After the police station incident I don’t think anything about Indian institutions will surprise me! I continue to have new experiences, no mean feat at my age, and this week had my first journey as pillion passenger on a motor bike. Indian style i.e. sidesaddle. I insisted that I wear a helmet, as going without is strictly forbidden by VSO. The boss dealt with my request in her usual impatient manner (stupid foreigner) and the helmet I was given looked as if it had been left behind at the end of the Raj. I looked even more ridiculous than I usually dol. The driver – one of the staff – was very amused because I had to cling on around his waist, touching the opposite sex is just not done here, but I was not going to risk sliding off. I was glad when we reached the ‘office’ and when boss lady said I will travel the 10k to the office and back every day on the motor bike I said no way!
She found out that I had been out on my own last week and very patiently explained that I must not go out alone, apparently people will over charge me and won’t understand me. Much the same as home then! I told her that I am not easily cheated and as the people are really poor, I don’t mind if they charges me a few extra rupees. She didn’t grasp that concept at all. Things are very cheap – I gave my ironing to the dhobi – the man who irons – and it cost me less than 3p per item and it was all beautifully ironed with a flat iron heated up in the fire.
I also saw my first tractors and mechanical rotivators today, so there is some mechanisation after all, however they were not being used – just sitting. And I discovered what the large pits being dug in front of the houses are for. I thought maybe they were tiger traps but it’s not that exciting – they are grain stores. The pit is lined with straw, filled up with grain (rice) and covered with clay like mud and left for about 4 months. It is then dug up and the rice used, the explanation – it makes the grain better.
At the office today, around lunch time the boss’ mother’s appeared and took me to her house for food. Sitting cross legged on floor in semi darkness eating rice, strange vegetables and fresh water shrimp curry (hoping its ok) cooked on an open fire, laughing with 2 women who had no idea what I was talking about, nor me them – amazing – I am In India!!
Sleep does not come easily here what with the uncomfortable bed and me being scared most of the night! Another sleepless night last night, kept awake by monkeys charging up and down on the roof and rattling at my back door. I was very scared and thought they might burst in at any moment. They are not nice cute monkeys. They are huge with very sharp teeth and too clever by half. You do not want them in your house!