During our Jaipur visit with family, I checked out for local tour operators. That was not a difficult task. I found a tour operator near my hotel itself. We planned for local visit of Jaipur next day. The reporting time of driver was fixed. Next morning my family was ready at the scheduled time for Jaipur visit. The taxi was delayed first of all due to one or some other reasons. Does not matter, I thought it first. My family finished breakfast at the hotel itself, which was planned to be done during the journey. At last we got a car for our tour. And we were though puzzled with unnecessary delay yet the family was in enthusiasm again .Since, we were not familiar with itiniary to be followed so we were wholly dependent upon the cab driver. And, you know the driver we met was the most cunning driver available at Jaipur. After driving few killometers and stopping at few useless places, the driver suggested to visit a place where we could have witness local handicrafts techniques. We agreed to his offer in an impression that there we may witness the handicrafts of colourful Rajasthan. We were trapped as that place was nothing more than a shop and they had fix a commission for drivers to bring tourists there in return of their efforts. We realised this because a good number of tourists cars were being stopped there by its drivers. Though we had not been looted much as we did not purchased much there on being realised the situation. They had single entry point and exit was such that you have to pass through several counters in the shop. This way too much time was spent. Then, the driver despite being asked to stop for lunch, taken us to a specific place of his choice for lunch. I realise there also he was in some beneficial position and something was fixed for him as commission. But we realised the real loss in the evening when we could not visit all the places under tour itiniary package. The driver saved bucks in fuel expenses and also earned commission but our tour remained uncomplete. Please be beware of such taxi drivers in Jaipur and stick to your tour itiniary. Never listen to what they suggest. Always search internet for the places to visit and bargain tour charges for nice places of tourists interest. Once fixed, never change.
@ दीपक कुमार श्रीवास्तव " नील पदम् "
