India has some excellent hiking.
With only a few days left in our ten-month trip, Katie and I recapped our time in India and discussed how travel has changed us. Lots of good philosophical advice in this one.
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Show Notes:
Here's a video I shot while walking around Varanasi. This doesn't begin to capture the true chaos of the moment. So much is missing: the sweltering heat, the festering cow dung, the pestering touts, and more. The only way to truly experience a place like this (absent lifelike VR) is to go there.
And here are a few photos from some of the places we discussed:
Land border crossings can be quite interesting. You might need all day to get across, but I still highly recommend going over land when possible. You'll get a much better feel for the place from the moment you set foot into the new country. This is the border between India and Nepal, taken from the Indian side.
Your gun must be at least this long to take a photo with me.
The torrid heat was almost too much for us at times. On this day the mercury touched 46 Celsius (115 Fahrenheit). I know this is hard to believe, but some of the locals still looked comfortable wearing jeans and long sleeve shirts in the midday heat.
A major siege occurred in Lucknow, India 150 years ago. You can still see the bullet holes today. Or maybe the cement is simply crumbling.
These guys work unbelievably hard, pushing heavy loads around the city.
Lucknow was the most chaotic city we visited in India. Or maybe that was just our perception because we were staying in the heart of the main bazaar. This photo was taken from our hotel balcony.
Bicycle rickshaws are very common in most Indian cities. This guy is relaxing while waiting for a fare.
Skills you'll pick up if you travel long enough in India: how to sneak around a cow in a narrow alley.
The locals come down to the holy Ganges at dawn to bathe.
