So that touchy feely bit about feeling detached from what is really going on - I have recovered my senses! First of all the headline in the morning paper above and then the first real bit of our Indian road trip from Delhi to Agra.
Picture this 6 hour 175 mile drive from Delhi to Agra.
Take a regular dual carriageway call it a motorway and add the following ingredients:
- hundreds of brightly couloured fully laden fume belching trucks and tankers with "PLEASE HORN" written on the back,
- a multitude of cars driving in random lanes including the hard shoulder that doesn't exist "HORNING",
- swarms of motor rickshaws designed to carry 1 driver and 2 passengers packed with 15 people and baggage (no exageration) "HORNING",
- motor cycles carrying from 1 person to a family of 5 "HORNING",
- cycle rikshaws carrying anything from a couple of passengers to a 10 foot high pile of egg boxes or some other random items for sale,
- finally pedestrians, carts, goats, monkeys, dogs, cows, camels, water buffalo and the odd elephant appearing at random like some insane "playstation game".
This is all tackled at breakneck speed and at any time any one of the above coming down the wrong side of the road straight for you. This all being punctuated by the sound, at high volume, of Vivaldi's 4 seasons on a trumpet coming from the drivers mobile - so yes he is now tackling all of the above with one hand on the wheel having a gab with one of his mates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile Indian life carries on at the side of the road as always - eating, sleeping, working, washing, shaving and pissing!! all with that impenetrable tranquility that they all possess.
Crazily enough I too become tranquil (or resigned)- fall asleep and dream of lunch, some lovely bit of Nan bread and waken up to the realization that I've just chewed a chunk out of my tongue.
So we arrive safely in Agra to escape (with a little bit of guilt) to our hotel (palace actually! OK a big bit of guilt!!) and then on to the Red Fort. Up early in the morning for the Taj sunrise tour.
I LOVE IT ALL!
(Thank you Dove* for being my sole reader!)
4 comments:
Hope your having a good time. Looked at your recent pics and I am impressed. Nice description of the dual carriage way.
from Greg
Hi GTKKC
Good to catch up on your news and pics
Sounds like a lot of fun. I'm intrigued to find out what K,K&C are making of it all.
Don't worry about getting kidnapped...hit them with some of that(in)famous patter & you'll be back in your hotel before you know it.Keep the photos coming they're stunning.
Hello. Niall here. I've been looking at this blog with much interest and I think India sounds fabulous! Even with all wandering monkeys and things about..... I'd love to go there one day. Anyway, have a good Christmas, well, it's Christmas Eve and I've heard you've had your Christmas early so Happy New Year, and keep posting the photos. WOW. Love them (: fromm Niall. (:
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