Travel

This post was written for Deshpande Foundation. To check out what other fellows have written, visit the Global Exchange-Innovative Impact blog.

When traveling in Hubli-Dharwad, I swear by local buses and the heel-toe express. Together, these marvelous forms of transportation get me to and from work, my friends’ houses, the market, and almost anywhere else I want to go with very little hassle.

Sure you’re standing, sandwiched between too many people (three little kids you’re trying not to step on, a woman carrying a baby [why will nobody let her sit?], and the conductor who weaves through the bus doling out tickets with remarkable efficiency), holding on to the handles for dear life, and trying to avoid hitting everyone in the head with your elbows…

But all of this is worth it, because the bus has everything I’m looking for in local transportation. Buses are:

· Cheap and haggle-free (although sometimes you have to make sure the conductors aren’t pocketing your money);

· Frequent;

· Relatively safe (the drivers are experienced, and if you get in an accident you’re in the biggest vehicle on the road, except for maybe the trucks);

· Relatively eco-friendly;

· And occasionally a great adventure!

While the bus can occasionally be an adventure, the heel-toe express almost always provides some form of external amusement—cute little puppies, kids screaming your name, pigs chasing each other and squealing bloody murder, vehicles honking at you to get out of their way, the occasional neighbor (or random stranger) that invites you into her home, and local shop-owners with whom you’ve developed some sort of unidentifiable yet super-fantastic relationship.

Given my year and a half in India, and several experiences serving as a tour guide for friends and family, I’ve come up with the following essential travel rules:

1. The largest structures/bodies have the right of way; the pedestrian NEVER does.

2. ALWAYS look both ways—several times—before crossing the street, even if it’s one way. People always drive on the wrong side of the road.

3. Don’t let rickshaw drivers rip you off; if you don’t like the price, walk away.

4. If you’re getting on a bus, ask at least three different people, plus the driver or conductor, if the bus is going where you want to go.

5. Always get a receipt from bus conductors.

And last but not least: always be on your toes, expect delays, and plan accordingly. You have to be relaxed and flexible when handling transportation in India.