India: A Serious Traveler's Dream

Two years ago, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to India. The people I met, the splendor I saw, the sounds and smells will remain a part of me forever. Some mornings I still awake and look about, taking a few seconds to realize that I am in my home, but not at home in my India. My friends and family love to hear me retell stories full of excitement and beauty, and, of course, endless humorous accounts of a young woman in a place far different and far away from where she had lived for twenty years.

I count myself among the most fortunate of travelers because I had every resource available to make the best of my time in India. That is, every resource besides copious amounts of money.

The key to getting the most out of your trip is to follow the age-old, yet oft forgotten saying, "When in Rome..." Living as the locals do will undoubtedly save you money and trouble as well as gaining the priceless opportunity to genuinely participate in the rich culture of India. As in all countries, many things are marketed specifically intended for tourist use. Staying as far away as possible from the facade created for such people will no doubt be minus many of the western conveniences we take for granted each day and will take some getting used to, but the rewards far outweigh the the initial discomfort.

In the three months I lived there I spent only four thousand dollars. Two thousand was for airfare and the rest on food, accomodations, trinkets, and treasures of the finest quality, including a stunningly-embroidered chaniya choli (traditional formal wear) and an array of exquisite, 22 karat gold earrings. I spared no expense and everything I used in India was bought there- clothing, footwear, and all other necessities.

Because I traveled with friends who had family in India, many nights were spent in family member's homes, saving us a good deal on accomodations. Still, as we traveled from city to city, we frequented some of the most luxurious hotels imaginable. In large cities, there are obviously two types of accomodations, those for the locals and those for tourists. Tourist hotels will be very much like staying at a hotel in the U.S. or in Europe and can be extremely pricey. Local hotels of the finest quality cost much less and offer unique services. In Agra, we stayed at the presidential suite at the Taj Khema, a motel-like place whose regular rooms were about the equivalent of a clean Motel-6. We had a bed, a desk, and a TV. Although we ended up getting confused by the "geyser," or small hot water heater, and ended up exploding it and leaving burn marks on the wall, floor, and toilet, the view was breathtaking. The same goes for the view at the Jaipur Palace at Mt. Abu, except for there we were privy to exceptional elegance. Not to mention an entire palace turned hotel to explore all to ourselves!

You can't go wrong with finding good, cheap eats in India. Of course you need to choose a clean restaraunt and never drink anything besides bottled or boiled water, but the best thali (a huge, never ending dish of vegetable bhaji and roti) was at a little joint we all declared, "a hole in the wall."

Shopping in India is not like shopping here, if a store does not display signs marking it as a "fixed price" store, the merchants are ready to haggle, so do it! If you speak English or the merchants can tell you are a tourist, they're gonna try to jip you. Shop around and ask so when you go in to haggle you'll leave with a steal, like one member of our party did expertly. It's a rush, she explained to us, she almost seemed to become another person when she haggled, leaving the merchants dumbfounded with the item she just walked away with for the price she paid.

The easiest way to enjoy yourself is to be a fly on the wall rather than to stick out like a sore thumb. Although in no ways backwards, India has some very unique customs that should be adhered to. For example, minimize use of the left hand as much as possible. You'll understand when you get there. For women a salwar kameez or a kameez and regular pants for men will do nicely. Indian clothes are not only inexpensive, well-made, and very comfortable in the heat, each piece is a work of art.

Most Indians feel a sense of pride when they see a foreigner wearing traditional clothing, many people may stop and tell you how beautiful or handsome you are. It's just one of those things, and it feels incredible to be a part of it. However, you could go in the opposite direction and do some serious damage.

Although many young women are sporting baby doll T's and jeans like westerners do, dressing in a provocative manner is frowned upon. In Delhi we visited the resting place of Gandhi and I turned my head having heard French being spoken. There, standing next to the eternal flame at the grave of Gandhiji, was a severely overweight woman in camel-toe shorts and a spaghett-strap top, flashing us with her bra and breasts.

Had I been in America, I would have turned my head, thinking to myself that TLC's "What Not to Wear" should receive an urgent phone call from one of her friends, but in India and in one of the most sacred places in the world, I felt my blood boil. Fortunately, no one else seemed to be as offended as I was, but there could have been a big problem there.

Some places I passed for an Indian native, wearing traditional clothing, covering my light hair with my matching dupatta or scarf, and muttering the few words of Hindi and Marathi I knew. Just passing through, unnoticed but absorbing everything in my path.