south toward the Bay of Bengal, which meant another long distance trip
on the crazy highways.
I am starting to develop an appreciation for the informal code of
conduct that makes these work in the absence of any traffic law
enforcement. It's a fine balance of aggression and compromise, and
there seems to be an understanding that the buses won't run the little
3-wheeled taxis and bicycle rickshaws into the ditch.
At it's best, it is smooth, almost balletic. At it's worst noisy and
jerky. Terrible exhaust fumes and grit in the air filling the nasal
passages and making the eyes water.
We have seen a couple of wrecks, but amazingly few under the
circumstances.
This picture shows men digging clay for making bricks in the kilns
behind them. Labour is cheap and plentiful, so you don't see power
equipment on construction sites and the like.
The countryside presents many wonderful views of rice fields, bamboo
weavers, cows and goats foraging on the roadside, fishing nets on long
bamboo poles.
Virtually the whole country is a river delta, the monsoon season just
ended, and everything is very green.
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