India is a very different place than where I came from. I’m just going to make a list of observations I have made here.
Sources of transportation are cars, motorcycles, buses, trains, cabs, and auto rickshaws (three-wheeled open, but hooded vehicle).
There are just as many motorcycles as there are cars. I’ve seen as many as four people on one motorcycle.
Some of them wear helmets, some of them don’t, some of them wear construction helmets, some of them hold their helmet in their hand but not on their head. It’s interesting.
While driving, everybody honks at everybody. And it is not anything to be angry about. It tells people that you are there and not to hit you.
There are lanes on the road... but they are not used at all. And nobody has a sense of staying in a line on the road. It’s like anywhere you can fit in, just go for it.
There is a lack of traffic lights at intersections. I have seen a couple, and traffic seems to be worse when there is a light. Otherwise, people just drive across the intersections when they see an open spot.
There are cows that roam the street. Sometimes just walking, sometimes standing in the middle of the road, sometimes eating the trash that is piled up.
During construction of buildings, they build the scaffolding out of sticks. And they just climb up it without ropes or security or anything. It makes me pretty nervous every time I see it.
Toilet paper is not everybody’s first priority here. They have it in the bathrooms at some big places like the mall. But not at most small places. They key is to always carry some with you.
It is extremely dusty. The air quality is usually unhealthy. A lot of people who work on the streets wear masks. Bringing my white sneakers was not my wisest decision.
There are not many plastic bags. They mostly use paper or cloth at the stores.
There is no lack of coconuts because there are palm trees everywhere. All I can see out my window is palm trees.
The power goes out pretty often. There is a generator at the house that acts almost immediately. The light will just flicker before it turns back on. If you blink, you’ll miss it.
The brooms are different. It kind of looks like a horse tail made out of sticks. And there is no handle so you have to get low to the ground to sweep. But somehow, they work efficiently.
There is trash everywhere. There are just piles of it all over the ground. If you thought Baltimore had pollution, you need to come check out India, and Baltimore will look like the cleanest place on the earth.
I saw some random fires. Not dangerous, just burning on the street. Gillian said that some people get tired of the trash sitting there and they just light it on fire so it will go away.
The food is sooo spicy. I have to coat my food in yogurt. When they say it is bland, it is probably perfect for me.
There are fruit stands all over the street. The city is basically one giant flea market.
There are some stands that sell these beautiful flower necklaces. They are strung together with needle and thread I think.