Within an hour of our first day of shooting in Ahmedabad I saw:
- Lots of sacred cows hogging the roads, adding to the massive traffic snarls.
- A wild monkey stealing fruit from a street vendor’s cart.
- Many camels (a lot taller in person!) used to pull flatbed carts containing anything imaginable including propane tanks, cages of chickens and uniformed school kids.
- A painted elephant. Sauntering down the middle of a downtown street.
Nowhere else on the planet do I feel as ALIVE as in India – The sights (colorful saris, elaborate temples, abject poverty), the sounds (nonstop car horns), the smells (good and bad) and the taste of the tongue-tingling food. It is not humanly possible to be bored here.
We take to the streets, defying logic and tempting the stomach gods with risky street food. The popcorn was fun to watch. Nutritiously popped in SAND, not oil, it could have used a bit more sifting in the colander – it was like eating popcorn on a windy day at the beach. The multi-dished lunch (it tasted way better than it looks) was a variety of local delicacies. Drinking the street chai (tea) was a great experience but probably a big mistake. But I promise – no more bad tummy stories (see Elbow Wars post).
Next pit stop: Belgium!