We love hitchhiking in India! Would it be a 1000 colored TATA truck, white Toyota pickup or a three wheeled symbol of the country - Rickshaw. And, don't catch yourself saying Indian auto industry is backward, as TATA owns Jaguar and Daewoo and sell more passenger cars in India than any other company.
Tata buses are our favorite, although a reasonably expansive (20 euro cents per 2 hour trip) alternative. One can see a few uncovered holes in the cockpit, bus driver's say its good for gas convection within the vehicle, for us - another way to break a leg.
Steering wheels are big and clumsy. Pedals are naked aluminium. Each truck, car, rickshaw or motorcycle has a message on its back "Blow Horn" and "Use dipper at night". Overtaking a car without a horn signal - equivalent of provoking a traffic accident in Europe. Thats why majority of buses and truck have their horn signal pads moved away from the steering wheel, straight on the panel, otherwise there would be no time holding the steering wheel, as the urge to "Blow" occurs.
Two days ago we hitchhiked from Kaleyhli orphanage with a Rickshaw pick up. In other words, there was a driver just up the front wheel, and a huge spacious truck behind. The roads were as bumpy as driving on a mine field. Anine was constantly complaining of feeling cold down her bum, yet the problem was resolved at least for me - rickshaw's engine was just below the truck. Honestly, after a 10 km ride in this thing I felt like a beef steak.
Beef steak... My pleasurable life long friend. Why'd You abandon me now?! Throughout the OZ, we'd often say "prisoner 204553, convicted..", and now it's my turn to be convicted on September 1st for entering Indian borders. Sentence - 6months without meat and..without the possibility of parole!
At a time, we could see the most magnificent view: valley, starting with a violent brown and dirty river (overall it looks like Chai!), rising itself upon mountains, whereas thousands of years ago glaciers have formed their walls. The sky was full of stars, and so were mountains - little houses, advantaged with electricity. We couldn't decipher heavens from earth, and that filled my heart with warmth (my bum had already been warm thanks to the engine).
Yesterday, we hitchhiked separately. And surprise surprise, although Anine started the first, I was back as it turned out to be 40 minutes earlier. She stopped a dirty Toyota pick up, with three guys. Could it be even worse? :) Apparently, they let her go by the bridge, which was a few km from our crib - she walked back. Meanwhile, I got a ride with a guy who spent 6 months in total in Norway. He could speak some Norwegian as well.
Listen, nobody happens to know where Lithuania is, hence the word "Russia" appears often in our conversations. However, all of them know Norway. Norway invests, Norway volunteers, Norway charity, Norway good tourists, Norway friends, Norway....
By the end of the day there were two of us, me and the Bronze medal. I can't believe I played cricked on the exactly same time when Lithuania was cruising over Serbia to fetch the World Championship medal!!! Let the basketball Gods forgive me :]
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