Brisbane to India – A Tour to Remember

After two long flights the 2024 India Tour members landed in Kolkata as a November grey fog descended on the city. We weren’t sure if it was cold winter weather or the infamous pollution, but we were about to find out!

After collecting our baggage, we experienced an authentic Bengali welcome as we stepped out of the airport - beeping rickshaws, oppressive pollution, chaotic roads and a crushing crowd of people, even at midnight! As we sped along in the bus, we saw building after building stacked together like Lego. We saw bonfires burning on the streets and the confronting reality of city slums.

The alarm the next morning became a ritual as we prepared to visit Mother Teresa’s House and for three mornings we prayed for our families, thanked God for our privileges and reflected on the lives of the people who live in poverty in India. We helped at missionary charities for underprivileged youth and adults, feeding residents, washing dishes and hanging out the washing.

It was an amazing experience to be able to serve those living on the margins, and they were so grateful for our help. We made meaningful connections and built relationships with people from all walks of life.

Visiting two Kolkata schools, St Josephs and St Georges, we learnt about their daily life and listened to their assembly presentation on sustainable energy. We discovered that they love sport as much as we do, and a basketball game was held at St Georges. The score line was tight as both teams reached for crucial rebounds when it counted the most and fought for the win. In the end, only one point separated the winners from the losers.

Apart from sport, the other most-loved activity of most boys is eating! And we enjoyed the best Chicken Biryani we have ever had when we shared a meal with the Christian Brothers who were extremely kind and welcoming.

Varanasi was our next stop, where we experience a little slice of luxury in the hotel that boasted a rooftop recreation space and very comfortable rooms. The real highlight of the stay was gliding along the River Ganges and seeing decorative religious temples and ancient famous landmarks. The unusual experiences when we were spectators to a mud wrestling competition before heading off to Delhi next.

Seeing Old Delhi, the iconic bazaars, Red Fort, Parliament House, Chandi Chowk and the Gandhi memorial filled the next two days making memories that will last forever.

In Agra, we saw what some might call a ‘cheesy’ Bollywood show based on the story of the Taj Mahal but everything we had done to this point paled into insignificance when we witnessed sunrise over the Taj Mahal. It was hard to comprehend that we were a group of Australian students, standing in front of one of the seven wonders of the world – a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We toured the interior where both King Shah Jahan and his wife are buried and marvelled at the minarets, the decorative stone inlay, Arabic calligraphy, and the marble dome. The glory of this building will stay with us forever.

After a brief shopping stopover in Delhi the next day, we flew to Chennai for our final destination. The humidity hit us like a brick but the city was more ordered and less busy than the others we had seen. We explored temples and played tourist at Marina Beach, but the most meaningful experience was working at a school for children with special needs.

It was humbling to serve them, to have fun playing cricket and tell them stories of life in Brisbane. It made them so happy, and we felt privileged to have met them.

We learned many things on this tour, experienced a unique country, met resilient people and returned home changed young men. We were all impacted by what we saw, and it has helped us appreciate what we have here at home. We feel grateful for our families and friends, for the lifestyle we have, the healthy food we eat, and the safe water we drink. Simple things that sometimes we take for granted now seem so very important. It was a pure and humbling experience that none of us will ever forget.

ATC Student and tour member, Arian Gates - Year 12

(pictured left)