First Impressions on a Second Visit

It’s been 17 years since I was last in India. My most vivid memories of that time include marveling at the brightly colored clothes and tapestries in the markets of Delhi, snake charmers charming in hopes of a few rupees for each photo taken, the expansive beaches of Goa and the more unpleasant memories of incessant hawkers bombarding me at every turn, stepping in and over human and cow excrement on the sidewalks and waiting for hours at a bank while my travelers checks were being processed.

Both India and I have changed in those 17 years.

While I didn’t visit this city on my first trip, Bangalore is indicative of the country’s changes. It is now a bustling hi-tech city - nearly out of control with traffic problems. Everyone, it seems, owns a cell phone. Fast food chains are ubiquitous and I read yesterday that Starbucks is petitioning the government to allow them to open stores here. Personally, I hope they aren’t granted permission, but I know better than that.

As for me, I have a little more money and a lot more travel experience under my belt than I did 17 years ago. India was my first real adventure abroad and at the time it was a shocker. Overcrowded streets with no lane markers, 2-stroke rickshaws puttering in and out of traffic, near constant horn honking and seeing life lived in the streets. By this I don’t mean seeing people living in the streets but instead seeing life taking place in the streets - food being prepared and eaten and money changing hands for items sold and bought.

After so many years of travel since 24 year old Beth first left the United States, and the realization that this way of life is not unique to India, it would take a lot to shock me now. I’m happy to be back in a country where many people say, “you either hate India or you love it”. My first experience was neutral. I’m looking forward, over the next month, to discovering which end of the pendulum I’ll find myself. I have a feeling this will not be a neutral trip.

Happy Travels!