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In May 2018, we went to India for the third time.
Our plan was to go on a 9000-kilometer (5500-mile) overland journey across India using public transportation. We had come up with a route, but no reservations were made upon our arrival to the subcontinent. And now I’m ready to show you what these 4 weeks in India looked like — where did we go and what did we see. It’s hard to put a 4-week long journey across such a colorful country like India in a single photo story.
That’s why I’m splitting the story into 2 parts.
Here is the first part of our India Photo Story.
See also: 4 Weeks in India – Photo Story – Part 2
Table of Contents
4 Weeks in India – Photo Story – Part 1
We couldn’t get all the tickets we wanted.
So, we had to change our travel plan a bit. And in the end our route across India looked like this: Bhubaneshwar – Kolkata – Varanasi – Delhi – Agra – Delhi – Amritsar – Jaipur – Pushkar – Jaisalmer – Ahmedabad – Mumbai – Goa.
Mostly we traveled by train, a few times we took a bus and once we booked a car with a driver (for a day trip from Delhi to Taj Mahal and back).
Our 4 weeks in India itinerary: Bhubaneshwar – Kolkata – Varanasi – Delhi – Agra – Delhi – Amritsar – Jaipur – Pushkar – Jaisalmer – Ahmedabad – Mumbai – Goa.
Bhubaneshwar
1. Our Journey Started in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneshwar is a peaceful, clean and small (for Indian standards) city in East India.
2. One of the Best Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar Is the Museum of Tribal Arts & Artifacts
We aren’t big fans of museums, but we decided to give it a shot.
And I must say it, that at least the videos you can watch in the main building are very interesting and informative. We went there after we had found a post office and sent some of our stuff to the final destination of our India trip – Goa. And after we had bought a local Indian SIM card, and also train tickets to Kolkata.
Speaking of a local SIM card. It was Airtel India.
We spent about an hour and a half to get it. At first traveling on a tuk-tuk from one Airtel store to another, and at each of them hearing the same story, that at the next store they will definitely be able to help us (to sell a SIM card to a foreigner). At the last shop we bought it finally – though, it took some persuasion, that, yes, you guys are allowed to sell SIM cards to foreigners.
This SIM was never activated…
3. And Then It Was Time to Move on… to Kolkata
Bhubaneswar train station surprised us.
It’s so clean compared to what we have seen before in India.
Kolkata
4. Kolkata Surprised Us
It was much more interesting than we thought it will be.
More crowded. More colorful. A city where we felt like we had just traveled back in time. Back to 1950s.
5. In a Way Kolkata Looks Like Mumbai
Mumbai and Kolkata both now are my favorite cities in India.
6. Look at That Bridge… And People Bathing Next to It
7. And That Ferry Taking People From One Coast to Another
By the way, do you want to know how they deal with tickets there?
Well, let’s say not in the best way. You buy a ticket. A minute later it’s being taken from you buy a ticket conductor, who… tears it apart and throws it in the river. You turn your head and see thousands upon thousands of tickets covering the bank of the river.
8. In Kolkata Contrast is HUGE
9. There Are Beautiful Streets Just Like This One
10. And Then There Are Old Trams Like This One
11. And Super Crowded Streets
12. Where People Still Manage to Find a Place Where to Sleep, Cook and Rest
Because this street is also their home.
Nowhere else in India, or elsewhere for that matter, I have seen that many people living on the streets like in Kolkata.
13. Life Is Very Tough For Many in Kolkata
14. You Can’t Even Imagine How Tough
15. Yet People in Kolkata Are Extremely Friendly
16. Many Will Ask You For a Photo
Whenever they will notice you wandering around with a camera in hand.
17. There Are Punks in Kolkata, Too
We are walking down the street, when out of nowhere runs this guy and welcomes us to India. We show off our tattoos, chat a bit, take a photo and off he goes.
18. And Again, Moving On… to Varanasi
In the photo above, you can see how non AC sleeper class car looks.
It’s also known as Sleeper. This is how it looks in India. 5 out of 7 times we traveled on a Sleeper class train.
When there aren’t too many people and it’s not very hot (like it was when we traveled), then it’s not that bad. But the car can also be packed with people. Because everyone who have a general ticket (cheapest ticket without an allocated seat) can board this car. And when all the seats are taken people sleep on the floor and under the berths, etc.
Varanasi
19. We Arrived to Varanasi Just in Time for the Evening Ceremony
20. And Then We Woke Up at 5 AM to Check Out How The Ganges (Ganga) Looks in the Morning
21. Cremations Here Never Stop
Fire is burning 24/7.
All day. Every day. Non stop.
22. Boats Transporting Wood for Cremations
A scene that caught my interest even more. And not just this particular scene. But this all setup how “Varanasi works” and how they perform these cremations here non-stop.
23. In Off-Season There Aren’t That Many People in Varanasi
24. There Are Even Less of Them Walking
25. So You Can Just Walk and Observe the Local Life
26. Not Many People on the Main Ghat Either
27. Boat, sir? Boat, sir?
And also this phrase, in the off-season you hear only every now and then. Not constantly as you might imagine.
28. Piles of Wood Next to Wood Shops and Ghats
29. Layers of Varanasi
30. Then You Leave Ganges and the Ghats, Head Into the City And…
And you end up in a regular Indian city.
Loud. Crazy. Chaotic.
31. You Turn Back and Head for the Ganges Again
And get lost in a maze of narrow streets.
32. Until Once Again You Are Back on the Banks of the Ganges River
Delhi & Agra
33. We Came to Delhi
And so did a heavy dust storm.
We are out walking to Old Delhi, when in a split second everything changes. Strong winds are blowing now. Garbage is flying all around us. You can’t see anything. An hour later the rain came. And the temperature sharply dropped to a half of what it was during the day (when it was crazy hot).
34. Second Try. Going to the Markets of Old Delhi
35. This Is Only a Couple of Metro Stops Away from the City Center
36. Wandering Into the Spice Market
37. Lots of Spices Here
38. Taking in the Atmosphere of Old Delhi
39. Wandering Further Into Old Delhi
40. Further And Further
41. We Visited a Few Beautiful Monuments in Delhi, Too
42. Qutb Minar Was One of the Places We Visited in Delhi
An interesting landmark.
Worth a visit, if you’d ask me.
43. We Visited Agrasen ki Baoli, Too
It’s an interesting place located in the heart of the city.
It’s a historical stepwell dating back to the 1100s.
Now it’s a popular hangout place in Delhi where people chill out and take some beautiful selfies for Instagram. Lots of young people there.
44. And Here Is The India Gate!
45. While in Delhi, Often We Felt Like Celebrities
46. Because Many People Wanted to Take a Photo With Us
47. And, Of Course, We Couldn’t Leave Delhi Without Visiting Taj Mahal
Well, yes, Taj Mahal isn’t in Delhi.
Taj Mahal is located in a city called Agra, a few hours ride away from Delhi. We decided not to stay in Agra overnight, but head there at night to arrive to Taj Mahal at the time of sunrise. And to go back to Delhi the same afternoon.
It turned out to be a very good decision.
48. Early Morning Is the Perfect Time for Visiting the Taj Mahal
If you can, visit Taj Mahal early in the morning.
49. Quite Impressive, Isn’t It?
50. Moving On to Amritsar
Colorful. Loud. Crazy.
This is Delhi we will remember.
See the Part 2.
Do you have questions about India? Do not hesitate to contact us! We have spent a lot of time in India, and have traveled all across the country several times.
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