The snow scam of Nainital: How a honeymoon mishap became our favourite memory
etimes.in | Dec 4, 2024, 11.43 AM IST
It was November, and like every other honeymooning couple, my wife and I were living the dream—hand in hand, hearts full, and heads in the clouds. Nainital, with its crisp mountain air and charming hill-town vibes, felt like the perfect backdrop to our new chapter. Winter had arrived early, and everything seemed magical.
While strolling along the Mall Road one evening, we overheard someone saying it had snowed at higher altitudes nearby. Now, here’s the thing: I had never seen snow in my life. The very mention of it turned me into an overgrown child, giddy with excitement. My wife, equally eager, agreed we should go.
Enter the taxi driver. A savvy-looking fellow leaning casually against his car, he must have seen the stars in our eyes because the moment we asked about snow, he lit up like a salesman with a jackpot customer.
“Yes, sir! Snow! Lots of snow! I’ll take you to Hill View, the highest point here, where you can enjoy snow to your heart’s content!”
It sounded perfect. Too perfect. But as a newlywed man trying to impress my wife, skepticism wasn’t an option.
“How much?” I asked, trying to sound confident.
He quoted an amount that made my wallet wince, but I didn’t dare flinch. My wife was watching, and I wasn’t about to let her think I was a miser. So, after some half-hearted negotiation, I agreed to his terms. He did, however, insist on one condition: full payment in advance.
Something about that felt off, but what could I do? As a husband on his honeymoon, you’re already operating in default people-pleaser mode. So, I awkwardly handed over the cash, and we hopped into his taxi.
The ride was actually pleasant at first. The cool mountain breeze swept through the car, and the winding roads offered stunning views. My wife and I were laughing, imagining ourselves playing in heaps of snow, perhaps even having one of those picture-perfect snowball fights straight out of a movie.
Finally, after what felt like ages of driving, the taxi came to a stop.
“Here we are, sir—Hill View!” the driver declared triumphantly.
I stepped out eagerly, expecting to see a pristine blanket of snow. Instead, the driver led us to a small patch on the ground.
No, not a patch—a piece. It looked more like the remnants of a half-melted snowman. My heart sank.
“This?!” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Yes, sir,” he said, pointing proudly. “Snow. As promised.”
I stared at the sad excuse for snow, trying to process the situation. My wife whispered, “Do you think he bought that from an ice factory?” I couldn’t rule it out.
Gathering my wits, I confronted the driver. “This is all the snow you’ve got?”
He shrugged, completely unbothered. “Sir, it snowed a few days ago. This is what’s left. I brought you to see snow, and you’ve seen snow. Deal done.”
What could we do? He already had the money, and his smug expression said he’d done this a hundred times before.
Looking back, we can’t help but laugh at how spectacularly we were conned. That one lonely chunk of snow— whether real or artificial—has become a running joke in our family. Whenever we share this story with our kids, it gets funnier, especially when we embellish the details.
If nothing else, the Great Honeymoon Snow Scam taught me an important lesson: never pay a taxi driver in advance, especially if he’s selling snow in November. But hey, it also gave us a story we’ll treasure forever. And in the end, isn’t that what honeymoons are all about?
Authored by: Bhannu Arora
If you too have a soul-touching story to share, then send it to us at: [email protected]
While strolling along the Mall Road one evening, we overheard someone saying it had snowed at higher altitudes nearby. Now, here’s the thing: I had never seen snow in my life. The very mention of it turned me into an overgrown child, giddy with excitement. My wife, equally eager, agreed we should go.
Enter the taxi driver. A savvy-looking fellow leaning casually against his car, he must have seen the stars in our eyes because the moment we asked about snow, he lit up like a salesman with a jackpot customer.
“Yes, sir! Snow! Lots of snow! I’ll take you to Hill View, the highest point here, where you can enjoy snow to your heart’s content!”
It sounded perfect. Too perfect. But as a newlywed man trying to impress my wife, skepticism wasn’t an option.
“How much?” I asked, trying to sound confident.
He quoted an amount that made my wallet wince, but I didn’t dare flinch. My wife was watching, and I wasn’t about to let her think I was a miser. So, after some half-hearted negotiation, I agreed to his terms. He did, however, insist on one condition: full payment in advance.
Something about that felt off, but what could I do? As a husband on his honeymoon, you’re already operating in default people-pleaser mode. So, I awkwardly handed over the cash, and we hopped into his taxi.
The ride was actually pleasant at first. The cool mountain breeze swept through the car, and the winding roads offered stunning views. My wife and I were laughing, imagining ourselves playing in heaps of snow, perhaps even having one of those picture-perfect snowball fights straight out of a movie.
Finally, after what felt like ages of driving, the taxi came to a stop.
“Here we are, sir—Hill View!” the driver declared triumphantly.
I stepped out eagerly, expecting to see a pristine blanket of snow. Instead, the driver led us to a small patch on the ground.
No, not a patch—a piece. It looked more like the remnants of a half-melted snowman. My heart sank.
“This?!” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Yes, sir,” he said, pointing proudly. “Snow. As promised.”
I stared at the sad excuse for snow, trying to process the situation. My wife whispered, “Do you think he bought that from an ice factory?” I couldn’t rule it out.
Gathering my wits, I confronted the driver. “This is all the snow you’ve got?”
He shrugged, completely unbothered. “Sir, it snowed a few days ago. This is what’s left. I brought you to see snow, and you’ve seen snow. Deal done.”
What could we do? He already had the money, and his smug expression said he’d done this a hundred times before.
Looking back, we can’t help but laugh at how spectacularly we were conned. That one lonely chunk of snow— whether real or artificial—has become a running joke in our family. Whenever we share this story with our kids, it gets funnier, especially when we embellish the details.
If nothing else, the Great Honeymoon Snow Scam taught me an important lesson: never pay a taxi driver in advance, especially if he’s selling snow in November. But hey, it also gave us a story we’ll treasure forever. And in the end, isn’t that what honeymoons are all about?
Authored by: Bhannu Arora
If you too have a soul-touching story to share, then send it to us at: [email protected]
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