Rickshaw ride
Feb/10/2008 18:37
In Chennai Tati and I took a rickshaw ride to
Pizza Hut one afternoon to get a snack. It was
about two blocks away but Dana did not want us to
cross the wide and unruly busy street we needed
to cross to get there so we hailed a rickshaw. We
eventually realized that "we should have been
there by now" but the driver kept going. We
eventually said something and he said said "no
entry" meaning the Pizza Hut was on a one-way
street. We eventually got there and he tried to
charge us way too much (there are meters but they
are not used). I argued with him a bit but we
still gave him the money. As we were about to
climb out he seemed to have grown a conscience or
something and gave us half the money back. I have
no idea what the price should have been or
whether it really was a one way street but I felt
a little better that he gave us some money back.
After we split our pizza we took our chances and
crossed the street. It was definitely scary even
with a policeman directing traffic but it was
free.
But I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. After my mother asked me last weekend what my favorite part of the trip was I realized it was just driving around Chennai looking at all the bright rickshaws, couples and families on motorcycles, women in saris on scooters, ambassador taxis, oxen, diagonal trees, buses with only men, buses with only women, people walking in the streets even in the few areas where there were sidewalks, little temples, little stands selling something with men standing all around, women of all social statuses wearing beautiful saris and decrepit apartment buildings that immediately reminded me of locations of Indian novels I have read. The road between Delhi and Agra (Taj Mahal) was also fascinating.
So here's the fuzzy youtube video. You may see Tati and me in the rear view mirrors at the beginning and a man with no legs at the end. You may hear me asking the the driver what's up in the middle:
By the way, I am no where near the first person to upload a video of a rickshaw ride in Chennai, India.
But I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. After my mother asked me last weekend what my favorite part of the trip was I realized it was just driving around Chennai looking at all the bright rickshaws, couples and families on motorcycles, women in saris on scooters, ambassador taxis, oxen, diagonal trees, buses with only men, buses with only women, people walking in the streets even in the few areas where there were sidewalks, little temples, little stands selling something with men standing all around, women of all social statuses wearing beautiful saris and decrepit apartment buildings that immediately reminded me of locations of Indian novels I have read. The road between Delhi and Agra (Taj Mahal) was also fascinating.
So here's the fuzzy youtube video. You may see Tati and me in the rear view mirrors at the beginning and a man with no legs at the end. You may hear me asking the the driver what's up in the middle:
By the way, I am no where near the first person to upload a video of a rickshaw ride in Chennai, India.