I am now in Hyderabad
in a reasonably nice hotel that even has its own ISDN connection (if that
surprises you, don't forget that I am in the heart of one of India's IT
capitals)
So... here goes...
Well, where do I start? India is such a fascinating, diverse, sad,
beautiful, spiritual, old, mysterious and moving place that it is difficult
to begin to describe it.
I think the most significant feeling that I am left with after being here
for a week is that we are all deeply privileged to live where we live and
have what we have. The standard of living here is so low - and of course
there are (few) exceptions. Poverty is rife, people beg for money or food on
the streets - many (and I am tempted to say most...) people live in houses
or shacks that we would probably not even store our lawnmowers in.
To quote some facts: India is (I think now) the world's most populous nation
with 1.2 billion people. They are packed into a land area just over one
third of the size of the USA (which has 350m people). Only 18 million people
have telephones, 40% of the population have no sanitary facilities. The
infant mortality rate is approx. 10 times that of NZ. Only 4% of the
population is over 65 (life expectancy is a mere 62 years). Approx. one
third of the entire nation is too poor to afford an adequate diet. The
average income is so low - fewer than 5% of the population earns more than
NDZ$6,000 p.a. - and my informal nosy questions revealed that an employee in
a small phone shack would earn approx. Rs 800 per month (NZD$45), an
agricultural worker Rs 1000 (NZD$56) and a taxi driver approx. Rs 1500
(NZD$84). Another interesting fact is literacy: Only 52& of Indians can
read/write. In NZ it is 99%. (some sources: CIA world fact book 2000)
My first impressions of India were significant. I was driving in a little
taxi from Mumbai (Bombay) airport to the hotel. The streets were (almost
literally) paved with homeless people, lying on cardboard or the bare
concrete. Hundreds of wild dogs were everywhere, the smell was pervasive -
not revolting (like Bangkok can be) - but pretty 'high' all the same!
Cattle roam the streets, the roads are a cacophony of push-bikes,
cattle-drawn carts, mopeds, cars, motorbikes, buses and trucks. Needless to
say the drivers are totally rabid and dodge in and out in a completely
terrifying manner. And I thought the drivers in Rio were bad! Aaaaaagh!
The most noticeable habit among the drivers (apart from suicidal
tendencies...) is a common language based on the horn. Even as I sit here
writing in my hotel room (in Hyderabad), the horns are incessant outside...
they use the horns to say "I'm passing you", "I'm coming up behind you and
you are going too slow", "I'm cutting you off", "I'm a totally crazy driver,
so get out of the way", "I'm just plain nuts" and so on.
My first few days was spent taking a few days of well-earned r&r in Goa, a
beach resort area on the south east coast of the continent, an hour's flight
south from Mumbai. The Goan beaches are just gorgeous, golden
crunchy-squeaky sand and seas of swaying palm trees. The vegetation is lush,
it is like one huge Pacific island! I ate seafood curries in tiny little
roadside cafes (sorry - shacks) to my gastrointestinal peril (actually, I
was fine...). I sunbathed and swam in the Arabian Sea. I'm happy to report
that I am now quite brown!
Goa is very interesting, historically because it was occupied by the
Portuguese in the 16th century (guessing a bit as to the exact date... I
will have to read up on it...) and there are (surprisingly for me) lots and
lots of Christians (the Portuguese don't really ask, as most of you will
know...). I believe there are more Christians here than anywhere else in
India. Portuguese is still a very prevalent language, with approx. one fifth
of the population still speaking it. It is dying, however, as it is only an
option at school now.
I was invited for dinner by an Indian family who live in Margao, a small
city (of shacks!) situated in inland Goa. When I travel, I really like to do
the opposite things to tourists, so I catch the local buses, eat in the
local's cafes and so I welcomed the chance to eat with some "real" people. I
took a huge bunch (literally an armful) of flowers (which cost $17) and was
greeted at the door and shown into an amazing, huge stone house which must
have been 150 years old or more. There were probably 8 massive rooms
furnished with hand-carved antiques, the rooms encircling a central lush
garden. I concluded that these must be some of the most wealthy people in
that area. As it happened, the family owns lots of copra producing land and
has been there for literally centuries. I was served a beautiful,
traditional Goan meal of spicy prawns, thick meat curry and some local wine
(no comment on the wine...) at a huge dining table by their servants
(!!!!!). We talked history, politics, economics of the nation and more...
Altogether, it was a very interesting and memorable experience.
One of the other highlights of Goa was my visit to a tailors. I got 2 pairs
of trousers, 2 pairs of shorts, 4 shirts and a really nice formal suit (for
those of you who know me really well, the formal suit part will no doubt
come as a shock... but in typical me style it is quite different *grin*) -
and I spent less than NZD$800 for the whole lot. They are made from
beautiful local fabrics, hand and also machine made silks, cotton, wool...
and naturally cut to fit me perfectly. It was a satisfying experience to get
a very good deal given that the Indians also like to rip you off something
chronic - I now joke that when they see a white person coming, they add
another zero to the end of the price - and I am not joking either! Trade is
seemingly based on an 'ethic' of trying to charge as much as possible - and
everything is doubled with the expectation that you will bargain. Some
therefore do better than others. I guess my persistent nature does come in
handy sometimes!!!
So, now I am in Hyderabad - as I say, one of the IT capitals of India. It is
a comparatively lovely city, with some really beautiful architecture -
including a half century old Muslim shrine and a very old fort (sounding
vague because I haven't found out too much about this yet...).
I am due to meet up with the rest of the delegation from New Zealand tonight
- for those of you who don't know, I am joining a Trade New Zealand
'mission' to attract a number of Indian IT professionals to come to New
Zealand - and we are interested in hiring some ourselves! It is
an exciting trip, and having looked at some of the CVs, there are some very,
very talented people here.
So, before this turns into a Theroux novel, I will sign off... and look
forward to showing you all some pictures and video when I return.
Missing you all, of course - but having heaps of fun
Love
Kiwi
Year 2000
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