Asia, India


Visakhapatnam: City of Destiny

Asia India

India is a destination which beckons human beings for centuries, with its vitality, intricacy and spirituality. Having visited “Golden triangle: Agra – Jaipur – Delhi” one could ask “What more can India offer?” The answer lies in its boundless “soul.” No matter how much time you spend there, it’s never enough to fully discover it to the whole.

My journey took me to Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It is also known as the “City of Destiny” and locally named as Vizag. The city occupies a splendid shore of the Indian Ocean, yet untouched by a massive beach tourism.

I went there to volunteer in for the project “Shape the Future” from AIESEC Vishakhapatnam. I lived with a lovely Indian family, where I found my Indian sisters and Indian mom. I have to admit that the cuisine of South India is so different from the Northern one. It includes a lot of vegetables and rice (unlike the bread “naan” in the North). As I am not the biggest fan of spicy food, I settled with the local variation of chicken soup.

If you are a mountain lover, you can take trips to Araku valley, 114 km from Vishakhapatnam. You will be greeted by a splendid view of mountains and coffee plantations. If you still haven’t reached your maximum excitement level by that time, you can discover Borra caves – the deepest and one of the largest caves in India, and not to miss the museums of coffee and the tribal dance called Dhimsa.

Traveling enriches you immensely and lets you dive into a “New World.” The most important is to not forget to give something in return; respectful attitude and positive emotions.

View from the train window
Borra caves
Party hard – Araku edition
Contributed by Sabina Aidarbek