SOUTHEAST ASIA

INDIA, NEPAL, and BHUTAN – August to September 2023

DELHI, INDIA

I feel I have a spiritual connection to Buddhist Hindu philosophy and I’ve always harbored a deep desire to witness the majestic Himalayan mountains and explore this unique part of our world. Additionally, I’ve come to the conclusion that Solo travel suits me under certain circumstances. While I adore traveling with Nancy and other companions, my choice of adventure can be quite specific. Similar to my previous trip to Tanzania, Nancy had little interest in the majority of activities I had planned for my adventure. Therefore, for this particular journey, I decided to craft my own plan. I scoured the internet to the “Best Time to Travel to KATHMANDU.” The months recommended were promptly eliminated from my considerations. The allure of avoiding the crowds, enjoying lower costs, and immersing myself in the local culture outweighed the risks posed by unpredictable weather.

I also prefer not to plan too far in advance, as it allows me to adapt spontaneously, explore unintended paths, and seize opportunities that align with the unpredictable weather. This style of travel, while not commonly shared by others, necessitates making numerous on-the-fly decisions, which can become complicated with multiple participants. So, off I went, embarking on an adventure filled with intrigue, fascination, education, uncertainty, and just enough moments of adversity to amplify the thrill.

In this case, the non-tourist season in Southeast Asia either means braving ridiculously cold temperatures or enduring the monsoon season. Nancy had already made plans to travel with friends to Maine in late August and to her Mom’s 90th birthday celebration from late August into September. Though this coincided with the monsoon season, I decided to take that window of opportunity. This meant risking treks through the foothills of some of the world’s most breathtaking mountains and visiting highly sought-after destinations amid pouring rain. It also meant the very real possibility of standing in front of the Himalayan Mountain range, only to see it obscured by thick clouds. I couldn’t ask anyone to take such a risk with me, so I embarked on this journey solo.  KATHMANDU is the geographical center of my travels.  After booking my flight I pulled up this graph of Precipitation in KATHMANDU and confirmed that my window of August 16th – September 6th was certain to be cloudy and wet.  

Getting there required obtaining a Visa, so I applied for an Indian visa online five weeks before my departure. You would also need an Indian visa to get into the Nepal and to apply for a BHUTAN visa. They asked me to specify the type of Visa I needed: Government Visa, Education Visa, Regular Visa, or E-Visa. After careful consideration, I chose the Regular Visa. However, this choice proved to be a big mistake, as the process turned out to be excruciatingly slow, and there was a real possibility that I might not receive it in time for my trip. After three weeks of checking the status and receiving the same response, “In Process,” I began to doubt whether I would be going anywhere. I started sending emails and even called a number that handled visas for India, only to be told that they only assisted those who had applied for an E-Visa. Frustrated, I decided to try the E-Visa option. This involved answering the same lengthy set of questions, including details about my parents’ birthplaces, etc. I hit “send” and received my E-Visa just two days later.

My journey began with the kind assistance of my friends, the Gorra Family, who reside near JFK Airport. They helped me prepare for a 15-hour direct flight to Delhi, India. On the day of my departure, the media was flooded with devastating images of unprecedented mudslides in India and Nepal. Evidently, this monsoon season had brought heavier rainfall than usual. However, there was no turning back now. 

I took off at 8:50 PM on September 16th, and due to the time change, I landed in Delhi around 9:30 PM on the 17th. Unsurprisingly, my Boeing 777 aircraft was predominantly populated by non-white passengers, a trend that would continue for the next three weeks until my return to the US.

INDIA

Though I was seated in coach class, I lucked out with an aisle seat, an empty middle seat, and Hjana occupying the window seat. Hjana, an Indian woman in her thirties pursuing her PhD in geography in Gainesville, Florida, and I struck up a conversation about climate change, capitalism, and politics. After about an hour, we both sensed that this was going to be a long flight, so we retreated to our respective cocoons for the night and expectedly resumed our conversation an hour before landing. By this point, we had already acknowledged that we wouldn’t solve the world’s problems during the flight. So, I seized the opportunity to pick her brain about Delhi, which was merely a stopover point for me and a place to combat jet lag following my grueling 15-hour flight. All I knew about Delhi was that it had both New Delhi and Old Delhi, and both were characterized by extreme poverty.

Hjana began offering insights, and I started taking notes. Frustrated by my illegible scribbles, she took the pen and paper from me and provided her notes, which I found perfect for my planned exploration of Delhi. The day before, I had booked a room at the Holiday Inn Express, which was conveniently located at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport. However, when I inquired about extending my stay, I was informed that it was not allowed. The hotel’s policy stipulated that once you checked in, you were not permitted to leave the hotel until checkout the following day, effectively making you a virtual hostage. They cited “security reasons” for this policy, as the property primarily served travelers with layovers. This prompted me to scramble and change my reservation to the Holiday Inn Aerocity. I had to push for the change because it fell beyond the grace period for cancellations. I managed to persuade the Holiday Inn to allow the change but that turned out to be by far the most expensive hotel I stayed in my whole trip at $160, which equals ₹1300 Indian rupees.

I then headed to the airport exchange, where I handed the attendant $500 to exchange for ₹38,500. She assured me that their rates were the best as they didn’t charge a commission, so I handed her another $500. It wasn’t until later that I discovered their rates were actually the highest, and I could have received ₹40,000 elsewhere. Lesson learned: Avoid exchanging money at the airport. 

Since there was no shuttle to the Holiday Inn Aerocity, it was time for my first experience negotiating with a taxi driver. As culture shock began to set in, I felt a bit uneasy navigating the streets alone with my backpack and heavy duffle bag slung over my shoulders. However, things gradually fell into place. After ignoring the aggressive drivers soliciting my business, I was approached by a soft-spoken man whom I inexplicably liked. I inquired about the fare to the Holiday Inn Aerocity, and he quoted ₹1500. My instinctive response was, “That sounds high.” He then pulled out a printed document showing various places including the cost to that hotel.  I agreed to the fare. His name was Kumar, and we were on our way. Kumar and I quickly developed rapport. 

His English was quite good, and he mentioned that he had been a driver for 36 years. He even offered to be my tour guide for the day, promising to do an excellent job. We agreed on a fee of ₹7500, and he planned to pick me up at 8 AM the following morning. We also discussed my hotel situation. I explained that I preferred not to return to the same hotel the following night, as my flight to Varanasi was scheduled for 10:35 AM the next day, and I wanted to find another hotel that better suited my budget. As it turned out, this decision was a wise one. I knew there were other properties available for half the price that would still meet my needs. 

Kumar agreed with Hjana’s suggestions and knew the optimal times to schedule my visits. We decided to meet in the morning with all my luggage so that I could find another place to stay after our tour of Delhi. Kumar dropped me off at the Holiday Inn Aerocity, where I had to pass through security reminiscent of an airport checkpoint. I soon discovered that this was one of the best Holiday Inns I had ever encountered. Typically, I would only stay at such a hotel when equipped with a company credit card. My suite was enormous, featuring beautiful tile and stonework, two bathrooms, and all the amenities I had no immediate use for. Little did I know that this would be one of the few places to offer a hot shower for the next three weeks.

Jet lag and the time change left me napping for a while before being fully awake in time for the 7 AM breakfast. It was an excellent buffet that showcased Indian cuisine and was included with the room. I savored the meal and ate heartily. When I shared my plans to visit India with others, many would ask, “Why India? Do you love Indian food?” My honest response was, “Not particularly,” but my perspective was beginning to shift. Despite it being a buffet, servers approached me several times to ensure everything was satisfactory. As I was leaving, I placed $3 US dollars on the table. In a thick Indian accent, one of the servers exclaimed, “Don’t forget your money.” I replied, “That’s a tip,” to his surprise. I guess they didn’t expect tips for buffet-style meals. As things progressed I learned that traveling in Delhi was among the least expensive places I’ve ever traveled.

Kumar and I had exchanged numbers on WhatsApp the night before. WhatsApp had become the universal means of international communication due to its ease and cost-effectiveness, provided you had an internet connection. He called me at 7:50 AM, and we were ready to start our day.

I requested that Kumar not sanitize our travel experience by avoiding impoverished neighborhoods, but I soon discovered that this was easier said than done. Slums were ubiquitous in India, with only sporadic pockets of what I might consider middle-class residences. With the exception of Hanol, the population density was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before.