India Railway
I’ve now had my fair share of travelling by train in India. Today, I finished 3 stories for Instant Books complete with illustrations on the 5 hour train ride. Very productive commute as I also finished a terribly boring and dry book “Mother of a Thousand Sons” that read like a PHD dissertation rather than a glimpse into the lives of Indian women in society.
Cleanliness and experience of train travel: India 1 Vs China -10. Ambience of crying children, burping, farting and spitting India 1 vs China 0. If they got over their colonial hangover, I’d come to live and work in Delhi in a heartbeat. Unfortunately for me, I look like I’m from the Northeast and a fellow labourer in the mad city, so definitely no foreign treatment for me. Then again, I’m not sure if I can put up with the long term “elbow in the boob” harassment.
Separately, with a railway ad like this, how can anyone not want to travel on the railway. And the food is pretty good too, I promise it doesn’t give you the Delhi belly. I have been completely well and abled, despite coming here with a weak frequently food poisoned stomach. Although I know nothing about CNG (compressed national gas) and the cost of it, but I wish China would explore the option. The air is fresh and clean, albeit dusty.
Saw this ad on TV the other day—so brilliantly executed.
Duncan
Oct 09, 2010 @ 18:07:03
hi you,
sounds like you are having fun.
i have a nerdy commen about cng :-) china does use a lot of it, especially out in the sticks…easier and cheaper to produce than lpg .
so, i am in singapore and about to move into an apartment…all going well so far :-)
baobabs
Oct 10, 2010 @ 00:25:20
hey duncan! Glad to know singapore is working out and I hope you found a nice place for the family!
I am interested in this CNG thing, compared to the pollution here, India is clean and green. I suppose the costs are higher?
Duncan
Oct 10, 2010 @ 18:59:40
CNG was used a fair bit in Urumqi and I have seen it in taxis in Chengdu and Chongqing.
There are not many disadvantages with using it. It takes up a lot of room so cars that have been converted don’t have much room in the boot.
I think China have not adopted it more widely because they have less gas available and the government has been more focused on using that gas in households.
China’s car emission standards are higher than those of the US. All new buses (in the big cities at least) all follow the Euro IV and Euro V standards which are about as tough as they get.
Obviously there is a long way to go with China’s factory emissions.
Shelley
Oct 10, 2010 @ 20:44:37
Oh how lovely your Indian posts are! Beautiful pictures. Have you seen the Darjeeling Limited?
baobabs
Oct 11, 2010 @ 08:05:13
@duncan: ah!! that’s what it is, I was wondering why all botts had the giant cylinders in them!
@shelley: it’s funny you commented because I was just looking at your blog today! yes love that film!