More Amusing Musings About India

We are settled into the Oberoi Amarvilas here in Agra (with a view of the Taj Mahal from every room) and I started contemplating recent experiences. Time for some more thoughts and observations.

India is investing huge sums into improving infrastructure, but there are some exceptions. The new airport terminal in Udiapur has capacity for 10x the number of flights they handle every day. Jaipur had a new terminal under construction. Someday they will finish the new domestic and international terminals in Delhi (perhaps before the Commonwealth Games in 2010). They are building beautiful (private) toll roads throughout the country. The problem is that India is trying to do it all at once. The probability is very high that some projects will fail or get seriously delayed. Like what we saw today - we drive along a four lane wide new toll road on our way from Jaipur to Agra. Suddenly the good road ends and you wind up on a two lane road with huge potholes.

Governments exercising emminent domain has a side effect here in India. To acquire the land for the toll roads, the government granted local people the right not to have to pay tolls. Nor do they have to drive on the correct side of the road. Try driving at 60 miles an hour only to spy a camel drawn cart coming at you in your lane.

The entire country is one giant, public urinal. In Jaipur, we actually saw a line of public urinals for men at a street corner. Just walk right up and pee (or if the urinal is not convenient, use the nearest building wall).

I found a new favorite snack food - Masala Munchies. Think Cheetos with masala spice instead of cheddar cheese. These things are addictive. I have to find them somewhere in LA or bring back a case.

Caren started reading "The White Tiger". We passed it around to everyone on our trip and there was unanimity that the book described India perfectly. There is a quote early on that describes the Indian psyche: "Our nation, though it has no drinking water, electricity, sewage system, public transportation, sense of hygiene, discipline, courtesy, or punctuality, does have entrepreneurs. Thousands and thousands of them". Buy the book - it's a good read.

Our driver for Jaipur, Agra, and back to Delhi, Parveen, is very nice and a good talker. Most of the time when we have a conversation, we understand each other. Occasionally, it's a situation when we are having two different conversations and nodding at each other to be polite.

GPS is needed here in India, but the government forbids it for security reasons. There are no street signs, and addresses seem to follow no rhyme or reason. You have to ask for directions from the autorickshaw drivers that are always napping in their parked vehicles. Do these guys ever work?