Observations on India

Every country and culture has its unique elements. This is a few observations on India from over the past few days

Currency Crisis: India is in the midst of a currency crisis with the abolition of the 500 and 1000 R notes. Everyone is caught up in this. Since our arrival we cashed a few Australian dollars at the airport and just $40 US at our hotel. There are long queues at any ATM’s that hold cash and deaths have been occurring while people wait both from exhaustion and from being crushed.

Many tourists have cancelled trips and business and commerce is impacted. Even politicians have had to cancel weddings! The old notes cannot be used. We were able to legally use some for entries to major tourist venues. We were also able to pay for a few tuktuk rides at an inflated price. Those remaining are next to valueless. We are enjoying our included breakfasts and have been to some restaurants where it is considered safe to use credit cards.

Traffic chaos: Delhi has incredible traffic, more extreme than Bangkok or Cairo! If the road comprises 3 lanes they manage to fit at least double that number of vehicles across those lanes. Shortage of cash does not seem to have kept cars off the road.

Poverty: People are shocked at the level of poverty. Street gangs of kids begging in the Slumdog millionaire do exist! We have seen levels of a similar nature but the difference between the very poor and the very rich is extreme.

Media Reports: In addition to reading of the people who died in the ATM lines there have been different reports to those we see every day at home. There have been several reports of elephants and tigers killed by trains. Also one of a baby elephant who will not leave her mothers side after she was killed trying to rescue her in a trench. Also a report of the killing of 3 tigers and three leopards as the people had been told that this would double their wealth. In return they gave the “sharman” the paws.

Lots more and might send some more in a few days! A few photos:

Cows are able to walk down amongst the traffic with immunity!

  Advertising on the back of the tuktuk in front of us! It is the farmers and their traditions like burning crop stubble that also results in the smoke in the air and the high pollution levels.