India
India is a kaleidoscope of cultures, languages, traditions and landscapes. Imagine Europe being one whole big country, somewhat united but still very diverse in its languages, food, culture, religion. That is India.
Useful information:
How to get to India:
India has many international airports welcoming flights from all over the world. Certain airports are most suited, depending on whether you want to start with the souther, western, Eastern or the Northern part of the country.
Currency in India:
Indian Rupee (INR). 1 euro = 89.69 INR at the time of writing
Maximum stay in India:
Depending on the tourist visa you would have chosen, you can stay a maximum of 30 days (1 month - double entry) or 365 days (1 year - with multiple entries) with a maximum stay of 180 days per entry.
Entry requirements for India:
You will need a valid passport and a tourist e-visa. As mentioned above you have the choice between a
1 month e-visa (max stay 30 days - double entry - non extendable - non convertible).
Price: 30 dollars
1 year e-visa (max stay 180 days/visit - multiple entries). Valid from the date of grant of ETA.
Price: 40 dollars
Capital province: Delhi
Cost of living in India: India is cheap.
Accommodation, especially hostels are around 8 euros/night. A private will start at around 11 euros and can go to a lot more depending on the standard of the hotel.
Food: A dish, depending if you are in a touristic area or not, vary from 60 INR (67 cents) to 350 INR (3,92 euros) or more.
Transportation is cheap. 1h30 minutes drive will cost you around 10 euros in Uber. The tuk tuks charge per km so usually you would do 5km for 150 INR (30INR/km)
SIM card: Airtel
ATM with no withdrawal fees: SBI (State bank of India)
Maximum withdrawal amount: Maximum 10.000 INR (110 euros) or less depending on the size, branch and location of the ATM.
The people in South India: In my experience, people in South India are very welcoming, smiling and caring. Pay attention to how they talk, their smile, their eyes, they have a lot to share. They will happily help you.
How to get around in INDIa:
N.B: Indians drive on the left
Planes
India has good national airline companies such as Indigo that connect the whole country together.
Trains:
India has a good railway line with many trains riding throughout the country. Of course, routes can be very, VERY long and the conditions will not be the same as western ones, but to be fair, if you are open minded enough, it is totally fine.
👉🏼 Guide on how to understand the India train system here
Buses:
Night and day buses are available all over the country. Download Ixigo for smooth bookings
Uber:
Only in big cities and for short trips (around 3 hours)
Tuk tuk:
Those are for smaller trips. 5km is supposed to cost no more than 100 Rupees.
typical south indian food
South India has a huge array of varieties when it comes to food 😋
👉🏼 Most food is prepared with Ghee (clarified butter) or butter itself
👉🏼 You’ll find a lot of vegetarian places
Typical for breakfast: Dosas (paper thin crepes made of fermented batter that can be plain or filled - they come with sambar and chutney/raita), Vadas (Savory doughnuts made of vegetables, sago or potatoes - come with sambar and chutney/raita), Idlis (steemed rice cakes that come with sambar and chutney/raita) Uttapam (thicker pancakes made of fermented lentil and rice batter - different toppings can be added)
Typical for lunch and dinner: Hyderabadi Byriani (Basmati rice, spices and usually meat), Sambar (a vegetable stew that comes as an accompaniment with a lot of dishes), Parotta/Paratha (Bread crafted from maida or atta flour, giving it a distinctive texture that's tender and flaky), Chapati/Roti (typical Indian flat bread), Curries, paneer butter masala, Kadai, Palak, fish Molee, …
Typical for tea break: Aloo bonda (Their version of mashed potato chops made with different fillings ie. onions, spices, curry leaves)
Typical for desert: Payasam (Rice pudding made of rice, milk and cardamom - topped with nuts and raisins), Rava coconut Ladoo (blend of semolina (rava), grated coconut, and just the right amount of sugar)
Typical drinks: Lassis, Chai (masala), Assam tea, filtered coffee
Religion in india
India has a plurality of religions, making it a country with no official state religion. The majority are Hindus with smaller shares of Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Muslims and others groups.