Getting Scammed…
Tuesday, November 7th, 2006Every guide book warns you against scams in India, gives you all the details and I think theres no way I will EVER fall for that I’m way to on-to-it…but well welcome to India where the only way to get things done is some sort of scam.
But lucky for me my first story turns out good.
So to start off with, everything is all good as I meet this cool chick in the airport who’s sitting next to me on the plane. SO after no sleep and terrible movies we touch down early morning in New Delhi and set off together to find a hotel. Now after all the stories Im bracing myself for an onslaught of touts/taxis/beggars etc etc. After everything I’d heard I thought India would be worse than Bolivia, Peru, Zambia, Indonesia, Morrocco put together. But it was surprisingly calm, no touts/beggars and only the taxi we ordered. All good so far. We decide to head to the tourist district of Delhi abundance of guidebook recommended hotels, food places, shops where we can cloth ourselves in the neccesary India hippy outfit…it was all good. APart from apparently we got lost ended up at a tourist office where they helped us find a hotel.
“Is this Pahr Gangi?”
“yes yes yes”
“Really the main road?”
“yes yes yes”
“Well why can’t you find the hotel..its on the main road?”
“where the street number, no we need the block number, its a very big place…”
blah blah blah, anyway Im too tired to care we get into a nice room and I have a sleep. Only later do we discover we are not actually anywhere near Pahr Gangi but in some other area which tourists end up in when there taxis get ‘lost’ and ask for directions!
Great start!
But not to worry as the tourist office turns out to be full of a very cool, fun and mostly genuine guys who take the most excellent care of us. Im stll in Dehli and haven’t hardley been by myself at all. Jeanie the american chick heading off to the mountains the day after we arrived after we got a free car and driver for the day from them. Also I stayed in their free guest house, we went out for dinner and drinks in flasher places than europe…all pated for by them…been constantly entertained by their charming, flirtations and quintessentially India ways. Been cool hanging out the back of their office having Dahl for lunch and drinking endless cups of chai. I am just one of many girls and backpackers who spend more time in that office than actually in Delhi! One of the guys friends came with me today and took me around all these amazing places including this beautiful Ba’hai Lotus temple, pretty much a giant Lotus surrounded by all these gardens. Also an amazing tomb similar to the Tajh Mahal and then he took me through the back streets to this Mosque when he went to pray and I just kind of hung out watching which was amazing. Just people everywhere, men singing and playing drums, handing out food to beggars, women and kids coming and sharing their sweets with me…it was one of those amazing moments which I wish I could get on film but not right to take photos so will have to stay in my memory.
So i have been well looked after! almost too well as haven’t done anything by myself in 3 days! Tomorrow am heading off to travel a bit (catching a free lift with some english guys who hired a car from the tourist guys). So should be facing a few more challenges. But Delhi has been good, lifethreating rickshaw rides, so much to buy, already adopting my hippy India travellers clothes, amazing food amd amazingly friendly people. and its really not as bad as I thought It would be, I think Morrocco still holds the record as ‘the country where you get harrassed the most’
will see how many more scams I fall for though!
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