Kindly vendor in India trusts Canadian tourist to carry her papadums

Kristy is a tourist from Canada, visiting a market in Jaipur, India. She is fascinated with the sights, the colours, the culture, and above all, the people who go about their business in this crowded and fast-paced world. She became very interested when she saw a lady in traditional dress carrying her supply of poppadum, a crispy bread-like wafer.

With a smile and a gesture at her camera, Kristy asked permission to photograph this hard-working woman. Her tower of poppadum was almost as tall as she was herself. Kristy snapped a few pictures and her husband recorded the interaction on his GoPro. To Kristy's delight and surprise, this friendly woman stopped and suggested that Kristy should try carrying the basket on her own head. Not one to pass up an opportunity like this, she readily agreed and soon had the basket in place. Possibly, this tower of bread was the lady's entire day's supply because she suddenly seemed a little apprehensive about how well this tourist could balance it all. Kristy's husband could hear the familiar phrase in his head: "You break it, you bought it" as Kristy took a brief walk with the load. Other people nearby began to realize that something unusual was happening and they had a chuckle as they watched the sight.

The lady was eager enough to get her food back before something unfortunate happened and Kristy's husband was equally relieved. In India, people are incredibly friendly and welcoming of tourists. They will readily allow pictures to be taken and they will often pose to make things easier. The etiquette for such kindness is that tourists should provide a small gratuity, and it is usually gratefully accepted. This lady was given a tangible thank you for allowing Kristy such an enjoyable experience.

India is a world like no other, with a hustle and bustle in the cities that must be seen to be appreciated. The markets are filled with people selling everything imaginable, from food to wedding supplies. The history and character of the buildings is something to behold, taking you back in time to many centuries ago. Everywhere look is a feast of colour and culture that is nothing like North America.

Described as a country filled with contrasts, tourists are delighted with the beautiful sights and rich culture, while they will also witness extreme poverty and hardship. This is a world where people must compete to survive and each day is a struggle. It is also a world full of resourcefulness where people manage to market and sell almost anything to make enough to live. A visit to India will provide those who go with lasting memories and a fuller appreciation of how fortunate we are in many other worlds.