but the rains have come hard, making walking the muddy, cow shit and trash strewn streets a bit of a challenge. People here take it in stride, they have to, they know the drill, keep to the less dirty narrow pavement as much as buses, trucks, cars and motos allow, wade the mud and poop when you have to, rinse your sandaled feet in the least muddy water you find, carry an umbrella at all times; it’s a hard rain that falls brother.
We’re in an area called Pallavaram, a mix of mostly low end hotels, open markets, mixed businesses, a few beggars, wandering shitting cows, mostly mud streets (the monsoon just hit) and the constant noise of all manner of vehicle horns, and a few bicycle bells.
As we rode in the cool morning shade of a narrow coastal road north of Alleppey, I was reminded of our riding the narrow lanes of the Mekong Delta during our Shangri La trip. This time we were riding along …