Iloved backpacking in India. I sit and think about all of the challenges we faced traveling around India as a family for six weeks and I smile a satisfied smile. If you can go backpacking in India you can do anything in the whole wide world.
India is one of those places that constantly takes you by surprise. Just when you think you are used to sharing the road with cows and eating your dinner with your fingers another little foreign custom pops up and you are thrown back to square one. India and her many layers. Each one, a thrilling enchanting experience all of its own.
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I’m a bit of a romantic. Or so my kids tell me anyway. “Stop glamourizing everything,” my son says to me when I start reminiscing about our backpacking adventure.
But I did love it. Every single bit of it. The beautiful tour of the backwaters in Kerela the serene beaches around Gokarna, the craziness of Rajasthan and the splendour of seeing the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh for the first time.
In saying that, Six weeks was probably long enough. I don’t think the kids could have handled much more of me and my Julia Roberts fantasy.
I remember vividly the things that each one of us went through while we navigated ourselves around the country that is India – how could you forget an experience like that?
I thought it might help you in your preparations to visit this wonderful country if you were given a kind of pre-warning. A little insight lets say. A gift from a 47-year-old woman who navigated India with her YouTube-loving 16-year-old son, her terrified 13-year-old daughter and her overly cautious 54-year-old husband.
A list of things you will never say while backpacking in India.
If you can backpack in India then you can do anything in the world.
5 Things You’d Never Hear me Say While Backpacking in India.
1: Put the Radio On. It’s Too Quiet.
India is noise.
Whether it’s the morning prayers being broadcast over the tinny tannoy, the tuk-tuk drivers shouting across the street to you about how they have the cheapest fare or the constant beeping of horns, there is always a hum. You can’t seem to get away from it. And for some strange reason, you don’t want to.
I’m surprised that I loved it so much, being a recluse who loves to spend hours alone with her dog, but I did. Once you leave India you will miss that hum. Just you wait and see.
A
2: I Bought too Many Clothes with Me.
You put something on in India and within twenty minutes it’s grubby. Yes, you can send it to the washerwoman and have the bamboo scaped out of your best cotton top with a rock at the side of the river, but other than that, best to have a nice big supply of clothes. Or at least bring enough money to buy new ones once you are here. What I could never understand is how the Indian women always looked so spotless in their flowing saris, while I resembled a dosser who hadn’t seen the inside of a launderette for a month.
3: I Don’t Miss Wine at All.
Bloody hell. India was the one country where I didn’t drink one drop of wine. What with the religious taboo surrounding alcohol and the fact that we tended to eat at local joints where a jug of lukewarm tea was standard, I remained wine free for six weeks. I wish I could tell you that I felt better for it but I’d be lying. Apart from saving money in India, there is nothing else good to say about not being able to indulge in a glass of your favourite tipple.
*Since writing this post I have been told that alcohol is in fact, very easy to find in India. Well, either I wasn’t looking hard enough or someone is playing tricks on me. I will just have to return on a wine hunt.
Lock up your alcohol India, I’m coming back.
4: Let’s See If We Can Find a Mall.
I despise Malls, so India was perfect for me. Apart from the big cities like Dehli and Mumbai, the closest we came to a proper shop was a fabulous Indian department store that resembled Grace Brothers from ‘Are You Being Served’. I bought a pair of purple pants from there that Brian thought were hideous.
5: Could I Have a Knife and Fork, Please?
What can I say? I was the only one in our family who actually loved eating with their fingers in India which is pretty ironic considering I’ve spent the last sixteen years telling my kids to use a knife and fork and keep their fingers out of their food.
Every Indian eatery provides handwashing facilities which I thought was incredibly hygienic and I loved feeling the texture of the food in my fingers. Even if I did end up with half of my dinner on the floor.
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5 Things You’d Never Hear my Husband Say in India:
1: This Google Maps App is a Waste of Time.
How did we all manage without google maps? In places like Rajasthan where the streets are a labyrinth of squiggly lanes, I can’t think how we would have found our hotels – that were always some dodgy deal down a side street.
If you haven’t got the app get it now. And if you are travelling with your husband be prepared to never, ever get to use it.
2: I Shouldn’t Have Bothered Bringing my Reading Glasses To India.
If you’re over 50 and you are travelling the world, bring your glasses. Nobody likes a squinter. But, if you forget to pack them and find yourself in India wondering around like Colonel Blink, know that glasses and contact lenses are extremely cheap and of excellent quality.
We ordered two new sets of glasses and six months worth of contact lenses and the cost was less than one pair of reading glasses in New Zealand. What a bargain.
3: I Like Being Sober.
Of course, being a man, Brian could quite easily have ordered a couple of Old Monks and got away with it. But there was no way that was going to happen. Bad enough that I have to have cold tea with my curry without watching my husband getting plastered on rum beside me.
4: Turn the Aircon Off.
You don’t need me to tell you that India is roasting hot. We went in January which is wintertime in India and the temperature was still pretty intense. We emigrated to New Zealand almost ten years ago so we are quite aware of how hot places can be.
We are travelling on a tight budget so the places we stayed in never included air conditioning. Apart from the one posh hotel that we splashed out on in Agra while we were visiting the Taj Mahal nowhere else included air conditioning in the price of the room.
5: Let’s Ask Someone for Directions.
What is it with men and directions? I never had a problem with going up to someone in the street in India and asking, ‘train station please?’. The people in India are incredibly friendly and can’t wait to help you.
Yes, they will sometimes stare at you as though you are from out of space. Yes, they will ask you for a selfie and invite their extended family and the butcher to be part of it and yes, they will want to know if you are a doctor or a YouTube sensation and inquire as to how much this trip is costing you and how on earth you can afford it. But. At least you get to know where the train station is.
Here’s a short cinematic that my son made of India. If you have any doubts about backpacking around this beautiful country watch this video. If this doesn’t convince you to go to India, nothing will.
The Clean Side Of India
No Description
Things You’d Never Hear a Teenage Boy Say in India.
1: I hope it’s a Squat Toilet and Not a Western Jobby.
India. And public toilets. What can I say? It’s no secret that they’re often pongy, especially on trains, and don’t get me started on public toilets in the street. You just… Don’t. Just hold it in.
The hotels that we stayed in were all western-style toilets, and very clean. Of course, there is no toilet paper, just a tap and a bucket. If you are staying somewhere slightly upmarket you will be rewarded with a bum wash spray. A word of advice. Don’t do what I did in Sri Lanka and wear your yoga pants to the squat toilet. It was not a pretty outcome.
2: I’m Just off to Clean My Teeth.
Teenager sons and teeth are a battle at the best of times but take a 16-year-old to India and tell him that if he puts the tap water in his mouth he will probably become ill, then you may find that the teeth take a back seat.
Cleaning your teeth in India requires a little effort when you are a sixteen-year-old tourist. The teenager must pick up a bottle of water and pour it onto his toothbrush. How can he do this when he is holding his phone? Make sure you buy the best toothbrush for travelling. Here are our top choices.
3: I’m Just Going for a Walk Around by Myself.
My 16-year-old is a bit of a loner and loves time by himself. which might explain why he is going slowly insane being trapped with the three of us for 24 hours a day. Sonny attempted to escape a couple of times while in India but on each occasion, he was met with either a proposal of marriage, the offer to start a hotel business or an invitation to sit on a tuk-tuk drivers knee and drive really fast.
Personally, I would have taken all three gladly.
4: Can we Take The Sleeper Bus Tonight?
I honestly thought that my teenage son would love the adventure of when we took the Indian sleeper bus. I was wrong. This form of transport is not for the fainthearted. You do not sleep. Not one tiny bit. If getting inside a giant tumble drier next to a man with a bucket is your idea of comfort then you may enjoy the India sleeper coaches.
My son? He’d rather fly first class.
5: You Don’t Need to Hotspot Me. It will Use All of Your Data.
Luckily for those travelling with teenagers, India is superb when it comes to wifi. I’d go as far as to say it was the best wifi we found in Asia.
Every hotel that we stayed in offered free internet. Not like Sri Lanka where the internet would last about 5 minutes and then just turn off without notice. Never to be seen again. Mobile Data plans are cheap in India.
In Rajasthan after 6 weeks of backpacking in India and he just can’t take any more.
Things You’d Never Hear a Teenage Girl Say in India:
1: I Love the Way Everyone Stares at Me.
This drove my 13-year-old daughter absolutely insane. Here’s the thing. In all of the countries that we visited in Asia, India was the one country in which we never felt threatened or unsafe. Not ever.
But.
Young Indian men do tend to openly stare at young foreign tourists. And being from New Zealand my daughter was not used to it.
I explained to her that it was probably because they are genuinely curious and intrigued – either that or they just couldn’t believe how much her mother looked like Julia Roberts, but no. She didn’t like the attention.
As a result, whenever I spotted a group of young guys staring at my girl I would give them the stare.
The stare that middle-aged Mothers are really good at.
The one that would melt ice. That one. This was guaranteed to send them running to the hills in terror.
2: Shall we Just Walk?
You can’t walk in India. Well, you can, of course, you can, but you will be sharing the road with lots and lots of other people. And cows. And tuk-tuk drivers swerving to miss you, and stray dogs looking for a pat and a bite of your samosa.
I loved it. I adored the madness and the noise. My daughter? Not so much.
The suggestion of walking anywhere left my teenage daughter willing to sell her iPhone for the chance to jump into an Uber.
3: Can I Buy a Sari?
The joy of travelling the world for a teenage girl is the promise of being able to indulge in some retail therapy. Indian clothes didn’t tick the boxes for my 13-year-old. As I said, I wouldn’t take her to one of the fashionable malls, so it was the roadside market or nothing. Yes, the clothes are super cheap but unless you are a middle-aged hippie wannabe like me, teenagers won’t be that impressed.
4: Can I Have The Aubergine Curry?
My girl is a big carnivore and this proved to be a problem for her in India. Due to her mothers’ paranoia over the freshness of what meat was on offer, my daughter spent 6 weeks being vegetarian. I wish I could tell you that she flourished through this diet and all was well. Unfortunately, she lived off fried rice and chow mein and sent me into a frenzy every time she said paneer cheese was disgusting. What can I say? She’s thirteen.
5: I Think I’ll Wear my Short Shorts Today.
Coming from New Zealand where every young girl lives in jandals, shorts and a singlet, my teenage girl found Indias dress code challenging. By travelling the world as a family you get to learn about, and respect, the traditions and beliefs of each country. It’s all part of the fun, but this was sometimes frustrating for my teenager when it was boiling hot outside and she had to wear long trousers and a sarong to cover her skin. She loved it when we spent a few weeks on the beach and she could finally shed some layers.
Help me! Trying her hardest to put on a brave face. Being 13 and backpacking in India with your parents is no mean feat.
You are going to LOVE India. I really believe that going down the backpacking route is the only way to experience this wonderful country for the first time. Imagine what stories you are going to be able to tell over a good bottle of wine when you return. And remember, if it was easy, everyone would do it. And they don’t.
Because they have got their heads screwed on.
Just kidding.
India is a beautiful, enchanting country. You will never understand this until you have been and experienced it for yourself. Just go. You will adore it.
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I hope you enjoyed this lighthearted post on backpacking in India. If you have been to India, please let me know some of the things you never said or maybe some of the things that you always said!
Happy travels!
Have to say Luz, never had a problem getting a beer in India. Even in the supposedly ” dry” states. They’re not. At all.
We never found beer at any of the places we went to. Maybe I should have come with you!!
Even I am wondering the same, about how did you not get drinks or liquor shops wherever you have been.
Being an Indian, I have always found liquor stores everywhere. In fact, we manage to get liquor even on dry days.
Or should I say, google maps should have served better for the same. Though the rates have increased now, still flock over to the shops and is always in demand at every place throughout the country.
About being vegetarian throughout the journey is also something I found surprising. You might not find all the things, yet fish, chicken and mutton are very much commonly available almost everywhere.
You should have used ZOMATO (and google) app for eateries, and you would have found right options everywhere throughout the country.
I liked your blog. I did laugh at many times while going through the long descriptions of your journey. It really feels good when someone (foreigner) likes it being here in our country.
Hi Liz. Thanks for your article. It’s good to know how a visitor feels about India.
Alcohol and Cigarettes are taxed heavily in India. Restaurants serving Alcoholic beverages need a Special license which is expensive. So most eateries remain places that serve food. When you visit India next look for signage that says ” Restaurant & Bar”. To buy beer etc. look for signage that says “Wine shop”.
There is a website called “Oyo Rooms”, which is an aggregator of hotel rooms that offers economy rooms with standardised basic facilities. In many towns the AC rooms are offered at Rs.1000/_ upwards.
Use “MakeMyTrip” website to find “Homestays” another category gaining popularity. While travelling, sometimes, my wife and me walk into 3 Star or 5 star hotels in big towns for clean toilets. As a foreigner most Star hotels will permit you the use of their wash rooms, even if you don’t use their other facilities.
You can lease homes and rooms also, if you intend to stay and most come with a pantry. There are also frozen foods and precooked foods available for those scared of food poisoning.
Many would like to speak with foreigners since it is uncommon. Some questions would seem personal, specially since you are a New Zealander.
In India a bus driver is paid 30 to 50% of what an airhostess earns. While travelling from Queenstown to Mt. Cook I got talking with the coach driver, whose wife is an airhostess and realized the converse to be true in New Zealand, a great country. Much better than Switzerland, in my opinion.
Coming from there, where compliance of law is sacrosanct, you haven’t made any critical remarks on our traffic violations. Speaks volumes about you and your family.
Do come again, when the world is safe to travel. Most of us that responded can help, if required. We do hope your kids enjoy India better in their next trip.
Stay safe!
Thank you so, so much for this comment! I do hope that my words (which are sometimes tongue in cheek) relate just how much I loved your beautiful country. Thank you for taking the time to tell us all of these things and I can assure you, when the world is a safe place once again, India will be one of the first countries I return to. Stay safe India, sending you my heartfelt love xx
I just reread this and realised that my name is mis-spelt. It is CH.N.K.Dhaveji
If you would have asked the hotel manager he would have arranged it for you…… Its very easy to get alcohol in india
Oh you haven’t checked properly, in india foreign whiskey is easily available than a flower shop ( yeah wine too).
You would have tried India Kingfisher Strong 😉
This is amazing, really loved the way you described my country India. No country is perfect it all depends on you take it.
Well , it might be the reason the british got too restless here and didn’t want to move back .
I wish I could be a guide for a foreigner or two who have never visited India before and take them to the real “India” where the tourists don’t go usually cause’ it’s not mentioned anywhere, to the villages of this country.
You talk about pollution, sewers , dirt ?
Oh , come on !
You would surely be missing that if you have been used to it.
The villages in this nation don’t have any of them cause’ they don’t use things which lead to them .
Cooking ?
It’s done on a ” Chulha” in open , under the sky , it’s made of clay and the cooking is done using woodlogs . The taste you get on cooking the same dish changes dramatically in it . The aura of coal burns you can’t get , sitting in a five star restaurant and I mean it literally.
Vehicle horns ? Noise ? Pollution ? Well people don’t do that here as they are either used to walking or cycling
They don’t work in multinational firms , they do farming and purely farming .
Life doesn’t depend here on the milkmen , maid or servents as it follows “seize the day” idea .
Everyone is associated with each other and literally the even a child can tell you who lives where and which farm belongs to whom.
Sharing and caring is what they believe in and also due to this they don’t want to move to the city since they would lose this familial relationship on getting faster with their work , competing with each other and dying without making any bonds.
Development has been termed as westernisation and this is the reason the cities in india are getting more like what you guys there.
Parties have buffet system?
Almost all of them and you guys don’t get surprised.
Well , let me tell you the villages didn’t even know about them until recent times .
What happens is , they all sit in a queue on the floor adjacent to each other and eat their food on Paper Plates ? Nah . Metal utensils? Nah . They have it on plates made of leaves , not any random leaf but of a particular type which is meant for this only and is completely hygienic as well as organic and this is not a ” Practice to save the environment ” but a habit which indirectly does no pollution.
And I crave to make a foreigner travel to this life which I can bet he/she can never in his/her life experience no matter how much you spend , and I am able to tell you all this cause I have lived both of these lives and loved the previous one .
I really don’t know where you went but India has a lot of malls. So much that it’s tiring even for us who’ve been born and brought up here.
Also the meat you’ll get is only chicken and mutton and apart from roadside dhabas it’s pretty good quality everywhere.
Well every country has it’s quirks.
Love it or hate it. India is home♥️
India is a country with 29 states ( provinces ) and 7 territories….almost 800 different languages or dilet.
Each place has different language , culture , dress code , eating habits etc etc ,
So if one visits 2 or 3 states of india and try to generalise opinion of India . They simply do not have data .
I am Aveage Indian who has visited and stayed only 20 states and 3 territories of India ….and I still don’t qualify to form opinion on India . ….even though I am an Indian .
Hence a tourist will always find opinion exactly opposite to him on India from another tourist …..nothing strange about it though !
There are malls and there are wine shops and of course there are restaurants serving non-veg food even in the state like Rajasthan which is predominately Veg. I don’t know how you couldn’t find any. You should’ve googled wine shops or non-veg restaurants. They’re everywhere. Beer is easy to get tho.
Liz, loved your blogs, pictures and attitude to travel! I must say a few things though: beer / wine / liquor WIDELY available in India. Maybe you didn’t go to the right places – those men on the streets with directions, they would have helped you out 🙂 :). Kerala was going through a ‘dry’ government rule last year, maybe that was the issue. Else, no issue with alcohol – we have way too much :).
2) Meat – widely available; most Hindus are NOT vegetarians (popular misconception). However, it is true that it is better not to eat meat while traveling due to how meat is stored and processed in India. I am an Indian, but lived in the US for more than 20 years. It was refreshing to read about India from your eyes.
Would love to read more.
Thanks so much, Lalita! Yes, everyone has corrected me on the alcohol thing, I’m telling you though, almost every restaurant we went to (we only ate at local places) didn’t have alcohol on the menu. I might have to go back now and check it out again!
That’s it! This is the reason you did not find alcohol. Unlike maybe elsewhere, alcohol is not served here in local eateries. You will have to find a bar (Available in every street corner! Except in a few ‘dry’ areas.) or a high end restaurant for that. As people suggested, try google maps next time if you get back!
Thank you for the post. It sure was a great read and a nice perspective…
Ahhh!!! Now I see why you found it difficult. Most of the local restaurant do not serve alcohol. (Except for Goa and Pondicherry) There are liquor shop were they sell alcohol and you need to purchase from these shop and then you can drink at your place. Most of the local restaurant do not serve because consuming alcohol in public is not allowed in most part of the India.
*Light bulb moment!! So, I could have bought from the liquor shops and taken it into the restaurants and they wouldn’t have minded?
Liz, I’ll try to explain the whole situation to you now.
In India, alcohol consumption in public places is considered anti-social, at some places even offensive, resulting in most of the local restaurants not serving the wine, beer or whiskey.
As you asked, yes, you could’ve bought from the liquor shops, and taken into the local restaurant. Most of the local restaurant owners won’t mind it, but you’ll feel uneasy when other local people eating there will stare at you with awkwardness in their eyes 🙂
Next time if you visit India, you can visit local pubs/bars, they are not too much costly, will give you the option to eat almost whatever you want, veg/non-veg, Indian/Western with your choice of wine or beer. You’ll notice one more difference though, that people in Indian pubs/bars are very decent and gentle compared to other Asian and Middle East countries.
India is trying hard to sort out the cows on the streets problem. We worship cows as our mother in Hindu religion, so cant be brutal with them 🙂
Loved your blog, admired your honest opinions, and yes visit again this land of Mystery.
Thank you so much for this information, I wish I’d known you before I visited India! Next time I come back I will remember these tips!
You are right about not finding alcohol since you went only to local restaurants who does not have the licence to sell liquor.There are bar & restaurants in all towns across India except in dry states like Gujarat.
Malls are not found in all towns but in all the Metropolitan cities like Mumbai,Delhi,Kolkatta,Bangalore,Chennai,Jaipur,Hyderabad and two tire and three tire cities and few towns.But most of them will pass of as shopping complexes except few in Metropolitan cities.
Your narration of the trip is fantastic.
Thank you for the clarification, George! I miss India terribly and it is always good to hear local advice/ I hope you are staying safe and well and I send my warmest wishes to you and your country. Liz
Ah. I found your answer on Quora and thought I might just read your blog entry on it.
It’s not very accurate to be honest. But then again. That’s how I guess most foreigners see India.
As an Indian born and brought up here, I wish I could comment on some of the points mentioned here.
But still, I’m glad you liked it.
Athithi Devo Bhava lived up to an extent I hope. 🙂
I stumbled on your blog while on Quora. Loved the way, you have structured your blog – husband, 16 yo son and 13 yo daughter.
It is fascinating to see my country through your eyes especially the hospitality, cleanliness, nosiness and the noisiness.
In case you want to do an active holiday in India like cycling from one town to another, please look me up next time. I have been planning to do Trivandrum to Kochi for a long time.
Cheers, Jai from Dirt Mania Outdoor Adventures
Thanks Jai! I will remember you the next time we are in India 🙂 It sounds like alot of fun!
Hi just found your blog and read it now hmm good that you people had fun but the next time you visit try visiting the down south( south india: TamilNadu , kerela , Karnataka and Telangana, andhrapradesh) mostly during mansoon ( hope this covid scare ends soon …. i liked the blog and keep writing more ( iam form Tamil nadu which is the southernmost tip in india and iam from coimbatore( well you can check google maps …. ) there are more good places in southeren india and you can plan a lot lighter on your pocket .. yup agree with the staring @ your girl causes uneasy but ignore ….Thanks again ….:)
Thank you so much for these tips! I have many friends in India and they tell me that it won’t be possible to visit India for at least another year…When everything returns to some sort of normality then India will be the first place I will return to. Keep looking after your beautiful people and your country, all best wishes, Liz
Hey Liz, thanks for your post on Quora and this blog. This was really a refreshing read, and I’m glad you enjoyed india!
I do hope you visit the country again. And just a little pointer to solve your wine problem as you mentioned in your blog, visit the mountains of Himachal Pradesh. They not only are, in my opinion of course, the most beautiful part of India, but they also have the best fruit wine there, and also the cheapest. You’ll love the taste of them for sure. They are also the most peaceful part of India, so taking from the concept of your son’s movie, I think he will love the place too!
Your observation is totally mesmerizing ❤. You r always welcome here in India. But one thing, next time I request you to come to Bengal. Bengal is romantic and beautiful place to visit. And bengalis r the most carnivores of all. Meat and fishes are every day meals here. So u and your family can get some relief in case of having food if u come here❤. Yes South, North and West India are famous for having veg people in outmost number. I am a foodie person that’s why I am always concerned about eating style and habit of anyone. Lot of loves to u and your family 💟.
Thank you, Rashi,
I cannot wait to visit Bengal, it sounds beautiful! Thank you for your lovely comment. Liz
A nice piece to read. I got carried away by your description. However a bit of old monk would have been good for Brian. As far as clothes go we are pretty liberal. You did not visit Himachal, Punjab, Uttra Khand and Sikkim. You should try these an your next trip. A good article brought a smile on my face.
Thank you Rajeev, I appreciate you taking the time to read the article and send me a response!
Old Monk! We discovered that here in New Zealand last year and love it! Next time I visit India I will make sure I leave enough room in the backpack for a couple of bottles…!
Can’t wait to visit the places that you have recommended, and I will, hopefully, sooner than later.
Thanks again Rajeev, stay safe and well
Liz
Came here from Quora after discovering the humor in your writing.
The India backpack experience can be different from the posh India experience. You should try staying in one of the palaces next time. Rajasthan has quite a few.
Yes, a bar or pub would serve alcohol. Many people have written about that – they would also serve food. Most of the restaurants serve only food.
The thing about India is that the food and culture can vary from state to state. And we have 28 of them. You would have noticed that with Kerala and Rajasthan.
Lots of things in India are inexpensive. A local guide would help you get good deals as vendors tend to charge foreigners more.
Tap water is pretty safe in most hotels. No need to carry that bottle of water around.
I hope you got a chance to experience some of the art and architecture of ancient India. Some of them date back several hundreds of years, some even thousands.
As an Indian, when I am planning a holiday in another state, I refer to a magazine like Outlook Traveller (https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/) to help me with the itinerary, places to stay, what to not miss, etc. Useful information like homestays and eatery recommendations are included.
Sleeper buses – not really, unless there is no other option. Trains are better. Overnight trains help you get there without missing out on sleep.
You shouldn’t worry too much about the non-veg food – unless it is a very dingy place. Some of the best non-veg food in India is actually found in what are called ‘dhaabas’ or simple roadside eateries.
Welcome back soon.
Thank you so much for this lovely comment Arun and for following along on Quora!
Your country is beautiful and I am so glad that we saw it the way we did for the first time. especially with the kids. I wanted them to experience as much of the real India as possible. This way we were able to meet locals, tuk-tuk drivers, stall owners…it was simply wonderful.
I will save the posher version of India for when I return with just my husband 🤣 Thanks so much for your recommendations, that is extremely kind. Take and I hope that it’s not too long when we return to India once again. Liz
1 more surprise..
There is a small town called “Nasik”, approximately 180 kms from Mumbai is called wine capital..has almost 40+ vineyards.. they produce great wines, some of them even better than fancy, expensive brands you can get in Europe.. next time you visit India, do include this place in ur itinerary.. I know this cause the Nasik is my hometown
Thank you so much Rajesh, I appreciate you taking the time to share this with us! 😊 Liz
It’s 7 AM here in India and Quora sent me your answer and I followed it here. Made my day.
Really appreciate how you saw India for what it is. Also called out incorrect stereotypes that the West has.
In case you ever visit India again, try to time it around some festival you can join in. The Indian calendar and different states have loads of them – you’ll need to choose. Kite flying, Holi, Diwali, etc are some of the common ones.
Also, staring is a weird Indian problem – even my daughter gets that a lot and she is Indian. So completely understand your daughter.
As for wine, except in Gujarat, you should have a wine shop within 2 km of wherever you are in India. Though it’s generally the men who go to these shops (except in Goa).
Love from India! Take care and do visit again with will the knowledge people have given you. 🙂
Thank you so much for coming to my blog Gaurav, and for your wonderful comment. i WILL return to India and I will be sure to remember your advice and tips! Thank you again, Liz 🙂
Hi,
May be I read your write up late. I, as an Indian grateful to you to describe and mention positives about India. 6 weeks is to short time to visit India. You stay for an year, you would realize that you travel from one place with a sweat shirt and land in other place with heavy clothing. That’s variation of climate. When you travel in one place, you find wheat bread is staple diet and at other areas, Rice is staple diet and some of them never ate wheat bread. I am a travel blogger ( 72 years young)traveled about 17 countries on small budget with my wife and as vegetarians. ( I lived in Cambodia and Vietnam as vegetarian). Let me know your next plans I will plan an itinerary for you and your family like a local. If your son is interested in solo travel, he can also hitch hike and travel. I don’t know, if you had visited Pondicherry, in South India a French colony with Aurobindo head quarters. In the eastern part of India Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) where you get the best local sweet water fish. n south India you get best vegeterian food and breakfast you should not miss. You should also visit some religious towns to know and observe the rituals. I am sure you have visited Varanasi, the oldest inhabited city in the world, which is more than a thousand years on the banks of river Ganges. Visit a place Dharamsala, Buddhist HQ. I am sure your covered Goa. You travel a province Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, you will find more liquor shops than temples and banks. You get good spicy non vegetarian food, which i suggest you not to eat.
I can write pages about India.. Better stop it now. But feel free to get in touch if you are traveling again or any of your friends travelling for support. I am a freelancer supporting travel industry and travelers free. Thanks once again for positive comments about India.
My goodness, thank you so much for this wonderful comment Mohan, I can’t thank you enough. Thank you, and I hope to visit your beautiful country again one day soon. It is a very easy country to write positive things about!!
Warm wishes my friend,
Liz