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Published: February 5th 2007
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I am tickled pink about the amount of animals I've had run ins with the last couple days. The last couple days have been trying. I am happy tonight but this is after some trying few incidents.
I'll start with Delhi. I was trying to book a train the day before yesterday and went down to the train station. I was aware that that the Foreign's Bureau was on the second floor so as I tried entering I was told I had to have a ticket already. I was then redirected towards towards a Foreign's Bureau also on the second floor labeled as such right around the corner. Never have being there I believed it. I went upstairs trying to book my ticket but was told their were no trains to Jaipur for five days. I also asked for three different cities which happened to be booked as well......busses were no problem and I could leave same day even! All this started sounding kinda of weird to me so I went back to the hotel were I'd originally talked to a travel agent that I thought was being helpful. He told me I had never really made it to the real
booking office. He then told me he could set up a "jeep" for the following day with only nine other people....and he would help me out for "only" 500rp which was roughly the price of the train ticket. So then again I start to feel better about things because I felt totally taken advantage of earlier. In India touts as they are called redirect people to other companies here for example the guy worked for the bus company and wanted to redirect people towards his business to make money. "Touts" as they are called work on commission so if you go to whom they direct you to they make a huge commission and you are charged about thirty percent more.
Anyway so I was really excited to head out of Delhi this morning and was ready at six in the morning. Along with are the other people I was promised however when it came time to board everyone else was going to Agra and was put on a big tourist bus and I was told to wait. This really sucked. Honestly I got really nervous...I thought it wierd to split from EVERYONE. It was dark outside and no one really explained anything to me instead they just tell you where to go. So then I'm to get in the bus which is tiny and looked like a pimped out Jamaica cab if you are with me on this....probably 20 years old or so. I'm told to sit in the back and the door shuts and I'm all alone. My heart was pounding so hard. I didn't know what to do.....get out go back to the hotel? Stay? See what happens? Ugh? Oh and this is after I check out and the guy tells me I only paid for my first night....which was bullshit so I just told him no way and left. Lesson learned always get some kind of receipt!
Anyway I'm sitting there freaking out and say a little prayer when this family of three get on and sit I ask the guy if we are going to Jaipur and he says yes. Then I realize like everything else here no one ever really says no....so then three women get on and I ask where we are going and she says Jaipur gives me a reassuring smile and I finally start to relax....
The women in India have been so wonderful. They have helped me so much I think she could tell I was really worried but after she smiled everything was okay. I feel like the women have some sort of silent comraderie with each other.
So we get going and the music is screaming bollywood hits and we are packed in like sardines. My pack is somewhere in the back and all I'm thinking is someone's going to try and take my shit. Suddenly we stop close to Jaipur and a guy pops his head in and a minute later they tell me to get out...just me and again I start freaking out. They get my bag and throw it on a rickshaw and I'm trying to figure out whats going on and then I realize everyone else was doing a day trip to Jaipur and I was just catching a ride with them.
So here I'm still nervous on guard and then the rickshaw driver tells me he's Titi and there's no reason for me to worry he said the company had paid for me to have a rickshaw driver the rest of the afternoon!
So needless to say all my worrying was for nothing. I just need to relax a little although I wish that people would explain things to me more.
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Jen
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Hugs...
Awww... I'm sorry Sandra. Here's a warm friendly hug to make you feel better... (.........:)...........)