My day in Agra seeing the Taj Mahal was the highlight of my India trip! The day was pure bliss! I did not realize until I was on the grounds how I had longed to see the Taj since I was a small girl.
I was happy to return to my hotel tired but savoring every moment of the day and the images which felt like they were imprinted in my soul. After a simple dinner in the hotel's restaurant, I headed for the computer off the lobby. And then it happened............ I asked how much it was to use the computer. I don't remember what figure I was given, but I knew it was at least 300 times the amount it cost in a neighborhood internet place. That was too much for frugal Karen. Off I went to the front gate and out into the night street. I knew the ATM was only a few buildings away so asked the guard at the gate, where the closest internet place was. He did not have a quick response. However, another man volunteered the locations of about 3 places, all of varying distances from the hotel.
Not only did he give me directions, he offered to take me there in his tuk-tuk. So I began the process of determining his price, for the closest one - which may or may not work you know. And also his price for reaching the second and third and of course we needed to negotiate the return fare as well. By now I was in too deep to go back into the lobby and use the hotel computer. (all the while, I am trying to calculate in my head the hotel rate versus the tuk-tuk rate and whether there would be any cost saving in this endeavor). It seems I would still save about 50% so why not? I agreed and got into the tuk-tuk!
The driver was chatty and proceeded to arrive quickly at the first location. He accompanied me into the place only to find that there was a long line of young men waiting for their turn on a computer. Okay, I thought, we made it here easily, let's go for the next one, I was becoming more determined and feeling more confident. So back in the tuk-tuk.
Perhaps I should take a moment to describe what a tuk-tuk actually is. In much of India, including Delhi, perhaps all of India, tuk-tuk's are the local means of transport. They function like a taxi, some even have meters, but are built on what we would call a 3-wheeled motor bike. There is the seat for the driver, and a seat behind for passengers. Both are bench seats. The rest is a sort of kiddie car. Tuk-tuks carry anywhere from one to about 10 passengers. I'd say the ideal capacity is 4! Use your imagination until I get a picture for you.
I'd ridden in a rickshaw in Varanasi and in the old Delhi market, but never was ready for negotiating a tuk-tuk until tonight. As we set out for the 2nd internet place, I realized it was quite a distance farther than I had anticipated. By now we had made too many turns for me to keep straight in my head, and I realized I was totally at the mercy of or in the skilled hands of my driver. I wasn't sure which one! The street near my hotel was relatively quiet traffic wise, but now we were on very busy streets and crossing lanes of traffic. Thankfully, we arrived safely at the second computer place and I was able to get off a short e-mail. My eagerness to communicate had ended and my eagerness to be safely back at my hotel had increased.
Remember India was to be the pray part of my trip. Well I took it to heart in earnest now and got back in the tuk-tuk! There was nothing else to do but pray & trust! As you may guess, I made it safely back. I certainly did not feel as cocky and stubborn as when I left. I said my prayers of thanks and vowed not to be so stubborn in the future!
I was happy to return to my hotel tired but savoring every moment of the day and the images which felt like they were imprinted in my soul. After a simple dinner in the hotel's restaurant, I headed for the computer off the lobby. And then it happened............ I asked how much it was to use the computer. I don't remember what figure I was given, but I knew it was at least 300 times the amount it cost in a neighborhood internet place. That was too much for frugal Karen. Off I went to the front gate and out into the night street. I knew the ATM was only a few buildings away so asked the guard at the gate, where the closest internet place was. He did not have a quick response. However, another man volunteered the locations of about 3 places, all of varying distances from the hotel.
Not only did he give me directions, he offered to take me there in his tuk-tuk. So I began the process of determining his price, for the closest one - which may or may not work you know. And also his price for reaching the second and third and of course we needed to negotiate the return fare as well. By now I was in too deep to go back into the lobby and use the hotel computer. (all the while, I am trying to calculate in my head the hotel rate versus the tuk-tuk rate and whether there would be any cost saving in this endeavor). It seems I would still save about 50% so why not? I agreed and got into the tuk-tuk!
The driver was chatty and proceeded to arrive quickly at the first location. He accompanied me into the place only to find that there was a long line of young men waiting for their turn on a computer. Okay, I thought, we made it here easily, let's go for the next one, I was becoming more determined and feeling more confident. So back in the tuk-tuk.
Perhaps I should take a moment to describe what a tuk-tuk actually is. In much of India, including Delhi, perhaps all of India, tuk-tuk's are the local means of transport. They function like a taxi, some even have meters, but are built on what we would call a 3-wheeled motor bike. There is the seat for the driver, and a seat behind for passengers. Both are bench seats. The rest is a sort of kiddie car. Tuk-tuks carry anywhere from one to about 10 passengers. I'd say the ideal capacity is 4! Use your imagination until I get a picture for you.
I'd ridden in a rickshaw in Varanasi and in the old Delhi market, but never was ready for negotiating a tuk-tuk until tonight. As we set out for the 2nd internet place, I realized it was quite a distance farther than I had anticipated. By now we had made too many turns for me to keep straight in my head, and I realized I was totally at the mercy of or in the skilled hands of my driver. I wasn't sure which one! The street near my hotel was relatively quiet traffic wise, but now we were on very busy streets and crossing lanes of traffic. Thankfully, we arrived safely at the second computer place and I was able to get off a short e-mail. My eagerness to communicate had ended and my eagerness to be safely back at my hotel had increased.
Remember India was to be the pray part of my trip. Well I took it to heart in earnest now and got back in the tuk-tuk! There was nothing else to do but pray & trust! As you may guess, I made it safely back. I certainly did not feel as cocky and stubborn as when I left. I said my prayers of thanks and vowed not to be so stubborn in the future!
Glad to see another post! Hope the heat is not too unbearable in Bali. Luv, Barb
ReplyDeleteYikes!! What an experience. When the universe humbles us, it sure doesn't mess around, huh? One of my language books is written by a woman who travels world-wide. She has been all over Europe speaking only English and a small amount of the local language, augmented by phrase books. She assumed, arrogantly she admits, that Turkey would work the same way.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't.
She now advises that travelers learn the language of their target country BEFORE finding out, just outside customs and not yet at your hotel, that no one around speaks a word of English.
Eep!
I'm so pleased you made it home safely - and now you can say you traveled by tuk-tuk! :)
Thanks for your courage (or stubbornness) so you could post this comment. I look forward to your pictures and more talss of your fascinating adventures.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to let go of control isn't it?