You might have noticed that I've changed the URL of this blog to my own domain. This is partly because of a glass of wine, a debit card and a late (as in not-on-time, not dead, touch wood) friend and partly because I had a thought. Thoughts are dangerous things.
Over the years, I realise my favourite part of this blog are comments and the reader feedback I get. So, as part of a little experiment--urban India crowdsourcing as it were--I'm throwing it open to you, every week as guest contributions. (Also, this means I have to write less, which, when you're on the internet ALL THE TIME, is a bonus, no?) I thought I'd do a little theme each week and see whether you guys had something to say.
So, as part of what I hope will be a LONG series (please? humour me?) the first theme is transport here in our cities. You could send me anything, a short piece (maybe 200 words?) a photo with a description? a song? about your experiences with transport.
Do you drive? Do you own your car? Do you like road trips? Met a chatty auto driver? Been felt up on a bus? Have a playlist for your ride to work? I want to know everything. WE (yes, totally speaking for all of us) want to know everything. Email me! Tweet to me! Facebook message me! Tell me your stories! Three of the best get posted with credit!
I want to do this on Mondays, so any time over the weekend would be awesome.
Over the years, I realise my favourite part of this blog are comments and the reader feedback I get. So, as part of a little experiment--urban India crowdsourcing as it were--I'm throwing it open to you, every week as guest contributions. (Also, this means I have to write less, which, when you're on the internet ALL THE TIME, is a bonus, no?) I thought I'd do a little theme each week and see whether you guys had something to say.
So, as part of what I hope will be a LONG series (please? humour me?) the first theme is transport here in our cities. You could send me anything, a short piece (maybe 200 words?) a photo with a description? a song? about your experiences with transport.
Do you drive? Do you own your car? Do you like road trips? Met a chatty auto driver? Been felt up on a bus? Have a playlist for your ride to work? I want to know everything. WE (yes, totally speaking for all of us) want to know everything. Email me! Tweet to me! Facebook message me! Tell me your stories! Three of the best get posted with credit!
I want to do this on Mondays, so any time over the weekend would be awesome.
Over here in Bangalore, talking about transport is like touching the wrong nerve. Transport sucks big time here. Roads are narrow and the number of vehicles sometimes makes me wonder - "Where are all the people going after all". No one really uses the Metro here in Bangalore unlike Delhi. Bangalore is famous for its glorious English weather. That kind of screws up the transport situation here. You know that there is going to be none of that Delhi heat here that might kill you or make you very very sick if you dare go out on your motor cycle. As a result, lot of people use two wheelers. Also Bangalore has the largest number of one-way roads in the world. Seriously, that is a lame thing to be numero uno in. Lastly, I always had a perception that South Indians are extremely honest people. Trust me, due to my experiences of endless haggling with auto drivers after they have muttered something insane, I stopped believing in that a long time ago. If you are new and naive, you might end up paying three hundred rupees for five kilometers.
ReplyDeleteCompared to Bangalore, Delhi is like a model city in terms of transport. And yet, it is far from perfect. I travel by own bike and it takes me 30-45 minutes to reach my office which happens to be 4 kilometers. That's not far at all. Not to forget all the traffic rules I break by driving on wrong side of the road or jumping signals. And yet it takes me all that time.
Omg, no wonder...accessing your blog on mobile has got a lot harder.It (your blog) used to make my office hours much more bearable. :(
ReplyDeleteI have a short story to share. The other day I was driving back from office and reached Moti-Bagh Gurudwara (Delhi). A sardarji ahead of me slowed down his Santro and started bending up and down towards the sacred place. I respect their religious beliefs and slowed down waiting for him to complete his prayers. Moments later.. the gurudwara was long gone but he still kept doing it. Funny, I thought. I made a sharp cut and drove across him only to see that he was bending up and down to kiss the girl sitting next to him :)
ReplyDeletewhat??
DeleteThis one is back from my college days in pune. Public transport sucks in that city and autowalas take you for a ride (literally). However, once I got caught up in a LONNNG ride with a nice, elderly auto driver who, for some reason, decided to assume the role of my father. He rebuked me for my frivolous expenses (I was going for a hair cut in a posh salon), asked me if my parents sent me money regularly and offered to help me if I ever needed anything! Finally, he also treated me to chai :)
ReplyDeleteHey thanks! Whatever you did......office life is fun again! :)
ReplyDelete