Welcome to India. This place is unmatched by any other place on earth. Let me try and paint you a picture of the environment.
1. A monkey, dogs & cats running wild
2. A cow wondering the streets and it's shit
3. Four different rickshaw drivers asking you if you need a ride
4. An Indian squatting down by the side of road and whipping it out to have a squirt
5. Multiple starving Indians sleeping by the side of the road that probably weigh 100lbs or 45kg.
All the while rickshaw and car horns are screaming relentlessly 24 hours.
Given the above, Delhi is the ultimate zoo. Needless to say everybody tries to rip you off. But given that a hotel can cost 5$ CDN and a good meal can go for 1.50$ CDN the amount they rip you off is insignificant. The Taj Mahal is in Agra and about 2 hours from Delhi. It is absolutely spectacular. Even walking toward it feels like I've ripped a page out of Aladdin.
Varanasi has a huge river that runs adjacent to it. The Ganga is used in so many way. Here are a few:
-Wash humans
-Brush your teeth
-Cremation remains are tossed in it
-Deceased who can't afford cremation are tossed into it with a rope a rock (mafia much?ha ha)
-Cows bath in it
Dead bodies are burned just on the edge of the Ganga for all to see. Every night locals will hold a ceremony to celebrate this river. Of course the river looks disgusting.
Calcutta was probably the most civilized city I visited. I began to wonder why. Then I found out it was occupied by the English for many years. Probably the first place you would want to visit if you want to ease into India.
Now I am in Darjeeling. I am up in the mountains north of India and bam a bug. I spent yesterday as sick as a dog with fever. Luckily I had A bunch of drugs with me and my fever has subsided. Gastro is part of the Indian purification process. Not a single local uses toilet paper. So your using your hand all the time? Needless to say, hygiene is pretty low on the hierarchy of needs. Especially when you have so little to eat.
In a couple of days I'll be meeting up with Sergio, one my best buds in Kathmandu. Wish me luck in
Nepal...
Your now Indian experienced traveller
-Jonathan
1. A monkey, dogs & cats running wild
2. A cow wondering the streets and it's shit
3. Four different rickshaw drivers asking you if you need a ride
4. An Indian squatting down by the side of road and whipping it out to have a squirt
5. Multiple starving Indians sleeping by the side of the road that probably weigh 100lbs or 45kg.
All the while rickshaw and car horns are screaming relentlessly 24 hours.
Given the above, Delhi is the ultimate zoo. Needless to say everybody tries to rip you off. But given that a hotel can cost 5$ CDN and a good meal can go for 1.50$ CDN the amount they rip you off is insignificant. The Taj Mahal is in Agra and about 2 hours from Delhi. It is absolutely spectacular. Even walking toward it feels like I've ripped a page out of Aladdin.
Varanasi has a huge river that runs adjacent to it. The Ganga is used in so many way. Here are a few:
-Wash humans
-Brush your teeth
-Cremation remains are tossed in it
-Deceased who can't afford cremation are tossed into it with a rope a rock (mafia much?ha ha)
-Cows bath in it
Dead bodies are burned just on the edge of the Ganga for all to see. Every night locals will hold a ceremony to celebrate this river. Of course the river looks disgusting.
Calcutta was probably the most civilized city I visited. I began to wonder why. Then I found out it was occupied by the English for many years. Probably the first place you would want to visit if you want to ease into India.
Now I am in Darjeeling. I am up in the mountains north of India and bam a bug. I spent yesterday as sick as a dog with fever. Luckily I had A bunch of drugs with me and my fever has subsided. Gastro is part of the Indian purification process. Not a single local uses toilet paper. So your using your hand all the time? Needless to say, hygiene is pretty low on the hierarchy of needs. Especially when you have so little to eat.
In a couple of days I'll be meeting up with Sergio, one my best buds in Kathmandu. Wish me luck in
Nepal...
Your now Indian experienced traveller
-Jonathan
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3 comments:
Hey Jonathan...it's your cousin Lino. Read your blog... very interesting... and scary as well. Wish you all the best in your adventure around the world. Keep safe & well and keep us informed through your blog.
Ciao for now!
Lino
Wash your teeth and cows bath in.... hmmmm interesting
Hey Lino,
thanks so much, hope you enjoy...
Have a good one,
Jonathan
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