With the subtitle “An Indian Adventure”, “Confessions of
a Coward” is a collection of real-life experiences of Kirsty Turner, a
traveler who spent nine months in the Indian sub-continent (ISBN
978-616-222-234-4, 2013, self-published). The back cover paints her as a
novice, but the brief bio states that she is a seasoned travel writer!
Very early in the piece, the author discovers, “India isn’t just another
country, it’s a whole different world.” She opines that “India is a country
of complex contradictions. It is a social taboo for Indian women to show
power or strength. … violence is prevalent and you will often see bloody
street brawls, which flare up at the slightest provocation.” Undoubtedly
there have been recent incidents in India to show that women are oppressed,
so the author had reason to be cowardly.
She has an appetite for ancient castles, far greater than mine, but
integrates the historical backgrounds with her own movements on the ground.
And speaking of movements, Delhi Belly features prominently, but the Indian
chemists provide treatment which worked - every time, and there was more
than once, both for herself and her traveling companion!
She describes attending an Indian dance festival in Rajasthani which was
more than the usual massed dancers and leading characters with high-pitched
voices. For example, she was treated to performers dancing with flaming pots
on their heads and stepping over broken glass and swords. “I’m glad I’m not
her chiropodist,” she writes.
It was interesting to compare the touts in India with the touts in Thailand
(or any other SE Asian country for that matter) and it would seem the “tout
school” has a universal curriculum, though the Indian ones seem to be rather
more pushy and insistent than our local ones.
At the end of each chapter, she has some tips for the aspiring (perspiring?)
backpacker, most of which add up to good common sense, but can be forgotten
in the heat of the moment. At the end of one of the other chapters she gives
a list of items difficult to find in rural India.
Some rather useful Hindi phrases are at the end of one chapter, with “Chalo”
(Go Away) being very useful. This phrase can be expanded upon to “Chalo
Pakistan” (Go to Pakistan) being a severe insult. The division of the Indian
sub-continent has always had a rather shaky background!
Kirsty also has a list of Indian festivals and their dates, and “no matter
where you are, Diwali is fantastic.”
Kirsty finishes by admitting that she was still a coward, but she was
actually braver than she had ever imagined. Going through the local public
transport to another small village, is probably more than I would have done
anyway, but then I am no longer a backpacker. Hardship for me is a camp
stretcher in the foyer of the Hong Kong Hilton!
For the backpackers who are considering India as the next big adventure,
this is definitely a book worth your while putting in the rucksack, and if
you are a fan of 200 year old castles, this book should be a mandatory
purchase.
