We leave the vast subcontinent at an exciting time – just days before the month-long election process begins. It’s been an exhilerating quarter of a year that we’ve spent here, journeying from the Himalayan foothills to the southern beaches, from harsh desertscape to rice-filled paddies and flooded chars. But it’s time for us to push on.
5 thing’s I’ll miss:
– The vibrant colours and wonderful decoration on everything from dirt-trucks to tarmac to clothing
– The food, which I won’t begin to sum up, suffice to say that from dosas to tandoor to lassis; my stomach sighs with regret…
– The friendliness of the Indian people
– The Mughal architecture with its intricate jali work
– The fantastic wildlife: this is where we saw tigers!
5 things I’m happy to leave:
– The dirt, filth, litter, rubbish, pollution, excrement that is everywhere and overwhelming
– The din; nowhere in the country is silent and the noise is stressful
– The hassle and touts that prey on people like us
– The lack of town planning that means it is impossible to walk anywhere without enormous risk; lack of pavements, profusion of obstacles, no traffic rules, no street lighting…
– The overcrowded population: there are simply too many people.
Wandering Gaia 