so far during my time here in india, i have ridden the public, intercity bus five times. i love riding this bus. i have thought about why i love this mode of transportation so much, this clumsy hulk of steel that commands control of the road with its staggering size and thunderous horn. the heat that hits you in full force while waiting for every last passenger to climb onboard is unbearable. and while it's not erased, it's almost forgotten as the bus laggardly pulls away from the station. the slow breeze from the open windows works its magic, soothing your overheated face, quieting your overcrowded mind.
long distant landscape relatives greet one another, sometimes abruptly, sometimes with grace. city congestion mingles with neighboring slums before giving way to outskirts, clumps of buildings and people and homes. and finally, open land. it is here where i breathe deeply. lush, verdant land stretches on for miles. speckled with farmers and animals, sprinkled with brightly colored flowers, this is what i prefer to consume. i take in the air, the fields blurring by, the children tending to water buffalo, the camels relaxing in the shade. i take it all in as i pass and i feel content doing so.
i make a list in my head, as i tend to do with things i love, of animals i see on these bus rides.
my most recent list from my trip back from ahmedabad:
- cows - with impressively massive and uniquely shaped horns
- water buffalo - adults and babies, two of whom were bathing in a murky marsh
- herons - serenely wading in shallow water
- donkeys - waiting for their backs to be burdened with goods
- camels - at least 10, some resting under trees, others hard at work
- elephant - (1) lugging a tremendous amount of material
- monkeys - neither langours nor macaques, these guys were somersaulting on pipes and jumping from roof to roof
