This is a protest against the government by residents of a village located just beyond the railroad tracks. They ve blocked off the roads with boulders so that somebody, anybody might pay attention to their situation. No one seems to know how long we ll stuck here. We re only about 40 kilometers from Jaipur but clearly we are not going anywhere for awhile. It s cooler outside than it is in the bus, so we hang out and hope things will soon change.
Indian music blares from a lavishly decorated truck.
A shepherd walks by with about 200 sheep. Camels congregate under what little shade they can find by the side of the road. I m struck by the good humor and patience of the stranded drivers. In the US, they would be taking hostages. Then I notice that everyone, including the camels, seems to be staring at our little group.