The unexpected chaos Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness

With a train ticket in hand, a ginormous bag on my back, and complete naivety to the realities of the East, I set out on a trek which came with numerous discoveries.

I cannot and will not say that I went to India to "find myself", but I cannot and will not deny that my experiences had a profound effect on the way I viewed my journey, myself, and subsequent travels. I had been warned that India was a country of contradictions, and for a brief time when I first arrived, I felt somewhat prepared for my time there. Little did I know how wrong I was. I think my journey can be summed up in one quote from a local man that I traveled with; he said “when you are journeying in India, you need four good things 1) good horn 2) good brakes 3) good voice 4) ...good luck!”

The disorder and chaos in India only contributed to the enticement of the country. My journey revealed such immense beauty to me – beautiful scenery, beautiful colours, but most importantly beautiful people. When there is nothing left to give, they give of themselves – an elderly woman sweeping water off a public monument; a man sharing food with a small animal; an elderly rikshaw driver over three times my age, pulling me up a hill at a slower pace than I could have walked it - simply because he needs to prove he's worth his money. The hospitality was inspiring, and if I learned one thing in India, it is that kindness does not cost as much as people seem to think it does in the West. There is a common phrase in Hindi which means “guests are equivalent to god”. The philosophy of kindness by which these people live their life, was made very apparent to me during my visit.

I have to mention that not all of my experiences were inspiring – in fact, some were very difficult, and I was unprepared for them. I saw things i didn't want to see – poverty, crippling disease, stray animals, litter and garbage, I was in situations which made me feel frustrated and incapable of making my own decisions - but a cultural exchange will always throw up shocks and difficulties, along with all the incredible memories, amazing new friends, and valuable lessons learned.
One of the most important lessons I learned during my journey with college on wheels, is that no matter how cliche it sounds, it is important that individuals travel with an open mind, willing to learn, co-operate, and understand – because if they go with a closed mind, they will come back with nothing.