INDIA: Seriously, Why India?

So many warnings, primarily from people who have been to India. Including:

• "Please take mace." (Plea from Mom, who has never been to India)
• "You are going to get diarrhea. You are SO going to get diarrhea!" (Somewhat gleeful -- and repeated -- predictions from a man (who travels to India on business) who I met at a charity party in Minneapolis)
• "Only eat at 5-star hotels." (Co-worker who traveled to India for work)
• "They will fill plastic bottles with contaminated water, reseal them, and sell them to you." (Native Indian cardiologist)
• "You will be ripped off before you leave the Mumbai airport. They rip ME off." (Customer of Indian descent)
• "Join a tour group." (Physician born and raised in India)
• "You will be covered in leeches." (Fellow in training, who recently visited family in India, referring to a specific wilderness trek)
• "You are going to stick out like a sore thumb." (Friend who, with his brother, traveled to India for fun)
• "Do NOT miss Goa" (former co-worker who visits family in India)
• "Skip Goa!" (culture vulture)

I better ease into India. I'm heading South, where life is bucolic, overcrowding is a non-issue, English ex-pats plant roots, and the people are the friendliest in the country. Sure, I'd like to visit the White City, the Blue City, the Pink City, the Taj Mahal, Varanasi, and all those other must-sees in the North but I'm taking the the easy route -- the South -- India Lite -- for my initial visit to the country.

Comments

[Flights to India]

I really enjoyed reading your blog post.
India is such a very beautiful country. Some of the major tourist spots in India include Shimla, Manali, Nainital, Goa, Dehradun, and Kerala. Tourists can reach India from almost all parts of the world.
Wish you a happy and safe journey.