If you follow me on social media, you know that I recently embarked on a journey through northern India. While I was there, I had the pleasure of visiting three of the most popular Indian cities - Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur - most affectionately known as the "Golden Triangle". And "golden" it was...for the most part.
Overall, my trip to India was pure fabulousness; however, as with most things in life, there were some not so fabulous things I witnessed in this country. Turns out, the "Golden Triangle" had specks of bronze and tarnished silver. And, having recently traveled there, I figured I'd be the best one to tell you about it.
If you're planning a trip to north India or are just curious about what it's like, here's a comprehensive overview of some of my most fabulous (and not so fabulous) experiences in the country of namaste.
THE GOOD
Let's begin with the weather, shall we? Seemingly I traveled to northern India during the perfect season. Every day I spent there brought me hot weather and sunshine. I considered traveling to India in November; but, it turns out, going in October was actually the best decision. Many people are unaware that India gets pretty cold during winter months. Temperatures start dropping in mid-November and can reach as low as 28 degrees Fahrenheit by January. Choosing to go in October was good for me because it gave me at least 14 hours of sunlight and the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets over the Indian horizon. It was amazing. Now, temperatures did reach up to 92 degrees most days; but, it didn't feel that hot at all. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta where the heat and humidity in the summer is almost unbearable; however, northern India's humidity doesn't come close to what one would experience in Georgia.
Another good part about travel to India was the prices! Yaaaassssss, you can ball out on those rupees, honey! At the time of my travel, the currency exchange rate was 1 U.S. dollar to 65 Indian rupees. That's quite the come up. Let me put it this way, my entire trip costed me around $2,500 (162,000 rupees) - that's including staying at four of India's top luxury hotels, a personal driver for my entire trip, four tour guides, travel to three different cities (each one was about 5 hours away from the other), three meals per day (including splurging on caviar and champagne), tickets to five major tourist attractions, purchasing souvenirs for my family, and tipping my tour guides, driver, bellboys, etc. Yes, all of that costed me only $2,500. Try going on a luxury vacation in Europe for that amount. You'll need at least double the money. I spent nearly $2,500 one time just for a flight to Paris! And don't get me started on those luxury hotels!
Indeed, your money goes a long way in India and you can have the time of your life on a budget; however, there's also a downside to those rupees. I'll get to that in a bit.
THE BAD
I should have titled this section "The Frustrating" or "The Insanely Annoying" or, better yet, "The S*** That Got on My Damn Nerves" about travel in India! The main one being those darn ATMs! First of all, in all three cities I visited in northern India, I struggled to find an ATM that actually worked! And, every time I did find that gem of an ATM, I was met with even more frustration because there was no money in it! Oh, it was the worst! Apparently there's a lot of fraud going on in India when it comes to banking and withdrawing money from ATMs; so, as a result, they're often not stocked with many notes. I literally had to have my driver ride me around the entire city in order to find A) an ATM that worked and B) an ATM that worked AND had money in it.
If you're planning to travel to Delhi, Agra, or Jaipur, withdraw as much cash from the airport's ATM as you feel comfortable carrying at one time because it will be a struggle trying to getting money from an ATM later. Also, check with your hotel and see if they have an ATM on the property or if the concierge provides some type of currency exchange services. This will help you save a lot of valuable tourist time and it'll help you save money on banking fees.
Another thing about traveling throughout India that I didn't like was the traffic. India is wildly overpopulated. There are approximately 20 million people living in Delhi alone. So, you can imagine what their roads and streets look like. Moreover, they're far behind the U.S. when it comes to their transportation system and they have yet to figure out a way to accommodate all those millions of people sufficiently. In some places, there were no traffic lights, no stop signs, nobody directing traffic, etc. It was crazy and chaotic! And, traffic caused by cars was only one issue. In India, specifically Jaipur, you have to worry about traffic caused by cows, traffic caused by people in the middle of the street walking their cows, dogs in the middle of the street chasing cows, and tuk tuk drivers swerving into your lane trying to avoid hitting cows. Yes, cows are a huge issue in Jaipur, India. Someone should definitely do something about that.
If you travel to India (and you should travel to India), just make sure you prepare yourself for the amount of time you'll spend in traffic. An attraction that's only 10 minutes away could take you at least a hour to get there. That's a bummer; but, you're sure to see some interesting and unusual things appear before your eyes as you're sitting in traffic waiting for cows to clear the road.
I mentioned above that Delhi has over 20 million people residing in its city. With a population that vast, there is obviously going to be a huge poverty issue. And, yes, India's poverty is in fact a huge issue. It's downright ugly.
Throughout my stay in India, especially in Delhi, I saw crippled elderly women literally crawling on their hands and knees because they couldn't afford wheelchairs. I saw small children as young as three-years-old on the side of the street begging for change. And, perhaps what really broke my heart is when I was leaving an upscale restaurant in Agra and one of the most beautiful little girls approached me with a song and a dance expecting me to tip her for the display of her talent. It broke my heart because I could see the pain and desperation in her eyes. She tried all she could just for a few rupees. She hit high notes, low notes, she twirled around and tumbled on the floor. But, by the look in her eyes, I could tell she was doing it out of necessity to earn money to take back to her family not because she enjoyed it.
Side note: How blessed are we in America that our children can express their talents because they enjoy it not because they have to? My 10-year-old son is enrolled in all sorts of classes and sports, from dance to basketball to football. I couldn't imagine having to put him on the side of the road and force him to dance in order to make us some money. We're truly privileged here. I assure you that's not the case abroad - especially not in India.
Another "ugly" thing I witnessed in India was street vendors jacking their prices up specifically for American tourists. If you're not careful, you could end up paying 1000 rupees for something that would normally cost 60 rupees. That's where things can start getting a little expensive unnecessarily. So, do yourself a favor and negotiate literally everything. And, if they're unwilling to come down to your price, walk away. You didn't travel to cheap India to pay European prices. No shade. Just saying.
Which brings me to my next point...
If you're considering traveling to India, don't let the fact that it's a poverty-stricken country deter you. In fact, that's probably one of the best reasons to travel to India. Why? Because the country so badly depends on tourism. Traveling to India not only offers you an incredible and enlightening trip of a lifetime; but, unlike most of the "prettier" destinations, your travel to this part of the world could actually help children and their families.
Your tour guides, your drivers, your hospitality workers, and owners of small shops you'll visit will all be benefiting from your stay in their country. By spending your money with them, you will be making a direct impact on their family's finances. Wouldn't you much rather spend your tourist dollars where you know you'll actually be making a difference? Sometimes that's the most rewarding part of travel. You'll return home knowing you did your part to improve someone's life. That's pretty darn amazing. Just don't let those street vendors and hustlers take advantage of you.
THE FABULOUS
Now, my favorite part: the fabulousness of it all! First and foremost, one of the best parts about my India trip was being able to experience this fabulous hotel. In fact, from the ITC luxury collection hotels in Jaipur and Agra to The Roseate and LaLit in Delhi, all the hotels I stayed in were fabulous in India. If you're a luxury traveler like me, you can appreciate a country whose 5-star hotels are actually "5-star." Some places I've visited boasted luxury, 5-star hotels but they were more like really clean 3-stars. But not in India. If 5-star fabulousness is what you want, 5-star fabulousness is what you get!
The most fabulous part about the luxury hotels in northern India is the service. They really treat you like royalty. They anticipate your every need, they provide services to you without being asked or prompted, and they go to great lengths to assure your stay with them exceeds your expectations. Now, if that's not fabulous, I don't know what is!
In addition to having some of the world's most luxurious hotels, like this one I stayed at in Jaipur, northern India also has some of the most fabulously decorated restaurants. Why didn't anyone tell me about Bar Palladio??! I had the pleasure of receiving a private tour of this ultra-chic cocktail lounge and restaurant and was overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. You can read about my visit to the fabulous Bar Palladio here.
Another fabulous part about northern India is the shopping! Want high-end designer threads? Can't live without your Versace or Dior? The DLF Emporio shopping mall in Delhi has got you covered! But, what I fancied most about shopping in north India is all the authentic cashmere and Pashmina threads you can find in any city. I purchased a beautiful, multi-colored Pashmina scarf for only $80. And, if you know anything about authentic Pashmina, you already know buying anything made with this high-end fabric for under $100 is a steal!
In addition to purchasing the finer things to wear on your body, India is known for being the go-to destination for fabulous decorations to adorn your home. While there, I toured two amazing shops where artisans custom make rugs and table tops. The average handmade rug in the shop I visited costed $2,000. Oh, and they were fabulous! They had rugs with designs ranging from traditional Indian to modern, colorful, and European-looking. If you're into that sort of thing, make sure you bring a few more hundred thousand rupees with you out to the rug factory. And don't forget to negotiate!
THE TAKEAWAY
India gave me everything. It was more than what I could have ever expected in a trip. There were times when I was completely feeling myself - drinking Indian tea while relaxing in a cabana next to a sparkling pool in my 5-star hotel. And, there were times when I was completely humbled and forced to think about the misfortunes of others, like the time I met that little girl with the most sincerest look of desperation in her eyes. There were times when I was completely frustrated while trying to find an ATM and there were times when I experienced pure joy and utter elation, like when I was being treated like a celebrity by tons of Indian men and women at the Taj Mahal (more on that in a later post).
India gave me a deeper sense of what it means to take care of myself while simultaneously looking out for others. It gave me unique cultural experiences that can only be had in India. It gave me hope for humanity. And, it also gave me a dope virgin Indian Remy hair connection!
The good, the bad, the ugly, the fabulous, they all worked together to make me a more well-rounded and evolved human being. I'm so glad I went. I'm so, so, so, SO glad I went! And, I guarantee you, if you were to travel to India, you'd be so glad you went, too.
With love,
Quan Lanae Green
