"My India Experience...& I Looked Like A Coolie !" India by coceng

India Travel Guide: 31,392 reviews and 73,089 photos

Photo above : On the train to Jaisalmer from Jodhpur; Night train, woke up to discover dusty red sand all over my body, my face, my sandals ! Took this photo & then rushed to the bathroom to wash them off my face !

I captured lots of short videos on this trip !
Lots of them are up on HERE.
Let me tell you this !
It's just so fulfilling to me when you can see the places that I went to around India from these videos.
To me these videos are just priceless in sharing my journey through out India, with you guys !
Videos are LOTS better than photos !
I'm sure MOST of you don't agree with me...
DO YOU THINK I CARE !?

4 weeks.
In India's 2 hottest months.
Temperatures between 42 degrees to 49 degrees !
5 pairs of white T-shirts.
2 pairs of long black pants.
A cap.
A trolley green bag.
A black backpack.
A reading glasses hanging around my neck.
A pair of black CROCS sandals (as you can see on the above photo).
Except mine is a pirate brand called ASADI.
That I bought here in my home country.
I almost look like a COOLIE !
WHAT IS A COOLIE ?
The locals thought I came to India to look for a job !
No, thank you.

A huge sub-continent.
Just imagine it as a big triangle (it's more like a prism really...) : Upside down.
I started in the lower-right : CHENNAI.
Then, down to the left-side of the pointy south : KERALA.
Up the coast to the left-side of the triangle : RAJASHTHAN.
Then ventured to the upper middle : DELHI, India capital.
Went to further right : VARANASI.
Took the longest train of my life : 31 hours.
Down to the middle of the triangle : HYDERABAD.
Fly home.

India is so cheap if you know HOW to bargain.
I don't.

India is so cultural.
So many things to see.
So colorful.
Over populated.
People everywhere !
From dusk till dawn, dust everywhere.
At night, the fan or the air-cond couldn't really help.
Pollution.
The traffics are honing like crazy !
One way lane becomes multiple entries zones !
Big cities or small towns.
Cars, lorries, buses, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, bicycles, pedestrians...
Not to mention cows, goats...all mingle together, living their everyday chores.

It's just so much FUN watching !

ACCOMODATION :

I love staying at the railway stations !
Say what ?
Retiring rooms, I mean.
TOURISTS DON'T STAY AT THE RETIRING ROOM !
WHATEVER !
It's like a hostel at most train stations.
We can opt for a room or just a dormitory.
I'm sure you guys could find cheaper rooms in the towns.
Than staying at Retiring Room.
For me, it's an easy access, reaching the train station.
Do my sightseeing.
Then, back to the station.
Rest or sleep for a few hours or even for a night.
Catch my next train to my next destination.

I would prefer the room of course.
Most with hot shower & air-cond.
Or fan.
Too bad they don't have a single charge for a single traveller.
So I had to pay the room as a couple !
It's okay, most rooms are so big.

Occasionally, I would stay at the dormitory.
Most of the times, segregated between the sexes.
Here, in the dormitory nice to be able to talk with the local guys, with all walks of life !
Some are just friendly, some are just wondering WHY I stay in the dormitory with them.
My answer was simple.
I didn't want to bother look for a place to sleep !

Although segregated, but occasionally we get to see the old women matrons would also mingle with us guys.
They would chat up with the men.
Or even watching them dressing & undressing !
Free shows for them !

In the shower rooms, well...
What do you expect ?
All shapes & sizes !
Some are just 'giants' !
Some are like monkeys !

Oh ! While in Jaisalmer, I stayed inside the fort.
Not recommended by the authority as the fort was sinking due to the use of water for shower, washing etc.
It's in the middle of the desert & the fort was built NOT to be contained with so much water.
Heck ! I took my shower 5 times a day when I was there !

EATING & DRINKING :

Drank TONS of mineral water.
Make sure the mineral water seals are always intact.
Foods, so much to choose from.
Slightly differ from the south to the north.
Local fruits are so tasteful.
I just stick to mangoes.
I even eat the skins !
Me, love the rice & omellete combination.
Omelette Masala : Onions, spices, chillis all thrown in together for good measure !
LOVE THIS so much !

Fruits : Mango !
Even the sliced ones with salt are yum-yum.

NEVER had any tummy problem.
Even by being served by crotch-hugging vendors !

Vendors selling foods & drinks on the trains.
This is ONLY true on the trains in the south.
Maybe I came in the low-season touristy months, the foods were scarce on the trains around the upper part of India.
Still, people got to eat & drink, right ?
Then, we could easily get them on the platforms when the trains stop for a few minutes.

When the trains stop at the stations, Indians love coming out from their trains with an empty bottles.
They would fill them with DRINKING WATER (supposed to be cold).
Available at ALL stations.
The water is free of course.
Us tourists, just keep on buying mineral water.

TRANSPORTATION :

Love taking the trains !
My Utmost India Experience !
I could even write a book on the subject !
Sleeper class for me.
Easy to meet people.
Even on a train, there are activities aplenty among the local passengers.
MUST reserve the seats or no sitting (if the train is full though).
2 type of toilets on the train.
Western or the squatting type.
Either one, good for me.

Love taking the auto rickshaws.
Love seeing them sneaking through even the smallest of space.
Love seeing them going through against the traffic in front of them !
So much FUN being in one !

The cycle rickshaws also not bad, but oh so slow !
Paddling away.
Slowly but cocksurely.
They are sweating their whole body just to bring you here, there & everywhere.
Don't feel pity to them or they'll ask you to pay more !
If you're lucky, you can also see camels , donkeys & elephants...sneaking their ways among cars & autos on the roads !

SIGHTSEEING :

Walking around.
Urine stenching smells are everywhere.
Not to mention, all the cow sshits on the roads.
The sight & smell of India !

India has many sights to offer.
LOTS of activities to be done !
Even one life time is not enough !
Historical, natural, man-made...all with equal attraction to the so-called tourists.
Temple inhabited by rats;
Beautiful white marble temple;
Handsome forts & fortresses;
Palaces;
Ruins;
Climbing up 10,000 steps to the summit;
Sneaking through canals by boats...among others.
I've done them all.

Still, no national park for me.
Not seeing lion or tiger.
No bird-watching for me.
Not reaching the far north, much much cooler territories.
Maybe in another lifetime.

Separate ticket charges for locals & foreigners.
Additional charges for camera & video.

There are guide-touts at all the tourist sites in India.
They have their own best phrases.
"We are not guides, we don't go for money !
We just want to learn English !"
99.99% of them LIE !

ATTITUDES :

Indian men are naughty.
When they look at Western women.
They would go, "Ah ! Ah ! Ah !" among themselves.

Men pissing anywhere they want to.
As long as there are walls.
Men love twitching their balls.
Even vendors do this, at the same time serving foods & drinks to the locals & tourists alike.

Women look modest, clad in sarees.
Even the female beggars look proud of this tradition.
They look so comfortable in it.

People sshitting along the railway tracks.
They do this from early morning.
And I thought they were just squatting, pondering about life !
When a train is stationery, TRY not to look outside.
You may see people squatting, squinting back at you !
They probably ask, "Wanna join in ?"
Ha ! Ha ! Ha !

CONCLUSION ?
Is the word 'amazing' apt for India ?
Naaah !
I merely passing a period of my life there.
Now, that's amazing !
FOR ME, myself & I.

Would I go back there again then ?
Well, for the sake of taking the trains !
Why not ?
Why not !?...

Below, is a bowl of places that I have been to, in India ! Click on them !
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>INDIA TRIP<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><>MAY / JUNE 2007<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
@ABU ROAD@@@@KHAJURAHO@@MAMALLAPURAM@@FATEHPUR SIKRI@
@@@JAIPUR@@HAMPI@@@@ALLEPPEY@@@@@@JAISALMER@@@@
@@@@@@@@KOCHIN@@@@DESHNOK@@@@@HOSPET@@@@@
@@JUNAGADH@@@@QUILON@@@@@AHMADABAD@@@@@@@@
@@ERNAKULAM@@@@JODHPUR@@@@@@@CHENNAI@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@KOTTAYAM@@@@@@@OLD DELHI@@@@@
@@@@MAHOBA@@@@@MADGAON@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@ORCHHA@@@VARANASI@@@@JHANSI@@
@@BIKANER@@@MUMBAI@@@@NAWALGARH@@
@@@HYDERABAD@@@MOUNT ABU@@@@@
@@@@AGRA@@@@@@GOA@@@@@@
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Pros and Cons

Pros:You MUST Visit India At Least Once In Your Life !
Cons:I Don't Mind The SSHITS (humans' or cows'), But I Couldn't Stand The HEAT !

Last visit to India: May 2007
Intro Updated Jun 28, 2007
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Comments (9)

pehsan Sep 8, 2007 at 7:49 AM Report Abuse

thanks for sending me the links. gee.. should take me quite a while to finish all the clips. hee.. good job!!!!!!!
Minashka Jul 25, 2007 at 2:12 AM Report Abuse

Hey man, really cool videos! Thanks for sending the link :) I really wanna go to India one day! Thanks to you I now have some ideas. Whatever happened to your trip to Azerbaijan?
cadzand Jun 25, 2007 at 3:34 AM Report Abuse

Wow ! Amazing trip. And I'm so glad I travelled back to the south of India through your videos. Magic images and background music. I'll be back for more.
michaelayne Jun 23, 2007 at 1:38 PM Report Abuse

Great videos.
bkoon Jun 23, 2007 at 8:08 AM Report Abuse

Great stuffs - brought back great memories for me too. I miss India already. Nice videos with the cool background music. More videos, pls. Bee :)
Pawtuxet Jun 22, 2007 at 2:49 PM Report Abuse

You are certainly having fun with your videos. Be careful not to spend too much time with camera and not enough time enjoying where you are! These technologies will do that to us sometimes. You have good memories.
agapotravel Jun 19, 2007 at 5:16 PM Report Abuse

I enjoyed your videos! The background music is perfect! I can't wait to see more! :-)
jenniferchin Jun 18, 2007 at 7:02 AM Report Abuse

Hahahah .... great summary here :D
chibouqui May 10, 2007 at 3:58 PM Report Abuse

ME taking the train alone masa travel di india, dr hyderabad ke Madras, sleeper, 3 bed dekat dinding, me katil paling atas sekali, c'est fun!