India
has always intrigued, as well as frightened me a bit. So when we decided to give it a try, we did listen to our instincts, as well as some good advice from good friends. Planning and booking a trip to the chaos that is India
is not something I’d want to tackle on the ground, standing in line, figuring out where to go and when.. No way! Instead of just showing up to figure it out as we go, or join a group tour, we chose the middle ground. We listed what we really wanted to see and do, contacted a local tour company
with our wishes and they booked all the accommodation and tours accordingly.
Hence, we were off to Rajasthan and Gujarat, for cool experiences of culture
and nature.
Food
Arriving in New Delhi early morning, we had played with the thought of getting
out of there as soon as possible, as neither of us are really keen on big
cities. However, it seemed to also be wise to get a bit of rest before heading
off, to be able to appreciate the trip. But, we started out with a total shock to both sense and your senses… breakfast! We managed to check in at the hotel early
and get some early morning spicy noodles at the breakfast buffet, which otherwise
comprised mainly of toast and jam. Not the last time on this trip breakfast seemed
like a fire hazard on our pallets… We did have to get used to this type of breakfast and also learnt from the start to order tea, never coffee: it is always bad! …unless
you’re in a South Indian restaurant.
One of my initial worries about India was getting the infamous Delhi-belly, as my
stomach usually gets upset just drinking the calcium rich tap water in Denmark! But, we went with the notion that if there’s plenty of locals, the food is probably cheap, tasty and fresh. Most often we were the only tourists at the local
places, but always ended up having great meals, which we downed with a couple of
lassis or cups of masala chai.
Since we were going to Gujarat, I also had to overcome my fear of cooked vegetables. Being a predominately vegetarian state, I quickly learnt to order dishes containing
chickpeas, or similar, to break up the mushy texture. At one point we were
actually offered chicken with our curry in Gujarat. It was almost like in the
movies, when someone is offering the big gangster boss a briefcase full of cocaine, for a reasonable price!? All in all, the food impressed me.
After breakfast on our first day, we were off for a walk in the park, getting a first glimpse of
the temples and monuments India is famous for, as well as the bird life. This
was very peaceful and well needed after a night on a plane… and also a good warm-up
for our next activity.
When
you say India, many people probably think of tigers, temples and... Bollywood!
So, to my travel partner’s great amusement, I’d booked us in for a few hours of
private dancing lessons, Bollywood style, all with the proper attire of course! Three different styles were practised and then filmed… never has looking like
idiots been more fun!
Attention
And speaking of looks… Me dying my hair red just before
the trip may not have been my brightest idea. If you think blond hair gets
attention, try red! I was constantly stopped by everyone, wanting family
pictures, one on one pictures and everything in between. As passers-by saw the
commotion, they also wanted in on the deal. Grandmothers, babies, dogs…
everyone! I had no clue what was going on, as there were plenty of other
tourists around in both Agra and Jaipur. However, I do believe I solved the mystery
as I was flicking through the flight magazine on our way out of India. In a
section about new Bollywood movies, there was a photo of a redheaded, blue-eyed Bollywood-superstar (whom I have never heard of and look nothing like)… But it is the only explanation. I can only imagine
their disappointment when they realise!
After the dancing event on arrival day, moving on to a more dignified affair seemed to be in order. Finally celebrating David's birthday in style, we had high tea in the winter garden
at one of the fancier colonial-style hotels in town. Cucumber sandwiches, cheesecake and all
sorts of little goodies were easily devoured after having spent a lot of energy
earlier on.
Traffic
Getting around in the city of Delhi was made easy by the fact that we had a car with a
driver for the whole three weeks, so we never had to worry about transport or
the absence of traffic rules. I’ve driven in some pretty crazy places, but
India would have done my head in. I guess what I call rules, they see as gentle
suggestions. Two lane roads are easily navigated as five lanes, hooting is
mandatory every five seconds and negates the need for mirrors, indicators and
common sense. On the freeway you shouldn’t be too surprised about having
oncoming traffic on your side of the road, someone obviously just changed their
mind as to what direction they wanted to go.
Also, donkeys, tuk-tuks, goats,
packs of dogs and toddlers can show up anywhere at any time… no worries! Just
zoom past them at the speed of light, wearing your hooter out, and if they
didn’t already know, they will learn to watch out… Even camels are giving you the evil eye if you don't heed the more informal rules of the road!
So, we were grateful to have
a driver that was used to this insanity and didn’t flinch if the highway all of
a sudden turned into a sand quarry for a few km. On the other hand, we did get
a bit tired of his unwillingness to follow the program and his begging for money after a while... Note to self: break the trip up in a couple of shorter bits, as to not get stuck with an annoying travel companion you didn't choose.
Needless to say, the shock of meeting India full on, at full speed, with spicy breakfast, funny dancing, chaotic traffic, mysterious smells, constant hooting, colourful women really tires your senses and we made it an early night... this was only day one!!?
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