If you have traveled to India

[jenikate]

Next month I am going to India for three weeks. I'll be in the Northern part of the country - New Delhi, Varanasi, Rajasthan, and Tripura. I am going for a volunteer trip and the packing list is very vague (IMO). They recommend only bringing 3 outfits and purchasing clothes when we arrive. They also suggest that we only bring 2 pairs of shoes, one that is water proof and easy to remove and a pair of dress sandals.

If you have any tips or packing advice I would love to hear it. Also, if you want to share any of your experiences I would welcome that too.

[alleinesein]

Be prepared for stupid hot weather. It was still in the high 90s/low 100s when I was in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan last October.

What type of volunteer trip? That will determine what you need to bring.

Clothes are relatively cheap and easy to find in India if you are smaller than a US 12. You can pick up kurtas for around INR 300 at any roadside vendor.

Bring at least 3 pairs of shoes because you will end up leaving at least one pair behind. Cheap sandals are great if you need to be out in the rain. A pair of nice shoes if you have any events that require dressing up. Closed toed shoes (hiking boots or sneakers) if you will be doing any type of hiking.

You will need some type of shawl/scarf/pashmina that can easily fit in your purse/bag.

Leave your tank tops and shorts at home.

If you are prone to any type of respiratory illness or get sick easily bring all the meds you usually take. While vicks cough drops are plentiful (they are typically handed out in lieu of 1 rupee coins as change at street stalls) other drugs can be more difficult to find. Its best to bring along your trusty bottle of Nyquil or Robitussin.

Is this a mission trip or a medical volunteer trip?

[alleinesein]

Some basic info here pandce.proboards.com/thread/396788/india

[litlover]

If you have to book your own lodging, I would highly recommend using Airbnb instead of hotels. We used them last year for my first trip to India and staying with locals was extremely insightful and felt much more authentic than hotels. The hosts really went out of their way to help us navigate the many sites and ways of travel there. We did have to stay in some mid-range hotels and I was grateful that I had purchased a travel sleep sack. I was in N India at the end of the monsoon and even though the hotels were nice, some felt humid and my sleep sack was my own cocoon. If you can squeeze in any extra places, I LOVED Amritsar. The Golden Temple is AMAZING as well as the Wagah India - Pakistan closing border ceremony. Both were my 2 favorite experiences in India.

[alleinesein]

One thing to mention about Varanasi- be prepared for the smell and the sight of burning bodies. Aside from being a must see city for the citizens of backpackistan and yoga nuts it is also a city where many people go to die. You will see funeral pyres along the Ganges and there will be ash floating in the air if the pyres are burning.

If you go to a Jain temple you will need to remove all leather items on your body. Also be prepared to cover your head at a Sikh temple and to remove your shoes at all of the temples. At Sikh temples you will also walk through a small water basin as you enter; fortunately there is carpeting in the larger temples so you will have something to walk on.

If you will be doing any travel by train you might want to invest in a small bike chain and lock to secure your bags to your bunk on the train.

[alleinesein]

Sept 17, 2015 19:30:22 GMT -5 litlover said:

If you have to book your own lodging, I would highly recommend using Airbnb instead of hotels. We used them last year for my first trip to India and staying with locals was extremely insightful and felt much more authentic than hotels. 

You do realize that Indians stay in hotels when they travel in India.  And even the 5 star hotels are not immune from the things that plague residents; they still deal with sporadic power outages throughout the day, a lack of hot water, satellite signals going out, crappy cell reception, plumbing issues, and the lovely smell that permeates everything.  The hotel staff (or any friendly cab or rickshaw driver) are just as knowledgeable about the area as a local because they also live there.  I had many instances when I went out with locals in Mumbai and I knew the city better than they did because they very rarely venture outside of their neighborhood.  I even had to give directions to my cab drivers when I lived in Bangalore because they had no clue how to get to certain parts of the city.  

I had issues with trying to use Airbnb in Mumbai since many housing societies are cracking down on people renting out their apartments and spare rooms.  I also found Airbnb to be the same price as a hotel in most cities (USD $80-$100 a night for Airbnb and a 5 star hotel was USD $110 a night).

I just get a bit peeved when people spout off about things being more "authentic".  A good portion of the middle class in India travels by air and stays in nice hotels.  Not everyone has to travel via 3rd class on the train and stay in 1 star hotels.  People travel based on what their budget allows but some people (mainly tourists aka the citizens of backpackistan) go a bit overboard and try to be as cheap as possible in order to have a more "authentic" trip.  

[alleinesein]

Sept 17, 2015 13:08:22 GMT -5 jenikate said:

If you have any tips or packing advice I would love to hear it. Also, if you want to share any of your experiences I would welcome that too.

This packing list is geared more towards long term stays and monsoon season in South India but it does apply to the rest of the country.  It is based off of the things I either took with me and found to be very useful on my first trip to India and the things I found that I needed for my other trips.  Since all of my trips were long term some of the items wont really matter for your trip.


My kinda weird packing list!

-Pack a mini first aid kit with products that you know work. I take pepto-bismol, alka seltzer, Nasonex, Band Aids, allergy pills, cold meds (day-quil/ny-quil). While you can get OTC stuff in India it isn't always easy to find and you might have to go to multiple chemists to get items. Vicks cough drops are all over the place; it is the unofficial INR $1 rupee coin.

-Cheap flip flops. Depending on your level of germ squikyness you might want to wear flip flops in the shower. They also serve double duty if you need to go out in the rain. It is much easier to throw away a $3 pair of Old Navy flip flops than a $100 pair of nice sandals

-Baggu or any other type of small, foldable bag. Almost all merchants charge for plastic bags so its easier to bring your own. I like the Baggu ones because they fold up small enough to keep in your purse or put in your pocket.

-Brita water bottle with filters. Its always good to have some type of water bottle that you can take with you. While bottled water is plentiful it can still have a weird taste. Aquafina tastes like ass in India. Stick to Bisleri or Himalayan.

-Any condiments that you really like. I'm the weirdo that takes salad dressing and sriracha sauce with me when I am going to India. 

-Bug spray. Bug spray wipes. Pretty much anything with DEET. If you happen to fly through LHR you can also pop into Boots and pick up bug spray for tropical climates; it has a higher concentration of DEET than what you can find in the US. Another option is the Badger brand sunscreen with bug repellant. It works for some people (not for me; I am an all you can eat mosquito buffet)

-Cortisone cream or some other itch relief product.

-At least a 1-2 week backup of any prescription drug. While some stuff can be obtained without a prescription (almost all antibiotics, Xanax, muscle relaxers, some BCP) it is just easier to have some extras on hand.

-A small umbrella that will fit in your purse

-A small backpack. Even Indians wear them when they are out doing touristy things.

-If you are a coffee drinker bring along some Starbucks Vias. Indian coffee can be hit or miss and the stuff that the chaiwalas sell is already pre sweetened and full of milk. And it comes in a little 1 ounce plastic cup; a mini coffee shot! If you like flavored creamer bring along a container of Coffeemate powder.

-a few smaller Ziploc, Gladwear or Rubbermaid food storage containers. I have them serve double duty; I pack them with all my toiletries for the trip over and then I can use them for leftovers and other things once I am there. Also bring along some Ziploc bags- quart size and gallon size. They are great for taking snacks with you and for bringing stuff back home.

-Tampons! You can find pads but tampons have not caught on over there and they can be very hard to find. I've seen them in 2 stores: Auchan in Malleswaram, Bangalore and the Asian Chemist in Bandra, Mumbai. They are also very expensive since they are imported. If you use them it is just easier to buy them and bring them with you; it also frees up space in your suitcase for your trip home.
-An empty suitcase for all the stuff you will buy

Don't forget your travel adaptors. You might luck out and have the multi-plug spike strip in your room; these are quite possibly one of the greatest things ever invented.

You can find almost anything you need in India and they have a ton of the same brands but they can be hard to find and sometimes they are more expensive than back home.

You might want to carry some antibacterial gel with you; Himalaya brand makes one that is unscented and less than USD $1. Its just good to have when you might not be able to wash your hands. Also carry kleenex or a stash of TP with you; bathrooms frequently run out so its good to be prepared.

It looks like you will be headed to India during festival season. Gandhi's birthday (oct 2nd) is a national holiday. Dussehra and Navaratri are in October and Diwali is in November.

One very very important thing-  you will need a copy of your flight itinerary just to get into the airport.  They will check your photo id and your itinerary at the door.  If you don't have the necessary items they will deny you entry.  

[GilliC]

For clothes, I agree with them that you might be better off buying a lot of things there. If you look at all unusual (pale skin, blonde or red hair, etc), you will draw attention. I've found that when I'm dressed in a salwar kameez, I get a lot less staring and catcalls. A loose salwar kameez is also surprisingly cool even though it's quite a bit of coverage, and I like that I can use the dupatta to increase the level of modesty if I'm visiting a temple or feel the need to cover up a bit more.

For the things that you bring with you, I'd suggest flowing skirts or loose pants and loose-fitting tops. More coverage can actually be cooler if it keeps the sun off you, and it's simply easier to be a bit more covered. While I don't go with low-cut tops, I've never bothered with sleeves. In fact, I've never even bothered having the sleeves attached to most of the suits I've bought in India, because I prefer the look of a sleeveless kurta. (And some of my formal suits are actually pretty close to tank straps!)

When it comes to shoes, don't take anything too expensive. Sometimes people steal shoes from outside temples. It's easiest to just not wear something tempting. For the sandals, if you're only bringing one pair, I'd choose a flat that could work for dressy or casual. Honestly, I live in sandals most of the time in India, so while it sounds like the sturdier shoes will be needed for your volunteer work, I'd typically take a very comfortable pair of everyday sandals and then maybe something a little dressier for church or going out. (Sandals are actually one of the things I typically bought in India, and Metro Shoes was always a must-visit on every trip!)

A few other things I'd recommend packing...
- See if your doctor or travel clinic will send you along with a dose of antibiotics just in case. They're very cheap there from pharmacies, but getting to a doctor can be a hassle when you'd rather just stay in bed!
- Pepto Bismol. My travel doctor suggested taking one or two before eating things that seemed extra suspicious. While it's not a long-term solution, it can be good in a pinch when you really don't want to deal with the aftermath.
- A folding fan. This is something I usually keep in my carry-on bag all the time anyway, because you never know when you'll be stuck somewhere hot and uncomfortable. It doesn't take up much space, and it can be very nice to have!

...This whole post is really making me want to plan a trip! I wonder what my in-laws are doing for Christmas...

[lb2006]

This is all great to read again! We are heading to India next weekend . Thanks for all of the tips!