Getting Around

Fortunately, almost all the places I need to get to on a regular basis are within walking distance. Since I both really enjoy walking and also need the exercise, it works out quite well. Of course, one of the main benefits is the independence it gives me, or will once I figure out exactly which direction everything is.

There is an additional challenge to walking most places, and it’s called crossing the street. To say that all kinds of vehicles are coming from every which way at the same time does not really describe it. The thing that makes it possible is that the main streets are so crowded that none of the vehicles are going very fast. Usually I'm with friends so I watch them closely and just try to stay right alongside. Hey, they have good track records of not being killed! (That was a joke, Mom.) My favorite piece of advice, which I plan to continue to follow is this: if there any Indians around, watch them and cross when they do.

Not everything is within walking distance, however. The next simplest mode of transportation is the auto rickshaw. According to the Internet, there are at least 50,000 of these on the streets of Chennai. Mary and I have ridden them a number of times now to go to more distant stores or a couple of the ministries she is involved in. Finding one never seems to be a problem. The challenge is that you have to negotiate a price first, which involves conveying to the driver the location to which you want to be driven. Then you have to have some idea what a reasonable price is, so you can refuse his first price and counter with something lower, if necessary. Mary has gotten quite good at this in the eight months she has been here. If I end up trying it on my own, I’ll first get detailed instructions on how to describe the area I want to go to, as well as an idea of what it should cost. I’ll also be sure to have acquired a cell phone, which is something I’m working on.

There are also larger vehicles available, including city buses. If we can get a good bus schedule, maybe Mary and I will try that option out, too. But for now, my shoes are good, a main street full of stores is just a few blocks away, and I sure do need that exercise!