India Basic

Some basic things I was wondering about before I came was how much everything costs and what the bathroom situation is like. I will start with the less gruesome. The conversion rate is about 45 rupees to the dollar. The auto-rickshaw ride cost 200 rupees and was a 20 minute ride. The chai comes either spiced or sweet but both are very sweet. You can buy it on every street from a man or boy brewing it in what looks like a hundred year pot. For all I know it might be. Unlike a 3 dollar venti you pay 5 rupees for a small and 10 for a large. The large is a normal mug size. It is pretty strong so you don't need a large glass. It tastes great. The spiced ones they sometimes throw in fresh ginger. They always use milk to brew it.
The hotels we are staying in have been mid-range. Costing between 400-500 rupees a night. They have two beds and a bathroom with hot water shower. Both have even had western style toilets. Most toilets you use are holes in the ground. It is funny because when I visualized this I though it would be dirt but they use the same material as our toilets they just prefer it without they seat. This is most likely because of cleanliness. The Indian few our toilets and toilet paper as just as dirty as we view their method. The first time I used a toilet in Mumbai it was a western toilet but the seat was all wet. That is because next to the toilet was a hose with a spray attached to the end. You stick that near your bottom and go to town. It is actually pretty sweet and does a great job of cleaning without any rough toilet paper. Unfortunately most places have only a cup. Sometimes there is just a little spicket where the toilet paper should be and you have to go through the fickle dance of cupping your left hand under the faucet, trying to move it to your bottom without losing all the water, and then splashing it up. Needless to say I have not perfected the art form. Also needless to say the left hand right hand thing is pretty fucking important. I use my right hand for everything that goes into my mouth and it is not hard to remember. Ok I must run and get some breakfast