A trip to India is a celebration for the senses. Everything is bursting – with people, noise, sunlight, heat. The energy is incredible. And in chaotic streets overrun with cars, motorcycles, rickshaw, bicycles, cows, elephants and other animals, people eat and drink, shop and bargain, meet friends and spend time together. It is so different from back home that you’re completely out of your comfort zone. And it feels exhilarating.

Heightening this feeling of exhilaration are the locals, who offer the warmest smiles in any situation. Diwali, the great festival of lights, celebrates the victory of light over darkness. I am possessed by this spirit in every encounter I have with this dense, vivid and multifaceted culture. Delicious sweet treats and burning candles will forever remind me of the friends I have met here.

This amazing country is now my second home. It encourages people to open their minds and listen carefully – you might even hear Ganesh, the great god of wisdom, gently urging you to embark on your own personal journey…