Officer Money-bags

So, I asked a taxi how much he would charge to get me back to the airport. He said that he wasn't working right now and told me to move on. I walked out and stopped to talk to the police officer out front. I asked her where I could go and get money exchanged, or find a bank. She asked me how much money I had, so..... I LIED!!! I was wearing a money belt with my passport and about $140.00 dollars in it. I said, "I've got $20.00". :D

I reminded her that the exchange rate was 40:1 and she said that she would give me 30:1. Then she gathered the money together and handed it to some other guy so that he could exchange it with me. BUT, she only had590 rupees. Oh well, it was better than I had. So then the taxi driver who was standing there watching the whole thing offered to only charge me 250 rupees to take me sight seeing. I asked the officer if he was being fair and she chewed him out a bit, then he offered to do it for 200. (Don't I look hot and...sweaty?)

And with that, WE'RE OFF!!!


I didn't get a lot of photos of this adventure, but I did get lots of video. We went to the beach and I thought that I have to go into the water. I took off my shoes and socks and waded in. The beach was littered with garbage and people. I'm pretty sure that I was the only white person there. There were quite a few beggars that started following me at the beach.

My feet were totally sandy, so I wasn't ready to put my shoes on. My taxi driver said that we were going to a temple and that I should just keep them off. I was so scared of stepping on a piece of glass or something. We made it to the temple and the priest (or yogi I'm not sure what the right title is) invited me up on the platform. He said a chant, up flowers around my neck, and then ash on my forehead. He then put out the plate for me to make a money offering. So, I reached in my bag and grabbed a coin to drop in the plate. It was a 1 pound coin from my England trip.

I look like I just won the Derby!!!