We arrived at Howrah station filled with trepidation about our 24 hour train ride to Delhi. It was an early start – our train was due to leave just after eight, so to be sure of locating the platform, train and carriage in time we aimed to be there by seven. We had got used to more gradual awakenings in the last few days. Would I ever be able to get up for 6:45 when I had to return to work? I brushed the thought aside. Anything could happen before October 2025.

In fact, once we were on the train the journey was fine and I was glad that we had decided not to fly. A couple of members of a lovely family were sharing our six berth compartment. I finished ‘Brooklyn’ by Colm Toibin and listened to the new album by Kim Deal on repeat. At least half the journey was spent sleeping or dozing. The berths in second class AC (2A) were comfortable with sheets, pillows and a blankets provided. With my earplugs in I slept soundly. Meals were provided and the toilets were regularly cleaned. I did spot one cockroach, but it was quickly dispatched. All in all I thought that the journey was pretty good value.

We arrived in Delhi at just after 8am the next day. We had booked the Ibis Hotel in Aerocity for £70 a night – our most expensive deal yet in India, but we wanted to be near the airport as we needed to check in at 4am on our day of departure. We were also curious to experience Aerocity, the ultra modern development next to Indira Gandhi airport. As we stepped out of the train at New Delhi station we noticed a distinct drop in temperature compared to Kolkata. All the Indian people around us were bundled up in jumpers, coats and scarves. The air seemed a bit cleaner than the previous time we had visited Delhi, but it was still not great. After fishing jumpers out of our bags we headed for the metro.

The Ibis in Aerocity is much nicer than any Ibis I have visited in the UK or Europe. It even has an outdoor swimming pool, which unfortunately we could not use as it was too cold! We couldn’t check in until 2pm but they kindly agreed to store our bags for us. We fuelled up on coffee at Blue Tokai, a lovely Indian coffee outlet that serves much better quality coffee than can be obtained in Costa or Starbucks (they also have outlets in Aerocity). We debated what to do next. There did not seem to be much retail activity in the area, it was all working and eating spaces; there is a lot of building going on so that may change soon. We agreed that we could be in a mixed work/ leisure area anywhere in the world, which was ok for a bit but soon got boring. Despite our tiredness and our colds, we decided to head for Janpath in central Delhi, to do some Christmas shopping.

We (or rather, I) spent a few hours in the Central Cottage Industries Emporium, where they sell crafts from all over India. There is a cafe attached, so Tim had somewhere to chill. Then we headed back and enjoyed the hotel for the rest of the day. On our last day in Delhi we headed into the Janpath area again and had a last Indian breakfast in Saravana Bhawan South Indian restaurant. We then braved Janpath Market, where bargaining hard for goods is recommended. We were pursued by vendors every time we made a purchase. I made one last trip into the crafts emporium while Tim waited outside. Then we visited a cafe in Connaught Circus before returning to our hotel.

We booked a taxi to the airport via the hotel at the exorbitant rate of 900 rupees. A taxi driver on the street outside had offered us a ride at half the rate, but we wanted to be sure of getting to the airport on time, so we went with the hotel’s offer and I have to admit it ensured a calm and efficient transfer. I am not sure if I would stay in Aerocity again. It is possible to get a taxi (or during the day, the metro) from other, more interesting areas of South Delhi to the airport. We had assumed we would be able to get a shuttle bus to the international terminal, but surprisingly none run between 11pm and 5am which is also when the metro stops operating. If you have not been to India for some time or are new to it, or if you are flying into Delhi and transiting by plane to another town in India, I would recommend Aerocity as a good initial base. It is brilliantly connected to central Delhi and all the major sites via metro. It is definitely a better bet than staying in Parhaganj, which is definitely past its heyday as a backpacker hub. It is also interesting to see the new India. I just hope that if I return in twenty years the whole of India has not turned into Aerocity.

It felt very strange arriving back at Heathrow to all the Christmas festivities, but soon it was as if our trip to India had just been a figment of my imagination. We were back into the whirl of family and friend reunions, Christmas tree decorating and not being able to find a TV programme that everybody wanted to watch together. In between the visits to and from friends and relations I downloaded the Lonely Planet guides to Thailand and Vietnam and started planning our next trip, which will hopefully start on 10th January….