Bangalore: Guava Chili Cold Brews and the Art of the Bucket Shower

Sometimes you end up in places you’d never expect. Bangalore was the first four-day stop on a 15-day journey that eventually took us through Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Aditya, a Wilderness EMT instructor, got a contract to teach in Bangalore and Singapore. Since we both love to travel and were already heading that way, we added Malaysia to the list. Now, look—we are nature lovers. We aren’t really ones to travel just to spend time in a city, but our timeline and some constraints made it clear that instead of trying to trek or climb, we’d just opt for city adventures.

I’ve been living with Aditya’s family (and our kitten, Tutu) in Pune. I was actually excited to head South because I’d heard rumors of a magical land where people speak English. In Pune, everything is written in Marathi, and my desperate attempts at Hindi barely get me a nod. In Bangalore, English is everywhere. I immediately felt like I could actually navigate the city on my own while Aditya was busy teaching.

Hunting the "Good Stuff"

Aditya’s employer handles the bookings. In the world of outdoor education, "sponsor-provided housing" rarely means splurging. This trip was no different. For our four days in the city, we were shuffled between two different hotels. The first featured two separate single beds, a window that wouldn't close (not ideal when the summer heat is starting), and a hot water system that required a formal petition to the front desk to turn on.

The Wi-Fi was weak and there was nowhere to work, but the military taught me I can endure just about anything. It also taught me to “hunt the good stuff.” The good stuff here was that the room was spacious enough to roll out my yoga mat for my daily mobility practice. If I can do my yoga, I can survive a drafty window.

Tactical Grounding at Starbucks

I actually love traveling and working. It is the way I’ve set up my life, enjoying different coffees in cafes while hopping around the world. Bangalore was a fantastic surprise because it is a huge IT hub for India, so there’s plenty of Wi-Fi and cafes that support digital workspaces. To no surprise, there was a Starbucks—actually, three of them within walking distance of my hotel.

When everything is so different while you travel, sometimes a familiar place provides the grounding you need. I know the Wi-Fi is good, I know they’ll have the iced coffee I love, and it’s a place where I won’t get kicked out while I map out the rest of my week. I’m also working on my neuroscience certificate from UPENN, so my day must include studying, papers, and the inevitable exams.

Sign from the Universe

Once I finished building my online community platform for my clients, it was my time to wander. While walking the streets, I found an orange cat curled up on some steps leading to a coffee shop called Tribal Brew Coffee. I took that as my sign from the universe to stop for some "me time."

My eyes were immediately drawn to the “guava chili cold brew.” The iced coffee had just a hint of guava fruit, but the magic was the cup rimmed with chili-salt seasoning. The mix was out of this world. I loved it so much that for the next three days, my afternoons of self-care consisted of having one of these coffees and reading The God of Small Things, an Indian classic and Booker Prize winner. If you don’t do these little acts of self-care—even for a few minutes a day—you’re really missing out. Please, do something you enjoy that’s just for you.

The Obstacle Course and the "Infiltration"

The walk back to the hotel usually provided a reality check. One evening, the walkway was completely flooded with what I was sure was a broken sewer line. It was clearly a regular occurrence because there were already stepping stones set up so I could "obstacle course" my way into the lobby.

The real test came at 5:00 AM on Wednesday. I had to teach a live coaching session for my clients back in the States. I trekked through the dark to a co-working space called "The Beehive," navigating by landmarks: take a right past the tree with the “Urination is an Offense” sign, and cross the traffic circle where the pedestrian walks don’t line up.

India is a "late" country. Nothing happens before 10:00 AM. When I arrived at 5:30 AM, the security guard was fast asleep and the main entrance was locked. This is where the Carmen Sandiego in me took over. Instead of waiting around, I did a quick perimeter check, found a vulnerability in the parking lot gate, and successfully breached the facility. Once I was inside, I had to double back to wake up the guard from the inside. He jolted awake, looking like he’d seen a ghost—or at least a very determined blonde girl who wasn't supposed to be there yet.

Then the "real" fun started. Despite my smooth entry, the Wi-Fi wouldn't let me sign in. Two workers spent twenty minutes doing exactly what I had already tried while they laughed at the situation. With ten minutes until my class started, I didn't find it funny. I ended up hot-spotting off my phone and made the class work.

The Art of the Bucket Shower (and the Sleep Sac Fail)

The second time India "got me" that day was when Aditya told me we had to switch hotels again. This time, "hotel" was used loosely. It was dormitory-style lodging where you had to bring your own towels and linens.

Now, I pride myself on being a seasoned traveler, but I had my first major India travel "fail." I completely forgot my sleep sac. In a place where you're questioning the thread count (and the cleanliness) of everything around you, a sleep sac is your best friend. Being without it was a rookie mistake that I won't be making again.

This is also where I learned the art of the "bucket shower." Aditya was surprised I’d never done one. You fill a large bucket with hot water, add cold until it’s bearable, and use a smaller mug to douse yourself. In typical Indian fashion, the spigot was right next to the toilet. By day four of not washing my hair, I was officially ready for Singapore.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Thankfully, the end of the trip took a turn for the better. We spent our final evening soaking in the sights, drinking fresh coconuts, and noticing that Bangalore has way more street cats than dogs.

The next morning we headed to the airport, and I have to say, it is one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen. The entire terminal is a green space filled with live plants, cacti, and even an outdoor walking path. It was a literal breath of fresh air before we started the next leg of our journey.

Next stop: Singapore.