And the Winner is...the Scootee!
Getting anywhere in India can be like playing a thrilling game of chicken with your life, and transport is half of the adventure of India. Here are some of the players in the game:
Autorickshaw: These icons of India transport are the little motorized, petrol-chugging autos with yellow tops that growl along the roads. They're probably the easiest way to get exactly to where you want to go, unless you're in Agra and the driver takes you a bombed out house instead of the travel agency. This is the method I use most often, especially if I don't know exactly where I'm going, which tends to be most of the time.
Cycle Rickshaw: Man-powered cart pulled by a bicycle. I've only ridden them a few times because they're a little too skeletal for me. I feel like the whole contraption will tip over each time we round a turn. The first time I took one, I thought the driver would be less likely to cheat you and take you in circles because it's his own energy he's draining, but not the case. Some will still shred their leg muscles for extra rupees.
Bus: Two kinds--local and intercity or interstate. I've only taken the local bus in Dehradun, and the first time, I ended up with my nose shoved into someones armpit and a children clutching either leg. Most of the time, though, the other women on the bus will beckon me to the front to sit near the driver, a space reserved for women. For intercity/interstate buses, you can choose between a deluxe tourist bus or a local. The latter has only bench seats and takes forever because it will stop for every person on the route. Some people will stand for the entire eight-hour trip. Deluxe is a bit of a misnomer because the only thing better about those buses is that the seats recline, and they only stop for every third person. You pay a lot more, but they still hit all the same potholes.
Train: Probably the best way to go from city to city, unless you're in the mountains where they don't run. Chair cars in express trains like the famous Shatabdi Express are quite nice with cushy seats, full meal and tea service, and free newspapers. Passenger trains stop at every little train station along the way, but if you're riding overnight, you won't notice, and even better, you will not waste a day, and you'll save on hotel fare.
Private car: India looks different from a private air-conditioned car. It's more like watching the country on TV than truly experiencing it. I actually prefer rickshaws because you can experience the noise and the energy of the country rather than watch it pass you by.
Scootee: This is my new favorite form of transport! It's a motorbike, smaller than a Harley and quite mobile. Usually, motorcyles, like skydiving and pigeons, freak me out, but after a few minute with my friend Sapna on hers, I was loving zipping around the streets of Dehradun. I did, however, almost lost my right leg to a bus, but it's all part of the experience.
Walking: The best way to explore and discover the nooks and crannies of the city as soon as you master crossing the street at tangled intersections.
Getting anywhere in India can be like playing a thrilling game of chicken with your life, and transport is half of the adventure of India. Here are some of the players in the game:
Autorickshaw: These icons of India transport are the little motorized, petrol-chugging autos with yellow tops that growl along the roads. They're probably the easiest way to get exactly to where you want to go, unless you're in Agra and the driver takes you a bombed out house instead of the travel agency. This is the method I use most often, especially if I don't know exactly where I'm going, which tends to be most of the time.
Cycle Rickshaw: Man-powered cart pulled by a bicycle. I've only ridden them a few times because they're a little too skeletal for me. I feel like the whole contraption will tip over each time we round a turn. The first time I took one, I thought the driver would be less likely to cheat you and take you in circles because it's his own energy he's draining, but not the case. Some will still shred their leg muscles for extra rupees.
Bus: Two kinds--local and intercity or interstate. I've only taken the local bus in Dehradun, and the first time, I ended up with my nose shoved into someones armpit and a children clutching either leg. Most of the time, though, the other women on the bus will beckon me to the front to sit near the driver, a space reserved for women. For intercity/interstate buses, you can choose between a deluxe tourist bus or a local. The latter has only bench seats and takes forever because it will stop for every person on the route. Some people will stand for the entire eight-hour trip. Deluxe is a bit of a misnomer because the only thing better about those buses is that the seats recline, and they only stop for every third person. You pay a lot more, but they still hit all the same potholes.
Train: Probably the best way to go from city to city, unless you're in the mountains where they don't run. Chair cars in express trains like the famous Shatabdi Express are quite nice with cushy seats, full meal and tea service, and free newspapers. Passenger trains stop at every little train station along the way, but if you're riding overnight, you won't notice, and even better, you will not waste a day, and you'll save on hotel fare.
Private car: India looks different from a private air-conditioned car. It's more like watching the country on TV than truly experiencing it. I actually prefer rickshaws because you can experience the noise and the energy of the country rather than watch it pass you by.
Scootee: This is my new favorite form of transport! It's a motorbike, smaller than a Harley and quite mobile. Usually, motorcyles, like skydiving and pigeons, freak me out, but after a few minute with my friend Sapna on hers, I was loving zipping around the streets of Dehradun. I did, however, almost lost my right leg to a bus, but it's all part of the experience.
Walking: The best way to explore and discover the nooks and crannies of the city as soon as you master crossing the street at tangled intersections.
posted by Lindsey at 10:11 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home