Travelfood

India does not leave anyone untouched. There is dirt and dust everywhere and the noisy traffic is boosted by every single vehicle, which has a sign urging other vehicles to “blow horn”. The poor beg for coins with a disturbing intensity and when you walk on sidewalks you need to avoid holes in the road, dirt and handless or legless beggars emerging at your feet.  You are also guaranteed to get Delhi belly, diarrhea, at some point during your trip.

When the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption closed Europe’s airspace in spring 2010, I was stuck in the chaos in Delhi of all places, for an unforseeable time. With my temporary visa I was not allowed to travel anywhere else to wait for Europe to open up again. Staying in Delhi was, however, unthinkable so with the help of fantastic local Bukhari Tours & Travels I bought a single flight to Moscow, arranged a Russian visa and a train trip from Moscow to Helsinki. Even my diarrhea took a break during my Russian sidetrip in order to get me out of India!

Despite everything above there is something fascinating about India. The train trip from Delhi through red Rajastan to Jaipur and Agra’s great Taj Mahal was a true experience. The Portuguese influence on the lush beach resort Goa seems surrealistic. It feels special to see all those blocks of Delhi, where specialized professions such as bicycle repairmen, bookbinders and silversmiths are concentrated. Also the Indian food raises great voices for or against.

Of all the Indian food I would like to recommend a few dish that I tasted before the diarrheas took over. Fish curry, butter chicken, samosa pies, dhal lentils, lamb in apple and cinnamon sauce, paneer cheese, tandoori-marinated meat, grilled pomfret fish, chicken xacuti, rogan josh mutton, kingfish in lemon sauce and Kashmiri pulau (rice) with vegetables: everything tasted good.

Asia, exotism, food, India, travel, travel experiences