The Adventure Begins: A Flight from London to India
Kicking off this chapter from a cramped seat on an overnight flight from London, I’m diving headfirst into the chaotic beauty of traveling India. Picture this: a month’s gap, a journey from London to Shanghai for university, and a serendipitous message from my mate Varun in Bangalore. His pitch? A wild journey through India’s deserts. He had never been either, even though they were a short flight away. So I mean, why in the world not, right?
So, there I was, a one-way flight to Chennai, no ticket out yet, and not a single hotel booking. Chennai, a pulsing southern city by the sea, was just a starting point. I was banking on its bustling train network to whip me across the country. A bit of a gamble, but hey, that’s the thrill of travel. I did get my visa online before leaving, fortunately that was a painless process.
In the backdrop of this haphazard planning, I was juggling a move out of my London flat. Picture boxes, farewell parties, and the stress of shipping my life halfway across the globe to Shanghai. The chaos of those days was something else.
The night before the flight was a frenzy of last-minute packing and cleaning. Desperate to get my deposit back, I scrubbed my flat down, shipped off my bulky suitcases to China, and surrendered my keys. With just a backpack slung over my shoulder, I was off to the airport, embarking on what promised to be an epic tale.
Chennai: First Impressions and Navigational Challenges
Landing in Delhi at an ungodly hour, I stumbled through the terminal, mesmerized by the vibrant art, a vivid tapestry of Indian culture. Starving, I hunted down the only open eatery for a first taste of authentic Indian cuisine—a grilled chicken dish that danced with spices and flavors I’d never encountered before. It was there, sitting nearly on the floor at a low table, that I began scribbling my thoughts into a journal.
Next up, a connecting flight to Chennai, and then a plan to hop a night train to Madurai. No hotels, just the rhythmic sway of the train lulling me to sleep.
Stepping out into the Chennai heat felt like walking into a sauna. The airport’s modern chill quickly gave way to the steamy embrace of the South. Figuring out the local transport was a challenge—a maze of misdirections and confusing advice. But then, the charm of a 30-minute train ride for just 5 rupees won me over. Hanging out of the train door, the wind in my face, I watched the colorful, ever-changing landscape of India unfold.
The Pulse of Chennai: Exploring the Streets
In Chennai, lost and unplugged, I stood atop a railroad platform, soaking in the city’s relentless motion. The streets were alive with craftspeople, fruit vendors, and a blur of vivid clothing. A distant mosque caught my eye, and on a whim, I headed towards it, hoping to score a cheap SIM card or a burner phone along the way. Quick travel tip: Having an Indian phone number can really help in many aspects of getting around in India like finding access to wifi and use of different apps.
Navigating the streets was an exercise in madness. The traffic was a relentless, honking, chaotic flow. But when in Rome—or rather, in Chennai—I followed the locals’ lead, threading through the traffic like it was second nature.
I find the best way to get to know a city is to really just walk around the streets, Sometimes even just getting lost in them is my favorite strategy. So, since I had nothing better to do, I did just that.
I was already a little lost, on some random shoe selling street but I was able to orient myself towards what I was hoping would be the Indian Ocean. I knew it was east and probably downhill. I didn’t know which way was east but there was a clear downhill, so I started to walk.
Walking the streets aimlessly, I embraced one of my favorite Bourdain mantras: sometimes, getting lost is the best way to find yourself.
The Streets of Chennai: A Kaleidoscope of Motion and Finding the Indian Ocean
Through the next few hours of searching I never actually got to dip my toes in the waters of the Indian Ocean.
I did find a great outdoor smoothie shop that made some delicious concoction full of some kind of fruit I had never seen. Don’t know what it was but it was refreshing in the sweltering heat.
I found a phone shop finally so I could get a SIM and connect with internet and the world. They told me it would take only a few hours to activate, but it never actually worked right through my entire stay.
I continued wondering the streets until I found a huge street market with everything from knock-off name brands to mechanical parts. The market was laid out in front of a large ongoing wall. I quickly realized, that just happened to be a giant flood wall between me and the vast Indian Ocean beyond.
I took a tip from a local and found a building that was open to the public to get a glance over the wall, so decided to settle for seeing it at least. And…It looked like an ocean…Don’t know what I was expecting…maybe a beach or something. Instead, I stood there looking silly as I gazed out over a vast port of massive ships and busy docks.
Still cool to see and I was still buzzing from the day’s adventures.
Navigating India's Roads: From Autos to Trains
Tired of walking, I braved the notorious autos that I’d been a bit nervous to try earlier. Those three-wheeled beasts were as thrilling as they were terrifying. Squeezing into the back, I was whisked through near-misses and hair-raising turns, all in search of a good meal and a bit of Wi-Fi.
I picked a restaurant that looked like it might have AC and ordered some chicken tikka masala, which was spicy but delicious and had a lot more flavor than what I was use to at home.
Mission food for Traveling India: accomplished. Now, to find some internet and plan my next moves…
India travel tip: Hailing an auto is a cinch if you’re a foreigner. Stand by the street, and they flock to you. But be warned: negotiate your fare upfront. Some will say they know where you want to go even if they don’t, so make sure they have a clear understanding. Also, if they have a meter, make sure they turn it on and use that, or negotiate whatever price they give you BEFORE you get in.
Finding Internet and Catching A Train to Madurai
Finally, I found an internet café near the train station where I could use the internet for a few rupees. After touching base with family and friends to let them all know I’m still alive, I began to review my next stop.
Destination: A city 6 hours south by train called, Madurai. I did actually need to go north to get to Bangalore but when traveling India you should try and take the scenic route. I had a day to get there and Madurai is known for having one of the largest ancient Hindu temples in the country and I didn’t want to miss that! Also it was a good destination to catch a train to my next destination, Bangelore.
Finally the time had come to catch my train so I left the cafe for the station.
This was one of the pre-booked trains I had on the trip so I got an AC sleeper car with 8 bunks per compartment. Don’t expect such luxury if you don’t book ahead. I’ll go over how to get trains booked when traveling India in a later chapter.
I got the top bunk and despite wanting to stay up and watch the scenery go by, I was tired enough that when my head hit the pillow it was lights out.
TBC!
Stay tuned for Chapter 2, where the streets of Madurai await, filled with ancient wonders and culinary escapades.
