Wanted: A Driver...Must Speak English!
One of our challenges is just getting from here to there. Getting to work requires more than simply surviving the traffic jams (worse than anything at home) and the pollution. It means communicating to the driver where we want to go. (We head out in separate directions, so we have great stories to share just about our daily commutes.) Frank prepared for this by typing up cards for each of us in English that clearly spelled out where we are going and included directions. (Now that was a great idea!) Not good enough, though, so we had the directions translated. Unfortunately, most of the drivers we've had don't read at all. Fortunately, our landlord (Raj) has insisted that we call him whenever we're having a problem along these lines, and he talks with the driver. Now, that works when Raj isn't on his phone. Last night, I had a long "tour" of the city because Raj's number was busy, and the driver...and I...were clueless.
The driver just kept going trying to see if I recognized anything, which I didn't. A problem is that the view from the ricks is blocked in part by the top of the vehicle. To really see out the side, you have to crouch down. So, I haven't picked up on the landmarks as well as I'd like to have by now, but I'm making progress.
Anyway, last night the ride, which normally takes just one rick, ended up taking two ricks and a cab. It wasn't a big deal though. I just sat back, crouched down, and took in the sites of new parts of the city.
Tonight the ride home was pleasant, easy, and direct. We'd gone out to dinner, and the driver actually spoke English, or so we thought. We quickly decided to see if we could work out a deal with him to pick us up each morning, take us to our offices and meet us in the evening. After telling us he spoke English, we realized he didn't understand what we were asking. We called Raj, and he met us at the apartment when the driver dropped us off.
It wasn't long and the driver and Raj were having an argument. Raj noticed that the driver had not used his meter. (The driver had told us there was a fixed rate to get to our place.) It was hard to follow exactly what was happening, but it was clear that this was not going to be our driver! Raj ultimately threatened the driver saying he'd call the police, and the driver returned 50 rupees (about $1). We would have preferred to let the entire thing go, but Raj was insistent. He feels that the driver's taking advantage of us is a bad mark for India. He was really hot about it.
If you happen to know a good driver who speaks English and knows his way around Mumbai, please send along his contact info! (We'd really prefer to have seat belts, but I guess that's asking too much.)
Meanwhile, we're both fighting colds. Time to slow down a bit and get some rest. When I think that we've only been here a week, I feel good about what we've done. We even took in an Indian play presented in English on Saturday night. There were references to reincarnation, idol worship, and relationships between Hindus and Muslims. It was a great experience for us even though we arrived a half-hour late. (Read: We need a driver!)
It's feels good when we make headway here whether it's work related or just getting settled in. Did I mention we found a really good Chinese restaurant that delivers! Nothing like combining two of our favorite ethnic cuisines.
The driver just kept going trying to see if I recognized anything, which I didn't. A problem is that the view from the ricks is blocked in part by the top of the vehicle. To really see out the side, you have to crouch down. So, I haven't picked up on the landmarks as well as I'd like to have by now, but I'm making progress.
Anyway, last night the ride, which normally takes just one rick, ended up taking two ricks and a cab. It wasn't a big deal though. I just sat back, crouched down, and took in the sites of new parts of the city.
Tonight the ride home was pleasant, easy, and direct. We'd gone out to dinner, and the driver actually spoke English, or so we thought. We quickly decided to see if we could work out a deal with him to pick us up each morning, take us to our offices and meet us in the evening. After telling us he spoke English, we realized he didn't understand what we were asking. We called Raj, and he met us at the apartment when the driver dropped us off.
It wasn't long and the driver and Raj were having an argument. Raj noticed that the driver had not used his meter. (The driver had told us there was a fixed rate to get to our place.) It was hard to follow exactly what was happening, but it was clear that this was not going to be our driver! Raj ultimately threatened the driver saying he'd call the police, and the driver returned 50 rupees (about $1). We would have preferred to let the entire thing go, but Raj was insistent. He feels that the driver's taking advantage of us is a bad mark for India. He was really hot about it.
If you happen to know a good driver who speaks English and knows his way around Mumbai, please send along his contact info! (We'd really prefer to have seat belts, but I guess that's asking too much.)
Meanwhile, we're both fighting colds. Time to slow down a bit and get some rest. When I think that we've only been here a week, I feel good about what we've done. We even took in an Indian play presented in English on Saturday night. There were references to reincarnation, idol worship, and relationships between Hindus and Muslims. It was a great experience for us even though we arrived a half-hour late. (Read: We need a driver!)
It's feels good when we make headway here whether it's work related or just getting settled in. Did I mention we found a really good Chinese restaurant that delivers! Nothing like combining two of our favorite ethnic cuisines.
posted by arr at 10:59 PM
1 Comments:
You are having the experience of a lifetime. Keep up the great blog!
Love, Ivy
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