First I want to start by saying, that I didn’t wrote this article to stop people from going to India. The cities and villages across the country vary of course, with regards to the atmosphere, people, nature, big cities etc. Being in Goa is a different experience than being in Delhi.
India is a beautiful country and has a lot to offer. But India also is a country were you can experience a massive cultural shock, even when you come ‘prepared’. So I’d like to give you some pointers on what to expect and keep in mind. Because India isn’t for everyone. I haven’t been everywhere in India, so this article is purely based on my own experience in cities like Delhi, Agra and Mumbai.
So here are some tips on when NOT to go to India, specifically Delhi.
If you can’t stand constant noise
Maybe you’re really acceptable to noise. If that’s the case, definitely don’t go to India. At least not to Delhi or Mumbai, where I went. They literally honk their cars, tuk-tuks and motorbikes ALL DAY LONG. Constantly! And all at the same time. Also, people don’t seem to sleep at night, because we had to wear ear plugs every single night because of the loud noises on the street.
If you’re a germaphobe
India is a dirty country, especially Delhi, which was the first city we visited in India. And if you think that this massive city is well maintained, you’re wrong. They don’t seem to understand the concept of sidewalks. At least not how we know them. There are holes in every street and sometimes the streets are made of just sand. And even if it’s really nice weather and you want to wear flip flops or sandals, you’d better wear real (closed) shoes in stead. Because the streets are so dirty. There’s garbage and filth everywhere. And if you search hard, you’ll only find a few trash bins to throw away your trash.
In Mumbai things were different. Also not much trash bins to be found. And people dump their stuff on the street. But everywhere there are people sweeping the streets and picking up the garbage. They are paid to clear the streets of trash. So Mumbai was definitely cleaner than Delhi.
If you’re very gullible
As in a lot of other countries, there are a lot of scams going on in India. And even I, as an experienced traveler, can sometimes fall for one. If you do go to India, get yourself educated about the well known scams that go on. Like when your taxi driver at the airport tells you ‘your hotel has burned down, I will take you to another good hotel.’ Or ‘the market is closed today, I will take you to a government tax free market with good prices.’
If you’re easy to fool, and you get stressed easily and don’t prepare your trip properly by reading about India and his ways, maybe it’s best if you go someplace else.
If, when seeing a cow on the street, your first instinct is to push it away
Cows are holy in India, you can’t touch them or push them out of your way. If they’re walking in the middle of the street, you just have to wait for them to move out of the way by themselves. Or simple go around them.
If you don’t want to follow dress codes
In India, you have to wear pants that cover your knees. And shirts that cover your shoulders. At least when you’re going into temples. Which there are a lot of in India, and is one of the reasons you’re visiting India I assume, to see their culture. And of course, the Taj Mahal. You want to honor their ways and don’t offend anyone. At least, that’s how I feel. But still there a people who don’t seem to care, and wear hotpants. Or don’t cover their shoulders. And get away with it. But if you don’t want people staring at you all the time, wear appropriate clothes. Or go to another country.
