Driving in India is a real art in itself. Not only do you have to master the skills of manoeuvring your car, bike or bus, but you also have to have a sixth sense as to which way the traffic, pedestrians and/or animals are going to move!

The Indians do drive on the left, well that is to say that they mainly drive on the left, but if it is quicker or easier for them to drive on the wrong side of the carriageway then that’s what they will do! Many times we saw cars, motorbikes or bikes with trailers coming towards us in the ‘fast’ lane of a motorway.  Thankfully we missed them every time, but I don’t think I will volunteer to sit in the front seats of the coach again!

It was amazing to see how many people they managed to get on a motorbike, the lady here sitting side saddle is cradling a small child, in front  of them is a small boy and then dad!

Horses and carts didn’t really slow the traffic down in town very much at all, it couldn’t get much slower with them or without them.

Getting the milk from your dairy to the market was easy, just put it on your motorbike!

Watch out for the cows!

Four on a bike!

Good views from on top of the elephant.  We didn’t see that many on the road, they were mainly at UNESCO sites!

The lorries were all decorated very ornately and sometimes I wondered how the drivers saw out of the windows!

I nearly became a nervous wreck sitting in the front seat of the coach for a day as you were witness to many many dodgy overtaking manoeuvres!!

Due to the extreme heat and the lack of air-conditioning most buses and coaches didn’t have any windows!

From what we saw most public transport seemed to be very busy and in a lot of cases there was standing room only!

It’s amazing to still see so many of the Hindustan Ambassadors cars on the road. These cars were based on the old Morris Oxford, and have been built in India since 1957.

The last “Amby” rolled of the production line in May 2014 so I expect they will still be around for a few more years yet!

Riding a pushbike is still the most popular way of getting around………

And its amazing what you can carry on a bike, this guy is taking Jane’s new shoes back to the hotel!

If the bus is full then a tractor and trailer will do!

It does take a time to figure out who wants to go where at busy road junctions!

Some cows had a little more sense and sat in the middle of the road out of the way!

And if you can’t fit in the car then just hang on to the outside!

And if the cab’s full then sit with the cargo….

And then there are the cities, just don’t expect to move anywhere in a hurry!

Cows take priority!

Motorbiking with a hijab!

The family out for a ride!

Yes, no problem I can get that bag on the back of your bike!

And if you need to take a break then there’s no better place than a traffic island!

Sadly this was an all too common sight!

However, considering the strange chaotic ballet of Indian driving we thankfully left India unscathed.