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One Way

Post Mumbai our adventures took us by car on the new (err) Mumbai Pune expressway up the hill slope towards Pune.
Way uphill is one way traffic and it has 3 lanes marked on it with 2 of the left ones allocated to heavy vehicles per posted signage. What we saw instead stirred my soul and something more. Since trucks took matters into their own hands all lanes heading to Pune were packed with noxious gas belching lumps that seemed to be suspended in slow motion.

At times we did encounter a truck or two that had lost its will to ascend and has the driver on edge as it gives in to gravity and start slipping backward. Amidst this scenario our taxi driver decided that since he too had command of a wheel of a nimbler vehicle he would impress his visiting guests with driving skills not seen since Ford invented the concept.

This included discovery of a new gap on far left side of the one way lanes (remember traffic in India drives on the left so the fastest lane is supposed to be the one to the right).  Our taxi   found gaps beyond the marker of the left shoulder (also driver seat is on the right unlike States which is on left) that had me suck in my tummy lest I became part of the Sahyadri landscape (the rough granite rock face of the canyon we were climbing through).

Just as we were about to successfully exit the narrow slot and see the misting sky I saw it.  A feeble yellow light.   It grew bigger as we tried to squeeze out.   It was approaching towards us.  But but we were on a one way section so all I should see is red tail lights no?

Mental check revealed I had refrained from alcoholic beverages prior to commencing this trip so the visual cortex ought to be functioning fine.

Indeed it was and indeed it was a Bajaj scooter with two dudes descending the ghat (hillybsection of road) going the wrong way - knowingly - to assist another car stranded on the shoulder.

Our driver pulled hard right missing them and the car crushing behemoth on our right to leap ahead and make the next turn towards the once serene green hills of Pune.

So what 'one way'?  The adage should read - where there is a wheel there is a way.

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