It was strange for me, and as even quoted by Anupam Kher, famous actor of India that “we the people of India have made a new trend to criticize our own country.”
When people from other nation ask us and tell us that they are planning to take their next visit to India, we simply ask, WHY? Everything is good in the country you are living then why are you taking a holiday to spoil your own mood by going to India.
We just wonder and remember the struggle we faced and the things happened in front of us in India that we simply state that as an example to avoid the visit to nation.
On the contrary when people from other nation describe India, they feel immense pleasure in describing the journey. I can quote many example of my own friends from other country who visited India and had a very pleasant experience.
Tourism is a part of Economy of India and thus, I must make a change in myself and promote any travel instead of giving the regular attitude and statement that “Dude, please don’t go to India”
But today’s example story is not about promotion of tourism but to acknowledge the price. Again, I would like to tell you that this particular two Incident did not happen with me but my close mates were present when the incidents took place. So I rely on their trust for the stories to be true
1) On a Lemon Soda Shop in Nagpur, India we were sitting and ordered two glass of Lemon soda. We knew the price of Lemon soda is 10Rs per glass. While we were drinking some western tourist approached the shop. The tourist asked for the price and the shopkeeper replied the price of per glass of Lemon soda is 500Rs. For the tourist the glass of that juice would be just amounting to approx. 10$ in their currency and thus the tourist accepted the price and paid 500Rs per glass of Lemon Soda.
We felt sad that why did the shopkeeper looted the tourist. The shopkeeper’s reply was simple, “For years, people from western world looted India, and now it’s just time to taste them their own medicine.” At that day my age being just 16 did not stand up against the shopkeepers behavior but if it was today I will.
2) When my friend Ravish Pathak came to Australia, he called his known to pick him up from Brisbane airport. His friend came and said, I would pick you up but if you will fill my fuel tank to come to Airport and Drop you at city. My friend Ravish agreed and paid his friend an amount of 70$ for the fuel for dropping him from Brisbane airport to Brisbane City. In today’s price range, keeping in mind that the fuel price is constantly increasing, it only takes about not more than 20$ to fill up a tank to make a journey to and fro Brisbane Airport from Brisbane City.
3) When I started to fix a broken glass door of previously rented house by me, and broken due to my mistake I approached many people to fix the glass in the desired time when I am free. As the glass was close to door, each and every person recommend me to apply a SAFETY GLASS while fixing the door. And as the fault to break the glass was from my side, I was ready to fix the glass as suitable to Australian standards.
I called big companies like Obrien Group and asked for a price quote. To fix they replied it will be costing me 970$. I approached the local glassy and he was ready to fix the glass in price quote of 345$ but it was a waiting period of 3 weeks that I had to before the glass was ordered. I called O’Brien again and asked for a cheapest quote and they replied, “We don’t do the cheapest work but we do the Quality work my friend” and they stuck to 970$ as their quoted price.
Finally, I researched more and fixed the glass with a price of 660$ with third glassy.
The above two stories happened before more than 2 years from now. But the 3rd story happened just 3 months back. The chronology of events made an impact on my mind to take decisions further in the 3rd story. 1st and 2nd story made me skeptical that there are people in world, ir-relvent to the country they belong just wants profits in their pocket and made me more skeptical to believe on such higher price to be paid on a work which can be dealt more economically. It made me so skeptical that trusting a highly reputed company like O’Brien was difficult for me. On the other hand I even did not trusted the most economical offer I had, doubting the quality of service I would be getting might be poor.
I am still unaware what is the Right Price to fix the door, or the price to buy a Lemon soda, or a travel from Brisbane Airport to Brisbane City. And from what prospectives I should judge the commodities. But currently I can only know that just because I have some bitter memories in my past, I must not guide people not to buy something just because I had a bad experience. Not to demote the tourism of India just because I had little bitter experience there. Who knows the next person might find a more better price, more economical satisfying price with a quality of service. Who knows The next person I am talking with “KNOWS THE RIGHT PRICE”
So don’t stop and Keep making some mistakes, keep finding the right price – one day or other you will have a Great Price story to tell to the world.
Happy Day
Have a wonderful week ahead.
Tapish Dongre 