Travel as light
as possible. Clothing and laundry are both quite inexpensive.
Women should
dress conservatively. Avoid tank tops or short skirts /
shorts. The best outfit, especially during the hot summers, is
a T-shirt worn with loose cotton trousers. These are
comfortable, cool and easily washable. You can purchase them
anywhere in India, at very reasonable rates, at any of the
street shops. If you are adventurous, wear the Indian 'salwar-kameez'.
It is comfortable and free sized, and you will be amazed at
the change of attitude among the shopkeepers, pedestrians and
taxicab drivers!
Do not forget to
remove your footwear when visiting a place of worship or
mausoleum.
Food And
Drink
Drink only bottled water. Buy it only from respectable or known
outlets. In restaurants insist that they bring a sealed bottle to
your table.
Try Indian Beer - it is quite drinkable.
Beef is not served in India. Pork is also not easily available.
Eat non-vegetarian food only in good restaurants. The meat in
cheaper and smaller places is generally of dubious quality.
Vegetarian food is easily available, cheap, and of excellent
quality.
Curd or yoghurt is served with most meals. It is a natural aid to
digestion and helps temper the spicy food.
Health Precaution
Always drink bottled water.
For the first few days it might be advisable to clean your teeth
in bottled water.
Eat fruit you can peel.
Always wash fruit well before eating it.
Wash your hands before and after eating.
Always keep a tube of mosquito repellent with you.
Always carry a kit of the basic emergency medicines you might need
for diarrhoea, fever, etc. Also, band aids and an antiseptic
ointment.
If you do catch a bug, do not panic. It will go away in a few days
- but try the following tips to keep it down:
>>
Drink lassi - a yoghurt drink. It will help tone down the
bacteria.
>>
Eat plain rice, or try a simple khichdi - an easily digestible
mixture of rice and lentils.
>>
Drink plenty of coconut water. It's cooling, and naturally
sterilized!
>>
Drink plenty of fluids and take some electrolyte salts if
the bug persists.
Social
Interaction
If you are fair-complexioned, blonde or red-haired - and
especially if you are female - chances are that you will be stared
at continuously, specially in the smaller towns. Don't be offended
- they mean no harm, it is just curiosity.
Avoid crowds, especially if you are female.
Try to avoid shaking hands. Greet people with a 'namaste' (hands
pressed together at chest level as if in prayer). You will be
appreciated for using the Indian style of greeting.
Shopping
Try to shop only in
Government Handicraft Shops/ Cottage Industries . There the prices are
fixed and the quality is certified.
Get used to the fact
that you will probably be charged little more than the locals. If
possible, take a local along when you go shopping.
Time
Everything in India takes time - longer than in most places. So
always give yourself extra time for whatever you may have to do -
even it is just a visit to the Post Office or changingmoney
Indians joke about the concept of "Indian Stretchable Time" (IST).
Certainly, if you're a super-punctual sort, India can be
frustrating. Make allowances for this.
Toilets
In India, public toilet facilities are few and far between, and
those that are there should not be ventured into. Take every
opportunity you can to use a clean a toilet in places such as
hotels and restaurants. Make this a habit wherever you go.
Tipping
In hotels and restaurants,
tips are not normally included in the bill.
Some hotels include service
charges on their bills. In such cases tipping is not necessary.
The standard tip is 10%.
In hotels, porters and room
service attendants are normally tipped at the end of the stay, though an
early tip is likely to get you better service.
Tipping of taxi drivers is customary.
Others
Keep extra photocopies of the relevant pages of your passport.
This will be required for Indian permits.
When asking for directions, ask shopkeepers, not pedestrians.
Cross-check with at least two people.
Taxi and auto-rickshaw fares keep changing, and therefore do not
always conform to readings on meters. Insist on seeing the latest
rate card (available with the driver) and pay accordingly.
Insist on the taxi/auto meter being flagged down in your presence
Beggars
Do not let them hassle you, and do not encourage them by giving
them too much money. A one-rupee coin is sufficient.
Sightseeing
Dress codes for religious places can include covering your head,
being barefoot etc. Ask, so that you don't unwillingly give
offence.
Some temples do not permit any leather articles at all on their
premises.
Certain areas of temples are not open to Non-Hindus.
Most museums in India are closed on Mondays and Site Museums,
those near archaeological monuments, on Fridays.
The dry summer heat can drain you completely. Drink lots of water
and fluids.
The sun is strong. Remember to use sunscreen on exposed parts of
the body. Wear sunglasses to screen out harmful rays.
Photography is not always permissible, and at many places it is
permitted only at a fee. There is usually a higher fee for using a
video camera.
Smoking is not allowed at all public places.
English is spoken at almost all tourist centers, but you can also
request Government-trained and approved guides who also speak
German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian or Russian.
The Responsible
Traveller
Travellers to India are advised to adopt this travel code for
their travel in the country.
We would also encourage you to choose hotels, transporters, tour
operators, restaurants and other travel related services of those
organisations who have pledged to follow these or other
internationally recognised codes of Responsible and
Environmentally sensitive travel.
