Going to India? checklist of what you need

Going to India? checklist of what you need

I will make up a list for you of the things you need to prepare for going to India, if my blog inspired you to do the same:

flight ticket to India (Air India is not great but flies you to Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai etc. directly from major cities.
air tickets inside India by Kingfisher Air, Jet Airways or Spice Jet mainly, also Air Inda, but the others may fly more frequently and may be better AND cheaper. Kingfisher also flies to Singapore now. Kingfisher has porters in red and cream uniforms that receive you and your luggage OUTSIDE the airport, from the moment you arrive in your taxi at the terminal, and they carry your stuff to the check in counter for you!
Bus tickets you can buy at short notice for goverment and private buses at short notice, and they cost about 150 rupees for a 5 hour trip that takes you from one Rajasthani city to another. Train I never used, you should get your reservation at least a day in advance, I guess, and you also need a bicycle chain to secure your suitcase to the luggage rack, so noone runs off with it! The buses put your suitcase into the trunk, and it seems to be safe there. Sometimes you can even take it inside with you.

vaccinations:
hepatitis A and B (they last for 3-o tyears depending, so you don't need one every time)
boosters for tetanus, diphteria and polio (can be combined in one shot, easy)
typhoid vaccine (lasts 2-3 years, may have rather unpleasant side effects which made me not repeat mine which was 2.5 years old. The shot is less heavy than the oral one, but both are sometimes hard to stomach, it seems. I did not catch anything, but it makes you feel safer)
malaria pills, if you go during monsoon time esp. or into a malaria region (I did not not, and happily watched my suffering fellow tourists when they groaned:"It is malarone time... time to take our pills, argh! We get stomach upsets all the time." I read the side effects of the various possible drugs which ranged from depression to sun sensitivity to stomach irritation, and did not want any of that and decided to take the risk. You can always rush to a hospital in India and get treatment once you catch it, they all know how to test and deal with it.

mosquito repellent (I used it only once or twice, did not need it, and they said, it was harmless normal mosquitoes)
Heavy duty good sun lotion with super high spf
I used Lancome SPF 50 for the body
and L'Oreal SPF 50 for the face (use a special facial one if you don't want to look all shiny and greasy. Still use your powder compact after applying it)
In addition to that, esp. if you are going to Western Rajasthan, bring a long silk scarf. Long means saree size, like almost two yards long, which you can drape over your hair, pull forward to shade parts of your face, and in case of desert wind blowing sand around or very strong sun, you can wrap it around your face to protect your skin. Don't worry, everybody does it, all the women have scarves over their hair there (draped loosely, not like shia muslims), and it really helps and is much more practical than a hat and sun glasses. You can always remove it and wear it over your shoulder or stuff it into your bag, any time. Even the men wear scarves over their faces sometimes.

medicine for diarrhea (I used Metifex, for preventive measure, as soon as my bowels started to move more quickly, and I recovered right away every time. Ne4ver got the awful, dehydrating, weakening dysentery attacks like during my first time in India. And I ate salads and fruit salads in all the hotels and nice restaurants. During bus rides I only bought the deep fried patties stuffed with veggies or dhal, and vbottled drinks or chai, and I never bought any fruit from the street sellers, nor drank the sugar cane juice. Nor the tap water, of course. Nor bought the ice cream from the vendors at the bus stops.

medicine for colds, muscle sprains and such (like aspirin,ibuprophen and voltaren)
a spray for your throat and cough lozenges (the sand can get to you sometimes, there is often something in the air that makes me cough but I never got actually sick

antiseptic cream for any cuts or abrasions , apply
immediately

and of course, best and most helpful o all
the Lonely Planet guide to Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra
or the Lonely Planet guide to India

a pair of very comfortable walking sandals with thick rubber soles. I wore Ecco, and needed only one pair, nothing else. (flip flops may do too but they are hard on feet)

loose fitting, thin clothing of silk or cotton or viscose
and one thin jacket to put on if the evenings get cold
one pair of socks (it can get a little chilly in the desert at night)
and you can always buy more clothes in India for around 10 dollars or less a piece. Travel lightly with as few pieces of luggage as possible, you will be moving around a lot.

carry your valuables in a waist poach, do not carry your hand bag/daypack on your back in crowds

and you need a visa which can take up to ten days for processing so go early!

Fri, September 25, 2009 - 11:31 PM —