Category Archives: india

10 things to do and not to do in India

This list is inspired by our experiences we had from our three month backpacking in India in 2014. Please read the list with a sense of humor but don’t get suprised if any of these things happens to you to! 

1. DO NOT ask the locals for direction! If they don’t know or are not sure they will send you to the wrong side of the town! If you are still going to ask someone for the direction DO please remember that “I told you so”!


2. DO NOT get your ears cleaned by a street “ears cleaner” because if you do they will put wax in your ears and they will ask around 30$ to take it out for you. If you did let someone touch your ears and realised that he just put 1kg of wax in them, DO stay calm! The wax will eventually melt away in a couple of days. 



3. DO NOT get angry when you stand in line for buying a train ticket, for exemple. The Indians don’t make a queue but instead they make a cluster. May the best man get first to the counter! When you are in there DO use your elbows to viciously defend your spot! 

4. DO NOT even try to buy the biggest balloon when you are in Mumbai (you will know what I’m talking about when you are there). The street vendor will promise you that you will get the biggest one because that is what you have pay for, right? Wrong! If you did buy one DO try not to get annoyed because after all the balloon you got is still very big! 



5. DO NOT eat a chocolat cake! But if you do, DO check before eating that there is no cockroach in it…still alive!

6. DO NOT sleep alone in the train if you are a women! But if you are going to…please DO wear a pair of sock! The men will see a pair of feet with painted toenails and they will start to massage them. ( unless you like that)



7. DO ask where your clothes will be washed before handing your laundry to someone when you are in Varanasi. DO NOT belive when that person says that your clothes will be washed in a machine!



8. DO ask for the price before buying something. DO NOT buy if the price is not clear!                              
Exemple:

He: Fried fish, 1…50rp.      

We: 1 for 50?     

He: Yes, 1…50rp.     

We again: 1 fish for 50rp?    

He goes: YES, 1…50rp!       

And when the bill comes :  2 fish x 150rp = 300rp…what? He said he was sure he said 1 fish is 150rp.

(and look of the size of the fish)



9. DO visit the Taj Mahal because it’s beautiful. DO NOT go when that place has been closed  in the morning for whatever reason! 


9. DO NOT ask any tourist for help if you happen to get stomach flu on your way to the train station in Varanasi. DO ask the street kids for help because they will do everything they can to help you!


10. DO say yes if an Indian wants to take a photograph with you. DO NOT say yes if he ask if he can bring his family to be in the photo. You risk to spend an hour posing with everyone of them.


This post is not a real guide to India. When reading you should not belive that this is happening everywhere and all the time in India.