Friday, July 13, 2007

Vadodara; City of Scooters!

Date: 3rd of July 2oo7

worried about recognizing the station. So I asked that man who serves the food and he said something like there are 5 stations left for Baroda. I also checked the ticket, the ticket would take 5 hours, adding the delay time then I still have time. But when I asked one of the passengers he told me that Baroda has just left and now we are standing in the following station. I found out that the former man did not really understand me. So I left the train at Anand station. Many people where staring at me. I went to the phone and tried to call Palak, Darshan and Anit. No body was answering. I asked at the reservation office about the next train to Baroda; he said at 4pm. It was 2pm but I had no other choice. I paid 22 rupees for the ticket. I tried to call anyone to pick me up again and again. Some young students started to talk to me. They were taking the same train; so we waited together. After 4 small stations we arrived at Baroda. They helped me call Darshan and he told me that someone will be waiting for me near the cash machine. On my way to there I saw an area like a parkingI woke up very early to catch the 7 am bus going to Baroda. Mrs Binty and Somnath took me to the station. It was very rainy; which caused a one and a half hours delay for the train. Somnath stayed with me till the train arrived. He knew some english so we talked a little about our countries. He told me that Amitabh Bachchan is called Big B. Somnath also told me that he is 20 years old and that he has been married for one year. He comes from Pune; where Akriti goes to study. Finally the train arrived. It was the AC train with comfortable seats (I got the ticket for 570 rupees). I had tea, snacks and a meal. I didn't even have to pay for anything. I was just place. It was totally full with motorbikes and vispas; hundreds of them. I was very surprised. I found the guy waiting for me; he is an AIESEC member called Hamza. He took me to were he parked his vehicle. It turned out to be a motorbike. I told him that I would not be able to ride with all my luggage but finally I could. It was a very scary experience for me; the first time I ride a motorbike and I had to trust the person who drives whom I just have met 10 minutes ago, adding to that the speed breakers, and traffic system which is totally opposite in Egypt. We safely reached a meeting point where Sonesh -my host- would pick me up. He came to the place riding a vispa. It is actually called scooter there. Scooter in Egypt implies a different vehicle rather for kids. So we took the scooter, this time I was less nervous. I noticed that there are more motorbikes and scooters in the streets than cars. It was unusual to me to see girls wearing sarees riding pink scooters!
We reached his home; it is like a 2 leveled villa. He showed me the room where I would stay in the second floor. I was very tired that I had a long sleep.

That day I could not have photos of the city while riding the bike but I had a couple of photos in the room. (below)






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