On the Way Home
The India trip went by pretty quick. In retrospect we wished we had gone at a different time of the year since it was very very hot and humid or had done more planning so we could meet up in northern India instead and go around the Himalayan Foothills, where it would be much cooler. Not that Goa wasn't nice. We also wished we had been able to spend 2 weeks - there are some nice sounding sites fairly close by that we could not go to due to transportation issues and it being so close to the monsoon season.
One thing I've come to realize is that although most people associate third world countries with poverty (and yes there were some very poor looking living conditions) and uncleanliness that another less well known major characteristic of third world countries seems to be disorganization. They do not post gates for buses or airplanes, nor timetables. Somehow you just have to know these things. People don't care to neatly dispose of things so you see trash ALL over. It's also common to see men using the bathroom by roadsides in public view. Street markings are thoroughly ignored, stray dogs and cows wander in the center of fairly major streets, stopping traffic or at least slowing it down considerably. Prices are not fixed, begging is common, and people are very aggressive to take advantage of someone who appears to be a well-off tourist. Brief losses of power are also a daily occurrence.
Having said that, India seems to be a country with a lot of variety and a lot of amazing things to see. We only stuck to a tiny state and still managed to see a fair bit, although we were very hamstrung by the poorly organized bus system, cutthroat taxis, and a few things not being open due to it being so close to the monsoon.
Also as I mentioned before, there's an odd amount of technology for a third world country - TVs with cable, netcafes, cell phones, and wireless internet. There's also a fair amount of luxury - many people have very beautiful, brightly colored clothes and jewelry.
Anyway, I should let Wes have the computer now since his flight leaves earlier. I'll write again when I'm back in the US.
One thing I've come to realize is that although most people associate third world countries with poverty (and yes there were some very poor looking living conditions) and uncleanliness that another less well known major characteristic of third world countries seems to be disorganization. They do not post gates for buses or airplanes, nor timetables. Somehow you just have to know these things. People don't care to neatly dispose of things so you see trash ALL over. It's also common to see men using the bathroom by roadsides in public view. Street markings are thoroughly ignored, stray dogs and cows wander in the center of fairly major streets, stopping traffic or at least slowing it down considerably. Prices are not fixed, begging is common, and people are very aggressive to take advantage of someone who appears to be a well-off tourist. Brief losses of power are also a daily occurrence.
Having said that, India seems to be a country with a lot of variety and a lot of amazing things to see. We only stuck to a tiny state and still managed to see a fair bit, although we were very hamstrung by the poorly organized bus system, cutthroat taxis, and a few things not being open due to it being so close to the monsoon.
Also as I mentioned before, there's an odd amount of technology for a third world country - TVs with cable, netcafes, cell phones, and wireless internet. There's also a fair amount of luxury - many people have very beautiful, brightly colored clothes and jewelry.
Anyway, I should let Wes have the computer now since his flight leaves earlier. I'll write again when I'm back in the US.