India
India
Hi everyone
I'm going to India in a months time - Delhi/Agra area. We're on an organised tour and are staying in nice hotels so i'm not backpacking or anything!
I was wondering if anyone had any useful tips/advice? Any clothing recs? I'd assume it advisable to dress much the same as you would in other parts of Asia (I've travelled to Sri lanka, Thailand and Malaysia before) but any info would be much appreciated!
Answers:
Avoid wearing anything short or sleeveless in a religious place of worship as they may not let you in.
Always haggle on price when buying anything. Im a british born Indian, but as soon as i enter a shop in India the price automatically doubles on everything- they assume that because your from England you have money- i wish :lol:
Have a good holiday :)
Answers:
Hi there, I went to India in September and posted here in Travel. I found the reply from Augusta (many thanks) which was loads of help! As she said-NOTHING prepares you for India!
Sri Lanka as a first experience of Asia will be some preparation for your trip, although I'd say it's got a lot more in common with the south of India than the north. India is a BIG country with many different regions, so if you want a sense of what to expect where you're going (both Delhi and after Delhi) then get doing some background reading. The charity you'll be working with should be able to suggest some suitable books (they should also be able to put you in touch with someone who's already been to the project you'll be on for personal tips).
For an overall sense of Delhi, I'd recommend William Dalrymple's "City of Djinns". Lonely Planet and Rough Guide books are very good at providing travel and background information that will help in your preparations and also in making sense of things you see once on the ground.
For me, India is a veritable assault on all of your senses. You can't help but know you're alive there, iyswim! Your senses are tested to their limits. I'd say go with as much curiosity as possible, use all your senses and take every opportunity to engage with the country and its people, ask questions, talk to locals, try the food, visit the shops, etc. As you'll be working with a charity, I would imagine that there should be plenty of occasions to get off the beaten-track and see everyday life. Be prepared for poverty, crowds, uncomfortable journeys, lots of attention that makes you feel as though you might be a film star, food that storms your palate, heat that sears your brain, a mix of smells that are delightful one moment and can turn your stomach the next, etc.
Try to pay as much attention to hygiene as possible to avoid getting sick. Washing your hands frequently (or using wet wipes) will reduce the chances of picking up a bug, but take immodium just in case!
As a woman, be very clear what your personal boundaries are and what the local boundaries are for the local men there. Don't be afraid to put anyone 'trying it on' (because you are a Westerner and doing something they would never dream of trying with a local woman) in their place. Dress respectfully (loose, long linen clothing is way better than t-shirt and shorts in the heat and sun anyway) and you will be treated with more respect too. This thread at Lonely Planet has some very useful tips.
The information and tips given on the FAQs of Lonely Planet's Indian Sub-Continent Thorn Tree branch are very pertinent and can help in getting a grounding with the culture.
FAQs link
It also has some hindi words and phrases, very useful if you want to make a good impression on your hosts and get lots of smiles and goodwill in return!
http://travel.roughguides.com/roughguides.html and choose Delhi in the dropdown menu of Featured Cities.
www.incredibleindia.org
www.delhitourism.com
Lonely Planet India forums
Hope that helps and I for one would be very interested to hear your trip report and comments once you've been, so please don't forget about us and come back to Travel to tell us all about it!
I was also really concerned about the food as I'd struggled the previous year in Sri Lanka and lost almost a stone in weight- here is the link to the thread:
Answers:
Thanks Amyb (and Augusta!)
I've been to Goa a few times but I appreciate that's not really India proper so this kind of info is very useful! My next problem is where to get nice modest lightweight clothing at this time of year!!!
Answers:
Yep this also was my next question back in September! Here is the link:
I bought 2 pairs of fab linen trousers from River Island. I bought 3 Kaftan type shirts from my local market, bought a couple on Ebay and bought quite a few things when I got there.
The thing that I can't forget (apart from the smells!) was the phenominal heat as we came out of the airport- It was like stepping into a sauna!
Hi everyone
I'm going to India in a months time - Delhi/Agra area. We're on an organised tour and are staying in nice hotels so i'm not backpacking or anything!
I was wondering if anyone had any useful tips/advice? Any clothing recs? I'd assume it advisable to dress much the same as you would in other parts of Asia (I've travelled to Sri lanka, Thailand and Malaysia before) but any info would be much appreciated!
Answers:
Avoid wearing anything short or sleeveless in a religious place of worship as they may not let you in.
Always haggle on price when buying anything. Im a british born Indian, but as soon as i enter a shop in India the price automatically doubles on everything- they assume that because your from England you have money- i wish :lol:
Have a good holiday :)
Answers:
Hi there, I went to India in September and posted here in Travel. I found the reply from Augusta (many thanks) which was loads of help! As she said-NOTHING prepares you for India!
Sri Lanka as a first experience of Asia will be some preparation for your trip, although I'd say it's got a lot more in common with the south of India than the north. India is a BIG country with many different regions, so if you want a sense of what to expect where you're going (both Delhi and after Delhi) then get doing some background reading. The charity you'll be working with should be able to suggest some suitable books (they should also be able to put you in touch with someone who's already been to the project you'll be on for personal tips).
For an overall sense of Delhi, I'd recommend William Dalrymple's "City of Djinns". Lonely Planet and Rough Guide books are very good at providing travel and background information that will help in your preparations and also in making sense of things you see once on the ground.
For me, India is a veritable assault on all of your senses. You can't help but know you're alive there, iyswim! Your senses are tested to their limits. I'd say go with as much curiosity as possible, use all your senses and take every opportunity to engage with the country and its people, ask questions, talk to locals, try the food, visit the shops, etc. As you'll be working with a charity, I would imagine that there should be plenty of occasions to get off the beaten-track and see everyday life. Be prepared for poverty, crowds, uncomfortable journeys, lots of attention that makes you feel as though you might be a film star, food that storms your palate, heat that sears your brain, a mix of smells that are delightful one moment and can turn your stomach the next, etc.
Try to pay as much attention to hygiene as possible to avoid getting sick. Washing your hands frequently (or using wet wipes) will reduce the chances of picking up a bug, but take immodium just in case!
As a woman, be very clear what your personal boundaries are and what the local boundaries are for the local men there. Don't be afraid to put anyone 'trying it on' (because you are a Westerner and doing something they would never dream of trying with a local woman) in their place. Dress respectfully (loose, long linen clothing is way better than t-shirt and shorts in the heat and sun anyway) and you will be treated with more respect too. This thread at Lonely Planet has some very useful tips.
The information and tips given on the FAQs of Lonely Planet's Indian Sub-Continent Thorn Tree branch are very pertinent and can help in getting a grounding with the culture.
FAQs link
It also has some hindi words and phrases, very useful if you want to make a good impression on your hosts and get lots of smiles and goodwill in return!
http://travel.roughguides.com/roughguides.html and choose Delhi in the dropdown menu of Featured Cities.
www.incredibleindia.org
www.delhitourism.com
Lonely Planet India forums
Hope that helps and I for one would be very interested to hear your trip report and comments once you've been, so please don't forget about us and come back to Travel to tell us all about it!
I was also really concerned about the food as I'd struggled the previous year in Sri Lanka and lost almost a stone in weight- here is the link to the thread:
Answers:
Thanks Amyb (and Augusta!)
I've been to Goa a few times but I appreciate that's not really India proper so this kind of info is very useful! My next problem is where to get nice modest lightweight clothing at this time of year!!!
Answers:
Yep this also was my next question back in September! Here is the link:
I bought 2 pairs of fab linen trousers from River Island. I bought 3 Kaftan type shirts from my local market, bought a couple on Ebay and bought quite a few things when I got there.
The thing that I can't forget (apart from the smells!) was the phenominal heat as we came out of the airport- It was like stepping into a sauna!