We made it. Actually we’re still traveling on board the Paschim Express to Vadodara, also known as Baroda, but we have now been officially been exposed to India. First impressions are as follow: dirty. Definitely dirty. If Kevin and I didn't have previous travel experience in other third-worldish countries like Thailand and Brazil, it might be shockingly dirty. If you are used to the clean order of the US or Europe, clean swept streets, garbage being in garbage cans, flat non-broken-up sidewalks and clean air that doesn’t smell like you are constantly sucking on an exhaust pipe or even worse, a toilet bowl, then this is probably not the place for you. Dust is everywhere, my shoes already have a permanent cover of red dirt on them and you have to be careful to step over open sewage and human and animal waste on the sidewalks. That includes both forms of bio waste by the way. It seems common here for people let their children do their number two's in out-of-the-way places like the railroad tracks or semi secluded alleys. I have, as of yet, not confirmed that this is also not common for adults as well, just haven’t witnessed it so far.
Anyways, we’re on a train headed north. We are not in our assigned seats but the masses of people pushing their way onto these trains and no indication as to seating numbers or assignment meant that we just grabbed what was open. No hassle as of yet. Also no beer, which would be great after 36 hours of travel. We really need to relax and recuperate once we get to Baroda, but we’ll see what happens.
We made it. Actually we’re still traveling on board the Paschim Express to Vadodara, also known as Baroda, but we have now been officially been exposed to India. First impressions are as follow: dirty. Definitely dirty. If Kevin and I didn't have previous travel experience in other third-worldish countries like Thailand and Brazil, it might be shockingly dirty. If you are used to the clean order of the US or Europe, clean swept streets, garbage being in garbage cans, flat non-broken-up sidewalks and clean air that doesn’t smell like you are constantly sucking on an exhaust pipe or even worse, a toilet bowl, then this is probably not the place for you. Dust is everywhere, my shoes already have a permanent cover of red dirt on them and you have to be careful to step over open sewage and human and animal waste on the sidewalks. That includes both forms of bio waste by the way. It seems common here for people let their children do their number two's in out-of-the-way places like the railroad tracks or semi secluded alleys. I have, as of yet, not confirmed that this is also not common for adults as well, just haven’t witnessed it so far.
Anyways, we’re on a train headed north. We are not in our assigned seats but the masses of people pushing their way onto these trains and no indication as to seating numbers or assignment meant that we just grabbed what was open. No hassle as of yet. Also no beer, which would be great after 36 hours of travel. We really need to relax and recuperate once we get to Baroda, but we’ll see what happens.
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