Em & Tola's Travel Blog

Southeast Asia feels like a moist piece of chocolate cake compared to India. India is more like my favorite Korean dish kimchi chigae. Kimchi chigae is spicy, boiling hot, it contains diverse ingredients (tofu, red paste, kimchi, and other little green things), but there is still something that I really like about its extreme flavor. So far this is how I feel about India.

I don't know if Tola and I were really prepared for India (I don't know if anyone can be at first) after a good amount of time in East Asia and then four months in Southeast Asia; however, we boarded the plane with colds and all. I felt tired and weary at first, but as we sat on the airplane, a new excitement grew inside of me.

Stepping off the airplane was like stepping into a completely new world. Right away we found a taxi to take us to the city and we were off. Our taxi ride into Kolkata was literally a warm welcome, and as I noticed sweat pouring down our taxi driver's face, I wondered if he was nervous because of the traffic or if he was hot because it was steaming hot. I would have to say that our first taxi ride in India was the craziest taxi ride I have ever experienced. In Kolkata cars practically touch each other, and our taxi driver weaved in and out and between everything. The entire experience was quite exhilarating, and I became even more excited and curious about the new land we were in. Loud Indian music even played as we made our way through the congested streets of Kolkata.

Our days in Kolkata felt a bit overwhelming. Maybe it was the crowded streets, the new people, or the fact that Tola and I were both recovering from being sick. I think the combination of everything allowed for mixed feelings as we explored the new streets of Kolkata. At the same time everything became extremely exciting, and I have never been to a place where there is so much to look at. Thankfully Tola steered me away from the busy streets (and traffic) because I found myself constantly getting distracted by everything.

At first it felt like stepping out of our guest house was a big step. Inside the walls, I felt protected, but I knew anything could happen once we stepped onto the streets. I eventually became more comfortable with the sounds of the city, and by the end of our time in Kolkata, I wanted to go outside because I was curious.

During our time in Kolkata we spent a lot of time wandering the streets. Walking the streets became quite enjoyable because there was so much to take in. There were thousands of street vendors, public urinals on the side walk, and hundreds of black birds diving everywhere (oh and much much more). We also learned quickly that we had to be careful of where we stepped.

On our first full day in Kolkata we went out for a bit of exploring. We bought our first train tickets in India, and walked a few kilometers throughout the city. Immediately we noticed that cricket is India's favorite sport, cars don't stop for anything, and Indians like to ask a lot of questions. It was a fun first day, and we also had some good Western Bengali food.

Every morning in Kolkata we woke up to loud honking, people shouting in the streets, and numerous other noises I didn't recognize. The streets of Kolkata are a perfect morning alarm, and a taste of what is waiting outside. On our second full day we decided to try and take charge of things and find our way through the city by public transportation. We became excited as we found ourselves on a metro again, and Tola and I were both shocked because we didn't notice any females on the underground metro. After a good look we suddenly realized that there were females, but women in India have reserved seats and men and women sit separately. I was happy that I hadn't sat down amongst the men on accident because I am sure I would have gotten a lot of strange looks.

The metro took us to another part of the city that felt completely different from our guesthouse area. We began searching for a famous Hindu Temple, but we didn't have to look far because two Indians practically took us by our arms and led us to the temple. Stepping onto the temple grounds was a complete shock. There were people everywhere, and I didn't really know what was going on. One man told us he was a local priest, and he showed us around and explained some things about the temple. It was nice to get a guided tour, but I had a hard time paying attention because I didn't know where to look.

As we left the temple we came upon the house that Mother Theresa used to live in. Her house is also a hospital, and she used it as a place to care for the sick. Seeing Mother Theresa's house for the poor was a very special experience, and it was moving to see that her work is still carried on today. Tola and I ended up accidently walking into the hospital because we didn't really realize it was still used today. The few minutes we spent outside of Mother Theresa's old home were quite memorable, and it was probably my favorite experience from Kolkata. It amazes me how one little women took care of so many people and she seemed to put everyone else first. I have read in a few places that Mother Theresa's work wasn't necessarily always a good thing because she didn't always have a sanitary working space. I find it difficult to believe that someone could really feel that way after visiting India even for a short period of time. Mother Theresa did what she felt was right, and I really admire the work that she did for so many people.

Throughout the rest of our time in Kolkata we explored more streets and we also visited the Victoria Memorial. The Victoria Memorial is a large building that was constructed in memory of Queen Victoria. It is a beautiful building that is surrounded by lovely grass lawns and a reflecting pool. It was a nice place to spend a couple of hours on a hot day in Kolkata, and it was interesting to learn more about the British rule in India.


Now it is time to go to Varanasi. We are going to take our first night train in India. Tola and I are both looking forward to trains in India as India's train system is one of the largest in the world, and it is also one of the biggest businesses in the world. I am also curious to see who we will meet on our 13 hour train ride. :)