Some countries require more conscientious mental preparation than others. Visiting, for example, France, Australia, or Canada is not the same as visiting countries like Indonesia or Bolivia, especially if you are Western.
India is one of those countries that you have to know in advance where you are going, so that the shock is not so strong. It is a very big country and where it seems that there are no gifts of any kind. India can be exasperatingly chaotic but also immeasurably colourful and friendly … but all at the same time! Adapting to constant contradictions can be challenging, and being prepared is essential. India is full of the diversity that you can find in every step of places, every region and place like North India & South India, Central India, having different cultures, traditions, religions, & Languages. So enjoy the best part of India with many surprises that will makes you definitely wow condition. Apart from all that, you will also witness the vibrant colors of nature.
10 things you should know before traveling to India.
1- India is India. Do not expect German perfection, Swiss precision, cleanliness, and Nordic order or British punctuality. And although I do not get scrupulous or extreme, I can assure you that you should not expect the “common logic and common sense” that you handle on a daily basis with your Western mentality, whatever country you are in. Indian cities are a lack of control – of people, animals, and vehicles of all kinds – and you should try to adapt yourself to the country. Do all the Indians want to take a picture with you? You are in India, and everything is possible! You have to be prepared for the most bizarre situations in your life.
2- Indian traffic is one of the most chaotic I have experienced in my life. The horn sounds at all times and for all kinds of reasons. You will have to learn to cross the street like the Indians … in an anarchic but cautious way: the vehicles will dodge you. At first, you will find so much noise pollution … with time, you’ll get used to it – or you’ll buy earplugs.
3- The Indians look. Observe by curiosity -principally- and you will always be the center of attention, and your gaze, shameless, will follow you at every step you take. They will also try to take a picture with you. If you do not want the Indian in turn to hesitate to tell his friends that you are “his last conquest and that they have slept with you”, try not to touch or hug the person in question to take the picture, and look as distant as possible.
4- They will try to charge you more always. From the rickshaw driver, the one at the bar that serves you the chai, or the one from the travel agency. Get used to haggling the price of everything.
5- The means of local transport are uncomfortable (old and dilapidated) and the “living space” is not respected. Possibly in a seat for 3 people, travel 4 or 5, under your feet put a huge bag, and do not be surprised if you have a baby in your skirt if the mother is standing on a local bus.
6- The food is spicy. Even in many places, you will order food without spice, and still it will sting. If you ask them not to add any spice, they will not add salt to it, and it will be an insipid dish. You cannot have everything.
7- Its cleaning standards – especially the hostels and guest houses – are far from Western standards. They will offer you dozens of “clean” rooms, and the only “clean” thing will be you, and that you will come from 36 hours of travel in different means of transport, possibly including a rickshaw on a dirt road. If you want really clean rooms, you will have to aim a bit higher at the stars of your hotel and forget the hostels, guest houses, or homestays.
8- Smiles and sympathy reserve it for families, children, and women.
Men can – and very often do – misinterpret a Westerner as “sympathetic”. To save myself from having “uncomfortable” moments, I decided to talk to everyone except single men or two or three men in a small group (unless I was in a very safe environment). Indian men do not know how to flirt with a Western woman, and I have my own experience according to two strategies:
The direct: they look at you for a long time, smiling at you, they try to talk to you, and then with a smile, they ask you:
The hint: They ask you where you are from, what your name is, and then they ask you about your family. They link with the Indians, because the issue of castes is very important there.
They should know that you come from a good family and that it is of the same class as theirs. In any case, if you do not want anything with them, it is better to cut the conversation down and radically. They do not understand subtleties. Tell them you’re not interested and stay away.
9- India has earned the nickname of “the country of spirituality.”
But beware of the petty gurus and impostors who go after the “clueless tourist” to charge for their “spiritual guidance” and “spiritual” services. They have their stage name! There are as many real gurus as phonies … find out before putting your inner search and “nirvana” in the hands of others.
10- India will be what you want to make of it.
It is not the same to discover it on a 15-day vacation on the beaches of Goa and Kerala than a tour of Rajasthan, Bangalore, or Calcutta; or even will it be the same if you go a few weeks to do yoga courses in Rishikesh than to venture into the Himalayas.
India offers a wide variety of destinations and experiences within the country: from cultural and/or religious events, gastronomy, music, yoga, meditation, landscapes, the Royal luxury train like Palace on Wheels, Maharaja Express, the Golden Chariot & Deccan Odyssey Train, adventure tourism, etc. No two experiences of India are the same, and you must create your own adventure within a country that offers everything.
