The Highs and Lows of India

When arriving in Delhi, I experienced a sensory overload. The city has an impossibly dense population plagued by poverty, pimps, and pollution. The friends that I traveled with ended up staying in their dorm rooms because they disliked the city so much. I was determined to find something redeeming about the chaos. The receptionist at my hostel offered me a bike tour and I ended up having an incredible day. We went to the stunning archway of the India Gate, a war memorial. We visited a community shelter that was preparing food in large vats for the poor. Last, we visited the Sikh religious site, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. This site was especially beautiful since white marble is used throughout the structure, and is topped with a golden dome. Modest dress is required for women (they provide head coverings) and you have to remove your shoes when entering the site. 

 I would recommend a guided tour since this city does have beautiful locations but is too overwhelming to do without a local.

We stayed at the Moustache hostel which was nothing special, and I would also recommend bringing earplugs since the roads will remain noisy throughout the night.

It is always a good idea to haggle in India, especially with rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers. Decide on a price for your ride before getting in a cab.

In northern India, Dharamsala is situated on the side of a mountain next to forests and the Himalayan mountain range. I ended up staying there for only two weeks and then rushed to see check off all of the locations I had planned in my ‘India itinerary.’ I strongly recommend doing the exact opposite! The purpose of Dharamsala is to enjoy living life slowly. Dharamsala is where I learned how to enjoy doing nothing. I slept in, sat in cafés to sketch, got cheap massages, and took wood carving and yoga classes.

On days that you plan on being more active, there are plenty of beautiful hikes to choose from. I wouldn’t say that one is better than another, it simply depends on the level of intensity you want for your hike. For example, the Bhagsu waterfall hike is absolutely breathtaking, with goats hiking up with you. It is an easy route and takes an average of 54 min to complete and there is a lovely café at the top called the ‘Shiva cafe.’ On the other hand, the Triund hike was incredible as well, but it had very steep ascents and took around 6 hours to complete. I would recommend camping once reaching the top!