Feb. 17 - Zosia: We are in our room at Fort Unchagaon, an incredible place out of India' far and more recent past when Maharajas ruled the people and the Crown ruled the Maharajas. When shooting tigers was the rich man's utimate sport. When we were at Rhatambhore on a tiger watch run the guide pointed out a brick turret shaped building where the Queen rested between tiger shoots, and she did bag one there in 1959.
Today we experienced a harrowing drive from Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, to this hotel. Not all of it, of course, but several times we were in these unbelievable traffic jams with all this honking and cars... cows, 3-wheelers, bicycles, pedestrians... and these enormous trucks ... coming at you from all directions. Trucks rule here but everyone treats everyone with respect ... they have too because chaotic does not begin to describe the road reality here. At one point over 25 water buffalo crossed our path in the middle of a very busy city street. Yesterday in Agra, our very well informed guide, V.K., called the street scene in India as "urban safari." Throw in the free running dogs and the rhesus monkeys and one gets the picture.
Today, to keep from screaming and to ward off thoughts of what was a highly likely nightmare scenario of an accident leaving us stranded in whatever side road town we were passing... and there was always one after another, sort of like the east coast of Florida starting at Vero Beach heading south... only these in India are much more colorful and scary... to keep my sanity I read my book... and finished it! and a very appropriate book it is. Written by A.Roy.
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