When Travel Refuses to Make Sense: Travel in India

[0:00] Recently, I went on a trip to India, and rather than making this an episode about my trip to India, this is going to be a little bit more of a reflection of the trip to India and what this really ties into cultural travel.

[0:15] And I was sitting with my trip a little bit longer than I expected to in terms of how I want to share it, and how I want to frame it so it's not just a trip recap. And it's not just because I didn't know what to say,

[0:26] but because I realized how easily travel stories become oversimplified or maybe masked in some way, especially in places that are complex, overwhelming, stereotyped, and deeply misunderstood. And unfortunately, India has fallen traditionally into this category from other travelers. Only now am I starting to see a little bit of traveler content creators trying to

[0:50] reframe the image of visiting India. And this episode won't be a guide to India, okay? So don't take it as that. It's going to be a reflection of what happens when travel resists translation and what India taught me about control, perception, and humility. This is going to be a solo episode brought to you by me, Kiara,

[1:12] the host of Put the Guidebook Down and creator of Kultura Travel. Now, let me start with the moment I realized this trip was going to be different and not just my average work trip. To give some context, I was going originally for work to visit an office in Delhi,

[1:30] but then I tied a little bit of an earlier departure to the country to visit Mumbai with my colleague. And this gave me the opportunity to actually visit Mumbai like a local, and I had talked to meet all of his friends and see where he studied. It just gave me a whole different experience,

[1:46] which is going to be a different episode on why you should say yes when your colleague offers to show you their hometown. But going back into where we're going to discuss with this episode is really how India disrupts the illusion that travel should feel digestible, right? So when I was getting ready to go to India,

[2:07] as most people know, I do enough research for preparation for it, but I try to not listen to any stereotypes or misconceptions about the place I'm going to be visiting. So I go in with an open mind. Now, I had the opportunity to speak with a lot of my friends who are travelers who have

[2:27] visited the region I was going to, but then also people who are from the region just to get some ideas, tips, tricks on how to navigate it. And I was told the number two things was, one, that it's unsafe, especially as a woman to go. And then second, it's going to be chaotic. So embrace the chaos, which...

[2:48] I had an idea of what that meant, but turns out I didn't really know what that meant. So the scale of everything, the pace of just how life was going on a day to day, especially in Delhi, right? Because India is a big country. There's a lot of different regions and cultures and languages within

[3:06] that one country so it can vary by region but mumbai versus delhi was even a big difference in itself getting to delhi after mumbai was wow on a whole other scale of and pace of fastness than what i had experienced in mumbai and there's so much

[3:25] going on that i didn't really know where to look and what to focus on And that's when I realized that my familiar travel frameworks of how I would go about my day to day and how I would navigate the unfamiliarities was not really going to work. Right.

[3:41] So I started to feel overwhelmed and overstimulated and not really sure what I was doing. And only then when I took a step back and realized that that's what I was feeling is when it actually began to make sense. So coming in as an American, we have a different expectation in the Western hemisphere about coherence and order

[4:02] and what processes work, which processes don't. And one of the big examples that come to this is, especially when talking about India, is the traffic. Now, in the West, we have a different idea of how we should be driving and the traffic signals and

[4:18] how we just drive in general versus what actually goes on in India because you're looking and from an outsider point of view, you're like, what the heck is going on? I have no clue what I'm looking at. I don't want to ever drive in something like this.

[4:30] But when you take the step back and just let it happen, you realize that there is actually an order to it all. You're just not used to that order because you're an outsider, not from that region. So this was, again, tying into that feeling of overwhelmingness and being overstimulated and just how I

[4:48] was taking the step back once I felt those feelings really helped me observe what was going on and realize that there was a whole process to everything. And it's just not a process I'm used to. And this was a little bit of a discomfort for me because I was not able to optimize

[5:05] the experience in a way that was... making sense for my brain. But once I get over that and was able to just go with the flow, I guess is the best way to say it. That's when I was starting to enjoy my experience more and just embrace the chaos, which is definitely what everyone told me to do.

[5:25] They said, it's not going to make sense. But once you take a step back, you're going to realize it makes perfect sense. Travel isn't always meant to make sense and feel legible, right? So that's where we have our different preconceptions, misconceptions, and previous stereotypes, maybe trying to jade our point of view and our observations.

[5:48] But it's when you take a step back from that and just really clear the mind and just channel the energy that's going on within you and your surroundings that it begins to come together into the bigger picture. And when travel isn't legible, we tend to try to translate it.

[6:05] And that's where we start to kind of curb our experience away from the authenticity and really just being present in the moment. So this is unfortunately a natural human tendency, right? Our brain purposefully tries to categorize different instances, appearances, experiences. Our brain tries to categorize different experiences, different situations, people,

[6:32] languages into categories that we're familiar with so that it makes more sense. And this is the problem with translation. Now, I'm not talking about language. I'm talking about this categorization is it's the brain's natural tendency to try to make something familiar to us and to rush to explain the places instead of just

[6:52] sitting with that discomfort and unknown, right? It's just innate human reaction to try to make sense of a situation or something so that you're more comfortable and not going into that fight or flight mode. So then how are travelers and con creators kind of flattening places like India, especially when it comes to the travel industry?

[7:12] It's we're trying to understand from an outsider point of view rather than going in and just letting it be and then understanding from letting it be or from amplifying the local voices from that country to give the explanation for how the processes work in the country or what actually occurs and the reasoning behind it so that's when

[7:41] we kind of start to see the negative influence impact or feeling towards content creators is them trying to take that innate human categorization that happens to explain something that's happening in places like India with unintentionally or intentionally potentially miscarbing it and misdirecting it from what it actually is. And that's the over-interpretation or loss in translation.

[8:11] And that's why making sense sometimes can be interpreted as a form of control. And maybe that's where we start to lose the authenticity behind it is because we have these outsider beliefs views or perceptions of what's actually happening, being the main voice of documentation. So rather than letting those local voices that understand what's going on speak up,

[8:33] we try to have these larger voices give an explanation that makes sense to the large majority. that's consuming that content. So this is where we need to really focus on when it comes into observing and just letting it happen and giving space and room for those other voices from the local area to speak up.

[8:55] now this was again coming a little bit more into my experience is i was not trying to explain it all at all by any means especially when it comes to culture travel and just talking about cultural travel in general i was just trying to observe what

[9:12] was happening to me and really go with the flow and see what happens from that Now I can see where this is a little bit discomforting for some people. And again, that's where we've talked about in our previous episodes is you need to get comfortable in the unknown because that's where the beauty and the chaos starts to

[9:30] surface. So once I started to just take the step back and just go with the locals and have them explain everything to me, I was like, wow, this is actually really cool. And this makes sense. And I found myself more relaxed throughout the trip rather than stressed.

[9:45] by all the number of rickshaws driving around and almost hitting us promise it makes sense and actually this is tying into the point of maybe where some places do require repeat visits or lifelong learning and i know myself i was guilty of this and i know other travelers are is that they say they go to one place

[10:07] in that country and why should they go back before they visited all these other different countries. And I can understand that. Again, I was guilty of it. But this is my trip to India as a core example of sometimes why you need to go back

[10:21] to a place to really understand it and really get different points of views or experiences from it. Right. So in the beginning, I had said I knew going in that India was a huge country and there's going to be a lot of variety in the day to day, depending on where you go.

[10:36] And already thinking to my next trip now, I'm like, I want to go to this place, this place just to try new things and get more understanding to India as a whole. So this promotes the learning, cultural travel and actually genuinely learning. being curious about a destination that you're visiting, right?

[10:56] So then you're seeking deeper understanding and wanting to learn more in order to better digest where you've been and where you would like to go. For me, this trip was a little bit different because I was in Mumbai as a precursor to my work trip and I got to have a local friend be my guide through it.

[11:16] So they really handled most of my planning and did all the explanations and whatnot. Whereas my work trip was more structured, I was literally being brought from place A to B to C, and it was more of like a curated travel experience. But then we were able to have our local employees take us on these cultural excursions.

[11:36] So going to their temples with them, et cetera. And that helped with me giving more understanding as to who they are, more understanding of the work environment. the social contexts that came with it, all simultaneously in one. So again, if it was not enough chaos to begin with,

[11:53] this added a little bit more stimulation and content for me to digest to understand. But it was what I needed when I was there to really take in. Now, this is kind of an instance where privilege shows up whether we want it to or not.

[12:10] For me as a foreigner visiting and the privilege of being a foreigner and the privilege I have from where I came from and how that's perceived by others within the country. Now, recognizing that I am a white American female, I was going to get some attention, good or bad, just because of my outward appearance.

[12:33] I definitely was perceived in a way that some people had some assumptions to social status or a big thing is money or just how I carry myself. And then how, because I look different, I was competing then with the attractions, the sites, and people wanting to take photos and videos with me because I'm different.

[12:55] And that was a lot to take in. I had previously lived in Indonesia, so I had... experienced that in the past whereas my colleagues who are also not matching the outward appearance of the locals were getting a lot of attention they didn't know how to navigate that but with that came like different concept misconceptions of

[13:18] who we are and what we can do etc so that took a conversation with them to understand how to navigate that situation and I know this is like a it was a travel trend a little bit in terms of travel privilege and travel just really opening your eyes to realize how privileged

[13:36] you are and how lucky you are about what you're born into your situation etc compared to what you observe in other countries and india was another situation to that because you're aware of your mobility and your access what resources you have that not they might not necessarily have i know the first thing that comes to mind is

[13:57] Drinking water. I had mentioned in my previous episodes about my experience in Moldova and my first time living abroad, especially in a country where you can't drink the tap water. One of the things I wasn't aware of and had considered was needing to buy my bottled water and carry it from the store to my apartment every day.

[14:16] And that was like the same thing in India. So it just reminds you of some things that you maybe take for granted on a day to day that you were not thinking about before you went to this destination. You come back now more grateful for. So that is definitely one thing about

[14:35] reflection from a trip that really stood out to me as well. But then also just class language and professional context shaping my experience as a whole because again you realize that you don't look like or experience what the locals experience and therefore you're kind of operating in this

[14:57] bubble this i don't want to say controlled bubble it's more like um curated because again i was on a work trip so you're just kind of operating in isolation to what the day-to-day is and that necessarily it limits you to getting the authentic experience so this is the difference in kind of cultural immersive travel versus being accommodated.

[15:20] So this awareness doesn't really erase the privilege and you can't help from where you come from, your contacts, etc. But the ignorance that people may portray or if you're a traveler going there and you're being ignorant and didn't do your research or preparation, this is what magnifies the harm and leads to potentially leaving a negative impact

[15:43] on the destination that you were at. So then what does responsible travel look like when a place itself refuses simplicity or maybe feeds into chaos, right? Because we're not saying refuses simplicity because that means that I'm saying that the ways that I'm used to is the correct or simplest, most simplest way, which is potentially incorrect.

[16:04] So what does responsible travel look like when a place doesn't necessarily fit into your previous connotations or categories for what makes sense to you. A visit to India demands curiosity and observation without consumption. So really feeding more into the side of slow travel, right? And taking a step back to thinking

[16:29] think about what this means in practice and how you carry out your travel. I mentioned how I took a step back and really looked at what I was doing and how I was interpreting and consuming the content around me and realizing that I needed to

[16:43] let go and just let the flow happen and I go with it in order to make sense and really enjoy the destination. And for me, this also meant taking a step back and trying not to capture photos and videos or seek explanations for everything and really just take it in, right?

[17:03] So one of the examples from this trip is my host, my friend in Mumbai, he was explaining the different surroundings to us when we were driving around and the architecture, the history behind it, where he went to school. And I had asked really niche questions like, why is the sidewalk this way?

[17:22] Why is there grading on the windows? And he was like, I don't know, why are you asking me this? And then a little while later, he's like, now I can't see the sidewalks that way. And that's when I really was like, do I really need an explanation for everything? No. So just observing it and really

[17:39] engaging with the area you're in not needing to explain why it is the way that it is so respecting the opacity of maybe some things and letting the locals define the meaning behind it so that's what happened with the again my friend giving the tour

[17:56] in mumbai he was explaining what the places meant to him and the history he knew and the sides, the news, opinions that he knew from it. So just letting them define it because then you're getting to hear their side of the story and maybe accepting the partial understanding that came with it, right?

[18:15] So maybe I didn't fully understand it or we both didn't understand the question and that's okay, right? You don't need to have the full explanation behind it all at every point of time just getting comfortable and the uncomfortable so then when it comes to content creation there comes a time when you

[18:36] need to put the phone down right and look up and just engage with the place you're in and trying to decide what to turn into content is always kind of tough because you have the major tourist attractions you have more intimate gatherings that you don't

[18:50] necessarily want to share because you want to live in the moment so for me when it came to this trip in my content creation and travel documentation, a lot of my time spent were actually with locals and getting to know my employees, my colleagues, and getting to know the family members that they let us chat with.

[19:10] Those were intimate moments. Those were ones that I didn't need to amplify, so I chose to keep the moments to myself. I like to think of it as maybe wanting to create the sense of FOMO, right? I know that I was there and I know what I experienced, but other people don't know what was there,

[19:29] what was experienced, but they're curious, right? So feed into that curiosity and therefore they want to come visit and try to have their own experiences with locals and to step out and try to meet people to have an experience like that. And that's okay.

[19:43] So a big thing with content creation is something that we're trying to work through with culture of travel is really living in the moment and being present, right? So you don't need to document everything just to say that you did it. Who are you trying to prove to? Yourself? These random followers on your social media accounts?

[20:04] You were there. This is your trip. You get to dictate how you decide to enjoy it. And you get to choose what to document and what not to document. And we want to make sure going back to cultural travel's mission is authentic cultural travel, focusing on the language, history, culture preservation,

[20:25] so documenting that as a positive impact rather than using these experiences for your own benefit or as a backdrop to your own content. Cultural travel is an ongoing situation and experience. It's not transactional. And this is where I want to leave you. Now, I told you this was not going to be a travel recap episode.

[20:47] By any means, it was more of a reflection just based on my own experience. India was a lot to digest. It was a lot to learn, to observe, and it didn't give me clarity, but it gave me perspective. And it taught me, it actually challenged me to be more of an observer rather than someone who's

[21:07] trying to explain everything and make sense of everything that's going on around me. It reminded me that travel isn't about collecting understanding or understanding. needing to document every moment. It's about expanding your capacity to sit with what you don't understand, being comfortable and the uncomfortable. And maybe that's the most respectful way to move through the world.

[21:30] If you've traveled somewhere that challenge your assumptions, or if you're preparing for a place that may feel intimidating, I'd love to hear from you. You can continue this conversation with us on Substack, where we unpack cultural travel beyond the highlights or engage with us on social media or on our website.

[21:47] Let me know what your experience was if you were in India or if you have any recommendations since as I mentioned before, I'm already planning my next visit now that I've gotten to know that you just embrace the chaos and you go forward with it. But until next time, I'm Kiara and please put the guidebook down. Bye!