We've ridden many rikshaws and a few trains, so we needed to experience driving through India next. With the wildly ranging road conditions in Mumbai from smooth cobbles to rutted alleys, construction going on everywhere, and the free-for-all driving style, I was a bit worried that the 5 hour road trip from Jaipur to Jodhpur would be hellish and a bit scary. Sabir wanted to go at night, so we wouldn't have to deal with traffic, but lots of trucks have the same idea, so the roads weren't necessarily empty. We hired a driver, packed into a small but comfortable Toyota SUV, popped a popular Indian film track into the CD player and took off at about 1:30am for Jodhpur. I dozed fitfully, finding many things to see and ponder along the way...
For the first hour or so, the road was surprisingly excellent, a smooth 6 lane divided highway that could easily have fooled me into thinking that we were in any big US city, if it weren't for the driver sitting on the right and road signs in Hindi. Eventually this became a two lane highway, which required us to pass many trucks and I just did my best to have faith in the Indian truck drivers who calmly move over as long as passing drivers lay on the horn and keep flashing brights. When necessary, three abreast isn't a big deal. It's probably best if us Western passengers just keep their eyes closed... or take the train.
Speed bumps (and speed trenches, which are presumably cheaper and easier to make) are used to keep the speed down on highways, for traffic circles or railroad crossings or narrow bridges and I have to say it's kind of odd to be cruising along at 50 or 60mph and suddenly have to slow to 5mph for a gigantic hump that will either launch the car or rip out its undersides if we don't.
The good highways are all tollways and toll booths, like many operations in India, appear to employ as many people as possible (something Americans could certainly learn to do better.) We passed through several during the night. A small handful of people appear around a fire as we approach, just showing the way or counting cars or maybe hanging out until their shift, I'm not sure. At the toll booth one guy sits outside, wrapped in blankets (it's about 50°F), looking chilled and groggy. He's there to make head gestures in case of questions, take our money and hand it to the official toll guy in the booth, about 6 inches away. The toll guy then hands change, receipts and, in one case, some candy to the toll taker guy, who hands it back to us. If anyone pulls up behind, beeping starts and doesn't stop until we move (normal). Then, there's the gate lifter guy, who is also wrapped in blankets, awake now from all the beeping. No problem. He keeps the gate propped up with a stick so that he doesn't have to actually get up and lift it each time, and he just watches and maybe nods as we go by. Several people are crashed out nearby, presumably waiting their shift. On one occasion, we pulled up and the toll taker and toll official were totally zonked out. We beep (of course) and everyone wakes just enough to take our toll.
There are many chai stalls along the road, each with an inviting looking fire going to warm proprietors and guests alike, so we had many chai stops. Some use earthenware cups for chai, which are tossed on the ground and lay crushed all around. It seemed kind of odd and wasteful at first, but later it occurred to me that this is quite the efficient recycling process.
We had one serious moment of excitement during our trip (not counting a few speed bumps that nearly caught us off guard). While stopped at a roadside chai stall, a large truck drove by and blew a tire with such a blast that it shattered our rear window and nearly caused us to jump out of our skin. No one was in the car at the time, but it meant that the back passenger had to move to the middle seat and now we had to sit 4 across, when there was barely room for 3. The last 2 hours of our trip felt like we were crammed into a rikshaw instead of the nice roomy vehicle we started off in, reminding us that this had to be more of an adventure just because it's India.
Ear plugs are a poor defense for loud Indian film music, but it seemed to be keeping the driver awake, so I let it be.
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