BEFORE we boarded the flight to Kolkata from Bangkok to resume our ride, my feelings were those of dread, quite frankly.

The enthusiasm was not particularly pumping and the thought of leaving “comfortable” Bangkok for the anticipated hardship in India weighed heavy on my mind. I remember feeling particularly dejected during the drive to the airport but the show had to go on.

Prior to our arrival in India, we were swamped with well meaning advice from friends and audience from our Facebook page (SevenWunders).

“Don’t drink the water” was uppermost on the list. Next up was advice for us to not consume the street food, to look out for the reckless driving and countless other nudges. Most of those who have been in India also expressed a love-hate relationship with the country. All these added to paint a rather bleak picture of what was to be expected.

As mentioned in a previous article here, India did turn out to be a cultural shock in every sense of the word. It is not something you will see, smell or hear anywhere in Malaysia. Mystical didn’t quite describe India.

We did however heed the advice about not consuming the street food during our first week in Kolkata, choosing to seek refuge within the safe haven of McDonald’s, sans beef of course.

The sight of the street food stalls was as unappetising as they were unhygienic. We just needed more time to acclimatise before taking that huge leap of faith.

Our journey across the northern part of India covered over 2000 km, from Kolkata in West Bengal to Amritsar in Punjab. To say we have seen or learnt a great deal would be a gross understatement.

I do believe we are probably two of very few people who have traversed that large chunk of India the way we did.  In fact, almost every Indian we encountered along the way conceded that they haven’t seen much of their own country themselves, and I dare say we probably saw more of India than most locals have. We get a quiet sense of satisfaction out of knowing that.

The landscape in northern India gradually transforms from a dull and dusty industrial backdrop to a softer and greener environment as you head further to the west. The terrain is almost entirely flat which made for a rather uneventful ride although the trucks drivers do add some unwanted excitement into the mix.

That the Indians are a curious lot also means there isn’t much personal space to be enjoyed. We were constantly mobbed by onlookers looking for selfies or simply to inspect a foreign face.

Bikers would sidle up beside us while we cycled for a closer look and the usual “Where from country?” enquiry. They are unapologetic about the awkward stares and would even chase you down for a selfie.

Don’t be surprised to see a dozen locals surrounding your table at arm’s length while you eat. It’s bizarre but completely harmless. It is what it is and we soon got used to it. The secret lies in engaging rather than ignoring them. After all, we are on a journey of discovery.

The ubiquitous head shake unique to the Indians is also something to marvel at. While the general perception dictates that the head shake denotes a “Yes”, it is a gesture that means a lot more in reality.

It says, among others, “I’m not sure”, “I’m confused”, “I don’t think so but never mind”, “I’m cautiously agreeing”, “I don’t understand but let’s pretend that I do” and many more.

In India, it is often that the more you think you are understood the further you are from it. The Indians have difficulty in telling you that you are wrong, so they substitute that with a head shake which only serves to further confound.

There is a huge gap between the rich and poor in India despite it being an economic powerhouse. Poverty is rife and what struck me most was the glaring lack of a middle class (as we Malaysians know it) and it was not until we got to Amritsar at the end of our Indian leg that we came across what we would define as middle income housing back in Malaysia. Houses that resemble those we find back home and even a commercial area which reminded us of Sri Hartamas in Kuala Lumpur.

India is similar with Malaysia in many other aspects. It is multi-religious and people are free to practice their religion anywhere peacefully. That’s the impression, at least, and I believe it to be true.

The people are warm and friendly, and we had come across countless kind souls who helped make our journey just that little easier. The compassion is genuine and heartfelt, especially among the poorer communities in the countryside.

Our target of riding to the Seven Modern Wonders of the world met a major milestone with our arrival at the Taj Mahal on Christmas Day. Mission was accomplished as far as India was concerned and we have had a magnificent time discovering the country. After more than 2000km on the road across India, you could say that we have seen a lot, and not once was our safety in doubt. India is indeed, as the tagline suggests, incredible. And extremely colourful, I must add, and in ways you’d least expect.

So did we have a love-hate relationship with India, you may ask? Let’s just say there’s no place like home while India remains a great experience. – January 23, 2018.

SevenWunders departed India and have crossed into Pakistan on January 16, 2018.

You may follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram (SevenWunders) for daily updates or simply read about it right here on The Malaysian Insight.

Do support our cause in creating more awareness and raising funds towards childhood cancer support on behalf of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM).

To contribute;

Public Bank Acc: 3988587622

The National Cancer Society of Malaysia

Ref: Ride for Gold

Or online

Peoplegiving.org

http://bit.ly/7Wunders

Thank you. 

* David Wu is riding a bicycle around the world with Ving Lee to raise awareness for children with cancer. The Malaysian Insight is the media partner for the SevenWunders initiative.

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* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.