By Shiraz Rimer,
Before you start reading this article and think “What a spoiled brat !” a quick disclaimer. Relax: this article is to be read “à la légère” and with humour. You must also keep in mind that this was an absolutely life changing experience, and yes that sounds like a total cliché, but it really was!!! So please remember I’m only trying to be candid and not taken too seriously 🙂
Number 1: Water
It is obvious that in India one should not mess around with tap water. A country where clean water is extremely scarce, it is normal that you must be cautious. However wherever the team goes and stays, clean trustworthy water is provided. Just make sure you keep chugging it to keep hydrated (I will come back to this later), to keep your mouth closed when showering and finally, yes it’s very annoying and very easy to forget: to brush your teeth with bottled water, not the tap! I have to also mention that at first, all the water you drink has a really weird bitter taste, it’s also often lukewarm. But as soon as you’re actually thirsty, it tastes like good old Swiss water (although, nothing beats the first glass of tap water you drink upon your return home!)
Number 2: Toilets
We continue with the notorious loos, WCs, restrooms, toilets, washrooms, the “potty” of the Sri Vignesh Guest House. Oh, and the “showers”, I use quotations because it would be an overstatement to call them showers, buckets are a more accurate description. I can’t guarantee that you will feel cleaner after taking a “shower” as the water tends to be brown-ish but I can PROMISE many giggles and unforgettable laughs. It definitely is tricky to get the hang of washing your hair with a bucket and to manage to find the right ratio of hot to cold water to not burn yourself or to turn into an icicle. But by the end of the week you are a complete pro and even start questioning the utility of real showers because buckets are cool too!
A major recommendation is to take flip flops for hygiene and accident prevention. Also a quick warning, a large percentage of the toilets (not in the guest house or hotels thank god!) that you use are squat toilets, on the bright side it’s a nice little workout! However I can’t omit the fact that the smell of the public and creche toilets is not always very pleasant (keep a little scarf or sleeve handy for when you travel).
Number 3: the Night train
Oh the night train! The number of myths and legends that surround this part of the trip is astonishing. Between the “goats” and “cows” and “cockroaches” it really seems terrible. But trust me, it is really not as bad as it is sold. It is a bit scary because it is after all a unique experience but there is nothing extreme or dangerous about it. We are in third class (out of six) and it is clean, spacious and comfortable. Yes, the toilets smell terrible. Yes, the sheets that you are provided aren’t the cleanest. And yes, there are other people aboard the train. But it is fine and even fun. Honestly, the scariest part is waiting for the train on the platform. It is absolute chaos with swarms of hurried people rushing passed. That’s the stressful part, the rest is a “smooth” ride.
Number 4: The Food
Indian food is good! But it’s spicy and it’s heavy and it’s different and somedays all you want is a sandwich, or pasta or anything that makes you feel at home. I personally thought I would crave burgers and fries (and all that unhealthy junk food that I can’t seem to get enough of in Geneva!) but no, the thing I desperately wanted was fresh fruit and vegetables! Crunchy and juicy! This craving was caused by the fact that the teachers really don’t recommend us to eat anything fresh or uncooked. Another thing worth mentioning is, at the creches we eat the food that the cooks prepare for us. It’s very simple, it’s vegetarian and it’s very spicy (even though the lovely cook insist that it isn’t spicy). In the creches you are expected to eat with your hands. At first it’s quite weird because ever since we are children, we are taught to use forks and knives and not our hands! It is also way way harder than expected. Scooping rice with only your right hand is truly an art! The food at the guesthouse is less spicy than the food at the creches. It’s delicious and if you’re like me (a glutton!) that can be quite dangerous! At least we walk a lot so I guess that burns off some of the chapatis!
Number 5: Bad days
These are inevitable. You just wake up and don’t feel well. You’re in a bad mood and anyone who dares to approach you is in deep deep trouble. All kidding apart, these bad days do happen. Everything negative will be amplified by ten, whether it being the heat, a pain (for example a stomach ache or back ache can quickly become agonizing) and everything feels like it’s the end of the world, when really it isn’t! You will also get into little fights with your friends, it’s a normal human thing to do when you are literally living with the same people 24/7 !
Part 2 coming next week
