(John) Just over two weeks in India for Mhari and I and 4 weeks for Sam and Lesley. I think the one thing that has struck me more than any other is how friendly people are and how interested they are in who we are and where we are from. We had our photo taken at least 5 times today and we spent most of the day travelling. India would be a great place to overcome shyness. Here there is a definite format that starts with the question where are you from and follows with questions about occupation, education and family. You just have to return the question and in moments you have a new best friend. For us this happens about 15 times a day. We have met people from all over Southern India and they all have interesting stories. This happens especially in areas where domestic tourism is high, as people are in a holiday mood. Today we met a man who speaks three Indian and four European languages and is the owner of an incense and essential oils stall in the market. For me who only has command of one language it is very humbling.
Other things that have struck me are the sense of personal safety despite the crowds, the smell of burning, the animals roaming the streets and the traffic.
We are often surrounded by groups of young men who want to meet us, we never feel uncomfortable, they are sometimes very forward but are never threatening and always polite. They usually just want a group shot with us in it.
In many places garbage is swept to the side of the street in piles and then burned, the smell of burning plastic mixed with leaves can be quite pervasive.
It's taken some getting used to but we have almost stopped commenting when we see a cow in the middle of a busy intersection. The goats scampering along the sidewalks in familial groups are so cute and harder to ignore.
Despite the incredible way traffic moves around I have yet to see an accident or anything approaching road rage. Of course the statistics tell a different story and thousands are killed every day on the roads in India. Still, after a while it is possible to get quite relaxed as the auto-rickshaw you are in weaves in and out of buses, cars, motorcycles, cycles, pedestrians, ox carts, cows and goats.
If you are interested in motorbikes at all then there are lots here, although I have yet to see anything bigger than the famous Royal Enfield Bullet, a classic design that is still being made in India. Every other motorbike bike on the road is some version of the Honda Hero. It looks fast but with a 100cc 9 bhp single cylinder, it's really not much more powerful than all the 50cc scooters here. They are however incredibly functional and easily hold and haul a family of four or a truck load of supplies.
I have enormous respect for anyone here who rides a bicycle. Not least because the bikes all way about a ton, but also because of the absolute faith cyclists must have that all the other road users are going to see you and then avoid running you down. Here size does matter. On the road it seems the smaller you are the less right you have to the road. If my stinging eyes and clogged lungs are any indication then air polution is clearly a huge problem in urban areas. Cycling is the only mode of transport not making it worse While in Alleppy, we witnessed a parade of young cyclists riding through the centre of town with placards on their bikes demanding an end to the overuse of oil and promoting the use of bicycles as a solution to the pollution problem. A drop in the attitude ocean but still great to see.
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