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Update as promised but a little later than ...
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Update as promised, but a little later than expected! We have been so busy, this is the first chance we have had.
Firstly, to let you know how our Goa trip ended -
Although we said we were going to move on from our cosy little room at Williams Beach Retreat, we actually didnt bother and stayed there until we left on Saturday. We were just chilled out and spent the whole time laying by the pool. We met a lovely dutch couple, Susan & Joseph, spent the whole week with them and this was our itinery - sleeping, sweating. sunbathing, swimming, sweating, swimming, moving under the shade, sweating some more, swimming, sleeping, eating & sleeping again - it really was a hard life in Goa.....
We then left on Saturday for a 12 hour train journey upto Mumbai, which was very comfortable and we were lucky enough to be sharing with a really nice india couple and his father who spoke good english so we chatted most of the way (I know some will find the thought of Lou & I managing to chat all the way quite difficult!!!). Got off the train and then our nightmare began, we immediately got acosted by a taxi driver claiming to offer 'Prepaid Government Taxi' which we had on arrival in Goa and proved to be useful, so we said yes, although we were a little apprehensive as he seems so pushy. We followed him to the car, got in, he chucked our rucksacks in the back and started explaining about a meter & charges, we argued and said we wanted prepaid - not meter and he got a little uptight saying there were no prepaid. Then when we said we wanted to know the price to the airport before we left, he got nasty saying he didnt understand english. We reluctantly stayed in the cab as it was hectic outside, a different driver got in and the pushy little man got in the passenger seat, this immediately caused suspicion but there was not much we could do, as off he drove at mac 9. We insisted on telling him we were not paying more than 300 rps to the airport which was about 35 mins away but he just kept shoving the meter chart in our faces and after half an hour we started seeing signs for the airport so we then started to relax a little bit - we were nearly there and couldnt get away from this horrible man quick enough - however as we pulled up at a set of traffic lights in a very dark & secluded area, the car started kangarooing and then 'broke down' supposedly. They tried to get it going and by now we were both getting abit nervous as it was very dark and there were not many people around - we then shouted at him that we were getting out and getting a rickshaw to the airport - luckily there was one just coming so we grabbed it and he started telling him where to take us. We grabbed our bags from the car and got in the rickshaw - the horrible man then asked us for 500 rps, we argued and eventually I chucked a 500 rp note at him and told him to bugger off. He then shouted and said I had only given him a 100 note, which because it was dark could have been mistake, so I looked in my purse for the 500 note that I knew I had but it wasnt there, in the meantime he had gone round to Louise's side and she gave him her 'one and only' 500 note, which he then switched again and said it was only 100 - by now we had realised what his game was, gave him a right mouthful and said we would call the police, I tried taking down his cab number but the driver just smiled and stood in front of it so we couldnt see. By now we were both furious and were tempted to carry on arguing but it was late and dark and we decided to just drive off and leave them - 1,000 rps lighter and thoroughly pee'd off. What a great way to end our India trip!!
Caught our fight at 4.45am and arrived Bangkok at 10.30, relieved to be out of India. Hotel was great and we meet up with Gina & Duncan. We spent 2 days sightseeing round Bangkok, looking at various Wats & Budda's, catching boats up the river and shopping in the centres - not loads to do, so 2 days were enough and we then decided to make our way up North.
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| 10. | Update as promised but a little later than ... - Bangkok, Thailand May 27, 2002 |
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