Arriving at dusk at Moghalsarai Junction about 20ks outside Varanasi, we picked a poor time to decide to be really bloody minded in our bargaining with the Tuktuk drivers.
After half an hours debate being passed around from one rip-off artist to another and walking round the station several times with our luggage, we eventually chose one driver.
Unfortunately he seemed to be really pissed off with our agreed fare and he promptly tried to kill us for the next hour, before dumping us in the middle of the busy old city still about 5 ks from our hotel !!
To make us feel better (?) the first thing he did after we'd climbed aboard was to dive off the road to a guy with a spanner who proceeded to adjust / repair the Tuktuk brakes !!
Then that first 10 ks was the worst ride of our lives - the road was full of enormous trucks on either side and moving slowly down the road, plus large buses. Our driver did not want to wait for any of those, and proceeded to pass everything. Some on the inside - off the road - at high speed on a bumpy dirt potholed patch, and some on the outside, head on to other large trucks, buses and cars.
Denis prayed and I swore and I'm sure that the driver heard both - but it didn't affect his driving in any way !!
At last we arrived in the town - but it was the night of a large Hindu festival of Joy - Durga Puja - and the streets were all decorated and crowded, with some roads closed for parties. So town was chaos and we needed to get into the old part of the city to the banks of the Ganges.
The our driver stopped, indicated us to get out and told us to get onto one of the bicycle rickshaws parked at the side of the road. We needed two - they don't have much space - and we had two small cases with us. So the next half hour we wove through the busy narrow streets, each of us on our own bicycle rickshaw with their case.
Then again the rickshaws said they could go no further ! Stopped and told us to get out.
We then had to walk the rest of the way, pulling our suitcases, through winding narrow passages zigzagging towards the river. The bicycle guys had left us with a "guide" to take us through - another person who needed paying of course.
After a brisk fifteen minute walk squeezing past people, stalls and animals, we eventually arrived at the hotel - Palace on the Steps.
No Palace definitely - but right on the river Ganges.
PS. Sorry no pics - just hanging on for dear life, and alternatively praying and swearing at our drivers / guides !!
After half an hours debate being passed around from one rip-off artist to another and walking round the station several times with our luggage, we eventually chose one driver.
Unfortunately he seemed to be really pissed off with our agreed fare and he promptly tried to kill us for the next hour, before dumping us in the middle of the busy old city still about 5 ks from our hotel !!
To make us feel better (?) the first thing he did after we'd climbed aboard was to dive off the road to a guy with a spanner who proceeded to adjust / repair the Tuktuk brakes !!
Then that first 10 ks was the worst ride of our lives - the road was full of enormous trucks on either side and moving slowly down the road, plus large buses. Our driver did not want to wait for any of those, and proceeded to pass everything. Some on the inside - off the road - at high speed on a bumpy dirt potholed patch, and some on the outside, head on to other large trucks, buses and cars.
Denis prayed and I swore and I'm sure that the driver heard both - but it didn't affect his driving in any way !!
At last we arrived in the town - but it was the night of a large Hindu festival of Joy - Durga Puja - and the streets were all decorated and crowded, with some roads closed for parties. So town was chaos and we needed to get into the old part of the city to the banks of the Ganges.
The our driver stopped, indicated us to get out and told us to get onto one of the bicycle rickshaws parked at the side of the road. We needed two - they don't have much space - and we had two small cases with us. So the next half hour we wove through the busy narrow streets, each of us on our own bicycle rickshaw with their case.
Then again the rickshaws said they could go no further ! Stopped and told us to get out.
We then had to walk the rest of the way, pulling our suitcases, through winding narrow passages zigzagging towards the river. The bicycle guys had left us with a "guide" to take us through - another person who needed paying of course.
After a brisk fifteen minute walk squeezing past people, stalls and animals, we eventually arrived at the hotel - Palace on the Steps.
No Palace definitely - but right on the river Ganges.
PS. Sorry no pics - just hanging on for dear life, and alternatively praying and swearing at our drivers / guides !!
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