Prior to my trip abroad I was asked, “Jenna, what is the country you are looking forward to the most?” And swiftly my reply was always “India.” The reaction to my answer always varied. Sometimes I would get the open-mouthed stare; other times people would nod nonchalantly. Either way, my answer was always India.
I was so nervous after giving this answer that I would build up my experience in India so much that when I finally arrived I would be disappointed. Despite the rumors and the facts I heard about the smells and the dirt and the poverty of India, I never doubted that my experience in India would be nothing short of great. And now, as a seasoned traveler, I can honestly say that my expectations were exceeded and surpassed without hesitation.
Docked in Chennai on the east coast I decided months ago to venture north for four days, so I said goodbye to my floating home and hopped on a bus. Nervous and tired we headed for Delhi—the current capital of India. Old Delhi and New Delhi are combined to form Delhi, the first visit on our tour. We stopped at palaces, gardens, jewelers, an astrological conservatory and finally we pulled up to our hotel. Half delirious and hungry we trudged into the hotel with backpacks galore. Suddenly our entire groups was awake and in awe. The LaLit Hotel was not the ordinary Holiday Inn. The marble floors and fifty foot ceilings should have been a sign that we were not in Kansas anymore. Inside the hotel there was a club/bar, a small pond of water-lilies, an entire wine…closet (for lack of a better word)…on display, and the restaurant with an international buffet [don’t ask…I’ll explain it later]. And well of course there was the gym and the pool. Oh, and did I mention the Versace store inside? The rooms also boasted two queen sized beds for my roommate Melanie and I, a Jacuzzi and shower, a fully stocked mini bar and a HUGE flat screen TV. After settling in everyone met back downstairs for the most marvelous dinner: a buffet with pizza, pasta primavera, fresh made sushi, Indian curry, salads, fresh cheeses, and enough roasted and grilled veggies to last a lifetime. Of course that means dessert was nothing less than amazing too. Chocolate fondue, ice cream, crème Brule, fresh fruit (pineapple, kiwi, mango, oranges, strawberries), brownies, chocolate layer cake with raspberry jam—are you getting the picture? Basically we were spoiled on our first day which made it hard to leave the next morning. But still we piled onto the bus by 7 am to head the next city.
Our next stop was the pink city of India: Jaipur. After a quick driving tour of Old Delhi and another 4 hours in the car we made it to Jaipur where we stopped in the next hotel—nothing bad, but not The LaLit—had lunch and were off more tours. Here we visited a textile factory, another jewelry store, and a marketplace. We spent the evening bartering for scarves and other knickknacks until we returned to our hotel for dinner and in just enough time to pass out. The next morning we were up and out again, but this time for an elephant ride to the Amber Fort! Yes…I said elephant. I know—it was just as amazing as it sounds. After the 30 minute ride to the top we took a tour of the fort and took some pictures. We drove some more, had a boxed lunch on the bus, and then made our way to Agra—home of the Taj Mahal. We stopped at another palace, where we, the mature college kids, took pictures climbing all over the monuments and buildings, goofing off.
The next morning, at 5 am we all were woken up and we left the hotel by 6:30. By 7 am, sunrise, we were at the Taj. Let me just say, no picture will ever do the Taj justice. Over the past few days our bus really bonded—as a matter of fact we labeled ourselves as “Jai Ho”—after the final song from Slumdog Millionaire. Taj (ironically our tour guide’s name) labeled all the girls as “Lakita” and all the boys as “Jamal”. [I love my movie references] Well, the reason I tell you all this is because we decided at the Taj Mahal to be a bit…unique. I choreographed a dance and we performed it in front of the Taj and made a minor music video. It was hysterical. People were staring in awe and shock, but it was so worth it. I mean, I DANCED in front of the Taj Mahal!! How many people can say that?
This was by far the best Semester at Sea sponsored trip I’ve been on thus far. Part of that reason is because of the itinerary and experience, but most of that reason is because of the people I was with.
Today we had a Service Trip at the Sri Sayee Vivekananda School. According to a news packet we received it serves the educational need of the economically disadvantages population of the area of Chennai. Basically, it is a free school for 694 students in the slums of India. And today we got to be guests to the entire school. They performed various cultural dances and asked us questioned, informally, about living in America and our culture and our trip. For majority of my day I spent being the Monkey in a rendition of Monkey in the Middle with a gaggle of 9th grade girls.
The older I find myself becoming more of a student. The younger generations are the teachers. These girls and all the other kids I met today know how to live a full life without any regrets, and still they are very conscious of their surroundings and their environment.
After all that anticipating about what India would be like and what experiences I would have—it proved to be better than I could imagine.
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