This past summer, my husband got a really cool opportunity to go to India for three weeks.
At first, I was a little unsure about him going. It was a long way for him to travel by himself, it was expensive, and I’m never fond of the idea of spending a few weeks apart!
However, I definitely recognize that sometimes it’s worth it to get out of your comfort zone, and for him, traveling to India was one of those times.
His trip mimicked a study abroad experience that many people have during their undergraduate careers, except since he is in medical school, he spent most of the time working in a hospital.
It was a truly enlightening experience, and he had a really great time learning about the ways in which healthcare works in India. Most importantly, he absolutely loved the people and the culture. Everyone was so happy that he and his colleagues were there, and they were treated with such respect and acceptance everywhere they went.
I think what surprised him most was how inexpensive so many things were. Even though the plane ticket was close to $2,000, once he got there, he hardly spent any money at all.
Food
When my husband went to little local restaurants and coffee shops, he got full three course meals with wine for as little as $15. One day, he bought a cup of coffee for $0.02. He absolutely loved the food and came back home and cooked a ton of new recipes. People told him not to try the street food, but he said he couldn’t resist. It was all so good. Oh, and the tea. I can’t forget about the tea. Apparently they had this amazing tea multiple times a day. He came home and has been making it for me, and I have to admit, it is some of the best tea I’ve ever had. Amazingly, he ate like a king without spending more than a few dollars for every meal. It was so great to know that he was happy, healthy, and trying new things all on the cheap.
Silk
India is known for their incredible fabrics. Once again, the dollar is so strong compared to the rupee that purchasing gifts was very inexpensive. My husband came home with dozens of silk scarves to give to family members and friends as gifts. Each one is more stunning than the next, and there were all just a few dollars each.
Rugs
One thing he did not buy while he was there was a rug; however, many of his friends did. They even visited a factory where they made rugs, and they were all incredibly intricate and beautiful. Many rugs that come from India are put in fancy showrooms in the U.S. and marked up in price. However, going to the source, a modestly sized rug was about $200-$300, and several places offered to ship it for free.
Ultimately, he had a really great time and was pleasantly surprised by how many beautiful things he was able to purchase for a relatively low cost. I’m so glad that he went and had such a positive experience.
Have you ever traveled to India or to a place that you thought was beautiful yet affordable?
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We’ve had several friends who have traveled to India and they had very similar experiences. It’s definitely near the top of the list of places we want to go visit, though I think it’ll have to wait until the kiddos get older.
FrugalRules Yeah I definitely want to go now!! :)
Oh I’ve just booked to go in December. I’ve already been to India once and loved it. I stocked up on fabric last time, and this time I’ll be doing all my Christmas shopping.
Nell Casey That’s exactly what we did. Everyone knows what they are getting for Christmas now, haha.
I’ve never been to India, but I do love the Indian food I’ve had here. My guess is it’s totally different than what you actually get in India, but still.
Matt @ Mom and Dad Money I haven’t had much Indian food until he came back, but it’s definitely growing on me!
I’ve heard so much about India, because many of my friends and coworkers are Indian. I’d love to go!
Suburban Finance That’s cool. Do they make food for you?!
Never been to India but I have experienced a lot of Indian culture growing up in my country and also attending an Indian primary school. And I love their food.
BorrowedCents That’s so interesting. I never knew that!
Sounds wonderful, Cat! We had the pleasure of trying Indian food at my cousin’s wedding (she’s married to an Indian man) and although we were hesitant, we both thought it was absolutely delicious! We’d definitely try it again, although to try it in India would definitely be better. :-)
Laurie TheFrugalFarmer That sounds so cool. I really want to go to an Indian wedding now. They are so unbelievably gorgeous.
I went to an Indian wedding recently where I was the best man. My friend’s wife went to India to get the Sari’s or maybe it was just the fabric to make the Sari and Sherwani. They made one for my wife too and it was beautiful. I told my friend that as best man, I should have gotten a traditional Indian Sherwani as well. And my son a Sherwani onesie!
Andrew LivingRichCheaply What! I am so jealous! I realllly want to go to an Indian wedding!!
That sounds really awesome. I’ve never really thought about traveling to India, but it seems like a great place to go. I’d for sure have to get a rug from there and try some authentic Indian food.
Ca$hFunny Me too. :D I want to see the Taj Mahal. I was really bummed that he experienced that without me!
Never been to India but have a lot of friends who have who all really enjoyed it. Not sure what if anything they bought there though.
Beachbudget Yeah I used to hear mixed reviews because many people felt they couldn’t enjoy their trip due to the extensive poverty. However, I think that just by taking it all in and learning about a new culture, it can be really enlightening!
I tend to feel sorry for people living in poverty who sell things at really cheap prices, but I have to remind myself that is how they make a living, even if it seems like I’m ripping them off.
Eyesonthedollar Right it’s cheap to us but not to them.
That sounds like a really awesome trip. I think experiencing the local cuisine would probably be the best part. There is a lot of things you would get to try that would be a pain to try and get back state side.
MicrosMissions Exactly. He looooved the food!
Hi Cat,
Did your husband haggle for some of the items. Although the items are cheap you probably could’ve had it at 50% less if you haggled. Now that you have been there you should listen to Russell Peter’s comedy, he’s Indian from Canada. Check him out on Netflix.
Charles@gettingarichlife Yes he did. :) One of his professors went with him and helped him at first. Then he got brave enough to haggle on his own. My hero! haha. Russell Peter sounds great. :)
I heard that India are sources of nice fabrics and jars. And I’m sure that your husband had a great time in there. And of course I love shawarma, I’m not sure if its origin was from India.
Clarisse Claude I haven’t heard of jars! I love jars! Now we have to go back. :)
My wife and I are trying to visit every continent, and Asia’s such a hard one for us to pick just one country to visit. We started talking about India back when you first posted about your husband visiting there. I have to say, knowing how cheap it is once you get there makes the country tempting!
DonebyForty Oh yeah I think either that or Thailand would be awesome.
I went to Mumbai a few years ago for work. I despise Indian food, so lets just say I lost a few pounds while I was there. Just the smell of curry every where made me not hungry. But what I lost in pounds, I made up for in silk scarves. I would have bought a rug if I could’ve carried it on the plane. While those were great, I had a hard time with the poverty. My office overlooked the slums and it was hard to see that everyday.
Taynia I would have had a hard time with that too!