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My views On India after my travels there

Driving - Predominantly on the left, although it does depend a great deal on the whim of the individual, and the shortest route to their destination. traffic signals apply only to some motorised vehicles, with cyclists doing as they please. Headlights at night are optional, and indicators are never used to signal a change lane... that's what the horn is for!! Pavements are used to set up stalls selling everything from petrol to drinks, leaving pedestrians to walk i the road. In some towns, traffic police will alter the flow of traffic around the holy cows, who lay down where and when they want. The most common form of public transport is autorickshaws, although a slight drawback to this method of movement, is that after the inevitable bargaining session to settle on a price, you find yourself riding along at exhaust level with the amazingly overcrowded buses. (don't EVER try to get on a local bus!!!)

	This is a good road in Madras. ____________________________________________________
	This is a more typical road, however.

Electricity - Runs for 99% of the time, although you will find it amazing just how often and ill timed the remaining 1 % of failure can be.

Attitudes to Life - (popular phrases)
No College, no knowledge.
No wife, no life.

Conversation - A typical conversation will go something like this...

Indian - What is your good name sir?
reply
Indian - What is your country?
reply
Indian - Very good. student or working?
reply
Indian - Are you married?
reply
Indian - Ah very good, and children?? or Ah, that is a pity.

After this, the conversation tends to peter out. On a two month visit, you will probably go through this conversation at least a hundred times a week.

Toilets - An experience.

Trains - Follow the timetable to work out a route, but don't rely on the actual times meaning anything.

Religion - Mainly Hindu, but there is something for everybody.

Buses - A long bus journey is equivelant to an eternity in hell. Indian bus drivers have much in common with Japanese World War 2 Kamikaze pilots. If you believe you are dead already, then death holds no fear.

Relationships - Can be very strange. Its ok for one guy to hold another guys hand, but virtually impossible to talk to somebody of the opposite sex.

TV - There seems to be a plethora of bearded gurus, all voicing their opinions on how to achieve enlightenment. Unfortunately, none of it was in English, so I missed out there.

But, i really enjoyed my visit to India, although when i left the country, it was almost as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. The constant bargaining, noise and hassle is something you get used to when in the country, but its only when you leave that you notice its gone!!

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My views On India after my travels there

This is a good road in Madras.

This is a more typical road, however.