If I am being truthful India can be quite an intense experience especially if you have never been to a third world country. It was honestly a big culture shock at first. It took some time for me to adjust as it was a place that took me so far out of my comfort zone, actually further than any place ever has. I could never come to terms with any of the things I saw there. The people living in poverty and the children performing on tightropes for tourists in Goa saddened me to my core. However India with it’s beeping culture, amazing foods, lovely welcoming people and also the fact that it is the home of my wonderful fiancee’s amazing friends and family will always carry a special place in my heart.
Kolkata
No blue skies
Kolkata was my first experience of India. It introduced me to a beeping culture, the poverty in India and initially got me out of my comfort zone. In Kolkata you will unfortunately not experience blue skies. The roads are also very congested and haze covers the areas around the lake. I hope that one day they will be able to do something about this pollution. Perhaps there is an initiative we can also join to help this.
Feed your sweet tooth and hopefully avoid dental problems
Sweets are fine… but don’t overindulge. Kolkata is in fact the sweets capital of India known for its misti doi and varieties of laddoo, sondesh, kaju rolls and barfi. In fact me and Souvik decided it would be so much fun to get one of every sweet from a sweet shop and taste each one to review it. As you can possibly imagine that turned out disastrous, with both of us getting sick after eating ten sweets most of which were sondesh. It definitely made me look at sondesh a different way. Based on our reviews ( before the sickness ensued) the besan laddoo tasted like scroggin and was rather nutty. I did not like the orange ladoo much while the kheer ( chocolate ladoo) was my favorite as it had delicious chocolate on the outside and sweet syrup on the inside. The besan was sugary, sweet, crunchy and nice but would be any dentist’s nightmare. All the sondesh basically tasted the same- no wonder we felt so sick after.
For those keen to try sweets in Kolkata here is some advice: don’t get one of each thing. Instead ask the shop what the popular ones are and order a few of these per day.Do not order more than ten sweets at a time or you might regret it. Some good ones to try based on my experience are misti doi, gulab jamen and some of the basic barfis. Too much of anything else and you might get a sore stomach.
Kolkata Cuisine
If you find yourself in Kolkata and have tried some sweets you should then get some of the yummy food on offer there. Take care to go to restaurants and not just take food from street vendors though. Chinese food in Kolkata is the best. Try some American Chop Sui as it is simply delicious.This consists of some dried noodles with sweet sauce drenched on it.To be honest the Briyani here is average but I am not a huge briyani fan so may not be the best judge of this.Definitely try momos .”The vege or paneer momos from wow momo are most certainly wow. Be aware of portion sizes – order one thing at a time and don’t over order on things you will not be able to eat.
If you want talons get nail extensions in Kolkata
I decided to get my first nail extensions done in Kolkata and regretted it instantly.Don’t get me wrong the nail salon was epic and the nail artist simply sublime. The problem was that I am a very active woman that makes good use of her hands and I simply can’t handle the non activity that comes with nail extensions. I didn’t think this through when I got the nails, actually not nails but talons. The talons rendered me absolutely useless. Menial tasks I had no problem with before like eating, doing up zips and opening things now become very difficult.
A day after I got them we were invited to a lunch. In India you eat with hands so eating my thali of delicious curries was quite challenging. After I ate my fingernails contained the remnants of curry- lovely I know . Souvik was also quite thrilled when I kept asking him to help me open everything. The lesson here is that if you want proper talons make sure you can do life with them first.
Citimart- shop here, get amazing pants
The shopping in Kolkata is pretty average. You should be particularly careful at marketsto ensure you don’t buy fabric instead of a full outfit as this happened to me. The markets are good for the ambiance if you want to experience a market in India. There are some nice souvenirs and good clothes but you need to know where to go. Citimart is the best. Honestly just go there and stock up on pants in epic prints that are very cheap- under $10 NZD in fact. Unfortunately my amazing pair were ruined but definitely make sure you stock up. I will when I go back there.
Mumbai
Ride in a rickshaw and feel the wind in your hair
Mumbai seems to be a bit more developed. There are many high rise buildings and some nice park areas to walk through. Joggers park is nice and scenic. You should most definitely walk or run through this park( if you are a runner like me) while immersing yourself in it’s beauty. Make sure to always ride in a rickshaw wherever you go. It’s an amazing feeling and will give you epic views of the city.
Food, food, food!
Prawn curry, Neer Dosa, Chaat and Varapal. Make sure you try all of them. My favorite would have to be the prawn curry with neer dosa- absolutely amazing. Crab curries as well are definitely worth a try.Also make sure to try the vegan ice cream here. Best ice-cream I ever had! Good news for you lovely vegans out there.
Don’t eat four plates of sushi in India
I am a sushi lover through and through. When I would meet a guy for the first time( before I met my amazing fiancee) I would tell them that my dinner of choice is sushi and plum wine. That’s it. Nothing else- just sushi and multiple top ups of plum wine. So when Souvik’s auntie told me that Global Fusion do sushi my excitement levels hit the roof. Immediately upon arrival I pretty much power walked to the sushi stand and grabbed a few pieces. I then proceeded to go back another four times. One piece was probably all it took.
If you ask people who have been to India “Have you experienced a bad stomach bug?” some would say yes and I am sure the look they will give you is unparalleled. The look of terror that would emulate on their face would be gold. Sparing the gory details of the following night I will tell you three things:
1) I have never thrown up so continuously and frequently in my life
2) I have never taken such frequent trips to the bathroom
3)I have never had less sleep( well not entirely true as I did have some sleepless nights doing university assignments)
Be careful if you eat sushi in India- end of story. If you don’t believe me and want to eat four plates of sushi be my guest. However I can promise you that the next couple of days won’t be pretty. When you are at a psy party in Goa and you are trying to dance and you are like why? Your stomach will punch you in the metaphorical balls and be like you know why! That was the saddest psy party I have ever been to. I love dancing and not being able to do so was actually physically painful. Souvik was very sweet holding my hair back and looking after me so that was a plus.
Shop till you literally drop
Mumbai is home to some mass shopping centers. We went to one of the largest infinity malls for our shopping spree. The mall was four levels with many amazing shops scattered throughout. If your style is similar to mine(girly and lots of bright colors) try Pantaloons, Max and Splash for some amazing fashion. Faces Canada is a good store for your makeup needs. You can literally get an eyeliner, blush, powder and mascara for $30 nzd.
Make sure you try the amazing waffles served in the foodcourt . They are drenched in chocolate syrup and are simply delectable. Scream your lungs out when you go on the extreme rollercoaster at the top level of the mall. The attendants there did not necessarily check harnesses were secure before our rollercoaster rides so I was pretty much losing it on the first round. However after we experienced round one we enjoyed round two way more. It is simply awesome and can’t be missed. Just make sure to leave your eyes open on the upside down bit . After you have finished your shopping , gone on the roller coaster and eaten some of the food at the mall you will be ready for sleep.
Experiencing Bollywood
Mumbai is the home of Bollywood. However if you are watching a bollywood film for the first time definitely go for the Golmaal films. They will have you doubling over in laughter from how crazy they are. I recommend that you drink a few kingfishers and watch one or many ( just like I did) 
“I was afraid I would eat your brains because I’m evil”- The National
I know some of us have probably geeked out at the thought of eating a brain thanks to the likes of shows like I-Zombie and The Walking Dead.For those of us who have fantasised there are a few restaurants you can try in Mumbai. However I would not necessarily recommend. Brains are slimy. That’s all you need to know. No wonder Liv from I-Zombie had to mix them into her food. Also eating a goat’s brain does not make you think like a goat for a day. That’s just a common misconception( Much to my and Souvik’s disappointment) Souvik seemed to like the brain he tried very much( Am I marrying a zombie?)
Read an Ashwin Sangi novel
Make sure you read books by this guy. He is a wonderful writer. I assure you you will honestly have the best time . He takes you and his characters on a journey that doesn’t stop until the last page. Read the Krishna Key and you will experience India and the story of Krishna all in one. His other book Keeper of the Kalachakra is also remarkably good. It makes you question whether there are multiple versions of you living in different dimensions. I wonder what all the other Lilys’ are like?
Goa
Paradise but at what cost
Goa is a beautiful paradise of a place. Vagator beach which was closest to our hotel had amazing scenery along with multiple beach bars where one could sit on sunbeds , continuously order food and drinks and then go for swims whenever necessary to cool down. Fishtail Bar and restaurant is definitely one to try if you ever go there to spend a day or two out in the sun. However make sure you pack sunscreen and also don’t have too many of their extra strong mojitos. The sunsets you can see from Vagator Beach are also exceptionally beautiful.
With a paradise sometimes there is a downside too. In this case it is all the beggars especially kids that ask you to buy stuff or do your nails. Me and Souvik saw a young girl( probably around four) walking on a tightrope as entertainment for the multitudes of Russian tourists. One woman was even taking a selfie which was heartbreaking for us to see. The daily struggle that people there have to endure just to be able to support their families brings me sadness. That is why I plan on donating to help out a children’s charity in India.
Temples and amazing historical sites
If in Goa make sure to visit as many of the temples as possible. They are beautifully constructed splendors which will leave you in awe. Also check out the Basilica of Bom Jesus which is a UNESCO world heritage site and holds the remains of St Francis Xavier. The basilica’s architecture is wondrous. It’s many marvelous arches that span the courtyards also make it a remarkable sight.
Amazing place to just chill
I unfortunately had a stomach bug from food I had eaten previously in India( those four plates hehe) However Goa catered to my stomach bug and my need to stay in .So many places offer delivery so I was able to relax and heal while easily grabbing delivery and watching the large variety of films available at the hotel.
Amazing food
There is some great food in Goa. Mango tree restaurant is a good one to try. Great ambiance in the restaurant and pages of delicious food in the menu. Whether you are after a pasta or a curry this will not disappoint. Baskin and Robins icecream is also very tasty and can easily be delivered right to your door.
Overall India Buzz
India is an incredible place of delicious food and very nice people. However I did also experience a culture shock and want to donate to a children’s charity .I will definitely come back to volunteer at a charity and train to be a yoga instructor. It was a wonderful place that took me out of my comfort zone and improved me as a human being.
Lily takes on 
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