India is a BIG place. And it has very few highways and very slow trains. This time of year, it is also a very HOT place. Yesterday and today, I learned this the hard way. I took a bus a few days ago to a quaint place called Mount Abu where there are gorgeous Jain Temples--I mean marble made to look like lace. The problem with Mt. Abu is that it is not on a rail line. I decided to take a sleeper bus to Bombay, with a stop necessary in this city, Ahmedabad, Ghandi's old haunt. The first 8 hour trip was fine. Then I had to kill 4 hours in Ahmedabad, so I took a rickshaw to a McDonalds--not for the food, but because it has AC!!!! And had a vegetarian Big Mac. My bus finally left at 10, an hour late. I climbed up onto my bunk and realized I had 2 options--windows shut and sweat to death or windows open and have the dirt of India flying at you all night. I chose the latter. Finally, I got some rest around 2. When I woke at 5, I readied myself for arrival at 6am. IT TOOK ANOTHER 5 HOURS TO GET INTO BOMBAY PROPER! Yes, I spent 21 of 24 hours on a bus, and I was the grimiest, slimiest, stinkiest traveler you ever did see. To make matters worse, Bombay has about 95% humidity. BUT--now I am recovered and am currently dealing with some ticket problems and deciding whether Bombay is quaint, crazy, just as bad a Delhi, or if it is just me. This is by far the most modern town so far---well, city, well--you have no idea how large this place is. The biggest slum in South Asia is here and I think I drove by all of it this morning. India is not for the faint of heart--or the easily dehydrated! Next stop--beach towns in Goa!!!
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