I needed to visit an HSBC to withdrawal some money - there are other banks around here, but I'm getting tired of the 500 rupee surcharge they take, as well as the 10,000 rupee limits. So my bank is on Connaught Street, which is in the hub of the shopping distinct, and since I needed a new coat as well, I figured I'd go over and kill two monkeys with one banana.
But this is Delhi. Home to bloodthirsty cabbies who prey on tourists for every cent. I certainly wasn't going to be one of their victims! I'll be smrt! I'll have the hotel call me a cab!
This is usually the best way to get transport somewhere since the hotel supposedly has your concerns at heart. Of course it doesnt always work that way.
I should've known I waxing for a ride (hehe) when I told that the cabbie was going to charge me for a return trip regardless of what I wanted, and that the "best" choice would just be to hire him for the day. The ride cost 550 rupees, or about $6. Coming from the land of $20 fares, it didn't bother me that much. It was annoying, but not worth fighting over. I DID get annoyed when I off handedly said the fare was expensive and the manager replied, " not really." I'd like to him pay that kind of price for a short trip, but whatever.
So I agreed and took the cab to Connaught street. The very beginning of it, apparently.
We get there, the cabbie pulls onto the OPPOSITE side of the road and points down the way and tells me thats where the bank is. Even after I asked him to drive me down there, he refused (another tip off), and so I paid (stupid) and set off down the street.
A minute or so later, when I didn't see the bank, I asked for directions and was told there was no HSBC! The cabbie had screwed me over.now, this could have been really bad; being lost in a strange city with no idea where you are. But thankfully I'd used google maps to map out the route before I left the hotel.
Google maps is awesome, it has an offline GPS that tells you where you (providing you downloaded your city map first), and you can use it to navigate to places you want to go (walking, bus, or car), which I did.
I found out I was about 1 km away from where I wanted to be, and thanks to that map, made my way there none the worse for wear. I got my money, bought a jacket, and had a nice afternoon walking around the district, which is definitely more upscale than I'm used in India.
When it was time to come back, I smartened up and took a pedicab which was a quarter of the first price, came back to the hotel and complained. Fortunately the manager seemed a bit shocked and called the guy up. Not sure how things will play out now, but hopefully there's an apology coming my way.
All in all an interesting day, saved thanks to google maps! Glad I didn't leave home without it!
On a side note, what was that guy thinking? If this wasn't a scam in cahoots with the hotel, then why would he do something so stupid? I mean the manger used his cell to call the guy so obviously he or the company is getting some business thrown their way from this hotel. Why would you burn that bridge and scam a person whose obviously going to go back to the hotel and report you?
Makes no sense.
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