JapanNewbie

Byebye India!

Posted on 26. Feb, 2004 @ 4:35 am by harvey in Culture Views: 73

Hey everyone!

Question: In India 3 wheeled vehicles are called “Rickshaws”. In Japanese, they’re called 人力車 jinrikusya right? Is this coincidence? Is it ateji? Or was the English world built based on the Japanese pronunciation? What’s up??

Sorry for the long silence. I’m done with the India thing! Tomorrow I fly back to Japan.

Let me tell you something. I have traveled to many different countries, but nothing prepared me for India. Japan is so easy compared to life in India. So much easier.

Everything about India was mind blowing. Driving (well, riding in a car being driven by someone anyway), eating, shopping, goodness… shopping…
If you thought the ‘Irrassyaimase!’ from Japanese shop keepers was a little annoying, try shopping in New Dehli as a non-Indian. “200 Rupees is not expensive sir, come on sir, wait sir, just take a look sir, 150 Rupees, come on sir, what’s the problem sir? Special price for you sir. 130! 100! Okay, your price, just tell me how much. Come on. 30 Rupees.” No toilet paper, can’t drink the water, can’t trust anyone cause everyone is trying to rip you off all the time… Every time you take a taxi anywhere you have to haggle for the price before getting in. Pretty crazy. There was a strike in South India as well yesterday, and everyone down there swore it was a transportation strike that would affect all of India and not just the state of Kerala… when I arrived in Dehli, nothing. I noticed a lot of cases where people didn’t quite get what was going on when they should have… Japan is just a lot more put together.

Having said all that though, I really want to go back to South India again if I get the chance. Kerala was a very cool place. In fact, other than Bombay, Dehli, and Agra, I had a very good time. Dharamsala and Cochin are my recommendations.

Anyway, after I get back to Japan I will be moving to Osaka. So, I think I will start focusing on ‘Kansai’ things for the site. Alright, that’s all the rambling I have time for now.

Later~

-Harvey