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Published: March 14th 2008
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Priest in Jain Temple at Bhenswara
He tried to get money from me, a 'donation'! Where do I start?
India, so far has been more or less as I had expected...vibrant, hectic, hassled, inspiring, tiring, polluted, colourful, beautiful...
The only thing I hadn't predicted was just how cold winter in Rajasthan is! Gone are my evenings of wearing flip flops and flimsy tops and instead dawn and dusk see me wearing my new purchases...a thick woollen jumper, big wool shawl/blanket, socks, gloves, woolly hat and my resurrected trainers that have laid dormantly attached to my bag for the previous three months!
India requires an open mind, thick skin, dogged determination not to be ripped off and a sense off humour and adventure...if that sounds like you, come along!
As I flew from Bangkok to India I felt tired and daunted, imagining how nice it to would to be flying back to the ones I love. However, as the Delhi taxi driver put on the radio and Hindi music blasted out, I remembered why I was here!
First impressions:
- The cold when the sun is not shining.
-The winters smog, which envelopes many large cities such as Delhi
-The colourful and decorates lorries, all with 'Horn please' painted
on the back, as if any Indian driver needs reminding that beeping loudly is the expected protocal when wishing to pass, or simply letting any other vehicle, person or animal know that one is approaching. Vietnam was almost as bad, but India seems to revel in its abnormally loud horns, including a musical variety...I have not had a single day in Delhi without a headache!
- The colours...sari spotting was a favourite activity of mine at first. It is a bit like attending a ball (as a girl) and analysing and marvelling at everyone elses dresses, only on a daily basis. The novely soon wears off, however, as you get used to seeing glittering and elegant women. Even the poor women in grubby clothes carry a great femininity.
- Beggars. I haven't seen so many as I expected to, Jaipur has had the largest concentration. Children begging either by order or of their own accord is a common sight, along with women holding a baby. 'Hello, pen', 'Hello, rupee', 'Hello, chocolate', are as common as 'Hello, chapati for baby' or the universal sign of bringing hand to mouth to say, I need food, give me money!
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Touts and salesmen. It is impossible to walk down a street, particularly a touristy street without constant, 'Hello, what is your name?' 'Hello, where you from', 'Hello friend', 'Hello richshaw/auto'...always followed by 'where you go?'. Or occasionally the more inventive more but annoying, 'which country is suffering without you?', 'You don't like to talk to Indian men?', 'Don't I deserve to talk to you?'
....
I could go through the tour in chronological order, but it would be dull reading and is not reflective of how I think of my time. In fact, being on a tour often disengaged my brain and I really have to think to remember precisely what I have been doing.
The tour group was friendly and well balanced as I had hoped, two couples, the rest solo travellers, mixed age, mixed gender, mixed nationality. Our guide, Sunny, was very friendly and really looked out for us. The whole thing was a good way to get a taste of India and build up my confidence to travel here independently, and more importantly, by myself.
Nevertheless, I discovered that I am not a tour person, and do not intend to travel that way
Bangle seller
Indian women's hands are much smaller than mine, however, they wouldn't take no for an answer...'not too small, perfect fit' and rammed bangles onto my hand whilst crushing it. It ended up very sore and bruised! again. The follow-my-leader style of travel resulted in me not bothering to think about things. Everything was planned, we got up at the time we were told, we boarded pre-booked buses, trains and autos. We followed Sunny and local guides and my brain often went to sleep. The forts, palaces, temples and havellis (merchant houses) of Rajastan are beautiful. However, we saw rather too many buildings for my liking and moved from place to place too quickly, only getting a taste of a place, seeing the main (usually architectural) sights rather than really getting to know anywhere. It is revealing of my personality, I think, that I became most alive (and shook off the strange lethargy that came over me this past three weeks) during my free time when I ventured out to tackle India's streets by myself. As much as I love architecture, I am far more fascinated and amused by people and by exploring what India has too offer along its streets and down its alley ways (within reason, there are obviously places I will not venture alone).
Perhaps things would have been different if I had really got on well with any of the group members.
Everyone was nice, everyone got on, but I did not click with anybody and instead retreated into myself somewhat. This was exacerbated by long meals in expensive restaurants twice a day. Intrepid travelling turned out not to be as budget as I expected. Far too many posh hotels and restaurants catering at extortionate prices and not with the authentic atmosphere that can be found in a little place frequented mainly by locals. Fine dining is lovely, of course, but it was never what I was seeking when I left England, let alone when I flew to India!
This all sounds very negative and ungrateful I know. I am happy and grateful for the experience, it was just not as I might have hoped. I now have the confidence to travel alone and am working on building up the know how...for instance how to book an Indian sleeper train ticket myself, and not simply follow the tour guide...
This is getting long, so I shall start another entry to detail the most memorable aspects of the tour, where I am now, and where I am going.
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