First Visit to India

Posted on Jan 24, 2009 in Exploring The World| 1 comment

Tweet

Email

India was always on my short list of travelling so I was pretty happy to be sent to a business trip in Delhi for the first time. I have always imaged India as a relaxed and spiritual place, maybe because of the vast amount of literature and spiritual leaders being produced by the ancient country.

My first encounter with India’s capital was far from what I had expected. New Delhi has a chaotic mix of bicycles, scooters, buses, cars, and rickshaws jostling with each other in some kind of a weird race. India’s drivers have never heard of consideration for fellow drivers or pedestrians who cross the street. They have never heard about lanes as well. Everyone’s is in one big race. I’m sure that neither of the two bus drivers who tried to literally kill us would have pleaded guilty if their plan had succeeded! 

Another thing you notice after leaving the airport is a thick fog. You later realize this thick fog of pollution surrounds the city each and every day. If you’re not usually a fan of big industrialised cities, then be prepared for noise and pollution on a whole new level. A constant sound of car horns resonates across the city. Apparently none of the drivers use their indicators so everyone beeps to indicate that they about to pass. To add further support, Most of the trucks and busses have a sign on the back: "Please horn". Madness : )

India is also not for the faint of heart, Poverty is simply everywhere. People are fighting to make a living, trying to sell whatever they can so they literally follow you anywhere you go. In many side corners you would see mountains of rubbish with a strong smell of urine. Perhaps the most disturbing sight is children with torn cloths and dirty faces who walk between cars, begging for food. My heart truly went out to some poor kids I’ve seen on the streets. The locals seem not to notice it at all so I guess they just got used to it.How can they…? 

Obviously this is only first impression and one side of the coin, it definitely takes few days to adjust and when you do India can be an epic adventure.  We were graciously hosted by 2 large Indian companies who took care of us like an Indian mom. Our hosts provided us a dedicated driver and were extremely nurturing. My CEO told them that I’m competitive athlete so they ordered to send us food every hour or so : )

 Although I could use our driver to get to the Taj mahal which is 3 hours south of Delhi, I preferred to experience India’s train system before I leave. Train stations are not different from street corners; you can’t avoid the poverty and the general hygiene condition is pretty low. The trains, however, are much better, but they never run on time. 8:30pm Departure became 11:00pm and a 2 hours trip became 6 hours. Same thing happened when I took a flight to a northern Indian few days before, so I have to assume lateness is a common practice while commuting in India. One great thing about travelling in trains, comparing to cars, is the possibility to meet new people, especially when you travel alone. In one day trip to Agra I met more people than in a month time in Melbourne.

 I’ve spent most of the day in Agra with an English guy, travelling between historical sites, joking with locals, riding a rickshaw, tasting great food, and experiencing crazy India as much as I could. The Taj Mahal is truly a spectacular building. Even though it was built in the 17th century, this white-marble monument to love is still in immaculate condition. A must see.

One last note about travelling, India seems to be a safe place but it can be dangerous at time, especially at night time and especially for women who travel alone. In my night train back to Delhi I’ve met 2 young Argentinean girls who have just arrived so they asked me to join them. We hadv some scary moments with dodgy taxi drivers but luckily it all ended well. Just another reminder that travelling solo in some areas isn’t without danger. 

With Love, Tal