Sucker

I had a bad day today.
It's a pity because I woke up still feeling excited after the pre-wedding party we all managed to get invited to last night (I will write about this once this bad feeling has passed).

I got up early with the intention to make one purchase which was to be a train ticket from Delhi to Agra tomorrow. Simple.

I got to the New Delhi Station. First thing I witnessed in the chaotic traffic was a policeman beating a rickshaw driver for getting in his way. It was aweful and shook me up.
I then made my way to the station entrance and was physically pushed out and told "you need a ticket to go inside". Of course this was a complete lie as everyone around me (indian) was freely walking in and out as they pleased, no ticket required. This man would not let me pass him and was getting quite aggressive so I left. And just as I turned around someone was there to "guide" me to the "real" Indian Travel Assoc.
Great.
The alarm bells should have triggered when the auto-rickshaw guy only charged 10 Rps - unheard of.

I get to the Tourist office and am shoved into an office with a travel "executive". He then spends the next 1 hour trying to convince me to hire a driver and a car to drive me around for the next 2 weeks for 800 US. I was so close to paying the money, but something said, "leave". And thank goodness I did.

I then went into another "accredited" tourise office (2 hours later) where EXACTLY the same thing happened. The salesman was a little more cunning and started with the truth. He told me I had been had at the train station (which was true).....but then he started telling me the car story again even after I has said what I wanted.
I nearly bought into this.

Eventually after a further 1.5 hours I said, "look, I JUST WANT A TICKET. A TRAIN TICKET TO GET ME FROM DELHI TO AGRA." He took about 40 minutes going through all my "options" none of which seemed bona fide as they all arrive in Agra at midnight (not an option for a single gal in India)....and then EVENTUALLY he found the ticket I had ORIGINALLY asked for. And do you think I could buy it?
No. Of course not because "medem (madam) we is only making the purchases of the tickets on Sundays before the time is showing 2 o'clock. Now the time it is showing ten minutes to 2 o'clock so it is too late for the purchases of the train tickets. You cannot get that ticket. But medem really the best ways for your travels is by car and driver....."

And I am a sucker. No, I didn't buy the car/driver story (which can be good if you go through the right connections and can share costs with a friend). I was so desparate to get the ball rolling I bought a BUS ticket (yes, another damn bus) that does a "tour" around Agra. I paid 3 x more than what it should cost.

My plan is to just get on that bus and as soon as we get to Agra (which is only in the afternoon -- after we leave at SEVEN AM!) - I am going to the hotel I booked to sort out the rest of this travel malarky.

It's a long ordeal. I am tired and upset. It was a lot more complicated than words can explain. It was aweful. And so easy to fall deeper and deeper.

And to top this all off, I get the bus ticket and then go with the guy to his "very good friend's Kashmiri shop"......and bought a shawl.

SUCKER.