INTRODUCTION:
Does anyone else miss going on a plane to a hot destination or heading downtown to watch a concert? I know I do. In these trying and difficult times, often we reflect back on past experiences and the things we used to be able to do. Right now, going half way across the world is not an option. Luckily, I had the opportunity to do this a few years ago. My trip feels more meaningful now than ever before and I hope after reading about my experience in India and all of my favourite parts of my trip, you too can one day travel there.
Hello everyone, my name is Megan Penner. I am from White Rock, BC. It is a small town,
forty five minutes from Vancouver. I have lived here my entire life and love it. Traveling has always been a passion of mine. With COVID-19 happening, traveling is not an option right now. Although we cannot go far right now, I have had time to reflect on a trip that will forever be close to my heart. India is the most beautiful and exciting place I have ever been to in my life. I was only there for a short period of time but looking back it was amazing. I have traveled around North America many times but until Grade 11, I had not left North America. When I was little I never thought I would grow up and travel half way across the world. I loved going to the lake in the summer and traveling to places near my house.
In Grade 11, I had the opportunity to go on a life changing trip to India with my school. The trip was not mandatory, but my parents and I sat down and realized that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and too good too pass up.
Prior to leaving for the trip, my teachers contacted the mayor of India telling them that my class was coming, and were planning on wearing traditional outfits to respect their culture. They agreed with our request and the people in India loved our outfits.
Whenever an opportunity arises for me to talk about my travels I always cease it. India is a place I encourage people to visit and I tell them it was the best trip of my life. If anyone is thinking of a place to travel to I would recommend India in a heartbeat. The people, the food, the tourist attractions, and the culture make India a special place to visit.
THE PEOPLE IN INDIA:
Prior to leaving for the trip, I did not know what to expect. I had been to Mexico previously and had stayed in a resort. I did not truly engage with the culture and therefore it was a very different experience than what my India trip would entail. I remember leaving and being so nervous. Not traveling with my family was something very tough for me because we are so close, and I have never been anywhere without them.
After the 13-hour flight to Hong Kong and then the 8-hour flight to Hyderabad, we had finally arrived. The time change was definitely something that took me a few days to get used too but the adrenaline of being there made me forget all about it. Our bus came and picked us up and never in my life have I seen so many cars on one road. I will never understand how they know whose turning and whose turn it is to go, it was insane.
We met a group of children when we were walking through Hyderabad and talked to them for a while. The little boy in the photo would not let anyone else hold him except for me. We went inside one of the shops and I remember holding the little boy and he just nestled right into me. In that moment I fell in love with the city and I had only been there for less than 24 hours.
India is very noisy but in a good and lively way. People are always honking their horns, shouting, and everyone has some place to be. When you walk through town and in the streets the people stop and stare at you. I had lots of people ask me if I was a celebrity and wanted to take photos with me. The people there are so friendly. Everyone has a constant smile on their face and they just light up with joy when you acknowledge them and give them a smile. We went down one street and the colours and the little shops where breath taking. This all took place in the downtown core of Hyderabad and we just walked through it and smiled and waved to everyone.
I remember talking to this one man when we went into Hyderabad one day and I was telling him about Canada. This man hand made me the purse that is shown in my YouTube video below and we had deep conversation with one another. He told me that Vancouver has always been a place on his bucket list, but he has never visited. I live 45 minutes from Vancouver and do not go there very often. It is amazing to me that something I take for granted is a wish for others to see. I remember that day very vividly and I took time to reflect what he had said.
The people in India are so friendly and I kind. Spending a day in downtown Hyderabad, and visiting the shops along the streets, is a good thing to do on your first day in India.
TOP TWO TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:
Golconda Fort, Hyderabad:
There are so many beautiful places to check out when you go to India. I highly recommend going to Golconda Fort. Arriving to the fort it looks like a huge Mayan ruin. The fort is built entirely out of mud. Originally built as a protection fort to protect an everlasting bloodline, it later became a massive diamond producing mine. The tour guide explained that the fort used to be guarded regularly and if people tried to enter the fort they would be shot. If you looked closely at some of the walls, you can see small holes where they would stick there riffles through to get a clear shot at any intruders, without being seen. It was built in the 13th century and walking up around and touching it with our bare hands, reveals the amount of history stored within the walls. We walked to the very top of it and the view was breathtaking. There’s a big wide set of stair cases that you follow to the very top. Along the way up, there are tunnels and different areas to walk through. It was amazing. Have you ever played Call of Duty? It felt like we were in one of the places that you would hide from your enemies in. The view at the top of the fort was absolutely breathtaking. It was well worth the walk up.
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/golconda_fort/golconda_fort_history.htm
Taj Mahal, Agra:
The Taj Mahal is a once in a lifetime tourist attraction. I highly recommend making the trip to Agra to see it. Getting to visit one of the seven wonders of the world was very remarkable. You see pictures of the Taj Mahal but let me say that the pictures do not do it justice. Not only is it a beautiful attraction, there is so much history behind it. The tour guide told us that there are hooks located inside the Taj Mahal because during the war between India and Pakistan, they covered the Taj Mahal with a black sheet so that it wouldn’t get destroyed. The marble detail on the inside and outside is truly incredible. After the Taj Mahal was finished all of the workers hands were cut off because the ruler never wanted something this beautiful to be re built. We had to put little booties on our feet when walking inside, we all felt like surgeons. The floor is made of tiny pieces of marble , so they didn’t want any scuffs or dents to ruin it. The Taj Mahal is a for sure must see.
https://www.history.com/topics/india/taj-mahal
PARADISE RESTAURANT, HYDERABAD:
The food was definitely my biggest concern going to India. Prior to the trip, I wouldn’t say I was the biggest fan of spicy food and butter chicken. I would eat it if I had to, but it was never something that I craved. Now, I have butter chicken once or twice a week. The food in India is amazing. It takes time getting used to eating with your hands, but I definitely learned some good tricks. Eating with your hands is the culturally appropriate thing to do there. They give you cutlery to use but we all wanted to try using our fingers. If you have rice and chicken in your hand you want to flick it into your mouth with your thumb. I highly recommend having a glass of water on the side to fully wash it down as the rice can stick to your tongue. I am pretty sure that we ate at the paradise restaurant most of the trip. The food there was absolutely amazing. Garlic naan, butter chicken, and rice is now high up there as one of my ultimate favourite meals. The people at the restaurant were always so friendly and noticed that we weren’t certain what to order. We all ordered multiple different things and shared them all with each other. Each time I was so full which made me thankful that I wore my stretchy pants.
I highly recommend eating here and ordering the Chicken Garlic Kebab, with butter naan on the side. It is delicious. If you do not like spice like me, I recommend telling the restaurant so that they will tone down on the spice.
Prior to eating here, my dad and I always watched the food network and the restaurant was on an episode of ‘You Gotta Eat Here”. Pretty amazing that half way across the world I was eating and experiencing what I had
seen on my television screen. I give the food a for sure 10/10.
https://www.paradisefoodcourt.in/images/menu/hyderabad/MENU-Rest-Area.pdf
ANTHONY BOURDAIN QUOTES:
- “Without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, and moribund.”
- “The journey is part of the experience- an expression of the seriousness of one’s intent. One doesn’t take the A train to Mecca.”
- “I learned a long time ago that trying to micromanage the perfect vacation is always a disaster. That lead to terrible times.”
- “Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown.”
- “Without new ideas, success can become stale.”
https://explorepartsunknown.com/remembering-bourdain/
Anthony Bourdain was a very well-known travel documentarian, food critic, and celebrity chef. He recently took his own life and is dearly missed by many people around the world. He was for sure one of my biggest travel inspirations and a big reason why I decided to travel to India. He was also known for his show “Anthony Bourdain- Parts Unknown”. My dad was a huge Anthony Bourdain fan and I gave him one of his books for Christmas last year and it meant the world to him. My dad and I used to watch Anthony Bourdain episodes every night talking about the interesting food that he eats and how he doesn’t just eat and then leave. He truly encompasses the culture and understands the people that he meets. I aspire to one day travel to some of the places that he has been to. He wanted to travel to show others that there is more to life than just sitting in your living room, watching tv or working all the time. The world is a big place, we have one life, why not experience it to the fullest.
CONCLUSION:
If you are not hooked yet on choosing India as your next travel destination, then I do not know what else to tell you. India is the most beautiful place. The unique culture and the people, make India that much more exciting. Everyone is so welcoming and kind and genuinely wants you to experience their culture. There are so many beautiful monuments and attractions to check out. Lastly the food in India, although spicy as heck, it is amazing.
Traveling half way around the world is such a life changing experience. The souvenirs I brought home, I still have them displayed in my room and looking at them just reminds me of the time I had and the experiences that will last a lifetime. Traveling is embarking on a journey to experience a new place and to leave your mark at each stop along the way. For me, I did this when I went to India and I loved everything about the trip and all that the country has to offer.
India was by far my favourite travel experience I have ever been on and I hope my blog encourages you to travel there one day. I know COVID-19 restricts travel right now, but I hope you can make it there in the future and I would love for you to share your experience with me.
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/golconda_fort/golconda_fort_history.htm https://www.history.com/topics/india/taj-mahal https://www.paradisefoodcourt.in/images/menu/hyderabad/MENU-Rest-Area.pdf https://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/30-quotes-from-anthony-bourdain-on-making-your-life-a-fulfilling-adventure.html https://explorepartsunknown.com/remembering-bourdain/ All photos are taken by me. Flag is hand drawn by me.
