India was such an overwhelming, intense place. Every sense of mine was illuminated. The heat (40°C+) and sun and the ground on your bare feet as you walk around in temples. The smell of curry and incense in everyone’s homes and the smell of pollution and smoke in the outside air. The sounds of car horns honking and loud 30 year old diesel engines of every kind everywhere. The taste of every dish - so rich, fragrant and intense. And the bright colours everywhere - in the clothing, the buildings and especially the trucks that are all hand panted. The crowds of people everywhere and the total lack of personal space that comes with living in such density is a very overwhelming factor. By the end of the trip I felt burned out. Used up. Spent.
But now, having returned, I have to admit that I miss it. It certainly feels as though something is missing here. The calmness is nice, but it’s almost the same as the overwhelmingness: I can’t escape it. There’s nothing here that compares to there. And now that I am aware of such an experience, I want to be able to experience it, even if just for a moment.
