Terrified, not by the people, nor by the intense heat, nor even the Kathakali characters, but by the driving. Our taxi driver told us that the Keralan highway code is based on the British version, circa 1950... At face value, one is supposed to drive on the left, but I just cannot verify that for you. In reality, the rules of the road appear somewhat similar to the laws of physics - one simply takes the path of least resistance. Imagine you are walking down Oxford Street at the height of the tourist season, and then consider how you might navigate in the two-way flow of pedestrians. Bring to mind the essentially chaotic flow, and the proximity to your fellow walkers. Then transpose that scene onto a motorised scale that includes huge trucks, taxis, motorbikes, rickshaws (tuk-tuks), cyclist and pedestrians. Now you might have an idea of what I'm talking about.
QuickQuiz: It is mandatory to sound your horn as:
- You approach another vehicle?
- You overtake another vehicle?
- You are approaced by another vehicle?
- You are overtaken by another vehicle?
- Whenever you like?
- All of the above?
Need I tell you the correct answer? Suffice to say that the noise is deafening...
However, we're not talking about blasting the horn like irate London cabbies or stressed Seattle commuters, with associated cussing, swearing, obscene gestures, questions about parentage and threats of physical harm. Just the opposite, in fact, everyone seems completely relaxed and equanimous with all the tooting. There were no dents on any vehicle, so I guess the entire, chaotic system works. I suppose it's tempered somewhat by the fact that no vehicle seems capable of speeds over about 25 miles per hour...
Oh, and I forgot to mention the cows. Now, they really don't seem to have read the highway code.
Picture is of the Hindu Temple in Trivandrum.
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