India's Problems Competing with China and Trying to Develop

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008--Jaipur

I noticed today that I have had another small robbery. One of the locks on the outer pocket of my suitcase had been broken. It had to have happened within the last few days as I was traveling on buses. A book I was saving for Robert was taken, and my old air ticket (which was thick even though it was only receipt coupons) and probably seemed like something valuable that could be cashed in was also taken. My nice, new weatherproof jacket for traveling which was rather expensive was not touched even though it was in the same pocket!!

Have been compiling reasons why India cannot challenge China in development and why it is no threat to the U.S. for decades:

Poor roads that are poorly built and in bad condition without enough lanes for the traffic served.
Poor building construction. They age and crumble fast. Tinted glass discolors.
Inadequate electricity grid. There are frequent outages.
Poor water and sewage systems. Cannot meet modern standards.
Many unclean facilities including toilets, restaurants, buses, trains, etc.
Trash everywhere--on the streets, in the rivers, on empty lots, etc.
Disfunctional government with lots of paperwork (literally), unmotivated employees, etc.
Very limited and uncomforable mass transit in cities
Horrible traffic jams in cities
Very limited facilities to deal with flooding drainage during monsoons.
Too many strikes which interrupt business, education, and life.
Too many citizens who expect something for nothing.
A general attitude by individuals that they and their needs are more important than those of others.
Social system that promotes staying with family and discourages moving to where jobs are.
Too much discrimination/distrust based on religion and castes.
An effort to try to keep things as they are (protect farmers, protect small businesses, etc.) than let modernization and change happen.
No set prices. It's always more expensive for foreign companies and foreign residents/tourists.
Few child labor laws and the ones that are in place are for show; they aren't enforced.
Poor attitude toward girls and women who are often excluded from education and opportunities.
Poor government schools with teachers who don't feel they have to work since they are never fired and with too high of a ratio of students to teachers.
No mandatory school attendance laws, or if they exist, laws that are not enforced.
High birthrate which especially causes the population of the poor to grow exponentially.
Too many poor (too large a percentage of the population).

Am worrying about Mumbai. Hotel prices have really shot up there. I don't want to pay $50 or more for such a horrible city!!

Watched Evening with Claire Danes on TV, then ate dinner here at the hotel--vegetable kofta (veggie balls in a strong sauce)with naan.

Thursday, Aug 21, 2008--Jaipur to Mumbai

Discovered today that I get to San Antonio 3 days earlier than I had thought. I don't know how I got mixed up on the dates. Anyway, I arrive there on Oct. 6.

Walked to the train station, but it was hard. My suitcase is now lame. I had to cut the rubber off one wheel. Then the pastic remaining wore down fast. It's frustrating to have a suitcase that won't roll. Remember NOT to buy Delsey if you want a suitcase with good wheels!!!

They kept the train locked until 10 minutes before departure, so there was a mad rush of people to get onto it and get their luggage stored. Some couples carry enough baggage for a whole compartment! Fortunately, I was in my compartment first and had no problems.

My companions were a Korean young man who is traveling here, too, and 3 other men and 1 woman. The men were nice. Two were older and operate a construction firm. The other was young and works in his family's gem business by running the Mumbai office. All of them seemed to like me, so we had a good time visiting all the way to Mumbai.

I ate a poorly prepared dinner on the train. The others had snacks with them. We slept starting at 22:00.

Friday, Aug. 22, 2008--Mumbai

As expected, it was a hassle getting a hotel. I went to Andheri where I had been told I could get something for 1000 rupees. Every place there had a special sheet for westerners that showed rates of 2500-3500 rupees ($60-90 U.S.!). I caught a train back to town and went to the backpacker area. It is often booked up. And the places there are quite depressing. Just so I wouldn't have to deal with the suitcase, I took a room for 800 rupees that is dirty and depressing, has only a fan, and has no phone or TV.

I went to Lufthansa and checked on my flights. Everything is fine for leaving here, going to Georgia, and leaving Georgia for Copenhagen. I'm glad of that. Now I just need the Russians to pull out of the center of the country so I can go through the crossroads that is critical for getting into western Georgia.

After that, I returned to the hotel where I stayed two years ago. For 600 rupees, I can have an a/c room with cable TV and a private bath. It's a bit old, but it is clean. I can live there until I depart!! I will move there tomorrow morning.