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A trip to India is an all-out assault on the senses. You'll be
traveling through dusty heat (or snowy cold in the north), sharing
roads with a parade of bicycles, auto-rickshaws, sputtering
motorcycles, tinsel-draped trucks, camel carts and the occasional cow.
At India's sights and markets, the chaos continues: You'll be among
throngs of beggars, hawkers, tourists, near-naked holy men,
businesspeople, snake charmers, children and scurrying monkeys. Amid
the cacophony, some of the globe's most majestic and historical sights
will emerge -- the Taj Mahal, the Ganges, the Himalayas.
India, with all its variety, feels more like a series of countries
strung together than a cohesive whole. As you move from region to
region, you'll be exposed to dramatic changes in cuisine, dress,
language, religion, custom and tradition. For large sections
of India's population, the standard of living hasn't changed since 1947
(the year India gained independence), and many Indians still don't have
regular access to clean water, electricity, adequate food and medical
care. Yet other parts of the country are rife with modern conveniences,
and Indians live in fashionable real estate there, surrounded by the
trappings of 21st-century consumer capitalism. With these
contradictions come complications. The mass of humanity that populates
India requires that you be patient, flexible and tolerant, which can be
difficult if you're troubled by the disparities between India's rigid
social classes. The country's religious conflicts and ongoing dispute
with Pakistan are also concerns, though these events have been largely
confined to certain regions. Most travelers will find these
difficulties well worth the rewards, however: India remains an
incomparable travel experience.
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