He’s finally in “leisure mode,” so I think after wrapping up meetings in London. Steven is having a little snack before we board, waiting in the British Airways Terraces Lounge, Terminal 4 @ Heathrow. March 2006

En route LHR-DEL, showing the GPS display from my screen.

There’s the red dot on the far right corner of the Oberoi, Delhi property to help illustrate the panoramic views we were offered from their 6th floor Kipling Presidential suite.

Interior of Kipling.

Here we are taking a self-portrait on the grounds of Humayan’s tomb. The first stop on our New Delhi tour.

Humayan’s Tomb

Here’s Steven as we make our way (long, hot walk) from the main gate to the center of Humayan’s Tomb.

Here I am sweating and HOT, but I had to bring my cover-up as most locals, especially Indian women were wearing their sari’s. I couldn’t bear the immodesty of some fellow visitors to this Mughal holy site.

Enjoying the shade, I cover-up before we make our way onto the main walkways of Humayan’s Tomb.

Wishing he could jump into the fountain behind him, Steven catches a closer look at Humayan’s Tomb, probably to climb the 4 story building, which he indeed, does. No elevator, just uneven, worn, stone steps.

In front of Humayan’s Tomb, I’m just happy I make it this far, as the grounds are very hot and humid. I too, wanted to jump into the fountain pools behind me. The mughal architecture is even more impressive the closer we approach the impeding structure, but seems to lose its massive size the closer you are to the building itself.

One of the tombs off the western elevation of Humayan’s Tomb.

Here’s the tomb itself – of the 16th century Moghul Humayan Emperor – as seen on the top floor of the monument. Photo taken by Steven.

View from the interior of our car, our driver/tour guide alerted us that we were getting closer to our 2nd stop.

Behind me, lay under construction the Red Fort in Central New Delhi. We actually stopped roadside just to capture this photo as we weren’t planning to spend an hour’s wait to view the structure on this very hot day.

There’s Steven purchasing a book about Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, as we wrap up our walking tour of the memorial grounds. Locals were seen picnicing and taking naps on the manicured areas to the left of this photo.

Steven reading one of the Gandhi memorial descriptives along the grounds.

There is the pilgrimage line to the center area featuring Ghandi’s remains.

Something no one wants to witness, but the reality of seeing this very disturbing, rude awakening of children begging in the streets of New Delhi to purchase subpar goods while clogging traffic puts them even at greater risk as they move from car to car, asking for money. Another topic to further explore, as this journal continues, part of all developing countries, economic changes.

One of many sights throughout New Delhi and India, shanty, camp-like, housing as seen from our car tour.

Typical New Delhi street, pedicabs, cyclists, motorbikes, trucks, pedestrians, all sharing road space. Amazingly, few are hurt given the dangerous conditions. Many close calls, but no accidents as we feared along our driving tour.

See also PROPERTY REVIEW, Amarvilas, Agra, India for an in-depth look at this property.

Updated 28jun07