Greetings from the foot of the Himalayas in Macleod Ganj
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You can manage an unplanned trip without internet, it’s scary but you just have to trust people.
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India is a country of contrasts, unpredictability and intensity. It’s okay to take it all in small doses. Let yourself rest.
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Being a white tourist will make people assume you want to buy hash on every street corner (at least in Varanasi… or do I just look like a pothead?).
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Prepare to show very vulnerable sides of yourself with your travel partner. You never know when there will be unstoppable fluids coming out of your front and rear end; it could be a chai stall or even your own bed.
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Want to start a conversation? Say some words in their local language and you’ll have a very surprised and happy Indian.
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Don’t scarf down a huge North Indian meal ten minutes before getting on a 10-hour bus ride from Varanasi to Agra, you’ll have emptied your stomach within five minutes of the trip.
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Food can be expensive and tasteless or cheap and mouthwatering. Prioritize where you want to spend your money and your experiences.
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Buddhist monks sometimes listen to strange cowboy techno in the shower.
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Even though vendors are extremely pushy, be open to talking to them. You’ll have very funny memories to look back on and invitations to places all across India.
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Kindness is everywhere, be open-minded, open-hearted and prepare to receive. Next time you see a lost stranger in your own country, prepare to give back.
