After arriving in Delhi, via Muscat, I jumped on the metro from the airport as the city's traffic is notoriously horrendous. Arriving at New Delhi station, I stepped outside into the searing afternoon heat and set off looking for a tuk tuk to take me the last couple of kilometers to my hostel. As usual, I didn't have to look far. Five tuk tuk drivers mobbed me straight away, all trying to secure a potentially lucrative fare from the vulnerable tourist.

"Where you go?", said one guy.

"How much to Delhi Gate?", I asked in reply, as my hostel was very close to it and chances are that trying to explain to them which hostel I was staying at would have caused more language problems than it was worth.

Enthusiastically, he said,"I give for you best price because you guest in my country and I want welcome you. Only 150 rupee".

I burst out laughing as I knew that this was three times the going rate for such a short hop!

"I know it should be around 50 rupees", I said. "Who will do it for the fair price of 50 rupees?"

Another man jumped forward, "Fine! 50 rupees I take you!"

As we walked to his tuk tuk he was friendly, asking where I was from and nattering to me about the Queen and Buckingham Palace. I sat down on the back seat, tired, just wanting to arrive after eighteen hours of travelling.

"OK, Delhi Gate, we agree 50 pounds, we go", he said.

At first, I naturally assumed that this was a joke. It quickly transpired that it wasn't. He was actually trying to rip me off by trying to claim that he had always said "50 pounds" and that I had agreed to it! And he somehow thought that would actually stick! I was speechless. Needless to say, I ended up getting another tuk tuk.

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