So i have completed the first leg of my trip and got a taste of India. On my Kingfisher Airlines flight from Jaipur to Bombay (nope, no free Kingfisher beer on the plane...), and during several hours of waiting around at Bombay airport (which by the way, is not an airport that you want to spend any longer than necessary) I had time to reflect a bit on all the impressions (and life in general). I was supposed to stay in Bombay for 1 day, but plans changed at the last minute. Nevertheless, by travelling on planes and international airports, you get a view of a different social class of the Indian population.
There was one thing that particularly struck me: we saw many many babies and small children travelling for hours on the local buses, but hardly any of them made a single sound. On the plane to Bombay and at the airport, there were much fewer Indian kids but a disproportionally high nr of them were screaming and nagging...I blame it on the air-conditioning...or perhaps they get uncomfortable when it's too quiet...;-)
So, a taste of India. Of course, one week is not enough, but I can definitely say that I loved it, and would immediately return. India really challenges all your senses, and not just your tastebuds. Yes, it is noisy, dirty, messy, hot, dry, and half the country lives in subhuman conditions, which requires a lot of patience, tolerance and adaptability; and the beggars, touts and children can definitely get on your nerves after a while. But there is just so much to see and do here, so much culture, so many colours and contrasts. I am glad that I got a glimpse of it, and I think I got a full-on Indian experience by travelling in Rajasthan, that is considered one of the most beautiful and at the same time one of the poorest areas in the country.
Finally, here are a few funny anekdotes from the week in India:
I have seen camels, geckos, kingfishers (and i mean the bird here), 1 peacock, lots of monkeys (they inhabit the temples), goats and cows, but no elephant or cockroach!
I have drunk a diet "cock" (=coke mispelt on an Indian menu), eaten lots of Indian "snakes" (= snacks) but kept my hands of the "water million" (=water melon). Nevertheless, i didn't get away without a couple of mild stomach aches, and i made several trip to the bathroom during my last night in India :/
I have a few near-misses of road accidents but have only seen or heard 1 ambulance during the whole trip.
The food is not as spicy as i thought it was (maybe they adapt the spices for Westerners) and Masala tea from a street vendor is the best (probably the little bit of dirt/dust adds that extra bit of flavour).
Never ask a Local how long something takes or at least never take the time he/she tells you for granted, especially if they wiggle their head whilst they tell you (it generally always takes longer).
Question: How many people do you think fit on an Indian bus?
Answer: More than you think. And there is always room for more!
And finally, i have compiled a list of 10 questions that you inevitably have to answer when meeting a Local (in that particular order)
1. Which country are you from?
2. Where do you come from? (which is not the same thing as 1. by the way!)
3. How long are you in India?
(3a. Have you been to my village?)
4. Are you student? What do you study?
5. What do you do?
6. Are you married?
7. Do you have a boyfriend?
8. Where is your boyfriend?
9. What is your address/phone nr?
10. Will you come to my village?
:-)
