Another Day in Delhi

The Scotial Bank


Yes! I am finally getting the hang of this. I went all by myself to Connaught Place to find a bank. Scotiabank has a branch here, so now I know when coming to Delhi, to make sure I have a Scotiabank account.

I had trouble finding the bank, though, and I kept asking people where it was. They would repeat .. " .. the Scotial-bank .. the Scotial-bank is at .." I think the name is now forever changed in my mind. Every time I see one in Canada, it will forever be the Scotial-bank.

I also now know how to negotiate with rickshaw drivers. Rickshaws are these little three wheel two stroke engine machines with a driver in the front and barely room for two in the back. They are all over this country like little exhaust-spewing fleas ... getting rid of these or modifying the engines would be a great step towards cleaning up the environment.

When you negotiate with these guys, you have to tell THEM what you are going to pay. So first you need to know from the locals how much the trip from here to there is likely to cost. So whenever I step out to talk to one of these guys, I name my price, they tell me they can't do it for that and I say "okay then, don't". It's all a game and I am starting to finally get used to how business is done over here.

Today I had the longest rickshaw ride I have ever had. This guy did not know where he was going. He stopped and asked no fewer than 35 people where the place was I was going. I knew I would get there. It just took a long time.

If I sound a bit exasperated tonight, it's because I am. This city and country is quite exhausting and it's now 7:30. But I've had a wonderful day and spent the afternoon having lunch with a friend of a friend at her beautiful apartment. She had smoked salmon from the west coast.

I am giving myself permission to occasionally seek out things that are westernized. Today I went into the Oxford Press bookstore and it was like being in England. Everything in balance ...