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2003-05-09 - Shimla (Day 24)

The hotel manager told me I could stay until Saturday when he was booked solid with tour groups. That worked well for me but since tomorrow is Saturday; I'll have to find a way to pay my bill. This may be a bit of a problem as when I checked in, the manager took my last 1000 rupees as a deposit leaving me with about 500 (US$ 10.00) which I'd been paying for my internet and cokes with. Since I'm going to have to deal with this hotel bill, I've got to go back into Shimla and change money as there isn't any other place around to change. So I plan a day of photography in the village and set off in the morning.

Shimla town itself is closed to motor vehicles and this turns out to be a bit tricky trying to get oriented. I drive from one side to the other asking directions for where I can change money without getting very clear answers until it's finally decided I have to go up into the town proper. I park the bike and taking a guess as to which road to go up, pick the wrong one and end up going the whole way by foot which was a bit of a climb. (I found later there is a public elevator that in a two step process - 2 elevators - gets you to the top for US$ 0.20 but I took the wrong road for that one). I ask a shop keeper about a bank and he says there is one head, "about 10 minutes walk." That doesn't seem to be much of a problem and up I go. The streets are lined with old houses and it feels like a Swiss or French countryside town. Quite lovely in the noon sun. I find the bank and inquiring about changing money they tell me they don't handle money, and direct me to another bank - "about 10 minutes walk" up the road.

Walking along I find a book shop and I'd already put on my list today to try to find a new GMAT preparation book. I walk in and they have two which takes my last 400 rupees leaving me with about 50 rupees (US$ 1.) in change to my name. I start thinking how exciting life is going to be if the bank is closed - it is Friday the Muslim holiday - and also how hungry I am as I hadn't eaten yet and this walking was taking it out of me, but while I now had the GMAT book, I didn't have enough to eat with. I did find I had enough for an ice cream I bought from a street vendor which did bring a smile.

Making it to the second bank I enter. However, they would only change money if it was traveler's checks. As I only have notes on me, they tell me I have to go to the State Bank of India, you guessed it, "about 10 minutes walk down the road." I've now crossed from the North half of town and am heading into the South and starting to go down the hill. As it was tiring enough getting up the first time, going down and then coming back up isn't a thrilling prospect. However, nothing to be done I head on down though my hip and leg are making it very clear they are tired.

I make it in to the bank and fortunately they are open and more then happy to take my money. I decide this was all too much of a hassle and to avoid having to do it again too soon, I decide to change US$ 400 without thinking too much. When I get the pile of 18,500 rupees back, mostly in 100 Rupee notes I realize that may have been a bit foolish.

Well, I do have a wad of cash and I head back into town to get something to eat. It was about at this point I took a good look at one of the porters who was carrying sacks of rice down the hill. As he was coming toward me it looked like he had one sack held up by a cord going across his forehead. As I turned to watch him pass I noticed the rice sack had "35kg" printed on it, which was more then half my body weight and he was carrying not one but three of those sacks. I figure it's probably best not to mention my tired leg and knees anymore after that.

After treating myself to a pair of Ray-Bans as I hadn't brought sunglasses with me on the trip and these were only 40$, much less then the same pair would be in the US, I pick a restaurant with an open air top and spend the next couple of hours people watching.

The sun going down I head back down the mountain - using the lift this time - with my wad of cash, GMAT books and a lovely treat, I bought a razor. (In the month that I've been here I've only had those two shaves - must say I've been a bit scruffy.)

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