On day 2 we learned that in india tourist information means tourist mis-information. We swiftly leave our shady room and get to the main place in delhi - connought place. We soon realise the place is vast, what looks like piccadilly in manchester on the map is the size of the whole of Manchester. It takes time to get everywhere and from hotel 1 to connaught place takes 50 minutes on a moratrized rickshaw, this is a scooter with a bench seat on the back and the cheapest way a to b. So were dropped off in search of our next hotel. Except everything is closed, but hello a well dressed well spoken man says in english hello are you lost. He explains he will help us but everything is closed and we best goto the tourist information. How helpful - he sends us in a a rickshaw (tuk-tuk) and just for 10 ruppee's. Great, so we speak to the gent in the tourist information explaining we just want a hotel and a train ticket to agra. Oh no he says we cannot get the train it is all fully booked, and we dont want to spend more than an afternoon in Delhi, we must drive to agra tonight then to some places I have never heard of all with a driver and car, and this will cost 60,00 rupees. (approx 900 £) - what an arse. I realise he is full of b/s but cannot escape the office, he points to a map of Delhi, says he is the tourist information office on the map, it even has the right address written on the office doors, but clearly this is not true. As we leave he says if I leave Delhi is not safe and I will not come back etc etc, other people are not good they will take advantage of us... hmmm and hes a saint I geuss? As we leave further we are mobbed, cab drivers, rickshaw drivers, people selling hanckerchiefs and who knows what other crap!! AHHH....... we make an exit towards a coffee shop to formulate a plan.
While we sit in the coffee shop we see a spy from the office inside, so we decide to quickly leave with our massive travel bags and goto a hotel in our guide book called palace heights. We dive out of the coffee shop to the nearest rickshaw who takes us there reluctantly when we say we have a booking, although he says "what a shame you have booked, my unlce runs a good place - good price. (I bet!) So we get to the hotel and the man demmands 100 rupees althought the journey was less than 3 minutes. So this is what its like being a toruist I think. Thats the last time I ever got in a taxi or rickshaw without setting price first.
We go into the hotel but like it's name its a palace and well outside our price range. However we are taken to a man who knows a man, he says get into this car and take us to another office! Oh great. However this salesman is not so forceful and books us a hotel for 1800. We get there and it is very nice clean and good although located in what seems to be a crazy free for all market place with endless mazing streets. Finally we relax sort out our bags and have some breakfast. While the driver from the office waits outside. He will take us around the city today for 600 - a decent price it seems.
Later we do the sights of delhi - india gate, palace, ghandi museum, hindu temple and new city markets etc. Finally we have arrived. It only took a whole day and a half to get to grips with this mad city. So the driver takes us back to the hotel, and I pay, except he has no change and I only have 1000 notes. I manage to sqeeze 200 change back from him but overpay for the experience. Still day 2 is a good day some amazing sights. I just cant help going to bed feeling a little sour. But it's nice to be in a good hotel and it even has a proper hot running shower!!!
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