Harald Baldr

The Varanasi Experience: $600 USD Hotel Mistake

INDIA, CHENNAI: Planing on surveying the lands of Chennai extensively in a single day I decided Iw as in the market for a bicycle. But not just any bicycle! The more rusty, ancient and archaic the better. A couple of days ago I ran into just such a cycle and tried to buy it. The owner refused to sell, possibly because he didn't understand I was being serious or as I wanted to complete the purchase using Dollars. Buying a used bicycle in Chennai was going to be an uphill struggle I realized. On three more occasions I offered $100 for used bicycles worth maximum $5. Each time the owner laughed and said no! Dejected, sitting in a rickshaw on my way to the hotel and on the verge or giving up my dreams of cycling around Chennai... a stroke of lucks ent from heaven. I spotted a bicycle repair shop out the window. I saw the street name in Google maps and decided that this street and possibly shop would be my last chance at acquiring one....