Bad Day!!

Today started off badly ... it's been one of those days where I just have no tolerance whatsoever; this has not been helped by the little things that have been happening all day. Let me explain ...

Penri took me to the post office first thing this morning (on his way to work) and I stood patiently in the queue as there were two people in front of me. When it was my turn, I moved to the counter, handed over my packages and the man weighed them for me then I handed over the money. He then served FIVE other people while I was stood there like an idiot. I was starting to get hot and bothered and aggravated that I was being made to wait while he served other people. I picked up my packages and said 'Come on, I don't have time to wait' so he went over to the label printing machine and started typing in numbers. He managed to print one, after he had tried the label in a variety of different directions.

By this time I had three people on my right hand side all holding their money out, a lady on my left hand side waving her money and a man stood right behind me. The lady on my left called to the man saying 'Give me this' pointing at envelopes and waving her money at him. The man started to walk over to us - at which point I lost it ... I turned to her and said 'Wait. It is not your turn. He is still serving me!' She looked at me and said nothing and the man behind the counter went back to print my second label.

Eventually, I got the labels stuck on the parcels, he gave me my change and I was out of there. I was furious - it had taken 20 minutes just to get them posted, when in reality, had he stuck to just serving me, it would have taken less than 5!!

Anyway, I dropped Penri at work and then went off to meet some friends. At 5.30 p.m I decided to go shopping, so got in the car and headed over to the Music Shop. I was so surprised at how light the traffic was and wondered what was going on. Anyway, I browsed the music books for a while and selected a few. Then went over to Spencers Plaza Shopping Mall.

It was heaving with people (as is the norm), so I decided I wouldn't browse - just go in and get what I want and get out of there. Why is it when you are in a rush there is always someone who decides to walk in front of you at a snails pace?! I bought some tracksuit bottoms and some DVDs and then headed back to the car park. I couldn't remember where I had parked and was trying to remember what shop was near me when I came in. The car park at the shopping mall here is not like the UK car parks - there is no common sense to it at all. Anyway, I eventually found it.

The traffic was HORRENDOUS. The worst I think I've seen it and definitely the worse I have driven in. It took 20 minutes just to get from the shopping mall, 200 metres down the road! Anyway, it was during this time sitting in the traffic that I was thinking what a bad mood I've been in all day (must be the 45 degree heat or something) and I realised ... there were motorcycles in the lane in front of me ... motorcycles in the lane behind me and no other cars in my lane. It was then I noticed that the motorcyclists were giving me the weirdest looks. I was in the wrong lane! So, I indicated to pull into the next lane and would anyone let me out? Not a chance!

Unfortunately, the Indian people drive like they queue - every man for himself! Eventually, I bullied an ambassador car into letting me out. I pulled so close to his front that he thought I was going to hit him and considering there is a HUGE dent in the car on that front side where Penri hit a bus - he probably believed I would hit him.

I did actually clip a motorbike on the dual carriageway, but this was not my fault. I was driving fairly fast as the road in front of me was clear ahead (as were the two lanes either side of me), and this motorbike came whizzing in front of me and cut me up, I braked really hard but I clipped his back wheel. Luckily he was fine and didn't even look over his shoulder - just drove on.

By the time I got back to this side of town, I had a headache from all the blaring lights (as the mentality here is that it's easier to see with your headlights on!) and my left leg was killing me from all the clutch control. So, there you have it - my bad day today! At least tomorrow is a new day!

See some more pictures below: a family on a motorbike (not an uncommon sight - the most we have seen is 5 on 1 bike) and one of the Chennai buses - I just wanted to show you how they all just hang on the outside. It is so dangerous!