changes

This common sight, something you see within seconds of stepping outside your house in the capital, may become a thing of the past. Hopefully soon there will be no more overcrowded, completely unsafe bus! The number of deaths officially caused by the bus lines so far this year is over 100. People run to hop onto buses, and hang out the doors as they travel down the roads. The bus drivers have been under a lot of scrutiny lately about their unsafe consideration of the other people and vehicles on the road.

The claims are that the city is working on high occupancy bus lanes which would reduce the interaction that cars and buses have on the roads. We think they are working on one just outside our neighborhood! This picture is the construction that is going on just a few steps from our house.

This city is capable of so much! The potential is high for an efficient and safe city. We've seen firsthand what they can accomplish - a very nice subway system opened last year or the year before. The trains are cleaner than any subway I've been on, it is efficient, it is nice and cold, and it is extremely cheap. They are also working on extending the area the trains can cover. If they can gather their resources once again, South Asia will look a lot different if they eradicate these buses for safer ones.

A personal change is that husband and I have gone green! We found those more energy efficient light bulbs in our neighborhood market. They cost an arm and a leg ($6 per bulb!) but the theory is we won't have to change the 5 bulbs we bought before we return to America, and our electricity bill will be lower.