From Temples to Traffic: An Unforgettable Journey to India

This trip honestly started before we even got to the airport.

I was driving from Binghamton back home in the snow after taking my last fall semester final, which already felt chaotic enough. Snow falling everywhere, unpaved roads, cars sliding, windshield wipers going nonstop and I am constantly thinking about how in 24 hours I will be halfway across the world in a completely different climate. I got home after driving for 5 hours, opened my suitcase, and started shoving clothes in there. No cute packing cubes and no outfit planning. I pulled an all-nighter and finished everything because there was literally no time to sleep before we had to leave my house to drive to JFK at 4 AM.

Then came the 18 hours of travel with one stop in New Delhi.

Airports, long security lines, boarding announcements, attempting to sleep on the flight, eating the poor-quality airplane food, watching movies you barely remember, playing the multiplayer games on the TV with my sister, and checking the flight map every 5 minutes as if it helped the time go by faster. And then finally landing with only having slept an hour, but your body is completely confused because of the 10 and a half hour time change. You're exhausted but overstimulated at the same time. My feet were completely swollen after we got off the flight.

My mom's friend came to pick us up at the airport and we made it to my grandmother's house where we stayed for 10 days. We arrived around 8 PM, ate dinner, showered, and knocked out in the bedroom upstairs. Thankfully, I brought shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in, but my sister and I were out by 9 PM. Then, the time change hit us. We were up at 5 AM and never in my life have I willingly woke up at 5 AM.

The second you step outside in India though, everything wakes you up.

Walking to the temple, you pass dogs casually laying in the streets and cows standing confidently in the road like they fully run it. No one is shocked and no one makes it a big deal. It's just everyday life, but to me, it's all foreign.

Image of a cow in India taken by Esha Shah

The streets are narrow and packed with shops lines up one after another. Cars and motorcycles are everywhere. Everyone drives like they have 9 lives and there are hardly any rules of the road. You don't have to stop at every red stoplight if you see there is a way you can cross the road. The clothing stores are overflowing with color, jewelry shops sparkling from every angle, tiny markets squeezed into every open space. Everything feels close together. It's busy and loud, but it feels alive. There's always something happening.

The next day, my mother decided that we should get our hair done. We went to this cute beauty parlor called Swetas. I wanted to do something different with my hair so I got layers and I fell in love with the blow out look.

And then there's the food.

The food in India just tastes different. It's so flavorful. A lot of the meals were buffet-style, which I enjoyed because you get to try a little bit of everything. Different lentil soups, fusion foods, vegetables, and fruits and somehow every single thing tasted comforting but bold at the same time. I genuinely looked forward to every meal.

I also ate pomegranate every single day. And not just a little bit, I mean fresh, juicy pomegranate that actually tastes sweet and refreshing. I had other fruits too, but the pomegranate became my thing because my grandma always asked if I wanted some and I could never say no.

We ate at House of Makeba, Earthmonk, and Spice Kraft, and they were all delicious. Everything tasted super fresh. I avoided street food, even though it looked amazing and I also stayed away from tap water because I was not about to risk getting sick (and I succeeded in not getting sick). It did not seem worth it to try street food and then have stomach issues later.

We also tried Starbucks and Taco Bell in India and both were so yummy. They have completely different menu items compared to the US. At Starbucks, I got these spiced fries, chocolate croissant, and a lychee raspberry refresher. At Taco Bell, I got burritos with paneer (which are cottage cheese cubes) in them. There was definitely a kick.

Image taken at Starbucks in India by Esha Shah

Shopping was easily one of my favorite parts of the trip. India does not play when it comes to clothes and jewelry. The fabrics are detailed, the embroidery is unreal, and the colors are so vibrant. The jewelry is very unique and beautiful. You will go into a store to "just look" and we left with 3 bags.

Image taken at Ahmedabad Shopping Festival by Esha Shah

One piece of advice I have is to pack smart. Bring long-sleeved clothing so you don't get attacked by bugs and so that you look presentable at temples and restaurants. Also, bring clothes you can wear during the trip, wash, and then donate. There are no dryers in most homes, so everything air-dries. That means lightweight, breathable fabrics are your best friend because jeans take forever to dry. You don't realize how privileged you are until you don't have something.

No matter how tired I was from travel or how off my sleep schedule felt, being there made it worth it. I am going to reminisce about this trip until the next time I book that flight to go back.

Have you ever traveled halfway across the globe? What would you want to do if you traveled to India?

Image of city view taken by Esha Shah