Wednesday, October 28, 2009

1 Day to Chennai

Oct. 22, 2009

First impression of India, before even getting there, supplied by the ship's crew. They're busy taping down cardboard to completely cover the carpet. Apparently, they have to protect it all from the filth of India. We've been warned to wear our least valuable footwear, with the idea that we will want to throw them away once we've left. Wow!
One thing this journal lacks so far is observations of typical behaviors, activities, the pace of living. For instance, in Ghana the foot traffic is constant and omni-present - people walk everywhere, slowly but surely making their way, most often with huge loads balanced confidently on their heads - firewood, wide metal bowls of water, stacks of eggs, fresh fruit to sell, you name it. Our guide there told us they start practicing with empty containers at a young age - 3 or 4.
In South Africa I also saw a fair amount of walkers, mostly men, but also a lot more cars on the road. Since it's so much more developed than a place like Ghana, there were more traditional "business hours" so there was an ebb and a flow. Not so much walking in Mauritius, lots of cars, and the locals packed the public buses, which were free to students and seniors. Did I already say that somewhere? It'll be interesting to see what the story is in India.

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