No Means No..... (Nov 24)

Sometimes the Wallas just don't believe you when you say no. One came on the train selling these balls of doughy type stuff floating in super sweet syrup. I said no. He kept saying yes, scooped one our and tried to hand it to me. I think I have to start saying "no, get lost" instead of "no, thank you" (like my mother taught me always to say). He looked quite offended when I still refused to take it. Imagine!

The train pulled into Gaya just after 3 pm. (Yes Dad, we got some photos for you!) We knew it was going to be crazy, swarming with touts, so we had agreed ahead of time to take and autorickshaw and what we wanted to pay. Sure enough, before we were even out of the station, we were surrounded. We bargained and agreed upon 50 rupees to take us the 13 km to Bodh Gaya. As we sat in the rickshaw we saw another couple being swarmed. They didn't seem really happy about the whole thing (Brad thinks one of the touts got hold of one of their bags and they were without option but to follow). They climbed into a rickshaw and left. We were still waiting, wondering where our driver had gotten off to. I think they were trying to find other people to pile into the rickshaw with us. There are no seat belt laws (or helmet laws for that matter) and, in Gaya, it's not unusual to see a rickshaw built for 6 or 7 people (and that's pushing it) to be piled with 10 to 15, including luggage and farm animals! They must not have been able to find any takers since we were now informed that it was going to cost 80 rupees. We started arguing.. they were claiming that it was 18 km.. back and forth.. we agreed on 70 rupees for the whole rickshaw (no hitchhikers).

Gaya isn't much to look at so we were happy to be departing right away. We are now in the province of Bihar. Bihar is also where Calcutta is located. This is the poorest province in India and they recommend not being out at night due to bandits. This is also where the Bodha Tree is located (the tree where Sidaharta became enlightened... and the Buddha).

The rickshaw ride was the most bone jarring, tooth rattling, filling loosening ride we'd been on due to the excessively pothole infested roads. (Brad's back is getting better but he's still not moving the way he should). We are now back at sea level and it's pretty flat so there's a great deal of farming. We arrived at the guest house we had called to reserve and checked in. The staff are extremely friendly and the rooms are simple and clean. What more could you ask for?

By the time we were in and settled, we were hungry. We headed across the road to a place called Pole-to-Pole. There are actually two places called Pole to Pole right next to each other. One it called the Old Pole to Pole, the other Original Pole to Pole. The guidebook said both were good so we went into the first one.

The restaurant is more of a building that didn't quite get completed. It has half walls running down each side made of cement, and bamboo posts running down the centre holding up a roof that seems more like a tent than anything else. The front and rear of the restaurant are open to the outside. It's much warmer here than in the mountains and with the open air concept, the mosquitoes are crazy!

In talking to the owner, he claims that he was here first (he's been here 12 years) but, unlike in Canada, there is no law to prohibit someone from using his shop name - even if it's right next door! I guess if you get quoted in LP, people want to use your name to capitalize on it. The food was pretty good so I'm sure we'll be back.

After dinner it was dark and we didn't really have a good idea of the layout of town yet and we were tired from the long train ride so we went back to the hotel and went to bed.