The River. Kiva Kaneswaran.

We only went swimming in the river because there was nowhere else to go. It was brown, muddy, smelt more than a bit off, probably fetid and there were more than a few snakeskins in the area. We jumped in head first.

It's a real reflection of how India changes you when you realise that you're starting to enjoy the murky river's cold grasp, even if only because of the sweltering heat. India makes you grateful you have a village pump to wash at and nearly puts tears in your eyes to hear the words “mattress” and “flushing toilet”.
On this trip I learned how to wash in one bucket of cold water, I learned Indian people clearly don't have Scouts as none of them can make a bonfire, I learned that they can't play football aaand I also learned not to put a banger in the toilet. I have learned that people in poverty are incredibly generous, that chai is dangerously addictive and that I hate curry. I've also come to understand that you really don't need that much to be happy, that Snapchat is something you can live without and that there is such a thing as too much cheese (namely a medium Domino's pizza with triple-cheese, cheesy crust and cheese sauce. Max, you dirtbag.) and that a smelly river on a hot, hot day can really be exactly what you needed.