Negotiations and Tea in Darjeeling, India

FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Frances:  Let's take a look at the itinerary. 

Peter:  F**k the itinerary. 

- from the movie "Darjeeling Unlimited"

Deeeelicous.   That bowl cost about 50 cents.

Where ever you travel, the city you are currently in has the most respectable, honest, do-good people in the region.  But watch out for the people in the next city over as they will rip you off for sure.  And if you are crossing a border to a neighboring state or country, then you better be extra cautious because those people are outright criminals.  At least that is the story told by every local you talk to.   The Greeks bash the Macedonians.  The Macedonians bash the Kosovars.  The Kosovars bash the Serbians …well, okay, the Kosovars should bash the Serbs, but that’s a different story.

At the travel agency they kindly wrote down my route from Darjeeling to Bhadrapur for me and gave me the appropriate prices for each leg of the trip so I wouldn’t be ripped off.  Naturally, they told me that it would be no problem getting out of Darjeeling.  But the Nepal side of the border?  Watch out!  If their English slang were better the phase “shady bastards” would likely been used to describe the Nepalese taxi drivers.

Tea-licous.  That little leaf on top goes for about $200/lb.

The previous day I had arranged for a shared vehicle out of town at 8:00 am for 130 rupees (rs.), the appropriate going rate.  Surely the good people of Darjeeling wouldn’t let me down.  After all, the travel agent told me these were the most honest people in India.  Here’s how it shook down.

7:50 am – My driver is nowhere to be found.  Glad I didn’t prepay.  I’m approached by another driver at the stand who tells me a shared ride won’t be available for at least two hours but he would kindly take me for 1,000 rs and leave right away.  I laugh out loud in his face and take a seat a few meters away reading a book, prepared to wait all day if I have to.

8:00 am -  Same driver approaches me and says it’ll only be 800 rs for the private ride.  I tell him that he has a 4 seat vehicle that I’ll buy all four seats at 130 rs each and leave now for 520 rs.  He declines.  Sure $520 rs is only $10, and I'd pay $20 for the four hour drive, but that's not the point.

8:05 am - A Japanese tourist heading to Siliguri, the same connection point as me, arrives at the stand.  He is offered the same ride for 500 rs.  I overhear the conversation and tell him to wait and we will get a share for 130. 

8:10 am -  Same driver comes back and offers us the private ride for 200 rs each.  The waiting game paid off.  Shady bastard. 

Me in the tea fields, wondering, "Why don't I open a tea sho?"

My experience in Rishikesh spoiled me.  Clean room.  Good people.  Great lifestyle.  Here in Darjeeling I just wasn’t feeling it.  After making a few connections in the tea industry (in case I open a tea shop some day) I was ready to leave a full week early.

Booking flights to Kathmandu is simple.  The price if fixed at $164 USD and you can book at the last minute.  Getting to the airport?  Now that’s a different story.  From Darjeeling to Bhadrapur on the Nepal side of the border is less than 100 kilometers of travel, yet it takes three auto connections and about four hours on the road.  Each stop, playing the same BS negotiation game while some local prick tries to rip you off.

By the way …do you know what documentation it takes to enter exit India and enter Nepal?  None.  I missed the signs for immigration and was 2 kilometers in the country before realizing my error and having to double back.