India - The Country From Another Planet
I am firmly convinced the country of India was transplanted from
another planet. You will find no other place like it on this
world.
India
India is a country where you will see everything you can
imagine. More importantly, everything you will see will be
intense. You will not see a beggar, you will see millions of
them. You will not see a beautiful beach, you will see the most
beautiful beaches in the world. Places of wealth are so over the
top you'll be stunned. The shanty towns of the poor, on the
other hand, will set you back on your heals.
India is the one place you can visit and come away completely
enthralled and disgusted at the same time. If your idea of
traveling is sitting in a posh hotel, India has such resorts but
you'll be unable to avoid the less attractive areas. If you
prefer to get out and take in a culture that is completely alien
to your own, you will never find a better place than India.
India is really a number of countries within a political
boundary. The south of India is entirely different than the
north. The same goes for the east and west. If you don't like
the place you're in, just get on a train for a day or two and
you'll be in a completely different world.
One of the biggest traveler complaints about India is the
poverty. In truth, it is bad. There is simply no way around the
fact. Whatever you have previously seen, wherever you have
previously gone, nothing matches the poverty in India. The
shanty towns are large cities and the conditions are less than
ideal. To get a first hand account, I suggest you read the
excellent book, "Shantaram", by Gregory David Roberts. Roberts
lived in one of the shanty towns for years while on the run from
the law. The book is tremendous and gives you a different
perspective on the poverty situation. Regardless, you will have
problems dealing with the poverty in India. It can ruin your
trip if you're not careful.
If you're considering visiting India, you need to accept the
fact that life is different there and you need to come to grips
with this before you go. In truth, India is an incredibly
captivating country of beauty, stunning sites and incredibly
funny people.