1) Mundane things for Indians but entertainment for me
a. Seeing a cow lead a procession of cars down the road, walking perfectly in its lane and boxed in by the oncoming traffic is among my favorite sights to see. Cows wander where ever they please so when traffic picks up they become part of the ebb and flow. I think one of the reasons I enjoy it so much is the cow knows the situation it is in because it is clearly moving faster than it would like, its head is bobbing up and down which I interpret as some road rage.
b. Water buffaloes are my favorite cows to see. I think they are some hybrid mix of your standard cow but with some buffalo features. They have a big hump on their back which is presumably filled with water. They have enormous horns and when they are exhibiting signs of road rage you'd best look out.
c. The system of whistling between the driver and the conductor, the guy who takes the money, to communicate when to go/stop/back up, etc.
d. Riding the bus is a great way to practice reading Hindi. Each bus has a yellow board with red letters saying the main route, with smaller letters for the in-between stops. I usually try to get a seat with a view of the sign so I can put my limited skills to the test.
2) Good ways to prevent getting ripped off
a. Look at a product and usually you'll see in small letters the MRP followed by number. Maximum rupee purchase is what I think it stands for and when you ask the shop owner how much and their answer exceeds the listed price it's time to leave.
b. If you see something you like, act like you want to buy a similar product next to it. When you buck at their initial offer which is bound to err on the high side, consider leaving but give them a chance to make a more fair offer on what it was you actually wanted.
c. If they're selling too hard it's not worth it. If they jump up when a honky walks in the store it's probably because they've experienced whitey overpaying and not caring.
3) Good ways to catch the bus
a. Stand near the bus stop.
b. If bus stop isn't on a busy road wait on the other side of the road and when the bus comes around the corner cross the road and point at the bus; keep you hand outstretched.
c. When the bus is nearing your stop motion your arm downwards to the ground, repeatedly if necessary. On a few occasions I've done that motion only to realize it wasn't going to Palampur (relatively easy to distinguish when the sign is visible) and then switched the motion to waving the bus through, nobody was confused.
d. Be at least a foot taller than everyone else and dye your hair blonde.
Until next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment