Just Another Day - In The Land of Contrasts

Neeraj wanted to meet with a friend in the evening so we hopped on local bus. At first there was ample room but after a couple of stops the bus was packed. An attendant made his way about collecting the 10 rupee fare (20 cents). I observed the scene outside as best I could from my standing position. The streets were lined with vendors, cars, rickshaws, bikes, cows, garbage, fresh fruit, people everywhere, with lots of noise and weird smells. Passengers pushed and shoved getting on and off the bus. A young boy, about 10 years old, clothed in t shirt and dirty black pinstripped pants hung partway out the door. The view outsid everybit third world. In a nation that plays a large part in modern world economy you would hardly know it by obesrving the masses. That is, unless, you step into a shopping mall.

India is a crazy land of contrasts. Amidst a sea of people living in 3rd world conditions there are shopping malls just like the kind you find in America. Step into a mall and you might as well be in Iowa except everyone is Indian and ladies are clad in saris. There are bars, restaurants, and shops selling just about everything you would expect ot see in mall. Have dinner at TGI Fridays and follow it up with a ice cream cone. Don’t forget your Reebok shoes or latest and greatest electronic gadget before you leave. While Neeraj visited his friend I walked around and checked things out. It all seemed strangely out of place.

After time in the mall we stepped back outside into rush hour madness. Neeraj negotiated with a bicycle rickshaw to take us back to the bus stop. It was dark and about 7:30 pm. We got on the rickshaw and the driver peddled straight out into the middle of the busy road facing into traffic. As he peddled straight into traffic, headlights from oncoming cars reflected off thick the thick dust filling the air. Oddly, it seemed perfectly normal and neither Neeraj or I seemed concerned about it. Eventually he made his way over to the other side of the road and craftily negotiated a gridlocked section. A little ways further we were deposited at the bus stop. The bus stop was utter chaos. For a western traveler new to India it’s a downright impossible situation to figure out. Neeraj appeared to understand the system so we waited awhile. We eventaully gave up and decided an auto rickshaw was our best option. Neeraj neogoitated a good price and we were on our way. Of course the driver was’nt exactly sure where he was going but we figured it out that he didn’t know. With a few stops and shouts for directions we found our way back ok. Going to a from a mall has never been such an adventure. Incredibly interesting but exhausting. For everyone else? It was just another day...