Gosh – but it’s hot!
I don’t know which sense is assaulted the greater : hearing, smell, sound? All of the above…
If you’ve never been to India, try and imagine Oxford Street (London) on the busiest Thursday night, and add into the traffic and teeming hordes of people, as many motor rickshaws and scooters till the street fills to capacity. Somehow the solid mass edges and weaves forward and moves like a giant, hooting, hissing machine. The smells that waft by – diesel, burning, flowers, drains (urine!), hot spices really do assault the senses. It’s airless, clogs the nose and mouth and yet has an intoxicating and unsettling appeal. Keep your arms in as the rickshaw zig-zags and stop-starts through; or you’ll lose one.
There are tower blocks, here – maybe 20 storeys – plenty of a/c shopping malls but the hordes of moving people, the choked and heaving streets (let’s not forget the cattle!) ensure you can’t forget you are NOT in a sterile, controlled western city. Every other building holds a restaurant of some kind, and a mobile phone supplier. I watch with heart in mouth, as telephoning pedestrians (and I) skip between the twisting traffic to cross the road, jumping the cracked and broken paving that could funnel us down into the street-side sewer system in a second. There would be no point in holding your breath then!
Cannot decide if I want a cold mocha (Starbucks-style) or a fresh lime and coconut refresher from the street stall. Maybe both – and a lie down.
jamesthecharles 
Sounds like wanstead flats to me……
Actually sounds great. Hope you are in good form. I’m full of envy.
Pxx
And so it begins! Glad to hear you’ve arrived safe and sound. I’m dying to know… did you go for a mocha or the lime and coconut refresher?
Look forward to following the updates… do plenty!
Jon x
– go for the lime & coconut – yum!
Would like one of those myself! London hot & sunny – amazing!
Sounds like you’re having an sense-fest – and an extraordinary one too. Beautifully described – naturally. Keep enjoying & posting! Love Lxxx
Hi wellyou got there! If you haven’t spoken to anyone else we are having a heatwave!!! I’m still in London but going back tomorrow, with Mick to do some decorating – oh the joys!! Hope you’re getting acclimatised all sounds very busy!!
Well, I found your web-site and sort of found you………..clearly your senses are being alerted in everyway. My questions are practical ……. where are you staying, what are you doing exactly besides wandering the streets??
It’s pleasantly warm today in New York………off to cope with these smells, noises and wrecked sidewalks!
Having Brunch tomorrow with Charmian Hoare, as we’re both working on JERUSALEM.
You seem a long way away now you’re not in England…….odd for me to say, when you wee along way away form me anyway!!
A xox
Think I have left a reply!!
So glad you are finding your way in India and online. So much for old dogs and new tricks. Did I just use that word? I feel a curse coming my way… Make it a 100 Rupee one as it is my first offense, please.
Do keep the writing up, good fun to read.
R xxx