Why I fell in Love with India
Changing Worlds Travel Advisor, Pendra Heath, spent a month traveling in India. Here she summarises the highlights of her trip!
India was the first country I visited outside of Europe, and what a country to begin in. At first, it can be a little overwhelming but it certainly doesn’t take you long to fall in love with India. Here are the top 10 things I love about India:
1. The Colours – India is easily the most vibrant and beautiful place I have ever visited. Even the cows were painted yellow whilst we were there!
2. The People – In India I met some of the loveliest people ever, staying in a homestay with this family was a highlight of the trip. People will want to talk to you and shake your hand at every opportunity.
3. The Cricket – Don’t leave India without seeing a live cricket match, watch as the stadium gradually fills up to way above capacity throughout the day and you will not believe the noise that can be made by a whole stadium hitting together empty water bottles. Such a memorable experience.
4. The Buses – Possible love/hate, more than just love. Most of the time you won’t be sure the bus is up to the journey and will wonder if it will make it to its destination. And sometimes it won’t – but they will fix it at the side of the road. And with no windows, there is no need for air-con!
5. The Food – At first it is difficult to adjust to eating curry for breakfast but before long you will be proud of your ‘three curry days’ – curry for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Or eating a Thali from a banana leaf with your hands – you’ll be a pro in no time – almost!
6. The Sunsets – Beautiful every single night!
7. The Temples – You will find in India, that you will temple hop a lot because there are a lot of temples – but each one will surprise you in some way. With either its beauty, its history, or the fact that the resident elephant that lives there has gone busy. This actually happened.
8. The Textiles – Everything in India has such beautiful intricate patterns – you will find it difficult to not take it all with you. As you can see we often failed at this and took it all with us!
9. The Beaches – palm trees, coconut, white sand, turquoise waters = paradise!
10. The Chaos – Nothing will prepare you for the ‘chaoticness’ of India, but the sooner you learn to embrace this, the sooner you will realize that really it just almost always works out.
Discover India for yourself by joining one of Changing World’s fantastic volunteer projects!