Agra to Allahabad

Rickshaw drivers' revenge: I left the hotel expecting to have no trouble getting a ride from a rickshaw driver. None came. I had to walk a while before I encountered a cycle rickshaw driver willing to give me a ride to the train station. As we rode through the streets, privately sparked fireworks covered the city. Or more accurately, the sounds of explosions did, with the occasional one actually producing a visible flash. I've never been so close to fireworks. It was the most comfortable place to be. The explosion lasted for hours and were still going on when my train pulled out from the station.

High spirits: I felt great on the train. I was leaving Agra! I got to Allahabad early in the morning. It was the first time I had ever heard roosters cock-a-doodle-dooing. When am I around roosters? Or up at that time? I walked the wrong way from the station. I walked to Chowk, the older part of town. I was trying to get to Civil Lines on the other side of the station. Allahabad has been great. The people here are chill. Especially because yesterday, everything was closed. At the hotel, I asked if I could have a room with fewer bugs. the guy said no. I replied, "Then can you do something about those," pointing at two bugs wider than your thumb (unless you're Shaq. And if you're Shaq reading this, welcome, greeting from India!) The guy looked at them and said, "Sure, new room."

Allahabad, it's not Agra: The new room has a lizard in the bathroom, which has now gotten into the bedroom. But at least it's not Agra. Even though Allahabad is so great, there's still the smell of burning garbage everywhere. But at least it's not Agra. Here, there are explosions from early in the morning until late at night. It feels like a war zone if you didn't know any better. But at least it's not Agra. They don't really bother foreigners. The cycle rickshaw drivers ignore me. People here like to eat outside, which makes for a lively night time atmosphere. There are sweets shops everywhere and corner ice cream huts. Very cool. I also saw the tomb of the brother who wanted to overthrow Shah Jahan (the builder of the Taj Mahal).

Weird conversation: I also had one of the craziest conversations of my life yesterday. It needs to be uncensored to be able to come through, but I'll give you the censored versions: A guy walks up to me holding an envelope with a local address. He's pointing to the address and says, "Excuse me. Are you from Afghanistan?" as if changing thought in mid sentence. "No." He continues, "Can you tell me where this is?" I say, "No, I just got here today." He asks, "Where are you from?" And before I can finish answering America, he takes a breathe and spits out, "I'm gay," but before I have time to react sympathetically, he continues, "I want you to (engage in sexual relations with) me." I had just told the story of being offered gay sex in Cochin two years ago to a British couple the day before, but it still surprised the hell out of me. "No." Then he explained another sexual act that he wished to perform with me and I gave him a "No, no," and turned to leave. As he walked off he said, "Bye" as cheery as he could.

Here's where he went wrong:
1) Even if I was gay, I need some romance. You can't be so blunt about it.
2) Even if I way gay, I'm way out of that guy's league. it was Diwali, but unless it was his birthday too, he'd have no chance.
3) I'm not gay.