About motorbikes

'It is impossible for a western girl to be friends with Indian guys', the man says. He is a lot older, probably somewhere in his thirties, and speaks with an air of someone who has done a lot of thinking. 'Indian guys will just pretend to be your friend, then they will give you a ride on their motorbikes and tell everyone who wants to hear it that they're having sex with you. it is the truth, I hang out a lot with Indian guys and they all do the same. In your face they may act nice to you, but behind your back they will talk shit about you. They will tell you all this bullshit crap that they pity the Indian women, that they want more freedom for them and equal rights, while every single one of them knows that in the end, they want to marry a nice Indian virgin who will cook for them and care for them.' There is a silence as he takes a sip from his chai.

'So many western women don't think about this and just accept rides on motorbikes from Indian men, and they do not realize how bad this makes them look. It is not good for their reputation. I care about the reputation of western women because I am western myself, so it is my culture, you know.'

I have been in India for four months and I have noticed that for a blonde, western girl, rides on motorbikes with Indians are just as easily accessible as clean drinking water in my home country. It is a lot of fun, of course, and it usually saves you the trouble of fixing a rickshaw. You know that they only give you a ride because you're a western girl, but who cares? It is a win-win situation; they are able to show off towards their friends, and I enjoy free transport. 

'It is impossible for a western girl to be friends with Indian guys', the man repeats. Whenever I hear that something is 'impossible', I have this urge to prove the opposite. 'Why? I mean, a lot of Indian guys are more modern than you think, and they know that western girls just want friendship.' He sighs and looks at me. 'There is no Indian guy in this world who just wants to be friends with a blonde girl. Maybe they will say this, but only in hope of getting something more out of the 'friendship'. Belive me, they never stop hitting on you.'

'But isn't that the same with western guys? I mean, how many guys can genuinely and truly be friends with girls without ever thinking of something more? I just think Indian guys are more open about it, because they will tell you when they like you. Maybe they're just more honest than western guys. Maybe western guys are better at pretending to be 'just friends'. 

One thing is true: when Indians like you, they will let you know. The amount of poems and love declarations you'll receive as a western girl in India is unbelievable. They are quite dramatic when it comes to love, the Indians. I guess it is because of the Bollywood movies. 

'How can you be friends with someone that is saying bad things about you behind your back?' The man asks with an unbelieving expression. 'I think I have more friends that do this.' This is also true: a lot of people love to gossip. The man looks annoyed. 'Well, it depends on your defenition of friendship then.' 'I suppose so, yes,' I answer him. 'Just remember that every time you're sitting on a motorbike with an Indian, he will probably tell his friends that he is having sex with you.'

We both take sips of our chai and the discussion is closed. After this, we chit chat away about the same old traveller's bullshit of 'how long are you here for', 'where are you going', 'where are you coming from'. I like the open-midedness and openness of travellers, and how people still act nice to each other after such a disagreement. 

'I am thinking about making a trip of a day or two to Bundi with my motorbike', he tells me. As I finish my chai he asks: 'do you want to come with me?'