In Bangalore

Waiting for the train to Bangalore from Hospet a ton of beggars approached me, one by one. I wasn't in the mood. I had only eaten a grilled cheese sandwich all day; a day which included a failed attempt to find the waterfalls where I walked forever and didn't drink enough water. I started yelling at the old people and the kids to leave me alone. Certainly not my proudest moment, but I felt helpless. f course I wanted to help these people, but I didn't want to encourage their begging. I don't feel good when I refuse a beggar money and I don't feel good when I give them money either.

On teh train I met a young German couple and an American. I talked with the American guy for a little while. He wasn't my cup of tea, but it was nice to talk to an American. The conversation was a lot like the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. He just kept on talking and I sat against the ropes listening, getting in a few barbs until he talked himself out and went to sleep.

When I arrived in Bangalore, I was really dehydrated. I was determined to walk to the hotel I had chosen from the guide. I think it was about 3 miles away. The streets are confusing here and I got lost. I asked a number of people and only a rickshaw driver really tried to help me at all and even he gave only slightly correct directions. I was asking people for MG Road (Gandhi Road) from about 2 blocks away and nobody could help me. Either Bangaloreans are the stupidest people on earth or they're the rudest. Maybe a touch of both (in fairness, a couple of people have been nice to me and I've only been here a day; I haven't met all 5.5 million of them). On eguy even grabbed my hand and demanded that I give him and demanded that I give him an American dollar. I yanked my hand away and yelled "Asshole!" at him. It's probably best for everyone that I wasn't all together or I would've knocked him out.

My hotel room sucks. It's a shitty double because all of the singles are book. I'm exhausted from Hampi and the walk to the hotel and just wanted to chill, but the tv has about 8 different channels and maybe only 2 and half are watchable. There was no toilet paper or soap and a loud screetching noise outside. Man, am I cranky. I felt a little better after having my first truly spicy dish since getting to India, just ebcause I adn't eaten anything for a while.

Bangalore is a combination of the worst the west has to offer with the worst of India. There are ads everywhere, pollution is fierce, the people are rude, and they don't follow directions. As a city, Bangalore thinks it's better than it is. There are signs everywhere asking people not to drink and drive and to obey the traffic laws. Drivers obey the rules of the road much better than in Mumbai, but worse than in America. And there is just so much traffic it's a pain in the ass to walk 2 blocks. This city has no charm. Hopefully my impressions of this place will improve once I get to rest a bit.