July 08, 2003
thats the way it is
Its been a while since I’ve updated. Yea I know I suck, but life here just totally moves differently. I’ve rarely had anytime to my self. The past two weeks have been spent being on a job hunt and making sure everyone is visited. The travelling and vacationing will start on the night of the 9th and end the morning of the 27th.
So I’ve finally had the opportunity to soak up life here and I can’t start putting into words how great that feels. Heres an honest try.…
- I’ve climbed onto and off of the local trains during peak rush hours without falling or getting pickpocketed.
- I’ve fallen down more than 6 times in the shower.
- I’ve seen a motorcycle accident.
- I’ve seen the guy on the motorcycle get up and then kick the ever living shit out of the rickshaw driver that caused it.
- I’ve seen a train accident with a person.…I didn’t want to see it.
- I’ve found and eaten almost all of my favourite foods in Bombay.
- I’ve taken a walk up and down Marine Drive (Queen’s Necklace).
- I’ve had way too much ThumsUp!
- I’ve had problems speaking English because both accents come out at once.
- I’ve had a lot of fun speaking Hindi and Gujarati again casually.
- I’ve found out that I’m 2 people away from Amitabh Bachan and could potentially meet my all time favourite actor, yes even more so than Arnold.
- I’ve gotten really sick of the slow pace of business activity here.
- I’ve gotten actually sick with mild cold and slight fever, but I’m done with that now.
- I’ve got “conjunctivitis” in my right eye.
- I’ve been in a verbal fight with someone on the train because they were upset I hit them when I climbed on with a big bag.
- I’ve inadvertently slammed my open palm into the face of a man who was trying to get off the train I was trying to get on.
- I’ve been packed into a train so tight that limit of the distance between my crotch and the ass of the guy in front of me approached zero and then became zero.
- I’ve flown a kite.
- I’ve climbed onto the water tank of an 8 story building when I shouldn’t have and gotten yelled at by an aunty.
- I’ve participated in cable theft.
- I managed to fully convince a rickshaw driver during a short trip that I live and work in Bombay.
- I’ve had a people on the local trains stop staring at me now.
- I’ve seen the the extent of the sadness a family experiences when a US visa application is rejected
- I’ve had to respectfully talk to a man who paid dowry for his daughter’s marriage and accepted dowry when he married his son.
- I’ve seen the anguish parents undergo as they try and get their children married.
- I’ve realized that India loves cement, even though its coarse and nastry and can’t look nearly as good as concrete.
- I’ve had fresh coconut milk straight from a coconut. Its really good!
- I’ve taken a piss in a pile of junk because there aren’t enough public restrooms.
- I’ve realized that people in Bombay are just glad they are surviving.
- I’ve also realized that since people are just surving they haven’t got time to question the status quo or try and do anything about it.
- I’ve pretty much accepted that anyone with any sort of political clout can be bought.
- I’ve discovered that there open public space in Bombay is like an invitation for squatters.
- I’ve seen squatters turn their cardboard huts into semi-permanent brick huts within two weeks.
- I’ve realized that the Indian educational system as it stands will only produce socially inept bookworms or fake geniuses from rich families who buy their education.
- I’ve realized that if theres something you need, no matter how obscure it is, there is a very good chance you already know someone who knows how to get it.
- I’ve learned that haphazard social networking is one of India’s greatest strengths and weaknesses.
- Indians consistenly over-promise and under-deliver.
- I’ve realized that it’s getting rather late here and I should atleast consider getting myself to sleep.
Also no SMS messages received except from the gal in Canada.
I’ll be leaving for Mahabaleshwar on night of the 9th and returning mornning of the 12th.
I’ll leave again on the 12th in the afternoon returning sometime late on the 15th.
Lastly I’ll be leaving for my trip south on the morning of the 17th and returning on the morning of the 27th. Plan is to hit: Trivendrum, Kovalam, Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram, Madurai, Kodaikannal, Munar, Kumarkom and Kochi in that order.
I’ll try and update while I’m on the road, but no promises. Hope all of yous are holding it down well on the other side of the ball.
Posted by Mr. Keyur at July 8, 2003 03:39 PM
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Yes - Indian trains are a little intimidating. It forces you to associate with ppl across the spectrum and sometimes you just don’t want to. And as you said, it forces you to be in really close proximity which gives me the willies.
Haha - Indian showers - that is one of the few things I can do without.
Indian traffic - Tycho described it best (he was refering to Italian traffic, but it still holds). American traffic is like a computer bus while Indian traffic is like ethernet.
I’m a Limca man myself.
I had no idea that you were an Amitabh Bachan fan - is he still making movies? crazy.
You braved a rickshaw - impressive. Autos I can deal with - the pace of a rickshaw would drive me mad and I would be scared of being hit by a lorry - not that an auto would survive, but it makes me feel a little better.
Yeah - what’s the deal with cement - it seems to make that country go round.
The current emphasis in the Indian education system on memorization really is preposterous. There needs to be a way to mesh the learning of fundamentals (which India does do well) and the application of that knowledge.
I appreciate the way Indian social networking works - as you said - if there is something you need, you probably know someone who can get it done for you. What is the drawback you speak of to all that?
I’ve only heard of 3 of the cities you mentioned - have fun doing all that.
Sounds like you are having a good time. Keep up to good work.
Wow, that looks like 3 cities in Tamil Nadu. I guess your english will generally get you by everywhere you go, and you won’t stick out like white tourists do. Are you going with anyone else or is this a Keyur only adventure? Having someone locally knowledgeable makes things so much easier anywhere.
I was in Rameswaram (h?) and Madurai (lots of relatives there) in December. Have fun and be prepared for lots of heat. Lots and lots of it. I’m glad I went in December this time. When it gets down to 70 or 65 or so at night.
Also, come back soon.