Our trip began in India and fun and informative at the same time. Only after a good sleep we were able to pay tribute to well-designed multi-show the hotel. But we still waiting for the final scene, full of drama and light sadness. No Indian gentlemen tried to sweep us into slavery — the reception we returned passports, but… asked to pay a contribution surcharge for accommodation.
In the check before we planned to see the agreed amount. We will, in fact, and saw, but below insidious Indian hand were attributed to 17% of some taxes. Even though it was not a large sum, but it was a feeling like shaved without soap. In the process of clarification appeared that such subtlety tax laws in India work great for many tourists, and law-abiding Indians capable ponapysuvaty much taxes you have to pay almost double the rate.
To avoid disputes, such as — why you do not want to pay taxes on your earnings cousin uncle waiter, a taxi driver who works in another city, we suggest you ask again “Is it the final price?” Or “Is it with taxes?” For as long as your partner around is not recognized.
Another “surprise” — a bottle of beer for $10, helped us to further delve into the subtleties of the Indian system of taxation, so in the future, we always find out beforehand and determined the final amount. Purchase, which became known under the name “Beer incident,” we still must explain in future releases.
Tip — If you feel anxiety, leaving their documents to strangers, it is best to make advance copies of dozens of pages of passport and visa stamped. Photocopier find any internet cafes, currency exchange, or a hotel.
Having a local victory over Indian corruption, we left the hotel.
Warmed by the light of a new day, like the astronauts, we made a few slow steps on the surface of the unknown planet — a planet called Delhi. The astronauts, in fact, it is not a metaphor — ochmanivshy what is happening around, just a few seconds you’ll be in a kind of vacuum. Very, very many people and every kind of animals. Carts, carts, cows, dogs, rickshaws, dirt, beggars, travelers, various hairy creatures — all simultaneously and fucking moves, jerks, noise, hisses and hums. Earlier we occasionally occurred opportunity to take the phrase “human anthill”, but its deeper meaning in their entirety, we realized here.
1Your constant companion of all this bedlam is local smog — a romantic haze and pride of Indian spices with a slight smell of burning. The first time we saw it even at night in a taxi, but our taxi driver said it was the usual fog, tricked, scoundrel.
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After “Government cheap hotel” (State cheapest hotel) we waited an extremely interesting and exciting excursion numerous “Government Information Center”.
After leaving the hotel we took motorikshi. Chief named a highly affordable price.
5Tip — the approximate duration of the trip in kilometers, it is better to know in advance and are based on that bargain. Feel free to bargain, for India it — the usual practice. Average price per kilometer you gladly call any local resident.
First stop our crew made 15 minutes — chef brought us to a “Government Information Center”, a clandestine manner, saying that this is where we can exchange money and get a city map. The word “state” in some situations, can work miracles, so we decided to take the card and read the exchange rate. The Information Offices should not only look good, but also repair European level that immediately captivates.
But the only purpose for which there are such centers — selling gullible tourists every tour to India (price, incidentally, is quite large — from 200 dollars for a few days). Excursions are not interested in us, so long we did not linger. Our driver will likely decided that we just embarrassed to buy a tour, so about ten minutes later politely brought us once this same center.
As a result, we visited 4 of these establishments. Visited be in the fifth, but a kind-hearted passer-by have stood up and quickly explained that the white gentlemen go with him. We were just glad we even began to emerge in Indian spirituality unselfishness, but our new friend led us wherever invented?.. That’s right — in a “Government Information Center”. This enterprising concern us very quickly bored, we vidkaraskalys from our guide and still reached the center of the city, but on foot.
In the heart of Delhi, the Indians arranged park, and perhaps Delhi arranged around the park, it is not so important. The park entrance is only possible through a metal detector, so Wolverine and Steel Man you will not meet. Photograph prohibited, it seems that the park is an important strategic object.
But seriously, in Delhi you will find many places where you can not take pictures. India — a multiethnic country with more radical groups, struggling for the independence of a region, so the issue of terrorism is taken seriously.
6The park surrounding the street, which is full of shops and fashion boutiques.
Walking center, we stumbled upon a remarkable architectural monument called protracted. According to legend, all architects and builders who worked on this landmark attraction, cut off the hand that they were unable to reproduce such beauty anywhere else. That is why here they did not have time to finish it.
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In Delhi, as in other big cities, not without banal communal problems. Negligence Indian public utilities also not hold. For example — the first day workers had to excavate the pipe, quickly fix the problem and even bury everything back. But the next day we were surprised and feelings Groundhog Day saw the same picture, and at the same place.
9As it turned out, all the locals — very welcoming and gladly willing to help free advice in almost every case:
10While we saw the park and its surroundings, we were approached by another Indian. He had a respectable appearance, introduced himself and said in Russian, “I study Russian, you help me know Russian, and I will show interesting places. Let’s help each other. I do not need money, I have a business”. We confided this delighted barter fair offer and our new guide went to see “interesting places”… You’ll laugh, but the first was another interesting place “Government information center”.
Having visited many of these centers, we have not been able to fully understand — or have at least some distant relation to the state word “Government”, or is it just registered trademark that special magic impact on consciousness gullible tourists…
In the next issue, see: whence where Indians are born that look like Indian schools and in the homes of wood.
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