My observations during recent India trip

My recent 4 week trip to India got concluded just last week. It is a great trip I will remember for long time. While it is impossible to get comprehensive observation in 4 weeks, I have few observations that I am sharing in this blog. These might not be fully accurate given the short span I stayed there.

• Mobile Data
• Very cheap, fast and reliable mobile data. I got around 42GB(1.5GB/day) of 4G mobile data for a mere Rs.300(3.75 dollars). This includes unlimited calls and messages for 28 days.
• No roaming charges when travelling with in the country.
• QR codes and OTPs
• It felt like there are QR codes everywhere.
• Most of the shops(big/small) has a QR code displayed. Google Pay and Phone Pe are deeply penetrated using these QR codes and cheap mobile data.
• Right from receiving a secure Amazon delivery to making any online payment. You have to enter an OTP.
• I think these QR codes and OTPs are making Indian masses who generally are not well versed with technology to trust it.
• Great Vegetables
• While India is paradise for vegetarians, I almost forgot how tasty the Vegetables there are.
• The sizes of Onion, Tomato, bitter guard and most other vegetables is a 4th of what I generally get in USA. These are much softer and tastier as well.
• Roads and Traffic
• Highway's are good. But, internal roads in my state of Andhra Pradesh are in a very very bad shape. 
• I felt that traffic has become even worse. 
• There are Autos everywhere.
• Almost no one cares about any rules, including Red light.
• I saw a two wheeler, who is driving with one hand and checking his phone with other hand, not wearing helmet. All this is he is doing while driving on wrong side of road and heavy traffic.
• Vehicles
• The car we hired doesn't have 3 seat belts in the rear seat.
• Even driver is reluctant to wear the seat belt unless on the highway.
• Small cars compared to USA.
• Its expensive
• The minimum fare when hiring an auto is Rs.100/-
• Except mobile data, everything felt very expensive compared to what I remember earlier.
• COVID precautions
• Less then 1% of the people seem to care about COVID if at all.
• I don't see anyone wearing masks on roads or buses or trains or shopping centers or temples.
• Free Money
• Money is being distributed by government to most of the sections of society.
• I heard the conversation while travelling in train. There a women(who seem to be in late 50s) is talking about how his nephew bought a car using the free money his family received. Not sure if this is good for society or not.