Alicia went completely insane when we arrived in Varanasi. With the paranoia of always being ripped off in mind, it is quite easy.
Today the lonely planet was correct, there was a really useful old man in the tourist information box at the station and some guards did rescue us from a pushy man trying to 'help' as we stapped of the train. the Man told us to 'head straight for the pre-paid rickshaw stand and go to godowlia. cycle rickshaw 35rs auto 65rs' he also gave us a map with all the touristy bits circled on. Thanks dude. We headed for the prepaid auto rickshaw stand and a couple of rickshaw drivers made offers of around 70. Alicia had misheard and misread the sign and thought we were meant to get it for 50rs. mayhem. We got in one eventually and said godoulia. The guy laughed and said 'where? it really big?' and we said 'just drop us on the road' and alicia said '50rs' they guy laughed again and said 'no 70rs' then turned to his friend and appeared to be taking and laughing about something to do with us...alicia flipped 'WE WANT TO GO TO GODAULIA FOR 50RS, ARE YOU TAKING US OR NOT' she grabbed her rucksack at his hesitation and looked at me with fire in her eyes (which meant get out of this rickshaw), i complied with her telepathic message and got out. We walked back and approached some cycle rickshaws. They offered us '50rs to godaulia'. alicia convinced she was right and me not wanting to interrupt her flow didnt say anything. 'NO WE WANT AN AUTO RICKSHAW FOR 50RS TO TAKE US TO GODOAULIA' they all looked at her as she stood angry and disheveled, with a rucksack half the size of her on her back, shouting at them, as if she was a nutcase. I empathised. finally an auto rickshaw came forewards and took us for 50rs. well done alicia.
Heading to town, we bumped into an english guy who was just leaving and pointed us in the direction of a hotel. His blog can be read here http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dgreenberg/1/1301839493/tpod.html . After following an indian guy through the maze of gallies we arrived at a guesthouse which suited our price and purpose'. Puja guesthouse, just down the gally from the golden Temple.
Our evening was spent chatting with a friendly waitor and entertaining him with stories of our festivals such as easter 'we have multi coloured eggs and roll them down a hill' 'Multi coloured eggs, haha, roll down hill, why? hahahahah eggs' or pancake day 'pancakes day hahahahaha' or telling him about Guinness 'black beer, nobody drinks full glass, just small' 'No, people drink pints of it' 'pints, hahahaha' he was very entertained but swapped our useless info with little stories of varanasi and india. Our rooftop view was wonderful. I think varansai will be one of my favorites :)
Today the lonely planet was correct, there was a really useful old man in the tourist information box at the station and some guards did rescue us from a pushy man trying to 'help' as we stapped of the train. the Man told us to 'head straight for the pre-paid rickshaw stand and go to godowlia. cycle rickshaw 35rs auto 65rs' he also gave us a map with all the touristy bits circled on. Thanks dude. We headed for the prepaid auto rickshaw stand and a couple of rickshaw drivers made offers of around 70. Alicia had misheard and misread the sign and thought we were meant to get it for 50rs. mayhem. We got in one eventually and said godoulia. The guy laughed and said 'where? it really big?' and we said 'just drop us on the road' and alicia said '50rs' they guy laughed again and said 'no 70rs' then turned to his friend and appeared to be taking and laughing about something to do with us...alicia flipped 'WE WANT TO GO TO GODAULIA FOR 50RS, ARE YOU TAKING US OR NOT' she grabbed her rucksack at his hesitation and looked at me with fire in her eyes (which meant get out of this rickshaw), i complied with her telepathic message and got out. We walked back and approached some cycle rickshaws. They offered us '50rs to godaulia'. alicia convinced she was right and me not wanting to interrupt her flow didnt say anything. 'NO WE WANT AN AUTO RICKSHAW FOR 50RS TO TAKE US TO GODOAULIA' they all looked at her as she stood angry and disheveled, with a rucksack half the size of her on her back, shouting at them, as if she was a nutcase. I empathised. finally an auto rickshaw came forewards and took us for 50rs. well done alicia.
Heading to town, we bumped into an english guy who was just leaving and pointed us in the direction of a hotel. His blog can be read here http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dgreenberg/1/1301839493/tpod.html . After following an indian guy through the maze of gallies we arrived at a guesthouse which suited our price and purpose'. Puja guesthouse, just down the gally from the golden Temple.
Our evening was spent chatting with a friendly waitor and entertaining him with stories of our festivals such as easter 'we have multi coloured eggs and roll them down a hill' 'Multi coloured eggs, haha, roll down hill, why? hahahahah eggs' or pancake day 'pancakes day hahahahaha' or telling him about Guinness 'black beer, nobody drinks full glass, just small' 'No, people drink pints of it' 'pints, hahahaha' he was very entertained but swapped our useless info with little stories of varanasi and india. Our rooftop view was wonderful. I think varansai will be one of my favorites :)
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