Come here India, giz a hug...

What I appreciate about Rishikesh is that I feel like I am in India. The paranoia and distrust I cultivated in Jaipur should have remained there. I was making unfair conclusions about India as whole.

I was thinking today about how I imagined India, and my trip in general before I came. Perhaps due to parental warnings and my own fears of lone travel, I felt that at all times I would have to be guarding my belongings. I was sure that everywhere I went my pocket would be picked, my bag stolen etc. I was convinced I would already have spent two weeks in a foreign hospital having contracted genital warts from the water supply.

Having been here over two months (!) I realise how unnecessary these fears were. Fears. Hmm.

I suppose these bad things do happen (and could happen - touch wood) but India functions on trust. Constant theft and chicanery would fuck it up. People trust you. You buy a chai, you pay when you leave. There's no worry there. When you check out of a hotel you leave your bag at reception for the day. You have to trust they don't nick your stuff. Coming from Europe this may seem strange. My experience of European travel was different. Theft always seemed possible, even from those running a guesthouse. Here it seems so unlikely. Theft is a horrific crime. It is bad karma for a start. It brings shame upon a family. A dogsbody in a hostel will not steal your stuff - they have a good job, why mess it up?

Also there is respect for travellers. As a 'foreigner', as a 'tourist', we are our own caste. We hover near the top, next to Brahmin.

The nature of Indian society is so close. It seems claustrophobic maybe, but then if something goes missing, it's not hard to figure out who it was. So it doesn't happen. Big Brother is not necessary. People just know. People know their neighbours.

I actually felt hostility when I went to the dhaba the other day. I have been eating at different places the last few nights, so when I came in and just ordered a hot lemon, it's like 'my thali not good enough for you, huh?' It's insulting I guess.

The anonymity I assumed I would have in India is not possible. I thought I could disappear here. As a tourist, I am as much a part of the community - if only for a week or two. By the time you leave a place every shopkeeper has a smile and a "namaste G!" for you. And I even bought the crazy homeless guy a thali yesterday actually. That was fun. He is crazy that guy.

So trust is important. What you need is a little patience also and you can manage this place.