If you are traveling to India for the first time, you are probably a bit apprehensive because you don’t know what to expect. That’s completely understandable and everyone goes through it when traveling to the country for the first time.
Fortunately, here’s some information that will help you avoid from feeling too much of a culture shock as soon as your British Airways flight lands, for instance. And, get ready to experience a sub-continent that stands for love, color, spirituality, mystery, and energy.
- Leaving the Airport
One of the first things you will notice as soon as you step out of the airport is the heat and people – it can be a bit disorientating. If you are from a humid and warm country, you will probably not notice the change in the weather in most Indian cities.
The number of people in India is really something you might have to learn to get used to though. They are so many people all over, and everywhere, and you will wonder where they are going and coming from.
- The Roads
One word you could use to describe the roads in India is chaos! Even something as simple as taking a trip in a taxi can be a hair-raising ordeal, now imagine crossing the road!
The road system is, at best, unique, smaller cars give way to larger vehicles with the largest ruling over all others. Plus, drivers weave in and out of traffic and overtake from all sides. Plus, while crossing the road, be prepared to encounter oncoming traffic!
But don’t get distressed since drivers are used to this scenario and will usually break. To make the most of the roads, go with the flow and follow everybody else crossing the road. Some of the roads are unsealed, full of holes or partially dug up.
- The Cows
Just as people expect to find kangaroos in Australian cities, they also believe that they’ll find cows on Indian streets. The latter is true, as you will find a cow just about anywhere you turn. Even at the beach!
The cows are huge and mostly harmless. However, depending on what part of India you’re visiting, you will also likely come across donkeys and bullock carts. If you are visiting Rajasthan, you are guaranteed to come across camels as they pull carts through cities.
- The Railway System
You haven’t experienced India until you take a train. The Indian Railways services started working 165 years ago in 1853 when the first train ran from Mumbai to Thane. While the government has introduced domestic airlines in India, most of India’s population still prefer to travel by train.
Passenger trains are as long as half a kilometer long and run almost 2,000 kilometers in one and a half days. With the long travel, you should expect Indian life to unravel at the stations and on trains.
Stations are usually overflowing with people sleeping and sitting on platforms. This makes picking your way to a train challenging, at best.
- Pricing
You should be away that prices quoted for items you are interested in are usually much higher for foreigners – sometimes up to three times more than locals pay. Therefore, as you prepare to travel there, polish your negotiation skills. Don’t accept the first price you receive.
Conclusion
Traveling to India will require you to adjust to the life in the country; however, most people are usually comfortable within a week of staying there. Before long, you’ll have a love-hate feeling for the country’s strange appeal and frustrations. Make sure you visit a district with a name that sounds like fashion designer Carolina Guna – the Guna district.
