5 Things that shocked me about India

You would think this would be a long list.  Especially if you are not Indian.  Especially if you are like my redneck workmates (old job, not new thank goodness) who would say things like: 'why are you going to India', 'do they have proper buildings there' (this guy thought there were just huts...funny...funnier because he is half Indian but with parents born here...he is not a redneck at least...just a dumbo sometimes...and reasonably likely to read this because I am going to tell him to :D), 'nothing will prepare you...' (referring to poverty, crowds, beggars, food), 'you won't be able to eat the food...you think you know hot food but you don't if you haven't been to India'.  (It should be noted, by the way, that none of the people giving these warnings had ever actually been to India). But...while I encountered all these things, none of them shocked me.  The only food I found hot (but could still eat), my Indian dining companion also found hot enough to give him nightmares.  A few things did shock me though:

1) Orange hair.  On my very first day I noticed that a number of people I saw had bright orange hair.  I thought this was an unusual colour to dye your hair, especially if your natural colour is black.  Thought 'oh, maybe it has some religious meaning that I just don't know because I am a dumb tourist'.  Then, looking at my friend's hair, I noticed that he no longer had any grey hairs.  Instead, they were....orange!  So I discovered the reason for the orange hair.  Yes, henna.  Duh. (photo from downwithtyranny.com)

2)  People everywhere.  Now, I had known that the cities would be crowded, so this didn't come as a shock.  But I had not realised that even out 'in the country' there would be people everywhere - in fields working, talking by the side of the road, walking.  In Australia once you leave the cities you very rarely see anyone walking or cycling on the side of the road.  In fact, on many roads you will go 10 minutes to an hour without even seeing another car.  I actually really liked this aspect, and idea that you were never too far from another person.

3)  Actually seeing those 'only in India' sights.  You know, the elephants, cows by cars, Rajasthani men in turbans talking by the side of the road, overloaded autos, people on top of buses, women in beautiful saris carrying water on their heads.  This shocked and delighted me.  In so many places you never see what you expect to (for example, women in kimono in Japan)...so India gave me a lot more than I had dared hope.  And I loved it all.

4)  Just how pretty and pristine much of Delhi was.  How nice the painted kerbs were.  How litter free the streets.  How green and serene (well apart from peak hour traffic).  I had not expected to like Delhi.  Had not much wanted to go there (influenced of course by my Mumbai friends who were full of dire warnings and dismissal of the charms of Delhi).  But I loved it.  Wish my city was so pretty.  (and yes, Harsh, if you read this, you did a fabulous job of showing me just the good side of Delhi...but of course next time I will not be deterred from Pahar Ganj) :D

5)  Washing/laundry drying.  A few things shocked me about this.  Firstly, I saw no pegs in use - not even when outside on a line.  How do the clothes stay there?  Is there no wind in India?  Are the clothes well-disciplined?  I don't understand.  Please explain.  Secondly, they were everywhere - whether hanging on the posts on the middle of a median strip,  over a fence in the middle of Mumbai, or on a line by the road in Goa, they were frequently in places that were accessible to a lot of people.  Don't people steal clothes in India?  From my own experiences of a communal line in a small complex of 8 units here, I can assure you that Australians do.  And yet even is a busy city where most passersby will not know the owners of the clothes, they apparently remain safe.  Amazing!

If I can't teleport, I wish I could at least time travel...

...and then I would take myself back 6 weeks ago to the beginning of my trip to India (or maybe 5 weeks 6 days and 19 hours ago, to have the pesky flight and baggage collection part out of the way...). Of course, even the time on the plane was somewhat exciting - already feeling like I was half there, with a full flight and only 10 Australians perhaps on it...all the rest Indian (even though at least some of them were actually just Indian origin, and making their first trip like me...). And then, when I had my first sighting of the lights of Mumbai...and then, when actually landed (can remember the feeling 'I am officially in India' lol)...and then waiting on the tarmac oh so impatiently (and remembering the impatience Russell Peters talked about in his act)...and then when at last moving off the plane and the excitement of being a little tiny bit 'out' in India as exiting the plane....well, was just amazing...and still remember the mixed feelings of excitement, trepidation, and impatience to be 'out in India' so well!

Other memories of my arrival:

- the flight attendants spraying the plane on arrival (bringing back memories of arriving in Perth back in the 80s)

- being asked by another flight attendant if I had 'done this before', and her wishing me luck when I said I hadn't (and feeling momentarily brave...)

- experiencing my usual 'yes, I know I am following 100 or so people from my plane, but am I going the right way' nervousness...I don't know why I have this, but it happens without fail in every airport I ever arrive at, including that of my own city...

- fixing upon a fairly tall pair of women from my plane and deciding to follow them (at a distance...but I felt 'as long as I can see them, I am in the right place')

- everything being so easy once in the H1N1 line...people telling us where to go, and then so quickly through customs, and talking to the customs officer about where I was going (and yes, next time I am going to Kerala as he suggested :D)

- arriving quite early at the baggage carousel and very quickly learning that you stand right up against the carousel and defend your territory (one of the big difference between travel in India and Australia - in Australia people tend to stand 1m back from the carousel, while in India standing 40cm back means there is space for someone to squeeze in front...)

- talking to a lady originally from India, now living in Sydney who was standing next to me - and so lovely, she even waited for me after her own baggage had come through just to make sure mine came out ok.

- suddenly emerging into India! in a much more dramatic way that I had imagined, with the feeling of entering onto a stage with a huge audience -feeling very conspicuous and torn between walking slowly to find a sign with my name, or getting out of that area asap to a less conspicuous place.

- trying to locate the driver from my hotel, and the happiness and relief when I did.

- waiting for the driver to bring the car (and ok, I was doing this even before boarding the Singapore-Mumbai flight) and checking out the other Australians from the flight (particularly solo women) and being immensely curious as to what their story was - did they live there? were they brave solo travellers? joining a tour? I really am just so nosy...

- driving the short distance to the hotel, and even at 3.30 in the morning everything seemed wildly exciting - the heat and humidity, the style of driving, the buildings, the different vehicles, the closed shops passed

- the very odd feeling of arriving at a silent hotel at 4am and checking in - 4 people in attendance, but oh so quiet

- being unable to sleep from the excitement of it all until I saw a hint of daylight through the curtains

- as I remembered, taking photos of literally everything - the view outside, the hotel room (I was determined to record everything to add to my tripadvisor reviews...), the room service menu, the breakfast, and even the key!

It seems a little odd to include a photo of the bathroom so that is out, the room was a bit messy by the time I photographed the bed etc so I won't add that, the key photo is really boring so not that either...so...here is a photo of my first meal (breakfast) and of the view from the room (I sooo loved the greenery)! Ok, now edited to include photos of the room (oops should've taken before it was trashed), hallway, bathroom, menu etc...