Adrenaline. A hormone we produce whenever we are nervous or stressed. A
hormone that stimulates the release of dopamine in our nervous system, that
is to say, it contributes to the release of a substance that causes a
feeling of wellbeing. So I guess, that is why some people really enjoy
doing extreme sports– to get that adrenaline rush.
Then I assured you that if you are one of those adrenaline junkies, you
should upgrade your game, cause India itself is the ultimate extreme sport
that you definitely need to try.
Be careful with the food you eat! You will never really know if it would
upset your stomach or if it will burn your tongue. Finding your tolerance
to spices or how strong your stomach and immune systems are, is only a
matter of trial and error — and definitely, a good adrenaline rush too!!
You never know when it is going to go wrong! (I have lost the battle
several times already, and it is unpleasant. 100% wouldn’t recommend lol)
Do you want to check something on the other side of the street? Well, good
luck with that! Try it not to be the last thing you do! (Especially during
rush hours in really busy roads.) Tip: Don’t wait for the green light or
for a moment where all cars, motorcycles, rickshaws, buses, trucks, cows,
dogs and goats stop and let you pass, because you are more likely to die
while waiting than for it to happen. But honestly, crossing the streets
here is one of my favourite things to do, you just really need to play it
cool. Drivers can smell your fear and hesitation so they will instead
speed up and never let you pass!
Are you wild enough to take the bus? You might feel like a dauntless
character from “Divergent” while jumping in and out of the bus. Your speed,
agility, balance and attention will be challenged while you figure out the
bus number (if you please, google an image of the numbers in Hindi ), jump
inside the bus (it will barely stop for you to get in), get through the
mass of people, if lucky enough find an empty seat (or at least something
to hold on), identify the correct stop you need to get down at and finally
jump out of the bus in one piece.
No buses to where you want to go? Well, then you might need to take a
rickshaw (the famous yellow three-wheeler vehicle typically used in India). You
either book it on Ola (the Indian version of Uber) or you hail it – which I
personally love doing. This place has awakened in me a passion for
bargaining, so I usually go on long arguments with rickshaw drivers to get
the ride at the price I know it would actually cost to a local or at least
I usually get the driver to use the meter (which supposedly calculates a
fair fare according to time and distance) But even then, some meters are
broken and the price starts jumping incredibly fast. In that case, there is
nothing else you can do but to die a little bit in the inside as you get
ripped off by the rickshaw driver.
Lately, the question I asked myself the most is: Is my phone battery going
to last long enough until I get home? Every so often, my phone says peace
out! And trust me, it always happens in the most inconvenient setting. Who,
at night with a 10% battery in your phone and no cab booked yet or the bus
you need about to arrive, would have nothing but adrenaline running through
your veins?
And all of the aforementioned are just a few examples of situations that
with no doubt, will give you a good adrenaline rush. Nevertheless, once
everything has happened, the sensation of pleasure, peace and
accomplishment is quite noticeable.
India is definitely teaching me to be comfortable with the uncomfortable
(or at least to what before used to be so!), to be more flexible and to be
more welcoming to the unexpected.
All that I got to say is that it seems that in the end, I am guilty —
because I might have become one of those adrenaline lovers! (sorry not
sorry) Before, having my five senses in alert used to be a draining and
exhausting experience. Now, is just another aspect of my daily routine that
I definitely enjoy having already got used to. At the end of the day, what
is life without a little bit of excitement and risk-taking?
