A “Lucky” Esacape
Sunday, October 9th, 2005On arrival to Delhi we did the dumb thing of getting a “taxi” with one of the locals, as he followed us around “taxi” Taxi”. At first decline and walked on looking for metered taxis, finding none and having our new friend follow us, plus being very tired after the 8 and a half hour flight. (got only 2 hours sleep before flight as we went to the pub, tom I blame you). We got into the “taxi”, our drivers name was Lucky, who after checking said he knew where we where going.
Culture shock 1: Driving in India!! Watching 3 guys on an old motorbike zip through traffic, the only signalling anyone does is with the horn. Overtaking undertaking, just stopping for no reason. Very exciting.
Culture shock 2: turning corner to be faced with cow eating out of trash can.
As we pulled into New Delhi after the excitment of the dual carrage way, I say dual but 3 cars in a line was normal. Lucky decides he doesn’t know where our hotel is, yet we had repeated the hotel address a number of times and shown him our hotel voucher. He starts pointing very nice hotel cheap as we drive around aimlessly, NO NO! add the no tip find our hotel, and a few swaer words possibly. This changed Luckys ideas as we showed that we where not getting out of car until he found hotel. We told him to ring and find direstions, we pull up to a dark ally “one of you come with me we ring” No chance, but it seemed he didn’t mean ally but the Government tourist office next door. which I’m writting this from as long as the electricity holds, it cut out earlier as I wrote this. It seems Lucky lucked out as our hotel was 100 meteres up the road.
Once we got there and gave him a small a tip as our notes would allow, cheecky git asked for more. we walked away into the hotel. Lucky was Lucky to get a tip, never again. We know better than to get into unmarked taxis but when u are tired next time I walk.
Miller