Worldwide Internships does not presently offer internships in India, yet it can be a fascinating destination to visit in case you have the opportunity to do some traveling after your internship in UAE or Thailand. Learn more below about HR Manager Cass Grimm’s suggestions for traveling India in August 2018.
Sweat, colors, food, monuments, and stares… These are the top images that come to my mind when I look back on my two-week trip to India. I originally decided to book my trip because two of my best friends from college were planning a wedding in Chennai, and though I’m super glad I got to experience this country, I hope I can give you some tips that will make for a smooth trip for you, especially since I got to visit some very distinctive locations!
Top tips:
- Get cash and a SIM card as soon as you arrive to the airport – it will save you headaches later on
- Ask for local recommendations about food, but my favorites were: rice biryani, anything with paneer (cheese), ghee butter with anything, and lentil dahl (I stayed veg pretty much the whole trip)
- Be prepared for all the stares (as a white girl, some people would literally just STARE for as long as they could, which was a bit intimidating at times)
- Don’t take photos at the temples – it’s really tempting but many consider it offensive – see what the locals do, and follow their lead
- Stay aware, and you’ll have a great (albeit sweaty) time 🙂
The North (Himachal & Pradesh)
When I first arrived to the Chandigarh airport, fortunately a good (Indian) friend of mine was there to pick me up. If I could give you one amazing tip, it would be to travel with someone who speaks Hindi! I know it’s not always realistic, but he certainly helped me navigate the (local, 8-hour) bus trip from Chandigarh to Jari, our first stop. If you’re not traveling with a local, definitely look into booking a Volvo bus online first – it should cost you about 900 Rupees on RedBus to head to the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains.
From there, we stayed at a delightful place called Parvati River Cottage, which was RIGHT on the Parvati 
River and really a super chill place to hang out and enjoy nature for a few days. We ate, drank, went hiking, and ventured over to the town of Kasol to see some more scenery. There are great places to hike all over, beautiful scenery, and temples as far as the eye can see. A really lovely place we visited was the Manikaran Temple. The hot springs there are pretty highly touted, but as a woman I didn’t really feel comfortable dipping in – actually, I was the only woman who even went to check out the side designated for women the whole time I was there! Still, a cool spot to visit.
Once we arrived to Manali afterward, we chilled a lot more! There are so many picturesque, riverside cafes to enjoy a hookah or a light bite. Some of our favorites were Cafe 1947 (some GREAT live tunes!), Johnson’s Hotel and Cafe (splendidly beautiful, great prices), and Cafe Evergreen (to be fair, kind of a local dive but still, great views and a fun place!).
Weather & what to wear: The weather is cool, great for wearing a pair of leggings and a long-sleeved 
shirt. You’ll want a jacket in the evenings, and comfy walking shoes.
The South (Chennai)
To be fair, I didn’t spend that much time in Chennai, only enough time to meet up with my friends for a wedding, which was quite an experience in and of itself.
The first day of the ceremony was called “Mehndi” where we got to meet up with our friends, get painted in Henna (probably my favorite part!), try on saris, socialize with family members, and eat some appetizers. We also had the chance to visit a local temple, the Velleeswarar Temple, where Shiva is the main deity. It’s beautiful, but do not take any photos!!
Finally, we got to the big day, the day of the ceremony. In the morning, we were all ushered into a nice dining hall where we were fed breakfast, and then shepherded into the main hall for the ceremony. It had all sorts of traditional music, flowers, Sanskrit hymns, and rice throwing. It was a traditional southern wedding, which meant no meat, and no alcohol. Not your typical wedding but it sure was exciting to get to see two lovely people get joined in such a special way.
Weather & what to wear: It is HOT and sticky in Chennai, so be sure to pack light, cotton clothing (think t-shirts and flowy pants), and some flip flops or sneakers you don’t mind getting dirty.
Back North (Delhi)
I didn’t know that Delhi could possibly be hotter than Chennai, but it turns out: IT TOTALLY WAS. Once
I left behind everything (and everyone) I knew in Chennai, I arrived at the Delhi airport – alone, with no cash, no cell phone signal whatsoever. My biggest tip for anyone traveling in India – DO NOT BE ME!! When you first arrive, convert some cash, and go ahead and get a local SIM card right from the start. At many airports, you need to provide a phone number to use the Wi-Fi, so it’s important to have access. Another option that worked out for me in the end was to ask to use other people’s numbers to activate the Wi-Fi but it’s much better to have the independence to do it on your own.
Once I paid 1,500 rupees to get to my AWESOME hostel, Joey’s Hostel, a journey that should’ve cost me only 500 if I’d’ve followed my own advice above, I got settled in and had a great time. My first day, I took a tour with them to the Lotus Temple and we went afterward to get some local street food. Then, I headed back “home” to get my train tickets booked to Agra to go see the Taj Mahal!
I woke up at 4:30 the next morning to take my 6am train to Agra, and all went very smoothly. I booked a train at the hostel for only 500 rupees in an air-conditioned sleeper car so by the time I arrived I was even more well-rested and ready to endure all the sweat that came with viewing the Taj Mahal. I have to say, though the Taj is obviously a VERY architecturally beautiful and well-detailed place, be prepared to be cranky, overwhelmed with tourists, and sweating, a lot. Also, it’s important to note there are a LOT of prohibited items that you can’t take there (including books! BOOKS?!) – they do have lockers but they’re a bit out of the way so I recommend checking the official list before your visit. Fortunately, I got an auto-rickshaw from the train station who offered to take me around all day for 500 rupees (I’m sure you can haggle it down, but I didn’t feel like it), so I also got to go to the Agra Fort (which, since it is 16 different palaces in one) really makes the day feel worth it.
That night, I got back in time to go to Moonshine Cafe with my fellow hostel-stayers for a truly local experience. It was LOUD, but it was fun 🙂
Next day, I ventured around Delhi on my own, on my all-time favorite metro in the entire world (it’s got air conditioning to help you beat the Delhi heat). As a solo, white, female traveler, I didn’t have any issue 
(other than loads of stares). I visited Delli Haat (a tourist-oriented shopping centre for all of your souvenir needs), the Red Fort (another large and beautiful palace compound), and the India Gate (a SUPER PACKED, family oriented spot with gardens around – but it was seriously crowded).
Weather & what to wear: I would recommend lightweight clothes (for women, skirts past the knee and t-shirts, for guys, shorts are fine!) and wearing sneakers around, while packing a pair of flip flops in your bag just in case it rains.
All in all, I can say that India was a very different experience, and while overwhelming at times, I’m totally glad I went!
