I’ll admit, I did about zero research on India prior to jumping on the plane, as my travels the past four years had been to the same country I had completely forgotten the basics one needs to know before going to a country they have never been before. I like to think that not doing any research prior to going is good in some ways, I didn’t get a chance to build up any expectations or unnecessary fears, but the downside was that I was very unprepared for some elements.

I knew vaguely that India had severe pollution problems, but that did little to prepare me for the actual reality and extent of the pollution. Flying into New Delhi I was taken aback by the brown haze that seemed to engulf the area and the inability to see more than a couple hundred meters in the distance. As I waited in the airport for my domestic flight connection to DehraDun, the smog made it impossible to even see the planes taking off and landing. A shock for someone coming from Alberta, Canada with its big blue skies and vast horizons. Thankfully I would only be spending a couple hours in New Delhi waiting for my connection before flying to the north of India, to an area in the foothills of the Himalayas where I had been told had better air quality.

Though the air quality in the north seemed a bit better, I was shocked by the physical pollution. Landfills and waste management seemed non-existent, rather garbage was pile in any vacant space where no infrastructure existed and when these piles would be occasionally burnt. No regard was given for the type of material that had been dumped, often including old tires that would result in the emission of thick, black, and toxic smoke. I could only imagine what other toxic materials were being dumped in this manner, my education and experience in contaminated site assessment kicking in as I thought about the contamination risk to the soil and groundwater. I watched as a truck drove slowly down the road spraying the ditches with some liquid, very reminiscent of the photos I had seen from the 60’s when the use of DDT had been common. I held my breath as they passed. This pollution would take its toll on me, after a few weeks I would develop an ear infection that would persist despite numerous trips to a specialist and would only disappear when I finally left India.

Cattle roamed the streets, most being malnourished and some with untreated injuries as they were the equivalent of what we would call stray animals. Cattle being considered sacred were not eaten though their milk was consumed, this practice resulting in farmers often releasing bull calves as they served no purpose to them while keeping the cows to milk. These abandoned cattle could often be seen hanging around the rubbish piles, sifting through for anything that they might be able to digest into some form of nutrition, one eating the paper bag I was holding right out of my hand. I had to wonder how much little accumulated in their stomachs that they were unable to digest, a question that I would later find an answer to when a video showed up on my facebook news feed showing the removal of 20 kg of plastic from one bull! I had once heard a rumor that cows could not go down stairs, this was quickly disproved monitoring the cows in India as they would go everywhere! Up stairs, down stairs, through doors, even over the two main and rather busy pedestrian/motorcycle suspension bridges over the River Ganga, often causing massive traffic delays as they traversed at a meandering pace. As there were cattle everywhere on the streets, there was a proportionate amount of manure on the streets as well that one had to try to avoid! I was lucky as I had arrived in mid January, and the flies would just be coming out by the time in left at the end of March.

Coming to India in January was great for the fly and mosquito situation but another challenge arose that I had not prepared for. I arrived to the ashram I would be spending my first week at very unprepared for the drastic temperature changes between night and day that were a result of being near the highest mountain chain in the world in the middle of winter. When packing for India I had quickly check the average temperature forecast for the area, showing daily temperatures between 20-25oC, and my clothing was chosen accordingly. What I had failed to do was to look at the low temperatures, which would dip to near or below freezing during the night, and with temperatures reaching above 40 oC in the summer, houses were designed to keep cool not warm or with any type of heating systems. The last item that had been cut from my bag had been my touque, and my entire first night in India I regretted that last minute decision! These freezing temperatures made me very unwilling in the morning to get out of bed and go to the first yoga class of the day at 7:30AM (I won’t lie, I never even once considered making the morning prayers and worship at 6:30).

I would also learn that making the 7:30 yoga class was one thing, surviving it was another! I had been doing yoga on and off over the past couple years and had been to a few yoga classes, but the westerner yoga I had experienced paled in comparison to the yoga I now found myself struggling to do. Where was the gentle cat/cow and downward dog? This yoga was a test of strength and athleticism at a relentless pace. Despite the cold mornings, everyone in the class worked up a sweat and a few times I found myself sitting in awe watching the more advanced students perform poses worthy of circ de soleil. With my yoga teacher training course starting in less than a week, I was starting to think I had maybe gotten in over my head. Thailand and Bali were a short plane ride away, and I heard that there was warm temperatures, beaches, and mai tais there, which was starting to look very appealing in comparison to my current conditions! These doubts were fleeting, as I had learned in Peru that these doubts and wanting to quit were usually indicators that I was on a path of self improvement, a path which requires facing many challenges which will always bring out doubts. I took these doubts as a good sign I was on the right path, I could be on a beach somewhere having a enjoyable time and relaxing, but I knew it would not help better myself and I would be closer to achieving my goals through challenging myself practicing yoga and meditation with masters in one of the spiritual capitals of the world. Also, I had already paid a deposit for my yoga teacher training course.