Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Why Did the Cow Cross the Road?

Well, the answer is: it didn't; cows actually have excellent lane discipline -- they tend to go where they are going and not change directions too much. (Goats are much lses predictable.) And it's a good thing, because cities in Rajasthan are pretty much filled with livestock.

If the first thing an American notices in India is the driving, the second thing is the presence of animals everywhere. Cows are simply left to roam free range - both wtihin the city limits and outside; while driving between cities we had to stop several times to let a shephard and his goats cross. There is something very surreal about the whole experience.

The Rajasthani forts are very impressive - they are like the Grand Canyon, I think, in that they are so big and imposing that even if you've seen a lot of pictures, the real thing is awe inspiring due to shear size and improbable location.

As helpful as the Internet is in planning a trip like this, it is difficult to understand the "situation on the ground" without being here - I will try to write up some travel tips once I get back, so that perhaps others who are trying to use Google to plan a trip can have a slightly better picture of what to expect.

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