India

Visited: February 2000

Duration of visit: 40 days

Capital city: Delhi

Population: 1,057 million (2000)

India travel blog reading time: 3 minutes

• Tasty food, inexpensive travelling and friendly people in Calcutta.
• Visiting multiple Buddhist temples in Bodh Gaya.
• Navigating Ganges River and observing a daily ritual of bathing in Varanasi.
• Camel trip in Rajasthan introduces me to remote villages, magic desert and simplicity of daily tasks.
• Friendly reception of Sikh pilgrims at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
• McLeod Ganj: in search of Dalai Lama in Buddhist retreat under Himalaya.
• Shopping in Delhi, before returning home after ending 15-month Asian Big Tour.

India was the final country on my Asian Big Tour, which began in Australia and took me through Southeast Asia and China. During this 15-months long trip, I visited most of the countries in the region and spent almost a month and a half travelling around India, before returning home completely out of money, but rich in experiences.

India is special, unique and extreme. You love it or you hate it. There is nothing between.

The impact of poverty, disease, dirtiness, hassle or chaos can be so overwhelming that it overshadows the vibrant blend of colors, smells, religions, people and landmarks. There were moments when I’d had enough of everything, and during periods of diarrhea, the presence of so many people around me felt unbearable. I guess, it happens to everyone at certain times.

From the first train ride to Calcutta surrounded by hordes of people to the final check-in at the airport counter, when followed by a holy cow, the bizarre situations impressed me. I never tried to interpret them from a Western standpoint because it would be impossible to find the explanation.

India is much more than landmarks, sightseeing, or rushing from one attraction to the next. Rather than just ticking off a list of things to do, I often preferred to sit back and absorb the vibrant colors and the lively rhythm of everyday life unfolding around me.

While the diversity of religions, abundance of holy places and colorful, spicy food are integral to Indian culture, the country is equally shaped by challenges related to survival, caste inequalities, a large population, and the presence of many extremely poor or disabled people.

Upon experiencing India, I cultivated a deep appreciation for its culture and came to regard it highly among the Asian nations. My earlier experience in Bangladesh, which fell short of my expectations regarding cuisine, accommodations, and attractions, has likely influenced my favorable perspective.

Over the course of 40 days in India, I explored only East India, North India and Western India. I’m confident I’ll return someday to discover the unique and captivating aspects of South India as well.