Here's how a typical conversation with an autorickshaw driver goes...
Me: I'd like to go to (insert place).Driver: Sure.Me: How much?Driver: 100 rupees.Me (looking shocked): That's ridiculous, it's only just down the road. I'll give you 40.Driver (looking shocked): (Insert elaborate story about how it looks short on a map but is actually much further than that, followed by) I'll take 80.Me: 50. Final offer.Driver: No. Is too cheap.Me: (Start to walk away)Driver: OK, 50.
It's OK the first two or three times, but gets a bit tedious after that. It's tempting to just pay what they want as it's sod-all in pounds, but other Indians say we shouldn't do that, because it means they'll hike their rates for everyone else. So the pantomime goes on.
Anyway, stayed an extra night in the comparative calm of Agra and got an early (6am) train to Jaipur this morning. The train actually departed at 7am which counts as on time in India. Jaipur is pretty similar to Delhi in noise and smell terms but the Old City is a bit more interesting and attractive. But I'm getting a bit bored of cities now, so looking forward to getting out to the desert of Jaisalmer and the lakes of Mt Abu and Udaipur over the next week or so.
I saw a coming together of two buses this afternoon, nothing serious just a bit of a crunch that blocked the road. 3 Indians all tugged excitedly on my shirt saying "Accident, accident". I replied to one that I imagined that was a fairly regular occurrence and he just looked back, slightly aghast, and said "No. Roads very safe in India." I beg to differ, but didn't like to hurt his feelings any more.
Accommodation is getting increasingly luxurious. The place I'm in tonight has soap, towels and, shock horror, bog roll. The rate I'm going I'll have an Elizabeth Shaw mint on my pillow by Mumbai.
Jodhpur tomorrow.
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