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Europe without a backpack. (Part 1) Elaine Rati Kochar Elaine Rati Kochar successfully blends her traditional values and social responsibilities as a housewife with a streak for knowledge, creativity, social service and exploration. Elaine is a painter and a Bharatnatyam dancer. She is a keen traveler and she enjoys travelling and sightseeing most in India.

Europe has mellowed in my mind since May. It was far too vivid to write about immediately. My prose would have consisted of too many "beautiful"s. Everyone knows Europe is beautiful, beautifully kept, preserved and beautifully presented to the tourist. For anyone visiting from India it is an eye opener. The first thing that happened to me was like a blow to the solar plexus.

I waited at the luggage carousel in Heathrow. I waited and waited ... and waited! After everyone had left, it dawned on my incredulous mind that my backpack was not coming. It hadn't arrived!!! It had my insurance claim in it. With a claim for delayed or lost luggage. And the phone numbers of the insurance agent in London.

Lesson no 1. Have a copy of a copy of the papers in your hand luggage. I, in my wisdom, didn't think it wise to carry too much hand luggage!!! Big mistake. The originals were, wisely, in my cupboard at home that my husband was supposed to present if I broke my leg or lost my passport and money somewhere on the continent.

Lesson no.2. Carry your copy of the Lonely Planet guide book in your hand luggage even if it weighs a ton, which mine did. Fortunately I had it, and my diary of addresses and phone nos. and email addresses too, with me.

Lesson no. 3. Carry your jacket, your pullover and your cap or scarf in your hand luggage. Its usually cold when you get off anywhere west of India! Unless you are going to the middle east that is!! Carry a foldable rain coat in your hand luggage too. Lesson no. 3.Carry your water bottle in your hand luggage. Water is either unavailable or too expensive. No tap water anywhere in Europe will harm you, especially if you are used to the "water of India"!!! And carry all your money around your neck inside your shirt.

Lesson no. 4. Carry your toilet kit in your hand luggage.

The moral of the story is that with one change of clothes you don't need anything but hand luggage in Europe, as I found out to my relief.

The disappearance of my backpack was a blessing in disguise. I had packed as if I was to travel in India, in the Himalayas, my only region of experience of backpacking. It weighed almost 20kgs!!! The good Lord in his wisdom decided to make it unavailable, taking pity on me.

I borrowed two track suits from a relative and set off. Everything I wasn't carrying, Europe supplied me with.

What got left behind were soup packets and a mug water heater, (nobody had heard of it in Europe!), a mug, a portable iron,(totally unnecessary as nobody minds wrinkled clothes - they probably expect tourists to be disreputably dressed!!), an extra pair of shoes incase they got wet, gifts for friends which consisted of packets of Earl Grey and scarves and such like. I bought wine and chocolates as substitutes. It blew my budget but hey, they loved it.

Indians need a mug in Europe. Everyone has this disgusting idea of paper being sufficiently clean. I wouldn't wipe my hands after a sticky icecream with just paper, would you? Bought one at an Indian store for an exhorbitant sum, and left it behind at my port of departure for some lucky following Indian. But a great idea is the radiator in the room. Great for drying out your unmentionables every night! We Indians have this equally disgusting habit of wanting to hand wash clothes every night and hang them up on any available protuberance in the room. This, inspite of convenient launderettes all over the place. Leaving aside all my strange ways, the first thought that crossed my mind after two hours in London was one of admiration. Not so much for London as for the European tourists in India. How in the world did they ever manage in my country?

No English sign posts.
No information booth.
No tourist helpdesks with someone speaking flawless English or French or German etc.
No money exchange at the stations or anywhere in sight for that matter.
No police help.
No running water. No clean publics bathrooms. No toilet paper.
No maps or bus routes on the bus stops but instead lots of people who give you lots of different answers to the same question.
No escalators.
No lifts.
No luggage trolleys, (this at railway stations,) with a coin that comes back to you once you put the trolley back.
And the crowds, (in India a "crowd" knows the meaning of the word!).
How do they ever manage? The poor souls.
Europe spoils you rotten. It mollycoddles you, spoon feeds you and pampers you.

The only thing it doesn't do is insist on talking to you. India does, whether you like it or not. One kind of misses that sometimes. Telling a stranger on the train your whole life history and all your ills and troubles. I wouldn't dream of it in Europe.
My admiration never faltered throughout my 21 days on the continent.
I landed at London. It was the beginning of a revelationary three weeks.

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