Driving in Delhi

I'm not quite certain why my mind has been so absolutely flooded with memories of my early travel lately (other than, like Aurel Stein at Dunhuang, finding the treasure trove of pictures that I thought I had lost). While my first overseas adventure was to Dubai, the first time it was truly an ADVENTURE was my initial trip to India. I've written at length about my fascination with all things Indian, and although it predated this particular trip (March 2003) it was definitely reenforced then. After arriving in the middle of the night my first exposure of India was driving out to our then campus in Delhi - and receiving my first exposure to driving in India. I've always joked that Indian traffic laws are actually based on physics rather than the rule of law. I can still clearly remember counting the official traffic lanes (3) and comparing it to the actual traffic (7). Here are some of the pictures from that first drive in India, including the appropriately ignored/abandoned traffic police station (I've often wondered what sort of traffic crime you would have to commit to get in trouble in India, although I suspect my dear friend, Mr. Babu [see last summer's posting] will find out sooner than later]). I also like the fifth picture down, which shows one of the ubiquitous auto-rickshaws. I remember on another trip my chagrin at being unable to convince my good friend Michelle to climb into one. One time I saw one of them get tipped over by bumping into a truck, and the driver just popped out, rolled it back over and drove away. The second picture down was my first exposure to the cows living in the median and taking over the street if they are in the mood. The first picture is a nice juxtaposition of the old and new - and the haves and have-nots - in India.