First stop Dehli
Namaste everyone!
I made it to Dehli, without a major incident. I would like to say that Virgin Atlantic is the best airline I have ever flown, even in the cheapy seats you get a goodie bag, free wine, and a little monitor that tracks your progress, maybe the little things excite me a bit too much, but I was truly happy and content as I could be on a seven hour long flight.
After changing money at the airport I headed out to get a prepaid taxi to the train station, of course they tried to overcharge me, and after much bickering and me walking off they lowered the price and I got in to the cab. Supposedly we were going to the train station, but I got dropped off at a travel agency. Oh No! Don’t even trust the pre-paid taxi guys, the only way to screw them over for not delivering you to your destination is to rip up othe little piece of paper they give you before you get into the cab,if they don’t get that back they don’t get paid. Unfortunatley I didn’t but I hope someone else out there can and will get the chance to pull this little F-you buddie for not taking me where I want to go.
Anyway, the “travel agency” takes me in and plys me with chai, Yummy chai and proceeds to “help” me call all the places I have in mind to stay. BOO everything is booked?! I think this was a scam, but first day/time in India, I think it happens to everyone.
With nowhere to stay, I am now being told that the place I want to go is Kashmir, ummm, NO! Lovely trip, house boat, all inclusive, taken care of, lots of trekking, flight, blah blah blah. All this for the fantastic rip off price of 200 pounds, did I mention I don’t even want to go to Kashmir? After much debate and fussing on my part the guy somehow turns the situation around and demands money from me, telling me I agreed to take the trip and I must pay now. I tell him to get f**ked and barge out to the street as he is throwing around all the papers and pictures he had displayed for me.
I get a taxi to the train staion or so I thought. I swear nothing is as it seems here. Actually I was so fed up at this point I just wanted a place to stay for the night, which I found. A overpriced (about $8.) dank, dark and hot room. Perfect!
My taxi driver was actually part of the travel agency I had just escaped, but he was alot more honest and sincere so I kind of befriended the guy. He still tried to sell the pants off this trip to Kashmir (later I find these guys are all from Kashmir and they support their family back home doing this) but I wouldn’t budge so after much debate he tells me I can stay at the family house for a day no charge, no more hassle.
Too good to be true I know, But that is actually what happened. I have been at the family house for the past three days, whose occupants are one American woman and her dog John. I have been all over Dehli with Dawn, saw more backstreets and markets than I could handle and have been having an amazing time. Sometimes things just work out. I really don’t know what I did to make them turn all helpful and non-scamming on me, perhaps it was just luck or they realized I really don’t have money coming out of my ears and I may enjoy a 30 hour bus rather than the two hour super deluxe tourist flyer.
I have a train ticket to Gorakhpur tonight, the gateway to Nepal. Hot-Diggity I should be in Kathmandu by Monday. So what is Dehli like? It is hot, dusty, and filled with madness around every nook and cranny, kind of sounds like Burning Man 🙂 It is a whole new world but not nearly as scary or big or bad as all make it out to be, I like the chaos, and the people are amazing.
More tales to come soon my lovelies.
Tags: dehli, india, Travel, travelling
jessica
still less than amused i hope you are well and miss you love the dad