Marianna and I have had a bit of difficulty this time around visiting India. We're realizing some of the constraints of the more adventurous travel when you're female, blonde, and just don't look that tough. In other words, we might as well have bulls-eyes on our backs . We're clearly easy targets.
We are full of enthusiasm and really are trying to hit the ground on our own and see as many things as possible, but to date, we've had failed attempts at the following:
We hired the more expensive hotel car and driver to tour us around today.
It's a little like admitting defeat, but man--did that defeat taste sweet!
Our driver, Malik, pulled up in a fancy new leather-seated BMW. We slid smoothly into the back...gone was the sticky upholstery of our prior cab experiences. Inside, the air was pumping out, so cold it made my hair stand on end. I loved it. No more wet, sticky back attached to the back of the seat. Marianna and I looked at each other and smiled. It was going to be a good day!
And for the most part, it proved to be. Malik asked us where we wanted to go, provided interesting commentary along the route, and ushered us to the entrance of each site we wanted to visit like a nanny pulling along her young charges. We felt safe and protected and rocked to sleep by the heavenly Malik.
He even had ice-cold Diet Cokes waiting for us in the car when we returned from touring the Qutab Minar! We were in heaven.
But like all knights, there was a chink in his armor. Upon our casually mentioning that we'd like to do some shopping, Malik perked right up and insisted on taking us to this amaaaaazing emporium that he just had to bring us to! We were assured again and again that this was the best high quality stuff we could get...we'd be treated well...it was a secret place...not for everyone.
OK, OK...we didn't know how to politely say that we were actually trying to sneak off to the Benetton in Connaught Place...that would make us look like ugly Americans! So we went meekly with Malik to his emporium.
Total setup.
We walked in to a huge, spacious store. Let me set the scene: air-conditioned, soft music playing, beautiful Indian women bringing us tea, and then the Sikh owner with his smooth English, leading us to chairs...I knew this was no good. The first room he brought us to was dripping costly jewels from all of the walls...yep. We were in trouble.
They began bringing out necklaces, laying them across our chests, showing us mirrors, encouraging us to take photos to see how marvelous we looked dripping in gold. Yep--we were in trouble.
Marianna and I just stole irritated glances at one another. It was like being at a Tupperware or Silpada party...where you know you're in for it and will not leave without purchasing something to save face.
I don't know how we got out of the ruby room, but over 1 hour, 36 offers of beverages, 760 rejected necklaces and 5400 "no thank yous" later, we managed to get out there without breaking our banks. And I have a couple of lovely pashmina shawls to bring home as gifts. And Malik got his kick-back.
Ah well. We did have a great time touring and didn't break a sweat. All in all, a good ride.
We are full of enthusiasm and really are trying to hit the ground on our own and see as many things as possible, but to date, we've had failed attempts at the following:
- Booking a hop-on hop-off bus tour
- Navigating an underground passage to a major temple
- Meeting up with a cab we'd hired to wait for us while we dined
- Locating a restaurant in a simple, American-style mall
We hired the more expensive hotel car and driver to tour us around today.
It's a little like admitting defeat, but man--did that defeat taste sweet!
Our driver, Malik, pulled up in a fancy new leather-seated BMW. We slid smoothly into the back...gone was the sticky upholstery of our prior cab experiences. Inside, the air was pumping out, so cold it made my hair stand on end. I loved it. No more wet, sticky back attached to the back of the seat. Marianna and I looked at each other and smiled. It was going to be a good day!
And for the most part, it proved to be. Malik asked us where we wanted to go, provided interesting commentary along the route, and ushered us to the entrance of each site we wanted to visit like a nanny pulling along her young charges. We felt safe and protected and rocked to sleep by the heavenly Malik.
He even had ice-cold Diet Cokes waiting for us in the car when we returned from touring the Qutab Minar! We were in heaven.
But like all knights, there was a chink in his armor. Upon our casually mentioning that we'd like to do some shopping, Malik perked right up and insisted on taking us to this amaaaaazing emporium that he just had to bring us to! We were assured again and again that this was the best high quality stuff we could get...we'd be treated well...it was a secret place...not for everyone.
OK, OK...we didn't know how to politely say that we were actually trying to sneak off to the Benetton in Connaught Place...that would make us look like ugly Americans! So we went meekly with Malik to his emporium.
Total setup.
We walked in to a huge, spacious store. Let me set the scene: air-conditioned, soft music playing, beautiful Indian women bringing us tea, and then the Sikh owner with his smooth English, leading us to chairs...I knew this was no good. The first room he brought us to was dripping costly jewels from all of the walls...yep. We were in trouble.
They began bringing out necklaces, laying them across our chests, showing us mirrors, encouraging us to take photos to see how marvelous we looked dripping in gold. Yep--we were in trouble.
Marianna and I just stole irritated glances at one another. It was like being at a Tupperware or Silpada party...where you know you're in for it and will not leave without purchasing something to save face.
I don't know how we got out of the ruby room, but over 1 hour, 36 offers of beverages, 760 rejected necklaces and 5400 "no thank yous" later, we managed to get out there without breaking our banks. And I have a couple of lovely pashmina shawls to bring home as gifts. And Malik got his kick-back.
Ah well. We did have a great time touring and didn't break a sweat. All in all, a good ride.
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