We were Very glad to get to the lovely airport in Varanasi -the one that looks like LaGuardia in NYC and the security is endless with the luggage and the pat downs. I was on a quest for coffee – which I was able to find. But it is instant- the packaging says Nescafé – but at least they put hot foamy milk on top and it’s served in a miniature cup . I am Dreaming of Starbucks !!! And we had a tasty samosa with it. A samosa is a fried dough pyramid shaped structure that is best Hot and it is filled with bits of potato and yummy Indian spices and I could had 3 but I stopped at 1. It was a lovely day to fly today . Sunny and warm- about 75 degrees. We flew Indigo Air. The flight was one hour 45 minutes and I had done my hotel homework the day before from my Lonely Planet guide book. Allynn convinced me to leave my-book at home and he bought the E version for the I pad but it was so difficult to use that we wound up buying a New version in Varanasi($35) . Anyway, I poured over the Delhi moderate priced hotels and checked off a few. Allynn tried E mailing one that we liked but our internet at our hotel was spotty and we never got a response.
That was when everything became more interesting. Our flight was smooth and we got a cab to the hotel we had not heard from. We thought we would be fine. If that were full, we’d wander around and find another. Driving thru a noisy, slumy looking neighborhood, I started to get nervous. There were fruit stands everywhere and it was packed with tons of motorcycle and rickshaw traffic. Our taxi driver couldn’t find the hotel but he asked someone on the street who pointed down that way, so we hopped out and got our stuff and went looking for the hotel. There was not much around that looked at all like a hotel and soon some guy came to our aid, saying he’d show us the way. Allynn was carrying our suitcase on his back- back pack style and suddenly we were leaving the area altogether and heading to a busy intersection. Now we were really lost and I didn’t have a clue what we were going to do. Then the guy said- why don’t you ask the visitors office down there, pointing down the block and then he disappeared. We stepped inside and were relieved to meet a friendly, polite gentleman who says he works for the India Tourist Board and could help us. He started showing us hotels on his computer and saying – you need to be in a quiet area. Then he asked us about our plans and he suggested a tour of N India- Rajasthan for 3 weeks. Sounded good to me. He said now is a great time to go- it will be hot in Feb. We had a chummy time with him and he served chai tea- which is standard fare when you are buying something or making a business deal. He set us up with a hotel, had his driver get us to the hotel and we had already been invited by him to have dinner the same day. Things seemed to be looking up! Arriving at our hotel I couldn’t help notice it is Not in a quiet area. But it is ok. Our room is comfortable and we started to make our selves at home- putting things in drawers, etc. By now it was 3:00 ,we were starved and we went to check out the hotel restaurant. We ordered some Indian food that was served in our room and then I laid down to take a nap. I asked Allynn to check out our new friend the travel agent on line, to see if he had a Webb site. It was So disappointing that he had No webb site – no reviews from customers. So I got busy, first calling a lady named Emma that we had a good recommendation for and we had even met her the last time we were in Deli. She sets up tours and we were hoping to do a Rajasthan tour thru her in February . But maybe She could pull a tour together for us for next week. I called her and it seems she is back home in England for Christmas. Then Allynn called our friend Sharon, who lives here in Delhi and we told her the travel agent story. She said to call Her guy – her travel agent who she has known for 10 years. So she gave us his number and a minute later I was on the phone with him and he said Yes- he can put a tour together for us, starting on Monday and he will have his driver swing by and pick us up at our hotel tomorrow at 1:30 pm. Yipee!! To have a meeting about it.
Meanwhile, I’ve got the first travel agent guy showing up to take us out for dinner in 5 minutes! I got on my cell phone, reached him as he was stuck in traffic on the way over here. And I knew I had to be blunt and I told him I needed so time to think about a tour and I was too tired to go out for dinner. Phew! I was relieved when he said No Problem. Then we ordered more food cause by now it was dinner time. More delicious Indian food. So, that has been our day. Kind of exciting ; I would Love to go on a tour to Rajasthan now and be there over Christmas! So- I am Excited!! Life here has many twists and turns. I am so grateful for Allynn being our Road Manager.
Namaste Annie