Here in Ahmedabad, another over-populated Indian city, the people smile a lot and the traffic is downright insane. I've had my toes run over by two bikes so far, we were almost hit by a bus and a giant truck, and a car actually swerved toward us as we waited near a median. (I guess this last was intended to prove some point about the dangers of crossing the road. Point taken, thank you sir.)
I don't know if I'll ever get over the noise; all the honking and yelling as you walk along is really quite annoying. Ahmedabad is an easy place to tire of your fellow man--and his vehicle of choice. Still, we've escaped injury, despite some closer calls. The Indians will stop--to a screeching, horn pounding, invective-filled halt--when they are forced to. Anne proves the truth of that almost every day as she marches bravely anywhere and smiles. The rickshaw drivers scowl and then melt and smile back at Anne. But the looks they give me make me want to go and hide in an alley in the fetal position.
Coincidentally, traffic is actually statistically much safer in India than New Zealand, where they will run you down and giggle about how lumpy you are.
Nevertheless, despite the traffic, the people here remain the highlight. Indians are generally truly nice people, and perhaps more so to strangers than we are in Canada and the USA (though people in America's deep south are pretty damn friendly).
That said, we're still happy to board that night train tonight bound for the beach. Hopefully we'll be able to swim.
NB
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