....Thankfully!
We've been stranded here almost as week, as the Thai embassy (for reasons unknown) kept our passports for 4 nights, instead of the normal one night. Unable to change hotels, book flights, or trains, we just kinda hung around and seen what we can of Delhi.
We watched the Indian version of changing the guard at the presidents house, checked out things like India gate, national museum etc, and went to the Gandhi museum. That was the best thing we've seen, very interesting, informative and quite moving, as we followed the baldy-ones' last footsteps to his assassination.
The tranquility of his home was a much needed respite from Delhi, although it was a nightmare getting there, due to the extorting, lying, begging rickshaw drivers.
I've developed a deep-rooted irritation at auto-rickshaw drivers. I can understand Indians paying less than tourists for attractions (the signs at attractions often state things like: Indians- 50 rupees, foreigners-350), as Indians should be able to see their own countries attractions. No problems with that at all- it's a good thing.
But auto-rickshaw drivers, by law, have fixed rates for everyone. Yet they always charge extremely high prices (refusing to use their meter) and will often not take you to your agreed destination at all, but some other place for their commission (as I found out on our first day). They are constantly preying on the tourists ignorance, fleecing them for whatever they can get. At first it's bareable- 5 weeks in and it's really grating.
Thing is, I'm not ignorant, and I really don't have a lot of money. Just a simple 15-20 rupee journey had me arguing (they tend to shout at you if you know the price, no matter how smiley-nice you are) with 4 consecutive drivers about both price and NOT going to emporiums, before I finally managed to get one for the more reasonable 40 rupees, without the un-wanted shopping trip. One conversation went like this:
Me: Namaste! Pahaganj? How much?
Him: 150 rupees
Me: No, sorry, that's too much saab, I know the price is 15-20 rupees.
Him: Ok, I take 20.
Me: Danyiwad, your a good man.
Surprised at his honesty, Mrs Grasshopper and I slide into the rickshaw...then he blocks the door and starts:
Him: First I am going to take you to a shop...
Me: No, thank you, but no- we have to meet someone and we are late, and we do not want to go to any shops.
Him: YES YOU WILL, I take you this shop..
Me: No, we are not going to any...
Him: SILENCE!! YOU SIT THERE, STOP TALKING!! BE QUIET! LISTEN TO ME, NOW! YOU WILL GO TO THIS SHOP...
He is now pointing and shouting, his spit, stained red with masala paan, is flecking my face and he's physically blocking my exit out of the cramped rickshaw. I'm shattered, having now spent all day arguing, being fleeced, ripped off, lied to, my temper and tolerance is a little low, and his overly-aggressive, threatening behaviour is not right. I can feel the adrenalin-dump, sweat prickling out of my skin and my hands trembling slightly, like they use to occasionally at work back in England. I look at him and see he's wide-eyed, but thankfully his chin's up, being the big-man. I focus on it.
"No. Come on, lets go" I say to Mrs G.
I start to move out of the rickshaw, praying that he will move and let us go. Thankfully he backs off, spits on the floor, then turns away, maybe looking for another tourist he can bully.
Sometimes I just want rickshaw to my hotel, and money left over to eat a meal.
So today, we got our passports back, and tried to book a train to Varanasi. Unfortunately the trains were now all booked, and the flights prohibitively expensive. Instead, we're off to Rishikish by overnight bus- a welcome escape!
The Gandhi museum was excellent, but over all our experience of Delhi- being groped, spat at, having had things stolen etc has not been the best. Unfortunately we have to come back, but fortunately only for one night before our flight to Mumbai, where we will then catch a train to Goa, and our volunteer placements.
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2 comments:
Excellent reading mate. I'm not surprised by the "life changing" experience of Africa. How soon will you return?
Hope the luck and Goa are better.
Can you imagine the female crew from Leigh being in a place where they are not allowed to buy alcohol. LOL
Take care.
Cheers mate- glad to hear from you! Hope you are well, and staying rubber-side down.
Thankfully Delhi, for all it's faults, does have bars and resturants where women can drink- although 40+ percent of men think they then "deserve all they get", if the Hindustan Times survey can be believed.
I dont know about Kenya- when we get the time and money back together again I think!
I had an email the other day from the head of the organisation we were working for. Due to the election riots, all volunteers have cancelled for the next 2 months. No money from them means no pay for the full-time project executives like Rubin, David and James- looks like they could be out of a job, and the projects finished, just as it was making a difference. I can't tell you how that makes us feel.
If you fancy a life-changing experiance, you can book with http://www.wah.co.za/ (ignore the youth adventures bit) or email me, and I'll pass details on how you can book direct with the project leader and make a considerable saving.
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