On the Har-ki-Dun trek: IDIOTS who don't pay!

At the GMVN in Har-ki-Dun a group of about 8 trekkers from Raiganj in West Bengal landed up one evening. Nice enough to talk to and all; but the next day the GMVN Chowkidar told me that of their bill (food+dorm+the many bottles of mineral water that they helped themselves to) of Rs.2850 they chose to pay only Rs.700!!! The Chowkidar was one chap against 8 fit, burly men, what was he to do?! And it's not like these chaps were unable to afford the prices; they were serious mountaineers who were about to cross over to Yamunotri with some quite state-of-the-art (read imported, expensive) equipment and clothes with them. They just knew that the Chowkidar couldn't do anything, so they paid him a fraction of what they owed him! If any of you is here on the forum reading, shame on you!

This is really pathetic to read.. If somebody can spend thousands to reach that place and will shell out for a night out, why people hesitate to pay a chowkidhar..

not unusual I am afraid. As a european trekker i am regularly ashamed of some of my fellows. The problem is the 'lonely planet/rough guide' approach of 'you must avoid being ripped off at all costs' which leads to a chiseling attitude where every penny has to be bargained down. Some people have no grace - still with a bit of luck the kharma will follow them in the form of a sprained ankle on the top of a pass..........

Surely a government setup like the GMVNL will have some options in tracking these guys down?

The story of the Chowkidar, to my mind, does not convince me. How can 8 trekkers run away from the remote place like Har-ki-Dun. Eventhough Chowkidar may be alone, there are always locals like shepherds with him. Then there is at least couple of forest officials in a nearby FRH.

Sadanand

The FRH was closed and at this point there were no shepherds around (I had spent the previous 3 days at Harkidun when this incident happened); there was only the chowkidar and the canteenwallah, apart from a kid helper.

However I do suspect that because these chaps didn't pay the full amount, the Chowkidar and them would have agreed that whatever they HAD paid (the 700 rupees) would be off the books. ==> so perhaps the Chowkidar pocketed a little bit of money, but still doesn't excuse these guys in any way!