Delhi

Our flight from Chennai to Delhi was on Jet Airways- a small domestic Indian carrier and was awesome. This is how flights should be in the U.S. Checking in was easy, going through security was easy (everyone gets hit by the small metal detectors), sitting in the gate was easy, getting on the plane was easy, getting a lovely meal was easy with real napkins and silverware, getting off was super easy with two exits to large buses, getting luggage took <6 minutes.
And the flight cost maybe a fourth of what it would in the US. There were twice as many flight attendants as well. I'm not sure how many flight attendants=one tank of fuel. But I'm sure that ratio decreases in the U.S.
At any rate, we arrived, found the official government stand (the non-official kinda govt stands look similar though!) and got a taxi and car for the next day. The difference between taking a non AC tour and hiring an AC car for an entire day is about $1. But our perceptions are so warped at this point we actually argued about this for 10 minutes.

Delhi is nothing like Chennai. Granted, we are staying in a lovely area. Really beautiful for India. Delhi has the urban markets, the bazaars- they are mostly near Old Delhi- and they are similar to all parts of Vellore. But Vellore and Chennai do not have the diplomatic and international green areas which look like affluent areas of Europe. There are rows of embassies and governmnt buildings surrounded by green and tree-lined streets. The streets have little littering- mostly only around the occasional snack stands- and are easily drive-able.
We are staying in a small guest house near Lodi Gardens- in a gated neighborhood called "Jor Bagh." The neighborhood has a few small parks (no cricketeers on pain of death!), dogs with actual collars and full bellies!, and international looking expats walking strollers. This is where I would love to live in Delhi. The houses are still modest, but clearly an upper class neighborhood. We found a store in "Jor Bagh Market" called Lal and sons popular with expats for christmas ornaments. And that they have. The old man running it talked with usfor a long time and was very excited to show us his listing in the Lonely Planet. He is the only listing in this part of town.
Every morning I have coffee and its black! Interestingly, the housemen here like to move me around. When I wake up and ask for coffee they first move me to the garden area, then as I go to get my book, they move my coffee to this courtyard sort of slab thing. Then they are anxious to make me go to the little room they use as a dining room.
I just want to sit and read!
We had a wonderful dinner (primarily because it included fish which Lauren and I needed) at the Lodi Garden restaurant. We were the only people in this huge (most expensive restaurant in Delhi, apparently which means my mixed seafood grille cost $12) place because no one hip enough to be seen there eats until 10. This we did not know. Which means we are in no way hip. But our food came fast!