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Published: March 19th 2010
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INDIA
what a vision... the truly beautiful Taj Mahal... Location: Kolkata, Bodhgaya, Delhi, Agra
Length of Stay: 33 Days
Cost per Day: $10
Oh dear! So much for my planned 6mth love affair with India... It has fizzled into a very brief hello and goodbye... Definitely not my type...
Its worth my saying lest I offend anyone, that this is just my experience... there are many other travellers out there who do fall in love with India and have a wonderful, grand ole time... In fact I have met several who return here year after year... generally to do either Meditation retreats, Yoga training, Volunteer work or to embark on a Spiritual Pilgrimage...
So... I wonder if those 'Incredible India' tourism campaigns are still being marketed around the world...
India is indeed **Incredible**... It is incredibly vibrant, incredibly colorful... and the people are incredibly friendly... its also incredibly noisy, incredibly filthy, incredibly smelly and incredibly over-populated...
Still... it is what it is and has no doubt always been this way and will continue being this way for a long time to come... so one must fully embrace it or do your best to grin and bear it... for me personally, these 4 wks have been the
most challenging I have faced so far on my trip, so I fall into the latter category... I have had to continually remind myself that this is all just an experience and I can leave whenever I want...
India is not for the faint-hearted... And if you are coming to India - whether for 2 weeks or 2 months, you will need to ensure that you are in optimum health - mentally, physically and emotionally because it will bombard and overwhelm you on every level... one can become rundown very, very quickly...
Even with all the months I have spent in South East Asia... I have still suffered from severe culture shock for most every day that I have been here...
The biggest things for me have been the pollution - noise and other, the lack of hygiene and the stench in the streets... Really, really bad... a visit to a public toilet facility will have you spiralling into a mental decline and wanting to get on the 1st plane out... 😊 seriously...
Unfortunately I have not really been able to get in and sample much of the food, due to my body rejecting most of what
I put into it... but from what I did sample in the first few days and what I have seen since... I actually think the quality, nutrition, hygiene and presentation of Indian fare was far superior within Little India in Singapore and the Indian communities of Malaysia...
They say that if you really want great food then the South is the place to head...
The public transport is indeed an amazing experience... It is just as you might of seen on television or photos... bodies squeezed in to every available space... including the roof when necessary...
The distances between the major cities are so vast that an overnight train is the best way to transport people. I did 2 of them in a sleeper because there were no other options... oh my goodness... never again... way too unpleasant and actually influenced me in not wanting to travel around the country if this was the only way to do it...
Touts here in Delhi are a completely different breed to those I have experienced elsewhere in Asia... completely caught me off guard initially...
Firstly... they are all dressed impeccably well... speak perfect English, dressed in designer jeans, sports sunglasses
and the requisite, rugged 3 day growth... looking every inch the Bollywood superstar... 😊
They will sidle up to you quite innocently, being oh so friendly and enquire any or all of the following... *where are you from *are you lost *where would you like to go* there is nothing down there, you must go here instead *I would just like to say hello *I am a student and would like to practice my English...
And unless you tell them quite firmly to leave you alone, they will continue to follow you...
Their ultimate mission is to take you to a particular shop, travel agency, tourist office etc where they will earn a commission...
Something else I discovered...
I dont know about your country, but some time ago in my country, the general public jumped up and down when they heard whispers that our big corporate companies were sending jobs over here to India... These companies assured everyone that no... jobs will remain in Australia for Australians...
They lie... how naughty 😊... I have seen the job advertisements in the Indian employment sections of the major newspapers... massive #'s of call centre staff for major companies required to service
Australian, UK and American customer markets...
I hope that these corporations are at least paying the locals a decent wage...
India has indeed been an extremely cheap destination... In 33 days, I will have spent just over $300... Now that really is incredible...
You might be wondering how much my trip has cost me thus far...
Well, as of tommorrow... I have been on the road for exactly 8 mths... visited 10 countries and spent approx $6000... I am extremely happy with this effort...
It certainly is a very achievable goal from a financial perspective if you want to take a month, two or more to go off and visit some other countries...
So thats my few weeks in India... quite happy with these lot of photos and hope you enjoy...
I have come to a place now where I am feeling extremely weary and tired, so have made the decision... no more Asia and no more 3rd world... I am going to head to Europe now before I completely run out of steam...
My body and spirit are very much needing some pampering and a little luxury... and I am also now needing to be
in an environment where life is much more civilised and where good manners, cleanliness and hygiene are the norm rather than the exception...
My first stop is going to be Turkey... I know... Turkey is not part of Europe... I thought that too... more the Middle East with neighbours like Iran, Iraq and Syria, however Turkey is currently seeking entry into the EU and a portion of their country is actually attached to the European continent... the bridge between East and West they say... I fly into Istanbul which has been voted the cultural capital of Europe 2010... looking forward to it...
Till next time
Nic x
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Theresa Davis
non-member comment
Commiserations
I am sorry you did not enjoy India. I feel that you might have been unduly influenced by your upset stomach. A friend of mine just spent two weeks living with friends in a slum in India at Christmas. They do community development work. My friend gloried in telling us all the gruesome details of the plumbing arrangements and of the onslaught of humanity living on top of one another (dodgy mud housing that just goes up and up). He was only there for two weeks, he had his son with him and he was staying with Australians who live there - so I think he might have stood up better to some of the challenges you describe. And I believe he had no trouble with digestion. But actually I don't recall him saying he enjoyed himself either. Maybe if you had done India on $1000 dollars a day, it would have had an entirely different impact on you. I hear Turkey is renowned for its cleanliness - Turkish baths etc. I don't think I could stand up to the challenges of traveling on a budget in India either. You will definitely renew yourself in Europe. Good luck. Theresa