What he says about India is not actually wrong, but he definitely has an over-romanticised view. India is so much more complex than that. This romantic view of India as glamorous and spiritual is one of the main reasons for the sudden shock syndrome so many suffer on arrival. Luckily, I knew nothing about it when I arrived, so my impressions didn't require re-adjustment.
Julie and her cousin Joan both went through serious shock and disappointment, before they found a way to re-structure their attitudes. Even knowing all she does about India, Julie still goes through hell in India, before arriving at the other side of hope and expectation, which she always seems to do before she leaves.
But one thing he said is definitely true - the smells and vibrancy, the flow and the colours. For me, it's the flow of the street that I love most. When I start walking along the mine-field streets, where every step could end you in hospital, I slip into a beautiful state of alertness, calmness and fluidity, despite the assaults on the ear, eye and nose, and the traffic. I just love it.
