Travelling to India took me along an unconventional route via Singapore and Malaysia. Even before I had entered the plane that should take me to the South of India, most of the people that I met and told about my ultimate destination had warned me that it would be the “harshest of all possible travel experiences” in Asia.
My travel route provided for a smooth start into Asia but I was still startled about all these alarming warnings about India and its people. Having the prospect of working in this huge and diverse country with locals for a longer period of time, I did not consider myself the usual western traveler at all. And since I had experienced different cultures in many parts of the world before, I did not want to be preoccupied with other peoples’ prejudices, especially not of those who had never been there themselves.
So, I boarded the plane in Kuala Lumpur to Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu in the end of July. Already on the flight I should experience the incredible friendliness and interest that one may encounter as a curious guest to India. After arrival, the reality of India struck me with its mind-melting heat. Also, congestion, open sewage system, and the ever present dust quickly made me grasp the difficulty with which my body should get used to this challenging climate over the next weeks. However, the whole range of stunning views, smells, smiles, and tastes Southern India may provide was just about to come...