An old friend once said to me, "When you go to India, the most important thing you can pack, is your sense of humour!" After some time on the road, you begin to understand how very important this is. India is a place of contrasts. You must also come here with an open mind and an open heart. Don't try to understand it and don't try and change it, and whatever you do, never judge it.
India's contrasts are as varied as it's population of 1.3 billion! You can be walking knee deep in monsoon rain in the south, while there are millions of people in the north wondering if they will ever see another drop of rain in their lifetime. You can stand at the railway stationand watch an orderly, quiet, well dressed few hop into an air conditioned 1st class compartment, while at the other end of the train, a manic crowd symbollic of an all out riot, fight their way to a seat in the 3rd class carriage. But rest assured, the poor farming family, rich in generosity and smiles, will be the first to offer you some of their delicious home prepared meal, a refusal will not be accepted. You will be walking down the street wafting in open air sewerage, and just before you start dry wretching, the air will be thick with the sweet smell of sandalwood or some freshly cooked samosas.
India is a land of extremes, it is, hot, wet, green, dry, colourful, noisy, smelly, clean, manic, calm, disorganized, methodical, spiritual, friendly, confronting, hilarious, harsh, povert stricken, happy, graceful, historical, powerful, optimistic, India is absolutely everything!
And everwhere there are cows.
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