Bareilly to Lucknow

blacky
street

buffalo market

little accident
It is a nice sunny day today. At 9 Blacky and I start to Lucknow. This is not a good time to start. It seems that all buses and trucks are on the road and they all are in a big hurry. Maybe the drivers have still some sleep in the eyes. At least they don’t see or don’t want to see motorbikes. Until 11 we were forced 2 times already to stop in order to give way to a bus overtaking a truck. I start counting the dead dogs which lay on the road. After some time I give up on this but I think it must have been around 10 over the whole day. We arrive at an animal market. I manage to do a few pictures until one of the men discovered that there is a foreign woman. Now I am the main attraction of the market and about 30 men approach me to do pictures of them. Quickly I leave because my former experience with similar situations wasn't too well.
Today I see 3 public buses which had accident. Maybe it is more safe driving on a motorbike than in a public bus. The third accident happens just in front of me. It is not too heavy. A jeep-taxi is involved. Quickly I stop Blacky and rush for first aid. There is one guy at the backside of the jeep. His feet are locked in the jeep and his body is hanging head side down over the backdoor. People are just walking around and watch. Only one old man tries to help this young boy. I give him a hand and order another guy to help us. We manage to lay the guy on the floor. He is unconscious. Eyes are half open. Automatically I do what I have learned in first aid courses. Nobody else tries to help this boy. Nobody is calling a doctor until I shout to one man. He calls the police. Then I look for the others. Nobody else is seriously injured as far as I can see. People ask me to drive the motorbike away to make more space for passing traffic. Since I can’t do anymore for the boy I continue with Blacky on our way. Now it comes over me. I am totally shocked that people don’t care about others even when they are unconscious. I am totally shocked also about the missing knowledge of first aid even from the bus driver. I worry about that boy. His pulse was very low and I just hope he will survive. ..and again it was a crazy busdriver who risked the life of so many people!
Slowly slowly Blacky and I continue. Without any more problems we arrive in Lucknow. From the first view it seems to be a nice city. Quickly I find a hotel, have a shower, go for something to eat and then have rest for today. Tomorrow it will be time to explore the city…