Sitar in Motion

After a long day at work until 6:30 + the 1 hour busy drive(r) back to the hotel, I call the music store to confirm Sitar pickup and time at they close - 9:00pm.
Downstairs an the concierge I ask about getting a cab - but they are only interested in the 3 hour minimum car+driver package for 1000 ruppees - and in 15min. Too much and late for me so I escape the luxury compound across the street and negotiate the rick-shaw driver for the trip north to the shop. I estimate 20min but after getting 80% there and having him ask his comrades where the road was - despite my map from google earth. We arrive 8:30. The sitar is prepacked and ready to go. An accounting slip up on their side saves me an additional 1000 rupees (which I discover later - yippee) and I am back to the curb with a crate of sitar and a small rickshaw. After a few brief laughs from passers by I sit in the rickshaw with the crate on my lap - 4 inches of sitar crate hang out each side of the rickshaw - The size of the rickshaw has grown by about 10% - a necessary factor in Chennai's traffic dance. So I remind the drive that is vehicle is now larger. - Anyway 45min more back home(hotel) we arrive. 30 before arrival at the hotel it starts to pour and my precious 8" are getting wet - so the drive offers to breach the fortress and enter the hotel entrance. The security flags him down - but waves him further seeing the white guy. A quick unload and payment given - still too damn much for a rickshaw - he is off with an additional chide by the hotel staff for touring a richshaw through the hotel drive up. A trolley up the room. The baby sits in box with only a brief escape to play. I call the airports to debate the checkin vs carryon dilemma but in the end will probably opt for additional pack up and checkin.
That was half the fun - the other half will be making a decent sound.