"Dave Frightens Me"
wrote in message news:3wqi9e0nuv4j.11nxn8iqsax4h.dlg@40tude.net...
> On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:59:37 -0500, Dan Stephenson wrote:
>
>> On 2008-04-20 09:31:08 -0500, "William Black"
>> said:
>>
>>>
>>> I have to say that the first thing I used to buy when I went anywhere
>>> was a map, then the guidebook...
>>>
>>> Then I went to India...
>>
>> Would you please elaborate? India's on my "list" of places to visit,
>> but I'm intimidated because 1) I'm used to hiring a car and driving
>> myself around, and everybody I tell that to says I should hire a
>> driver, too, 2) the place is so big, the distances between gee-cool
>> places are so far. And the 3) extent to which its "3rd worldiness" and
>> the palm-greasing maybe necessary.
>
> Do yourself a favour and don't drive. Hire a local to do it for you, and
> it
> wont cost a fortune. Just be real firm, and you shouldn't get ripped off.
> Indians are not too bad like that.
Sorry, I missed the reply.
1. As he says, don't drive, hire a driver for about 300/- a day. You'll
have problems finding a company that will hire you a car without a driver
anyway.
2. There are no reasonable maps. There are maps, but as street names,
town and city names all change and roads appear and disappear with dazzling
regularity they're not much use.
3. If you're going any serious distance within India you should either fly
or go by train. Driving long distances in India is uncomfortable and
dangerous. The Bombay Poona (Mumbai Pune) Highway is the most dangerous
road on the planet and it's less than 100 miles long... The trains are good
(If you travel first class a/c)
4. India can be a very corrupt place, but the locals won't take bribes
from you, which is why you need that driver... Most bribes are small and
make stuff happen quickly and, to be honest, most people there accept it
as a necessary evil. You may deplore it, I do all the time, but that's
not really the point...
5. Don't count on travelling at anything like the pace you do in the West.
Everything in India takes time. Trains being half a day late is normal,
aircraft leaving four hours late is normal, police roadblocks holding you up
for an hour is to be expected, checking into your hotel can take half an
hour (but only if you're lucky), some official insisting on you getting some
papers you've never heard of is routine. That's what your driver is for.
He'll make a lot of this go away. If he's any good he'll find you food and
tea and somewhere to take a leak and make sure you don't get ripped off too
badly.
India isn't somewhere to visit, it's an experience not to be missed, but
don't count on anything going to plan...
--
William Black
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Barbeques on fire by the chalets past the castle headland
I watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off the Newborough gate
All these moments will be lost in time, like icecream on the beach
Time for tea.
|