I haven't talked to Sir yet about traveling because I've been working surprisingly decent non stressful hours. I want to have just gotten out of work 12 hours later, red eyed and sloppy in order to really drive my point home.
I've been looking into different places to visit. My top choices were the jungles, where I could go on an elephant safari and watch Bengal Tigers and leopards and get away from the city. But they're all closed due to monsoon season. Which like whatever I think is just a big lie to keep the white people away for a few months. So maybe I'll go to Darjeeling. This mountaintop top city bordering Nepal where the best teas in the world are grown and the hiking is breathtaking. Maybe I'll take a train there and fly back. Domestic flights are almost all under $150 round trip anyway. And I'm more excited about the romanticism of the train that the trip actually.
Michael and I took the bus to Big Bazaar to go grocery shopping. On the bus an attractive young woman (in her mid twenties prob) told me to come stand by her. I was scared someone was pick pocketing me by how adamant she was. Turns out she was just being nice and she had a nice spot by the window big enough for two. Go figure. Her name was Jyoda and had a perfect English accent. She offered to show me and Michael around whenever we wanted and we got her phone number. She takes the bus to this nearby beach town sometimes on the weekend with her friends. My new goal is to make best friends with her and have her take us. I'll let you know how that goes.
We had many packages leaving Big Bazaar and decided to try a bike rickshaw. Michael bargained the guy down to 8 rupees (roughly 18 cents) to take us and our packages to the main crossing. I couldn't enjoy my first rickshaw ride because Michael and I got into a heated debate. My point: Why bargain with someone over cents? Why not give them the same we would in America? Why perpetuate the standards set by a third world country when we can afford to do otherwise?
His point: It's unfair to use American standards of living in another country, the cost of living is infinitely lower here. They expect us to bargain, that's what everyone does. Why get taken advantage of just because we can afford it? (Michael feel free to add your own side.)
Anyway as a result he gave the guy 8 rupees and I gave him 100 rupees (roughly $2) which was kind of exorbitant and ridiculous but I had to prove my point, right? :-p
Ahahaha, the 108 rupee bike rickshaw ride! I remember everything you wrote about. I can't recall if I'm reading this for the first time now (5.5 years later ... shame on me x14,000,000 Kolkatans) or if I've already read these (I'm pretty sure I've read some of the entries). And now I'm disappointed I didn't start writing when you left, though I'm sure it wouldn't live up to your writing. Chelsea is the bomb and she knows it!
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