It’s a complicated one, and not for the faint hearted. Apart from one brief encounter with the sprawling metropolis that is New Delhi, I’ve mostly stuck on the inside of the airport, choosing to flit straight out of there while my lungs still had oxygen.

However, if you feel you have sufficient lung capacity then the most popular way to get to your hotel from Delhi airport is by taking a prepaid taxi, the operation of which is overseen by Delhi Traffic Police (thoroughly recommend this method). When exiting the airport, taxi drivers must give their name, number, passengers’ names and destination to officials at the Delhi Traffic Police.

You’ll find prepaid taxi counters in both the domestic and international arrival areas. At International Terminal 3, there’s a counter inside the terminal and another at the taxi bay outside. It’s best to go to the inside counter so you’re not pounced on by touts. And, it will also give you the opportunity to view the mountain high books of records maintained by the Delhi Traffic Police. They literally have thousands of carbonised books; for each passenger they dutifully write out a receipt and maintain a copy in their carbonised book. As I starred at the huge pile of record books, absoultely reaching the ceiling they were, I wondered if there were several million people taking a taxi every day, or how long they held those books for. Judging by the dust dripping from the top of the piles I think they must be retained for several years; no Data Protection in that office.

After paying the fare at the counter, you’ll be given two receipts, one green and one pink with the taxi number on it. The green receipt is to be given to the driver; but it is of course possible that your driver will try to take both the green and the pink, don’t do it, your driver needs the pink to get paid, and of course it ensures you get to the correct destination. Hand over the pink receipt when you’ve safely arrived.