Or alternatively, they stick firmly within the familiar territory of Europe. On my gap year I chose to stray from the typical and head to South East Asia with four boys as my body guards, making India my main port of call.

First stop was Delhi; the craziest, most extreme city I have ever spent time in. In Delhi, cows make the rules, tuk-tuks rule the streets and the fatter you are the better. In a world where weight portrays wealth, the Western size zero debate seems futile, as size minus one is the norm for many of the starving rickshaw owners on the dusty streets.

The first noticeable thing after stepping off the plane in Delhi was the diverse range of smells, from the lung-destroying clouds of dust, to the tantalizing aromas coming from the spice markets and restaurants.
We spent the majority of our trip exploring forts such as The Red Fort in Agra, and religious temples such as the Lotus Temple. Of course, no journey round India would be complete without a visit to the infamous Taj Mahal, which is just as amazing as it looks.

From Delhi we travelled around the north east and west of India, through towns and villages, populous and remote. Throughout our trip we stayed in places of great contrast, from a magnificent fort on the top of a hill surrounded by miles of flat land, to an ant infested guest house in the middle of nowhere. When it is 40 degrees and you have no fan, and are prevented from opening the window for fear of the bugs, there aren't many cooling off options. It is best to take a cold shower in your pyjamas and lie down soaking wet in the hope that you won't melt!

One of the most memorable days was my birthday, during which I was treated to a private music and dance performance on the roof of a hotel. This was followed by an amazing feast of traditional Indian cuisine, all arranged by a local man who took a liking to us...what more could I ask for!

My favourite thing about visiting the remote towns and villages was unquestionably the children's enthusiasm as they followed us in fascination calling "Photo! Photo!" Our ever increasing band of little followers even touched our arms to see if we had painted our pallid bodies. Their amazement at seeing themselves on the tiny camera screen was endearing.

Indian culture fascinated me from the moment I arrived, when a wreath of flowers was thrown around my neck, and a red dot painted in the middle of my forehead. At first it was difficult to imagine how the graceful Indian women wearing beautiful saris maintain their elegance whilst using confusing squat toilets, but once I worked out how to use one without falling over, I decided they weren't too bad. They are more hygienic than Western toilets too!

I shall never be appalled by anything ever again after experiencing the squat toilets on a crowded overnight train. Setting aside the cramped conditions and the fact that we had to bribe the conductor to get our pre-booked seats back after he had sold them on to an Indian family, getting the opportunity to mix so closely with the locals and gain an insight into their lifestyle was fascinating.

A 17 year old girl I communicated with, who was pregnant with her second child, was utterly astounded when I announced that I was neither married nor a mother at the age of 19.

Another great insight into the culture came from our visits the markets selling hand-made silk and saris, jewellery, carpets, statues of Hindu Gods and much more. Pushka in the region of Rajasthan was one town that had a plentiful supply of markets, and camels. Whilst staying in the town, we were invited to go for a camel ride into the desert.

I happened to get paired with the renegade camel which kept running off from the group. Apparently the panicked expression on my face every time my camel suddenly plunged down a sandy hill was quite humorous.

My favourite town was Varanessi, situated alongside the River Ganges, which is a city dominated by religion. People come there from all over India when they are close to death, so that they can be sent off on a funeral pyre beside their holy river.

It was fascinating to watch the swarms of Hindus bathing in the Ganges, calling out the names of their favoured God as they dunked in and out of the water in prayer. It was in Varanessi that I had the chance to be involved in an incredibly inspiring flower ceremony, floating down the Ganges at dusk, in a wooden boat reminiscent of a very large canoe. This ceremony involved a priest lighting hundreds of little candles, held in little hand-made leaf caskets filled with petals, then saying a prayer as we placed the caskets in the river and watched then float away, while thinking of those we wished to pray for.

Five weeks and three marriage proposals later, we headed down to Goa in the South of India, which really was oasis of serenity amidst a desert of commotion. With its endless sandy beaches, amazing markets and abundance of hippies, Goa was like a place out of a dream and a perfect relaxing end to our hectic adventure.

India was an indescribably captivating country, so full of culture and variety it was almost surreal. I would really recommend anyone and everyone to visit this amazing country, if you can handle the craziness!

This story is from the University of Sheffield's student paper, the Steel Press. Visit their webpage for more stories.