OMG. Wow. Holy explicative. Whatever the phrase you exclaim in extreme excitement or panic is sure to slip out in an Auto Rickshaw ride through Chennai. It is a thrill ride like no other. The daytime drives in taxis that scared me just yesterday pale in comparison to the roller coaster ride through traffic I took with Stephen and Autumn this evening. In our ride to the beach there were no lanes, laws, nor driving inhibitions. Our driver nearly killed us several times, but escaped death by only a few inches. On one occasion he was unable to brake in time to avoid a crowd crossing the street, so he had to throw the car in a tight turn and reroute. We basically touched the man on his bike. In response to the move, a cop ran out on the street to confront our driver, but instead of stopping, our driver just drove past the officer.
The reason we got into an auto rickshaw was to go to the beach. We arrived at dawn to a beautiful carnival scene. There were Indian versions of carousels made from Tonka cars bolted to rotating plywood. With them there were 15 foot tall Ferris wheels made of wood with four carts each. Along the food shops kids maintained target ranges and old women sat, telling fortunes; the entire scene was very friendly and happy. Our people got chili covered mangos and fire roasted corn at one vendor on the water.
Overall, an unforgettable experience that anyone and everyone must try.
No comments:
Post a Comment