Overall, this trip is going great and I'm enjoying working in India, but there is the occasional downside to any situation. Sunday afternoon I've seemed to have stumble across a few at once.

Museums: I've read that Pune is supposed to have all of 3 museums in the whole city, despite its long history. I had some time Sunday afternoon so I thought I would try to check out one or two of them. I went through something like 10 taxis before I found a single driver who knew of even one of them. (and it turned out to be closed, no less) Only 3 museums and 9 out of 10 taxi drivers haven't a clue about any of them?!? Does no one in this city have any culture at all? And Bollywood movies don't count as being cultured...

Osho Ashram: This place wasn't on my agenda, but after I gave up on the museums I figured I'd at least see the place to learn what all the fuss is about. From what I've heard, it is at least a relaxing place and I may be able to grab a meditation class or at least a leisurely walk around on one of their tours. Now, I'm used to people being a little odd, even downright weird (if you are a friend of mine reading this, I am probably talking about you) and realized that a religious group can test the limits of normal be they a cult or not - theres rarely a difference with the devout followers. Nor am I one to really dismiss any group for having beliefs that may be a little outside the mainstream, by any standard of mainstream. But the attitude I got from everyone I met at this place was downright vile. I got more warmth from a fundamentalist bible belt street preacher after I told him satan was more pious than he. They had all the soul and compassion of an overtaxed bureaucracy. Near as I could figure, their obsession with materialism completely drained them of any form of spirituality this group may have once had, if they ever had any spirituality at all. When my a**hole sensor went off the charts on every person I met going in the door for something like 5 or 6 people in a row, I turned around and walked out. If you ever considered coming to Pune to visit this Ashram, don't. You will only be disappointed not matter what you are seeking.

Beggers: OK, I rarely give money to beggars, or at least nowhere near as much as I would to street performers and the like, and I made a conscious decision not to give anything to any during my trip here. Its not to be cruel or selfish and I'm not insensitive to their plight, and its really tough with how often the beggar is a mother with an infant in her arms asking for a single rupee and you can see the shanty she lives in across the road, but there is only so much a single person can give and I would just rather put my money where it would do the most good overall. I always tip the waiters even if its not the norm, try to get out to spend my money on craftsmen or local businesses and street peddlers rather than chain conglomerates. I would rather promote self reliance than dependence, the common concern of those who don't want to encourage begging. There is also the sheer volume of it all. India has over a billion people and so many of them live in such poor conditions, and often right in the shadow of those whose lives are improving. While some may be doing quite well, life is still pretty rough for most Indians. If I gave to every beggar that approached me, I would be completely drained, both emotionally and financially, and not have made any major impact on anyone's life. But yesterday, while in a rickshaw waiting at a red light, I was approached by a boy who couldn't have been more than 10 years old on crutches with one leg amputated below the knee. Sometimes you just can't help it, I reached into my pocket and gave him the few rupees change I had on me.

Its not all bad here, the trip I took to Ajanta to see the cave temples was amazing, and most of the people I meet here are a pleasure to become acquainted with. I just had a rough afternoon yesterday, and I'm still exhausted from it.