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Back to Normality (but is it a good thing??)
Entry 27 of 82 | show all | print this entry |
Apart from the guy who wanted to charge me 1500 rupes to go to pashupati that day in thamel, noone ever tried to rip me off in nepal and i loved it. there were all the normal "trekking madame, pashmina madame" etc but they all leave you alone once you say no. I forgot how subdued and laid back it is til I went back to India yesterday.
So then yesterday I arrived back into Delhi (it was so weird cos I remember thinking that India had a smell when I was there before and it was only when I arrived back into IG airport that I realised just how much of a REALLY unique smell it has its mad. sorry - tangent). Anyway yeah from the moment we got off the plane it was just such classic "India, f *ck yeah" (sorry mum and dad but its a tagline!!!) The whole of the immigration queueing was a disaster, there was a group of about 40 elderly spaniards infront of me and youd think theyd never gone through an immigration place before - filling in forms just as theyre being called, not queueing in lines at ALL (pet hate) just milling round and of course none of the officials caring. So I go outside and the tuktuk dude tells me that my hotel isnt infact 10 k's away as it said on the website but its bloody downtown Delhi, right past the main train station in wee-smelling, packed, cow wandering, people-tastic Delhi central. so off we went at a negotiatied price of 500 rupes (indian). got there and arranged for him to bring me back this morning.
Off I go for dinner, agree 30 rupes down to that place where Q'Ba was, to MacDonalds. As we're setting off your man's mate hops in next to me, asks the usual "what country" and then asks do i want a full body massage?!?!? (classy!). (thank god id been in india before otherwise idve died of shock!!!) so i said no and then he rings up his mate and starts handing me the phone and i end up talking to some random bloke whos trying to sell me trips and outings and the driver is going about 2kph to give him time to sell it to me, i was so flowery. had a gross chicken burger thing and went to bed. This morning i come out, some other bloke rocks up and says he'll take me to the airport for 200 rupes!!!!! then my guy arrives and gets all flowery cos he says i booked him and im like well you charged me 500 yesterday and this guy says its only 200. so ripped off AGAIN. so i went with the new guy and flew to singapore. (tangent - saw 3:10 to yuma on the way, christian bale is sooooooooooo my lifer and ewan has been relegated back to 3 months!!!!!!)
Anyway the point (I'll get there eventually) is i got out in singapore and it was mad. everything was clean ,everything works, the airport is spotless, aircon, free internet - you couldnt even compare it to the mayhem that was delhi airport this morning *shudder* . Immigration took 5 minutes, there was a queue of taxis, its clean, everyone drives in the LANES, theres no litter or smells or cows or tractors or armless beggars in the fast lane or trucks taking up 2 lanes or hawkers or blood stump people. there no motorbikes weaving or tuktuks and the apartments are all clean and theres burger king and starbucks and toni & guy and taco bell. actually dyou even know what i saw in the place across the road??!! an o'briens sandwich bar!!! but the weird thing is that as we were driving around downtown singapore listening to R Kelly on the radio (i kid you not!!!!) all i was thinking was that i miss the madness? i NEVER thought i would say it but even compared to thamel its all just normal and clean and just not the same. and after the rant of the first couple of paragraphs its weird that it bothers me so much but it does and im not at all bothered that im leaving again tomorrow.
Right Singapore Sling in Raffles and a wander then bed (in my beautiful 24 bed dorm that was made for 10!!!!!)
Nepal and India I never thought Id say it but I miss ya and I'm glad I'm coming back in a while.
Where I stayed:
Summer Tavern Hostel
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