An Aussie travel blog in India

I was doing some research about some travel spots for my upcoming India trip and happened to chance on this travel blog. It is written by an Aussie woman, Donna Rendell, who's spent 6 months traveling all over India. The travel blog is intended to serve more as her biography rather than any intentional tour guide. However, the part I liked the best was her last entry, where she summarizes her stay and bids adew to India. She also succintly summarizes the country and its people, that I found refreshingly honest without being patronizing, as Western tourists usually are when they travel in a third-world country.

For example, her take on Indian politeness...
You’ll never hear “excuse me” … instead you’ll be knocked over as people push past you to get on buses, trains, into or out of a store, footpaths.

Or about Bollywood. Although, I do think she's mistaken the Kollywood and the Mallu/Telugu industrues for Bollywood...
Most Bollywood leading men are uuuugly, fat and have big moustaches.

And our love for music...
There’s only two volumes for music here. Off and really fucken loud (and distorted)!

And our love for jeans...
All the bad jeans come here to die.

And the most hilarious observation of all - the unusual Indian habit of holding hands, even among males. This shocks even me when I go back to India these days. I know you guys are crying "hypocrite!!!", but I just can't help it...
I thought all the men were gay when I first got here ‘cause they all hold hands - even the police officers.

Here's the link to the complete article...

In summary, a decent travel blog and a great commentary on backpacking across India. And to think that I haven't even visited Taj Mahal (despite living in Rajasthan for 4 years) or Kerala (yes, my neighboring state!). Hopefully, I'll manage to spend that much time traveling across India some day. Although, I suspect our prejudices will not let us absorb as much of the culture and people.