Colesville Travel – Trip to India – Cynthia Amin – November 25, 2020 Podcast
M: Hello & Welcome. Today I am pleased to have a brand-new guest on the podcast, Cynthia Amin. I put out a call for new voices in November on the podcast and Cynthia I am so glad you responded. Welcome to the Travel Radio!
C: Thank you so much for the invitation
M: Cynthia, would you take a minute to introduce yourself?
C: Again, thanks for the invitation. I am excited to share my experiences in India. Yes, my name is Cynthia Amin of Colesville Travel and we are located in Silver Spring, MD -
M: If listeners want to follow along or connect with you where can they find you online?
C: I am on all the social media channels –
FB: www.facebook.com/Colesville.travel
Twitter: @colesvilletrav
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colesvilletravel/
M: Now, Cynthia, what are we talking about today!
C: INDIA! How to approach planning a first trip!
M: Let's first get people excited by sharing a few stories on India. What is your single most vivid memory of your travels there?
C: I have so many fond memories so it is hard to say just one – I would have to say the people
The local people - kindest and most hospitable people I’ve encountered in all of my travels
But I would have to say the service in the India was amazing – everyone was so accommodating and helpful.
When you walk into the hotel, they open the door and greet, when you enter the restaurant they immediately greet and makes you feel so welcome – they put a bindi on your forehead if you like
If you call for something in a hotel – they come immediately
M: What surprised you the most about India?
C: – I always tell my clients that no one could ever prepare you for a trip to India.
I have traveled all over the world - But I must say that I have never seen such crowded cities and so much traffic.
If you travel to India, you must learn to embrace chaos
Embracing the chaos is an important part of any trip to India!
What I mean by that is -- there will be endless traffic jams, crowded streets, delays, incessant honking of horns, swerving motorbikes and rickshaws and many invasions of personal space.
Learning to relax, going with the flow and being at peace with things happening on ‘Indian time’ will facilitate a much deeper understanding of the nation and culture.
I remember going shopping, but I would have to say that shopping in India was amazing. I will never forget arriving in Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi in a rickshaw – I was surrounded by thousands of people.
M: How did you find the food? What types of dining experiences did you try? All planned restaurant meals or did you get to try street food?
C: Some people say that the food alone is reason enough to travel to India
I sampled a lot of the food. Indians take their food very seriously and the cuisine, just like the country itself, is incredibly diverse. And it also takes a long time to prepare.
In the North, you’ll taste lots of thick, creamy curries that are moderately spicy. mutton rogan josh, parathas, and tandoori chicken.
Southern Indian cuisine is commonly...
