No other country speaks to the imagination like India. You always hear people say:” You love it or you hate it.” Most of the time, you do both at the same time. Travelling in India can be daunting, and it is certainly always an adventure. The lessons Mother India teaches you are multiple and often unexpected… But everyone who has ever been to India will recognise the following things:
- You know your chapatis from your rotis from your naan…
- You start preferring squat toilets. Really! And that toilet water spray, can we get that in Europe please?
- You know where to use Namaste, Sat Sri Akal and Tashi Delek to say hello. “Hello” usually also works.
- Spicy food? Noooo problem.
- You start preferring rice over bread. Like, morning, lunch, dinner. Unless there is dosa or paranthas…
- You know eating with just a spoon is totally acceptable, but eating with your left hand is not.
- You know there is a thing like mango season in India. Don’t be silly and order a mango lassi in October.
- 24hour train rides are the new normal and you know your Sleeper class from your 3AC.
- You utter “grmmph” to everyone when walking out of the station, and walk 100m to hail a tuktuk off the road
- You learned that shouting at someone is acceptable, and preferable even, just to get something done (but boy do I hate it)
- The head wiggle! You start wiggling your head when you like something. Especially when you didn’t have to shout at somebody to get something done.
- You don’t buy the “Your hotel is full”/”Fixed price”/“The office is closed today”/“Please buy powdered milk for my baby” scams (anymore).
- You make a LOT of dog friends. They are unfamiliar and super grateful with non-shouting and non-kicking humans.
- You learn to count everything. Twice…
Read some of my other posts on India:
Why I did a yoga teacher training course… and 8 reasons why you should too.
