Whenever I come back to India, it takes a little to adjust to how everything is time shifted by +2-3 hours. 

Lunch is often close to 2pm, dinner isn't until at least 8pm and bed time is often close to midnight. 

I wonder why some cultures lean early vs. late.

Technowatermelon. Elder Millenial. Building Farcaster. 

nf.td/varun

i've noticed this in some other countries too (eg: Brazil, Italy) 

my pov - if a society has a strong collectivistic/communal fabric (eg: india/brazil), where you get together with friends/relatives/family for meals or any other down time, then u need to bake in extra time for that activity (eg: meal).
in fast moving, slightly more individualistic setups, your clock/calendar governs your time vs. other people.