India: Shopping in Delhi

Before my trip to India becomes a blur,

I wanted to share a few things with you 

that made my trip easier, better, more enjoyable.

So I'm going to jot down my thoughts for you.

Maybe you aren't going to India today.

Or this year.

Or anytime soon.

But the internet is great for archiving...

so someday, when you do make plans to head east,

all these thoughts will still be here.

Everyone that had been to India

 raved about the shopping,

so I knew this was something I would have to accomplish.

I was looking for gold

when we hit Delhi,

but just didn't know where to start.

I used a guide book's advice to take me to Chondnri Chowk,

Delhi's old shopping district.

Here the textiles markets, jewelry markets, and spice markets 

are hidden the winding maze of narrow streets.

To be honest:

this was really overwhelming for me

to take on without outside help,

and I'm a pretty seasoned traveler. 

You are surrounded by beggars

and feel like a complete jerk repeatedly telling them "no"

as you try to navigate through the unmarked chaos.

Plus, I wasn't lucky in finding much that suited my fancy.

To be honest- I didn't see anything I really wanted.

So, I took the advice of my blogger friend, Kay,

who lives and works in Delhi

and headed to Dilli Haat.

We asked our driver

(that drove us all day for about $7)

to take us to this market,

and he was really glad we were headed there.

Our trusty driver & his awesome car.

He thought it would be much more suitable for what we were looking to find.

He was right.

It costs about 20 INR to get into Dilli Haat

(which is about $0.50)

and once you are in-

it's serene bliss.

Note: There are two Dilli Haats: "Old" & "New."

You'll want to go to the "Old," by the INA Station.

The market offers a concentrated selection of all the things 

you thought you would find when going to India:

sandals, bronze figurines, bangles, pashmina scarves, hand-painted art.

While you might be skeptical about bargaining-

don't be fooled.

You definitely can!

They even have a huge "food court" to grab some lunch.

And if you are feeling really local,

you can opt for some henna.

{Mine was 150 INR.}

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy