When India kicks in

Bangalore street life

Can you prepare for India? Can you train your mind in advance? Do you think reading through all those books and articles, browsing Pinterest images day and night will show you the real thing?

No, it’s not my first time in India. But arriving here after 5 years struck me with intense flashbacks just seconds after I got out of the airport. I still remember the various smells, the weird noises, people walking barefoot and the immediate culture shock I got back in 2009 when I stepped on Indian soil. Culture shock? Heard about it before but I hadn’t understood a thing. However back then I did not have the time to think too much about what’s buzzing around. I just went with the flow. From point A to point B without mapping my location. It was only a week and I had to catch my flight back to Europe. At that point I couldn’t imagine that after a few years I will crave for returning to this diverse land. Now here I am again, with no fixed itinerary, ready to get challenged for the next two months.

I’ve started off in the city of Bangalore and moving on to Kerala this weekend. That’s the only plan I have so far. And when did India start to kick in? Just five seconds after I got out of the airport and the taxi driver crashed the car. Well, India welcomed me in the most authentic way!

Cheers