Assault on the senses
The Lonely Planet describes India as an assault on the senses and so it has proved so far. We were a little niaive (if that's how you spell it) as we got a 2nd class train ticket to Ahmedabad - how bad could it be? Hmm, by the end of the journey we knew many people well and they were all really friendly, but getting 19 in to a space the size of one section of an underground train is a little much for that time...and the constant procession of people coming up and down the aisle selling things or begging meant that smiling politely to say no became tricky. There were also what looked like men in women's clothes who clapped their hands and expected money...Michelle tells me that they have their bits chopped off at birth and locals think it's lucky to give them money...I don't know about them but I just wanted them out of my face pronto!
That all sounds bad doesn't it? But the people we've met have been great...today we got a bit lost looking for an ornate well and loads of kids helped us out...they kept asking us to take photos of them and they got really excited when they saw their pics on the digital camera screen. Then two of them took us through a sort of "posh slum" if there is such a thing, where we passed loads of people's "houses". A woman there asked Michelle to take a pic of her and her baby...it was really nice but she was in danger of getting mobbed as the number of people grew and grew so I had to call her away!
Yesterday we went to a Ghandi museum and everyone stared as they don't see white folk much. The bravest person came and asked where we were from and when Michelle answered "England" their murmurs rippled through all the people surrounding us like an echo! Then all the kids came up and shook our hand!
Tonight we're off to the Diu for some beach action (on the sleeper bus). I don't think there will be much sleeping though as there will be the constant noise of car horns...we haven't managed to get hold of ear plugs yet and it appears they are essential...although I can already hear car horns in my sleep! Also haven't managed to get hold of a pair of flipflops which I need - every shop I go in gets out their biggest pair and it's a 10 - as I'm a size 11 I don't think I'll be able to get any in India!
I'll try and put a few pics up next time - it's not possible here...
That all sounds bad doesn't it? But the people we've met have been great...today we got a bit lost looking for an ornate well and loads of kids helped us out...they kept asking us to take photos of them and they got really excited when they saw their pics on the digital camera screen. Then two of them took us through a sort of "posh slum" if there is such a thing, where we passed loads of people's "houses". A woman there asked Michelle to take a pic of her and her baby...it was really nice but she was in danger of getting mobbed as the number of people grew and grew so I had to call her away!
Yesterday we went to a Ghandi museum and everyone stared as they don't see white folk much. The bravest person came and asked where we were from and when Michelle answered "England" their murmurs rippled through all the people surrounding us like an echo! Then all the kids came up and shook our hand!
Tonight we're off to the Diu for some beach action (on the sleeper bus). I don't think there will be much sleeping though as there will be the constant noise of car horns...we haven't managed to get hold of ear plugs yet and it appears they are essential...although I can already hear car horns in my sleep! Also haven't managed to get hold of a pair of flipflops which I need - every shop I go in gets out their biggest pair and it's a 10 - as I'm a size 11 I don't think I'll be able to get any in India!
I'll try and put a few pics up next time - it's not possible here...
posted by Ed at 12:35 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home