South India: Dust, chaos but above all, people
It is 6am, 26º degrees outside and an army of Tuktuk drivers is already fighting between each other to gain the right of ripping us off for the trip from the Chhatrapati international airport to our hostel. Finally one of them manages to get 300 rupees from us (220 over the normal price they would have charged a local). The 70 years old grandpa hits the road like there is no tomorrow. Us, we pray not to die smashed against other reckless Tuktuk or Taxi drivers who seem not understand the difference between a 3 and 6 car lanes road. Thirty minutes later, we arrive to Bombay Backpackers Hostel, placed in the middle of a poor and very low working class neighborhood. The surroundings and the outside look of the hostel make us wonder whether this place is actually our home for next 3 days or a shelter for homeless people. But once inside we find out it’s a really cozy place to stay with awesome staff to help us out with any doubt or trouble we come up with.
Our hostel security guard, not too much in guard
During our first days in Mumbai, our expectations were to get to know the city, visit its best spots, and get used to Indian food and culture. But the reality was that we ended up walking more than 5 hours per day (Google Maps is not always your best friend in India), burning our tongues even with Indian breakfasts, freaking out with the chaotic traffic and the endless car honking, and having troubles to find more than 3 or 4 touristy wow places to visit (Gateway of India, Elephant Island and our favorite, Dhobi Ghat, the biggest open air laundry in the world with more than 6.000 people working there every day). But that was completely our fault. The beauty of India lies not on the outside and its monuments, but on its people, their different cultures, races, religions, costumes and their ways to get to your heart and your wallet.
Bad keedz doing average touristy things
Hey yo, cow ya doing?
Dhobi Ghat open air laundry
Group picture with Bali, our improvised “friend” that showed us around in Dhobi Ghat
After a few days in Mumbai, we took a direct flight to Hyderabad to visit Bhuvie, an old Indian friend of us. We stayed at his p(a)lace and he showed us around a bit of the city. Among our accomplishments list while in Hyderabad, we can mark off: smoking hookah at Space Club, partying in the best rooftop club of the city with Bhuvan’s brother Anvesh and his friends, watching XXX movie with Vin Diesel in the second biggest screen in the world and visiting Charmina (the 400 year old city gate, surrounded by many magnificent mosques that will make you think you are in the Ancient Arabia). It was the perfect way to acclimatize ourselves after our shocking landing in Mumbai.
They try, but their Paellas have nothing to do with ours
Do you fancy some goat’s knuckles and brains soaked in the spiciest cauldron sauce ever? :D
Charminar gate surrounded by snacks and sweet street stands
After Hyderabad, we took a 7 hours bumpy drive with Bhuvan and his friends, and visited the city of Hampi which has some of the most ancient and incredible constructions of the whole country. We visited Virupaksha Temple, whose construction dates from the 7th century and it was inhabited by funny baboons or majestic elephants.
Virupaksha Temple
We left Hampi and we headed to Bangalore, another massive southern metropolis with too much traffic and people living there, rather than interesting stuff to see or visit. The few spots that you can’t miss are all the flowers and food stands in Gandhi Bazaar and the old restaurant Vidyarthi Bhavan where you will have one of the cheapest and nicest Indian breakfasts in the city. To be honest, the thing we will remember the most Bangalore for, will be the awesome Night Sleeper Bus we took to keep heading south to Kerala. If you are going to travel long distances, this is one of the best and most affordable ways to do it. Just cross your fingers not to end up sleeping next to Mr. Smelly Feet!
Flowers stands at Ghandi Bazaar in Bangalore
We arrived to the city of Cochin, and the first thing we felt automatically was that we were definitely somewhere different. The weather was more sticky and humid, car honks were almost unnoticeable compared to the previous cities we were at, and people at the streets seemed to be more relaxed and chilled. Following days we stayed in the city of Alleppey, where we had booked our hostel, the Artpackers Life Hostel. The owner Vivek, was extremely welcoming and thoughtful to us, and the hostel was the perfect place to spend a couple of days driving in some rented scooters to the nearest beaches and meeting plenty of locals as well as other cool and laid back backpackers.
Beach of Alleppey, in the southern region of Kerala
We left our awesome hostel in Alleppey and jumped into a nice train heading to the city of Thiruvananthapuram (yes, it is also impossible to pronounce). City that besides the large number of Hindu temples, will be also remembered for murdering the intestines of one of us (we never said we would talk only about fancy stuff, did we? :))
Traveling with Indian Railways have also its advantages ;)
Next stop was the city of Pondicherry, the old French colonial settlement in India until 1954. The city reminded us of an old, mediterranean relaxed city with a nice mix of Indian spices. The old White Town is still full of nice Villas and French cafés, along with the nice sea promenade. But surprisingly for us, apart from some attempts of french bakeries and some names of streets, we found not many french remainders and not a single person on the streets who could still speak the Romance language. But all in all, Pondicherry has been the city we have got to love the most so far. Still noisy and crowded, but also colourful, laid back and with nice and quiet beaches around.
While in Pondicherry, we drove up to the city of Auroville to find out what was all the fuzz we had seen in many videos before. Wikipedia defines it as a “universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities”. But what we found was more like a fancy hippie summer resort, with massive spend on international marketing and many catchy and looped proclaims from their Leeeader…erm…I mean, mother.
At least they know how to build hugee golden golf balls!
Sooo after our first half of the month in India, we learned that:
Nothing can beat traffic in Mumbai. Everyone has an international friend who thinks the traffic in its country is the worst one. This is because they have never visited India. Here, there are literally so many people populating each city, that driving lanes and traffic signs represent just a cute invention of the west countries for them.
Live and embrace life outdoors. In India, as many other oriental countries you can do everything on the street. From eating a dish of chicken Biryani with your bare hands, to buying some vegetables, fruits and (not so fresh) meat and fish, or even getting a fresh shave with that weird looking guy on the corner.
City trains are just for the brave ones. It is this simple. If you take them, you will undoubtedly find out next person’s personal deodorant choice (or lack of). All of this assuming that you will be lucky enough to get inside the wagon first without being buried by the crowd of people trying to hop in at the same time.
Prepare your push and squeeze, push and squeeze…
Prepare your rupees and forget about using your debit card. 90% of the restaurants and stores in India will not accept payments with international cards, so plan ahead for it!
Don’t try to understand Indian Railways system. Trains in India are always super packed (Surprise!), so if you don’t book a demanded train with one or two weeks in advance, chances are you will go to the Waiting list. And does that mean I will not get my ticket? Only Shiva knows, and in case she decides you should not get it, it will be up to you to cancel the ticket on time if you want a refund. Indians…
Just another average train station in India
Queues are for losers in India. Don’t waste your time waiting in line (there is not even one) before any street food shop or kiosk. Either you leave your manners at home and yell louder for your Mango smoothie than the guy next to you, or you will wait forever. Your call.
And in India, you are the Rockstar. If you want to know what a movie or music star feels like when they decide to show up in public, just to travel to India. We lost already the count of how many selfies we have been asked to take with the locals or how many surprised people are staring at us on each step we take in the city. We take it with humor and are always ready to bring our most stupid faces.
Yes, of course we can take another selfie with you guys, we just took 27 other ones today :D