Well, we didn't find the island, but a theme park will do in lieu. Today's theme was public transportation in Delhi. Split up into our four groups, we navigated Delhi's public transit facilities to reach various destinations in the state of Delhi. Our group's destination was Adventure Island, a theme park in the northwest. 30 kilometers away? 2 hours away.
Well, we didn't find the island, but a theme park will do in lieu. Today's theme was public transportation in Delhi. Split up into our four groups, we navigated Delhi's public transit facilities to reach various destinations in the state of Delhi. Our group's destination was Adventure Island, a theme park in the northwest. 30 kilometers away? 2 hours away. You'll need a little over 100 rupees to spread over the multiple modes needed for the trip. Due to the wealth disparity in India, looking at these numbers with per capita incomes does little to shed light on the problem. The reality is that such an amount (Rs 100) represents a near day's income for many Indians, rendering such a trip impossible for daily commute.
After alighting the train we found a bicycle rickshaw to carry us to the end of our adventure, Adventure Island. We got a good price (considering our skin color), and made it to the theme park. We were relieved! And to prove it, we took this photo ...
After that we made our way back to the hotel to rendezvous with the other groups. Oh and you'll need some more Rupees for the return!
The cost of transportation about the public transit network, albeit cheap in the pocket of an American would entrench an individual of low-income in poverty. Today's "commute" sheds light into the reality of India's urban poor. How could one overcome this? By living close to work. Now where could a low-income worker find residence near a job in the city? None other than a slum. It all makes sense. People responding to the costs before them. It seems as though everyday our mindsets are forever changed by the exposures we are given on this trip.
