Everyday: Transportation

First of all I am very thankful to say that we have a car! But I can't drive it. I have contemplated learning to drive it, but honestly it scares me. Every time I ride in the car I feel like we are going to hit a pedestrian, go off in a ditch, or get hit head on by a Tata truck and I don't want to be the one responsible for that- because let's face it- I am not the greatest driver in the world. So whenever I want to go somewhere without my husband I have a few options. When independence and close proximity are the name of the game, I go by bicycle. There would be nothing special about that except that all of my neighbors find it extremely strange that a fully grown woman who can afford a car would ride a bicycle (most of them drive scooters- scarey). They found it especially strange when I rode my bicycle while pregnant for "everyone knows that it can cause miscarriage". They also find it odd that I have a tendency to ride it in the hottest part of the day when no one else is on the streets. One lady told me that her kids asked her why American Auntie is able to go out in the sun. She said that it is because I come from someplace cold so I like the heat (ha). Really it is because that is when the kids are napping. One time I rode my bicycle with my Saree on and that was an interesting sight, but I will not be trying that again (sorry no picture). But my normal mode of transportation is by auto rickshaw. When I have both kids, Evelynn is strapped to me in the Ergo and Silas rides next to me. This again is very strange to the neighbors- most of them don't do it. Our gate keeper asked me why I take autos when we have a car and suggested that JP should always take me places (nevermind that he has to work). It generally costs me less than 2 dollars to go 4 km to the Walmartesque store. And really it isn't too bad as long as I am not pregnant or nursing a bad back. I call up my favorite auto driver a few minutes before I want to go anywhere and he shows up at me door 5 minutes later. Then I just catch some random auto driver when I want to come home. I do miss the independence of driving my own car, though I am a little nervous about driving in America in a month!