khajuraho.
bus ride to khajuraho. endless trip through nomans-land. almost like in africa. thank god we have a seat. the usual loud music is turned on, unfortunately is won't stop anymore for the next hours. only dancing in the seat helps. the other passengers laugh and clap. each time we stop i get off the bus and i'm surrounded instantly. either they have the 'staring mode' or they ask questions: 'where do you come from?' - 'timbuktu' - 'i know timbuktu, nice country'. there's always lots of laughing. to keep myself busy i buy bananas. i bargain with 3 dealer simultaneously for 5 minutes. i like the moment when they start to argue with each other. the people around us obviously have fun with this 'bargain-show', too. it's funny to be exotic.
we arrive at midnight after 16 hours instead of the promised 9. thanks for the lesson. all hotels are closed or full or there are internal agreements going on to control the prices. annik loses her temper. she explodes: 'you guys are trying to cheat me! i'm fed up with this. before i pay your stupid price i sleep on the street.' wow, she has a interesting strategy to bargain. but i guess sometimes you have to tell them the truth but finally we get a room.
temple tour. very well preserved. more impressive than anything i've seen in thailand. 100 years to build the whole area. the complexity of the figures is incredible. that took loads of people. lots of erotic statues with kamasutra motives. very impressive. i just wonder where they found the models for the women: i haven't seen any pam anderson types here. maybe they're extinguished by now?
train to agra can't be reserved with the computer. i have a feeling this guy is just lazy. after a tour to another temple area we get a bus ticket for the government bus ('faster, more convenient' - sure). we're lead to a bus (later we figure out that it's a private bus). we occupy the strategically important seats behind the driver. i reserved an own seat for my backpack for safety reasons. they still want to put it in the trunk outside. i have to be very clear that i won't allow that. when i return a woman took our seats. politely but clearly i tell her to get lost. survival instinct - do as the indians do...after a while my butt hurts again. time to do the dancing again. the whole bus claps, i should ask for money for the show. somebody asks if i'm hindi. 'oh yes, i'm the only blonde indian of india'. my ironic statement about the sophisticated indian music is clearly interpreted as enthusiasm. it's funny how easy it is to entertain a whole bus. if you laugh with (not about) them they laugh with you.
arrival in jhansi. the people sleep on the platform. reservation of sleepers not possible. on the platform i count the rats and annik the insects. a beggar tries his best: 'i offer good service' - 'what's your service exactly?' - 'good service' - 'i see. you're definetly covering a niche. sorry, not interested.go to your countrymen and ask them' - 'no, i want your money' - '???'. strange strategy to get money. i have to laugh because he starts to curse me. i hold a long speech about microeconomic consequences of unprofessional begging and the good and bad strategies to beg from tourists: 'let me help you: cursing customers is not a good one'. then i demonstratively start to read a book. the people around us seem to have problems to judge the situation. some grin, some stare. finally his will is broken. annik is very amused how i deal with the taxi drivers and the beggars. she can't understand how it can be fun to deal with these people. it's about not taking it personally, accepting their manners, having patience and (in most cases) respect for their daily battle of life. and it's fun to argue and bargain with them because in most cases they show good humour. and if not you can still give them a hard time and enjoy yourself. how did she put it? 'you like to solve problems. and you're good at it'. i have to. i'm german.
we arrive at midnight after 16 hours instead of the promised 9. thanks for the lesson. all hotels are closed or full or there are internal agreements going on to control the prices. annik loses her temper. she explodes: 'you guys are trying to cheat me! i'm fed up with this. before i pay your stupid price i sleep on the street.' wow, she has a interesting strategy to bargain. but i guess sometimes you have to tell them the truth but finally we get a room.
temple tour. very well preserved. more impressive than anything i've seen in thailand. 100 years to build the whole area. the complexity of the figures is incredible. that took loads of people. lots of erotic statues with kamasutra motives. very impressive. i just wonder where they found the models for the women: i haven't seen any pam anderson types here. maybe they're extinguished by now?
train to agra can't be reserved with the computer. i have a feeling this guy is just lazy. after a tour to another temple area we get a bus ticket for the government bus ('faster, more convenient' - sure). we're lead to a bus (later we figure out that it's a private bus). we occupy the strategically important seats behind the driver. i reserved an own seat for my backpack for safety reasons. they still want to put it in the trunk outside. i have to be very clear that i won't allow that. when i return a woman took our seats. politely but clearly i tell her to get lost. survival instinct - do as the indians do...after a while my butt hurts again. time to do the dancing again. the whole bus claps, i should ask for money for the show. somebody asks if i'm hindi. 'oh yes, i'm the only blonde indian of india'. my ironic statement about the sophisticated indian music is clearly interpreted as enthusiasm. it's funny how easy it is to entertain a whole bus. if you laugh with (not about) them they laugh with you.
arrival in jhansi. the people sleep on the platform. reservation of sleepers not possible. on the platform i count the rats and annik the insects. a beggar tries his best: 'i offer good service' - 'what's your service exactly?' - 'good service' - 'i see. you're definetly covering a niche. sorry, not interested.go to your countrymen and ask them' - 'no, i want your money' - '???'. strange strategy to get money. i have to laugh because he starts to curse me. i hold a long speech about microeconomic consequences of unprofessional begging and the good and bad strategies to beg from tourists: 'let me help you: cursing customers is not a good one'. then i demonstratively start to read a book. the people around us seem to have problems to judge the situation. some grin, some stare. finally his will is broken. annik is very amused how i deal with the taxi drivers and the beggars. she can't understand how it can be fun to deal with these people. it's about not taking it personally, accepting their manners, having patience and (in most cases) respect for their daily battle of life. and it's fun to argue and bargain with them because in most cases they show good humour. and if not you can still give them a hard time and enjoy yourself. how did she put it? 'you like to solve problems. and you're good at it'. i have to. i'm german.