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Published: March 31st 2008
4000 km travelled by road, so I thought I'd write this to add some colour to the blogs. Delhi and Rajastan are mad in many ways, but generally,
The first has to be traffic.
In the cities cars, buses, camels, donkeys, rickshaws, carts, tut tuts, push bikes, motor bikes, scooters all fight for the road constantly beeping their horn. This is not in anger though, but to let others know they are there. They all use both sides of the road , and constantly have to avoid the Holy cows roaming around.
Strangely it work and traffic jams clear quickly.
Outside the cities there is the addition of beautifully,brightly painted lorries and the occassional elephant. The lorries are always overloaded, and their cargo not secured. This was a little worrying when the load was marble! There are a lot of roads under construction using labour only, no machines. Even camels to deliver the materials, over miles of road.
Aromas
These can be gorgeous smelling flowers and spices around temples; the aroma of curries or fried food from street vendors, or the delightful smell that can only politely be called toilet facilities.
Usually it is a strange
Our drivers 24th birhday
We treated him to a coke, generous Europeans that we are. Well he was drivingmixture of any of these
Colour
Wherever you look it is bright and colouful. Beautifully dressed women in saris, fruit stalls, Spices
Noise
All the cities are very noisy. From the traffic, to beggars, to children saying "allo", and shop keepers with their "just look" and "best price.
People
In the cities they are very friendly. Some just want to talk and practise their English, or so they say. They all have 4 standard questions, what is your name, where are you from, are you married, do you have children. This is normally followed by "you want to look in my shop". The problem is I can't buy as I have to carry it for the next 2 Months. An IMPOSSIBLE and UNHEARD of situation.
A problem to overcome is that many Indians don't know the word "no". They always answer yes, no problem, or everything possible in India. It then becomes clear they didn't understand what you said. Still I am in India and I don't speak Hindi.
Children always want to say "allo" and often they want to touch you. At the other extreme there are many beggars. 7 year
olds sent out with babies to beg, often walking in the traffic knocking on windows. Frail elderly women doing the same. It's heartbreaking.
You have to get used to the constant staring, wherever you go.
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