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First day here....

On my walk to the ATM, I passed a bus stop; this was the first bus I've noticed since I've been in India. From the looks of things, busses are quite popular here in Coimbatore. There was no shortage of folks hopping on and off.

One guy seemed to be in charge of collecting fares. He had a neat stack of bills laced between his fingers - sorted by denomination, I’m guessing. I wasn’t entirely sure how the system worked, but I’d bet he was the money man.

He grabbed a rail leaned out the door, even as the bus picked up speed - totally unfazed. 

I am told his position is Conductor. He collects fares, issues tickets, helps people on and off, and signifies when to go. It seemed like with all that direct cash handling, it would be a perfect storm for petty theft. But, no, random audits assure that all passengers hold a proper ticket. 

I got on a bus on my return from Gandhipuram - which, by the way, is a great shopping area if you're Indian and planning to get married. But more about that later.

Anyway, I had a wonderful experience on the bus. First, it was free for ladies of all nationalities - an unexpected, yet welcomed, perk that saved me 35 rupees. 

I caught the 1 p.m. ride, and by that time, the usual crowds had thinned out. There were seats everywhere. I ended up next to a delightful college student named Chivani, and we struck up a friendly conversation. She told me where to visit in India - names I couldn't pronounce, but she helped me. I showed her pictures of the inimitable Joshua tree.  Because who doesn’t love their homeland? And after we bonded as bus buddies, it just felt right to share mine.

She even told me to get off the bus one stop after hers - and as it turned out, she was spot on. It was just two major street crossings and a short walk back to the hotel.

Crossing the street here is an art and a gamble. I am getting better at it. I used to latch onto a local and follow their lead like a duckling following its mother. Now, I’m more confident - at least with the smaller streets. The major thoroughfares are still a beast. But at some point, you just have to go for it. The timing is never perfect. However, sometimes it's better than others.

These two today were particularly hectic. It was the big league. I had to sprint on the tail end, laughing nervously - the contents of my bag bouncing up and down. I think I muttered one or two "Oh Lords" - half prayer, half end zone crossing. When I reached the curb, a kind merchant gave me a nod of respect.

Actually, it’s not really a nod here; it’s more of a very subtle head bob - side to side, paired with a smile. Those beautiful smiles go a long way here, as they do everywhere.

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