Just going to wander, if can't find food I am not starving and/or there's KFC/7-Eleven if push comes to shove.

2017 At Shahi Kitchen in (I think) Little India. Having black pepper chicken (recommended by not overly pushy waiter after I'd eyeballed the prices outside) with jeera rice and a plain naan. And a beer.

Museum was good earlier but I got into the Singapore history museum part and got overwhelmed by the amount of opportunities to use the audio guide. Consequently I burned out and that combined with a lack of clarity about where to go and plenty of opportunities to miss stuff in side rooms meant towards the end I was kind of zooming through not listening to audio guide at all (also, battery started at 70%ish and got down to 15% as I used it) and consequently I may have missed good stuff. Also as I left I saw a sign about an exhibition of cameras used by some news reporter on 2nd floor but was frankly bit fagged out and that combined with woman on ticket desk saying 'hello?' made me leave.

Found internet cafe in Little India and printed hotel details and non-boarding pass. Have precached Delhi map back at hotel and put a star where hotel is. It is near the main railway station and also a metro station shown on Google Maps. So although I will read up on how to get into town from airport tomorrow on flight I am hopeful I can do it via public transport. I land about 1230 local time so should be plenty of daylight.

2046 Going to have second beer here - waiter suggested it but had decided myself anyway - then go back, maybe pick passport up tonight and pack. May struggle to get to sleep early but maybe not. Anyway, it's OK here and even if I could find somewhere lively tonight it really isn't the night for it.

2052 Been on a Peter Wimsey novel binge after discovering they are available free to 'borrow' on scribd with the subscription I kept meaning to cancel. Just finished Gaudy Night. Some of it rather struck a chord, though I am not quite sure the chord it was intended to strike, while other parts of the sentiments are either too clever, too refined or too alien for me to feel a huge amount about them. Anyway.

Second beer not here yet but no rush. Maybe guy got confused, ah no, here it is now. Was a bit slow but no harm done. A few people outside but not many, I am only customer inside (airconditioned).

Oh, the food was very good in my inexpert opinion, and I feel pleasantly sated by the portion size. I should stop going on about that really, it was just such a recurrent theme in Thailand.

2124 Got bill. No SC, 23.50 ish, make it 26. Then slash and just maybe down to waterfront for quick sightseeing, curse my tourist conscience.

2143 On MRT leaving Little India for Harbour Front. Walked over here through Little India (I assume) past Prince of Wales Backpackers Pub. Streets quite thronged in a way not seen elsewhere here, maybe cos of when &/or where I've been out.

Seems a trite thing to say but for my own future reference English feels very dominant here, despite the four official languages. I get the impression many signs etc are English only, quite a lot of people I see are speaking to one another in non-English languages but I guess just about everyone speaks English to some level. Little India perhaps a bit less so with the signs, but I am just making this observation now, that's all.

Frankly probably haven't had value from my three day tourist pass but I haven't sat down and worked it out, of course. I guess this is eking a little more value out of it, and it has been convenient not to worry about transport. Will need to put some credit on the card tomorrow morning for trip to airport.

Hope I don't get stranded by last train - Harbour Front is not on same line as my hotel (near Bugis MRT) - but if push comes to shove I can get a cab.

This train carriage is obviously sponsored by Nando's. I wonder if "just say lah?" is a local slogan of theirs or I just haven't been to one recently enough in the UK to have seen or remember seeing it there.

Not sure if I am going to get a good 'distant enough not to be lost among them' view of the skyscrapers from Harbour Front but guide book not super clear where best to go and this is on the line from Little India and had a good name. I see there is a skyscraper top bar I haven't visited round Raffles Place but meh, something for next time. I'd probably put in a couple of nights here, especially if it worked nicely with the flights, on some future trip.

2230 On MRT, one stop to Outram Park then change. Woman asked me if it was going there (think she was confused by the two platforms & this being terminus), I said I thought so but I was a tourist.

Walked down Sentosa Boardwalk (something like that). Not the iconic towering skyline but quite cool all the same. Didn't realise there was a cable car (and a monorail), oh well, not the end of the world and something to do next time. A few people about. The cable car obviously closed as I was heading back, I noticed far fewer cars (or at least, cars with lights on) over the water.

I should be OK to get back. Since I wasn't pissed anyway and will be even less so by time I get to reception will pick passport up at desk on way in. No real fear of anyone breaking in overnight and it's one less thing to do tomorrow morning, plus avoids the horrible scenario of leaving it behind in safe deposit and not realising until I am at the airport.

2239 At Outram Park waiting for EW train, definitely not missed last one. I note there is no NE2 station, I am sure there's some geekily fascinating reason for that.

Not mega happy about early start, and I need to pack (not a huge job, though suspect clothes are still slightly damp) but it's OK. Also fingers crossed touched wood it should be fairly easy to get to the airport.

It does feel a bit muggy here on the platform and it was a bit out tonight but it's not too bad. Out at Bukit Timah with the exertions during the day it was bad. I guess having been in Thailand for three weeks probably helped pre-acclimatise me, I suspect coming here direct from London would be a bit more disturbing. But there is a lot more aircon here than in Thailand.

2309 Back at hotel, got passport.

2336 Packed. Quick look on web says first trains on MRT 530. So if I'm up by 530, out by 6, at Bugis by 615 would be at airport by say 7. For a 915 flight that is a bit tight. I guess up by 515, don't dick around out by 530 and at Bugis by 545 is a bit better. FFS. Still, I can go to bed now tho not that tired and I can sleep on the flight if I want.

Singapore, Saturday

1102 Just got up. Not great but could be worse. Been snoozing on the alarm and feeling relatively shit (just tired, I think) since about 9. Woke up at about 0230 feeling slightly queasy; maybe I got drunk on those three tiny bottles of lager, I don't know.

Yawning. Not sure what to do. Going to get dressed and pick something out of the 'things not to miss' in guide book and go there, but if I see a chance to sit and have a coffee and/or lunch first I'm doing that.

The wifi here, as at Tara Place, follows standard wanky 'proper hotel' style by being open but having some kind of proxy hijack your web brower's attempts to visit a site and asks you to log in. Your connection then works for a bit, after which you need to go try to visit a web site to start the whole process off again. Here the browser on my phone associates the password, if you tell it to remember it, with the website you tried to visit, not the wanky gateway you actually need to log into, so I have to keep finding the password again and typing it in manually.

1238 On bus 170 out to Bukit Timah Hill (sp). Had two plain hamburgers and large fries at a McDonalds I passed; bite me. Eyes feel a bit sore/tired (could this be aftereffects of otherwise unnoticed pollution??) but otherwise I feel OK.

1417 OK, back at the start of the red trail where I was maybe an hour ago. Signage is appalling, there are four trails, the guidebook recommends this one and by sheer chance it's the first one I saw - only one. Headed up there. At the first junction the sign handily points to various roads but doesn't indicate the trail direction. Parts of the area are mountain bike only, pedestrians not allowed. I think I ended up following a mountain bike trail because with no signs i had to guess. then you randomly hit a direction post indicating cyclists go one way and with a 'cycle trail only' sign generally. Cyclists shout out at you so you get out of their way even on what are probably mixed use trails. I saw several people harvesting durians at various points. One insisted I took a trail which turned out to be the red trail down to where i started. I doubled back and after five minutes walk back up he insisted I had to go back and walked me back to the main road, telling me to go round the corner. So what the fuck is this Kampong Trail (as the sign calls it at the bottom) and which seems to at least start off marked in red?

1425 OK, further on - though how I was supposed to know to come this way, or that the Kampong Trail is unofficially closed for durian harvesting - there is a sign showing four routes starting at the visitor centre. So fuck knows what the Kampong Trail and its deceptive red-striped posts are all about. The Kampong Trail is also shown on the sign here, in pink not red. Fucking hell.

1614 On bus back. Hot sweaty wreck, at least pre aircon on bus. Got green trail down. Halfway down it splits and isn't colour coded, so I went wrong way. Then it's miles round anyway and it's fucking hot and all up and down hill. I suppose it's all exercise and sort of cool but still. Good job I did take the wrong trail at start as only saw one monkey (I think they're macacaques) otherwise, and I think even that bit was when I accidentally left the green trail and got lost there. Didn't have enough water with me really but there you go. Paid SGD1.50 for a semi-cold can of aloe vera juice with pulp and white grape juice at the reserve centre before starting red trail, which was interesting.

1713 Back at hotel. Getting anywhere on foot here seems to take ages as you wait for the pedestrian crossings to go green.

1846 Done laundry (and showered); had to do some anyway, plus lower legs on combats v muddy after that walk, primarily the first bit on the Kwhatsit pink trail. Using travel clothesline for probably first time the trip, stretched between towel rack and bathroom door. Fifteen minutes later it somehow managed to pull the bathroom door shut and the lock on the inside (it's one of those ones built into the door handle) was engaged. Fortunately after a few seconds of cursing I managed to turn the 'emergency open' screw on the outside with a key.

2010 At some Indian restaurant on Boat Quay. Not super cheap and staff a little sinisterly over-attentive, but I have a table by the river and it's quite nice so WTF. Having mutton rogan josh with pulao rice and a plain naan, and a "free" (hahahaha) beer and some poppadom pieces. Will go somewhere more relaxing for a beer or two after.

2042 That was pretty good and a satisfying portion. Got bill, 42.90 including 10% service, so going to wait for change for my 50 and take it all. 20 fucking quid for a meal, yes I'm on holiday and it's by the river but FFS. I don't pay that in London (I could, of course, loads of wanky places would be happy to charge me that).

2051 Place is Haldhi Restaurant. Snaffled change and feel irrationally tight. Off.

2114 Done circuit of water here. It's v Canary Wharf with taller buildings. I guess the regeneration story is similar too. It's OK though, just not as 'wow!' stunning as I'd hoped. At Harry's. Where I just went to the bar, ordered a pint of Carlsberg and was charged SGD15. Seven fucking quid, more like seven fifty, for a pint of Carlsberg. I have suspect the guy was just fucking around with me because he was surly as fuck when he served me, but what could I say? When they have a deal of five bottles of HPL in a bucket for 35 outside I didn't expect this kind of rank abuse. I was intending to go home after this anyway - I'm not not in the mood for a beer but I'm not desperate and it feels a bit forced, but it's only 9pm on a Saturday - but definitely going home now. Can't trust anywhere else here not to rip me off. What a bunch of absolute fucking cunts.

2123 Before I let this go - primarily am wondering if this place is a fucking rip off specifically or this is an expensive location - I worked out the five beers for SGD35 offer works out at SGD12 a pint. I dunno, maybe 15 is normal, but I'm dubious.

2203 Intermittent bursts of cheering at what I think is a UK football match. I have to assume this is a mostly ex-pat crowd, though I suppose they could be tourists.

2224 Finished that pint. Slash then home.

2232 On MRT. At least in Harry's match on was Everton v someone I forgot just now. I do wonder if the shouts were from various presumably premiership matches in different bars.

2256 Back via 7-Eleven for a bottle of green tea. That bar just next to hotel is karaoke, but looked very dull and not in the mood. Will try to upload some photos, surf a bit and maybe earlyish night.