Before setting out for India, I asked a very good friend of mine if she knew of anyone locally. It’s always great to have a local contact or two and that much better to see the city from the local’s perspective. To have the inside track is any traveler’s dream.
Fortune smiles upon those who ask, and I’ve been blessed with quiet a few local friends here in India who have taken it upon themselves to make sure that I am well taken care of.
As wonderful as this bit of fortune is, I am also faced with some interesting conundrums…
First off, everyone who works at the hostel and etc. are a lot less friendly to me the minute they hear that I have an Indian friend here in town. I understand it is because the opportunity for them to scam me has significantly decreased with the presence of my Indian friend, but that does not mean that I enjoy a semi-mean hostel staff.
On the upside I did end up only paying $66 (face value) for 3 last-minute train tickets instead of the previously quoted $90. The minute the travel agent saw that I was with my friend, he put on a different smile and told me that I only owed him 1000 Rs more instead of 1600Rs. YAY for the local contacts.
One of the things that I really love about traveling alone is that I get to be alone. I like getting lost and finding my way. I like talking to random strangers, be it for good or bad. I like eating street food and testing my luck. I love haggling with the shop keepers over the cost of things and seeing how far I can get. I like learning my way around and simply being open to possibilities. Traveling with a local companion in tow has many advantages, but it does take away a large portion of the fun for me.
One can’t repay the generosity of these kind, good-hearted friends with a cold shoulder, yet I am struggling with the over-protection of my dear friends.
Is it possible to have the best of both worlds?
Traveling friends, will you please share with you of what you would do in similar situations?!
