Wishing Bitcoin was the norm, buying sarees in India

I am going to India in December and my trip requires me to wear sarees most days. Tying a saree is pretty difficult so I decided to have several pieces made pre-stiched. This is really expensive here in the States, so I got connected to a shop on Delhi by my hairdresser who is a woman originally from India. .

I connect with the shop owner via WhatsApp, she is excited that I am the first foreigner to purchase items from her shop. I send her my measurements, we confirm the saree pieces I am purchasing, and now I need to pay. There is no feasible way for me to do a bank transfer so I go to Western Union -- send $200, pay $11 in fees. Fine.

A week goes by she tells me that her husband went to the Western Union, and this particular Western Union in Delhi only has a license to receive money from Indian Nationals. They cannot obtain my money from Western Union. We try a bank transfer again, not possible. Another week goes by.

I tell this woman that I can pay her instantly via Bitcoin. I try to educate her on it -- would have been a much better story to share here if I could have convinced her. She's not willing to do it.

In the end, I ended up sending money to my hairdresser, who sent the money to her brother in India, and her brother in India paid for the shop for me. The whole thing took 3 weeks. It's 2022, this scenario should never be "the norm". Hopefully, I planted a seed for the shop, and if I purchase from her again, I am going to tell her that I will only do it if it is in Bitcoin.