My trip to India - part I
At the begining of 2012 I went to India for a first time. It was my first time in Asia as well. I've been interested in this region of the world since high school. Since then I've been reading countless amounts of books and watching numerous documentaries about countries like India, Nepal, China or Thailand which are my core interests. Finally, on january 15 th I was on the plane aiming to India and was going to spent long time there. I felt excited and calm in the same time. I knew that It was the best thing that could happen to me at that period of my life. My trip began in Mumbai - hudge, overcrowded, fast and fascinating city. My flight arrived in the middle of the night, so I wasn;t left with anything eslse but knocking to Salvation Army hostel and begging them to put me up for a night. I've made it. They opened the door and let me in.
Next day, when I woke up, I went stright to the street to see how everything looks. I just couldn't wait, so I went down the street in my pyjama. It seemed that it didn't make any difference - In India every white person is always a center of attention, but not that much in cities like Mumbai. At first I felt quite invisible. Sun was shining, not even single cloud at the sky, not even little wind, thick, heavy, dusty and hot air was hitting my nostrils. It was a mixture I've never smelled before - jasmin flowers, deep fried pastry, exotic fruits, dirt, sweat, petrol fumes and other smells that I even couldn't name, all at once, all quite different. I went for a short walk to find internet cafe and send e-mail to my parents, just to let them know that I had arrived safely. Streets were busy - constantly hanking shagy cab drivers, nasty vendours, womens in colourful saris, mens standing everywhere and smoking tobacco, stands with steamy food made on the street, children playing everywhere. Everything seemed to be unreal, a weird dream which is going to be finished in a second.
Then, when I came back to the hostel, another suprice was waiting for me - indian bathrooms. I really dind't know how to take a shower using just a tap with cold water which was placed on the wall somewhere around the hight of my waste. Just a tap, nothing else. Water was simply streaming down to the floor creating a puddle. After I didn't felt clean at all. But, I just thought that it shouldn't be a problem in India and with time I'll get used to it.