Day 75:

They say that with India, you either love it or hate it. I don't think it's quite like that. For me, one moment I hate it, and then a few moments later I love it.

The bicycle-rickshaw guys are annoying, the guys selling silks on the streets are annoying... but every so often someone is NICE, helpful, or even charming as they go about the business of making some money off of the passing tourists. When this happens the general annoyance I feel with this place washes away. Of course, the hate comes back a few moments later.

Hate, hate, hate, love, hate, hate, hate, hate, love, hate.......


One particular peeve I have is how the walking guy is constantly asked something to the effect of "what are you looking for?" No matter what one says - even "nothing at all" - the questioner will saddle up beside with directions to some shop, or a spiel about some silly product they are selling. Fuuuck.

In Varanasi, the walking guy has literally one request on his money every five minutes. This ain't a good place for the traveller who likes to stroll just for the heck of it. And as the previous 50 entries in this thing suggest, I'm a guy who likes to stroll...

So Varanasi has lots of cows. Cows in the streets, cows in the alleyways, cows all over. It's sacrilegious to kill a cow, and I guess Indian people really like cows. Accordingly, cows wander freely in the streets, all over the city.