Y2K THE ANCIENT WAY

all the fuss with Varanasi is about. Ok, so you can take a boat ride on what must be the world's biggest sewer at sunrise and see the open-air crematoria.

Taxi drivers in India never admit to having change (though often they obviously do), so you're better off negotiating a fare that you can pay precisely.

If the touts for the souvenir and carpet shops become a nuisance, it is sometimes pleasant to be a nuisance back. One way is to discuss endlessly why you should or should not go to their shop. I disputed with one tout for some while. Eventually he said that he wanted me to go to his shop "because we believe that having elderly people in our shop will bring us good luck". I said: "That's crap" and he said : "Yes, but it was all I could think of".
Frank A. Sharman, UK (Mar 99)

In Delhi and towns along the Ganges Plain, upper respiratory problems seemed to plague many travellers in December because of high pollution trapped by fog and no wind. It's a good idea to bring or buy a cotton scarf in India to cover mouth and nose in heavily congested traffic areas. Many locals do. Also bring along sinus decongestant medication and an antibiotic eye ointment. The poisonous nature of the air over the Ganges plain cannot be overemphasized.

Suddenly we came upon a man selling scalding hot tea and decided that whatever was living in the tea had long since died. Having our own cups was a definite advantage to cleanliness and we offered them to him. As quick as a flash, he ladled the tea into the cups, using the front of his vest as a tea strainer.
Jeff White & Caroline Fletcher, UK (Feb 99)

A travel insurance scam popular is Agra involves a restaurant poisoning the food and then arranging for the victim to be taken to an obliging hospital for which they will receive 50% commission from the travellers health insurance payout. Richard Thomson (Mar 98)

And those are the least shocking, carefully selected for a sensitive audience!

I went into a cold panic after reading all this, and was on the verge of asking for my deposit back and canning the whole plan. But what excuse would I offer? Members of my local sangha who had been there before just give off the radiant smiles about it all. Either it was a transformational experience

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