How to Deal with the Challenges of Traveling in India

Traveling in developing countries like India comes with its own unique set of challenges. As anyone who has ever had to negotiate their first squat toilet or endure a nine hour bus ride with a farm animal will tell you, traveling in less developed countries isn’t easy, but it is rewarding as you learn to live life like a local and step out of your comfort zone.

Among some of the many challenges you may face in a developing country are bathroom facilities that you may not find up to par with what you have at home, odd dishes that can’t figure out how to eat, uncomfortable transit situations, awkward shopping experiences, sketchy political encounters and of course, the realization that everything takes about three times as long as you’d expect. It’s no different in India; train travel in India resembles nothing like Amtrak and many of the bathrooms are a far cry from the pristine, modern facilities found in the US. But that’s what you’re traveling for after all, isn’t it? To get away from the familiar and see something completely foreign. India is one of the best places to immerse yourself in another culture and open your ideas to the differences – and similarities – of people around the world.

And luckily, it’s an affordable place to visit as well. Flights to India are quite expensive on their own, but if you’re planning some extended travel, adding India to your itinerary won’t bust your budget. Once on the ground, travel in India is almost shockingly cheap. You may to learn a few new coping skills to travel here, but you can do so while spending very little money for an eye-opening cultural experience.

Photo by Kannan Kartha