Transportation

While we have struggled with planes, trains and automobiles here in India, we have seen so many other forms of transportation as well. The most common is the auto-rickshaw (known as a tuk-tuk in Bangkok). It's basically a three-wheeled golf cart with a maniac driver and room for two people in back and a horn apparently hooked to the brake. We take these things everywhere for pennies. This morning we took an auto-rickshaw across town (maybe 5 miles), where he waited for us, drove us back to the city for a mere 100 rupees ($2); i think we may have even over-paid.

More common among the locals are scooters and motorcycles. The men and women who drive these are as crazy as anyone, weaving and bobbing through packed, narrow city streets. I am particularly amazed by the motorcycles carrying capacity. We saw a whole family of 4 riding down the street on one moped. Generally, women riding on the back sit sideways with both legs on the same side of the bike. I really don't understand how they don't fall off.

The more interesting forms include camels, elephants, horses, donkeys, bicycles, push-carts. All of these carry everything you can imagine: bricks, rocks, children, people to work, construction material. It generally seems that the smaller the vehicle the more it carries.

We're scheduled for our first bus trip tonight. It is the super deluxe bus, with a sleeper compartment for an overnight trip. We're hoping it will be okay...afterall we did spend $5 each for the planned 12 hour journey.

Ted