As a tourist or traveler, I have often found myself being in strange places and areas that I would normally not pass through if I did live in that place. I am mostly traveling in a local cab at most times and I have to say that over the years I have begun to enjoy my trips in local cabs. Striking a friendly conversation with them drivers has served me well on multiple counts. Usually these cab drivers are localities and are happy to be my local guide (free) - they have told me things and shown me places that I would not normally read about in a lonely planet booklet or a travel blog. A little discussion with them helps me get through the rather boring cab ride too especially when I am traveling alone. However, the primary reason for me to engage in these fleeting conversations is to give myself a better chance to not be taken for a 'ride' by the driver - really!
In Bangkok, I remember how my cab driver got excited to be conversing with a foreigner that he even sang a local song for me. He really was proud of his country and culture. Here in Noida, where I have been for a few days now, I am not a foreigner. Although I am only visiting, my skin color and features give away my origin pretty easily. I am only one of the billion Indians but I still have to be extra friendly with the cab drivers because I am in Noida (the land of the lawless). In one of my routine conversations with a driver, he told me how the local residents mock their own state(UP) to be an acronym for a local word(Ulta-Pulta) meaning Upside-Down. He even had a term for Noida -> No-Idea. Rofl! We ended up talking about everything from state politics to the newly constructed Formula 1 Race track. Hmm..
What started as a ploy to save myself has now become enjoyable enough that I dump the luxury cab from my hotel each evening and instead use one of these cabs - free guided tour every evening!
In Bangkok, I remember how my cab driver got excited to be conversing with a foreigner that he even sang a local song for me. He really was proud of his country and culture. Here in Noida, where I have been for a few days now, I am not a foreigner. Although I am only visiting, my skin color and features give away my origin pretty easily. I am only one of the billion Indians but I still have to be extra friendly with the cab drivers because I am in Noida (the land of the lawless). In one of my routine conversations with a driver, he told me how the local residents mock their own state(UP) to be an acronym for a local word(Ulta-Pulta) meaning Upside-Down. He even had a term for Noida -> No-Idea. Rofl! We ended up talking about everything from state politics to the newly constructed Formula 1 Race track. Hmm..
What started as a ploy to save myself has now become enjoyable enough that I dump the luxury cab from my hotel each evening and instead use one of these cabs - free guided tour every evening!
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