Furtherer Observations

I've never had allergies (at least not to anything normal; Speed Stick makes my arm pits break out), but there's something in the air over here that's been driving my sinuses crazy. I suspect it's either air pollution or mustard seed pollen (pictured) as each is everywhere.

Every country seems to have its own smell, to my nose anyway. Mexico smells like corn oil and gasoline. Spain smells like ham and flamenco. Vietnam smells like teen spirit (and pho). India smells like incense and cow shit, which I guess makes more sense than the others, with the possible exception of Spain.

Jebus but every teenager here looks like the next big supermodel.

If I ever move to this country I will open a business selling aftermarket car horns. With all the road noise, having a differentiated signal can be the difference between hitting a rickshaw and running over a goat (the former is preferable).

And speaking of horns, beware of driving at night. Most drivers don't use their lights, so everyone navigates via a kind of passive echolocation.

Oh--one last thing: all the drivers under rev their engines. If a driver is doing 20 mph in third gear--already low--and they want to pass someone, particularly uphill, they'll shift into fourth, floor it, and press forward, the car groaning all the way. I'm sure there's an economic metaphor in there somewhere...