Travel tips for India

RWZ Note:  This is from an email that Dan sent me and Taniya, for the benefit of the class when we travel to Delhi at the end of the month. Certainly this isn’t an all-encompassing list, so anyone who has something to add, put it in the comments and I’ll keep editing the post…

Dan’s Comments:

  1. Avoid tap water or ice in drinks. I put my toothbrush on my bottled water in the bathroom so I don’t forget, and I usually have a piece of gum or candy while showering to remind me not to open my mouth.
  2. I recommend Ambien or another sleep aid when traveling that distance, especially if you need to work the next morning. One on the plane, and one the first night helps me get on a new schedule almost immediately.
  3. Don’t take any pictures in the airport. Don’t argue with anyone at the gate of any foreign airport. Long story, but they ultimately released me.
  4. If you haven’t spent much time in countries with large populations of poor, brace yourself. There will be beggars  ranging from age 3 to 80. Some will grab your arm or leg, which can be disconcerting. It is sad to say, but try to ignore the tragic poverty.  Think (as a class) about ways to give back more strategically than just giving some rupees to random beggars.
  5. Being on the roads seems perilous but everyone is pretty vigilant, and there are not nearly the accidents you would expect. Taniya told me, “You just watch your front, and everyone else watches your back and sides.” Seems to work pretty well.
  6. Always check and negotiate prices before getting in cabs or rickshaws. Some are metered, others are not.
  7. I like the pre-paid cab service at the airport.  Plus, you can use a credit card (I think).
  8. Budget plenty of time to get to and through airports. My flight from Delhi to Mumbai landed at about 9:30pm, and I had 1:30am connection to NY. After all the airport shuttles, terminal changes, security, etc., I had about 30 minutes to eat before boarding the NY flight.
  9. In Delhi, go to the market at Connaught.  You can also see the monkey house there.
  10. Kingfisher Strong is the best beer value.

Naveen’s comments:

  1. Stay safe. Do not wander off alone, especially late evening and nights. Move around in groups of 3-4 people minimum. If there are women in the group, make sure they are accompanied by at least a couple of guys.
  2. If you have any pre-planned travel plans, book a cab through the hotel you are staying in. If you plan to hire a bus to visit places, make sure you book at least a full day in advance and get the contact details of the relevant tour operator. If there are last minute hassles, you know whom to catch.
  3. Carry INR. Make sure you have sufficient local currency for travel and food. While credit cards are accepted at most places, you never know where they aren’t and you don’t wanna end up with less cash after the meal. Also, in touristy places where you might buy souvenirs, you will need cash.
  4. Be careful of your wallets and if you plan to carry satchels for your stuff. They might be easily flicked.
  5. Stick to mineral water. 20-25 cents for 1 litre (INR 10-12)
  6. Be prepared to enjoy the hospitality and warmth of the people. I’m not sure you will ever again see so many people around you, except maybe if you are in China ;)

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villa argentina 5 pts

India is a beautiful holiday destination. Here you can see lots of cultures and places. I have been to India Last year i love the monuments there food and rich culture....... I have visited lots of temples and its an awesome experience. India is large country so when you traveling to india you have to keep few things in mind which are given above ......

Hi Syed,
I'll write you offline about my incident. Have fun in Delhi.
Take care,
Dan

I'm sure I can make that happen :)

Thanks Randy.

Just a thought: Maybe there should be a "Travel tips to the US" post somewhere in there in future. A lot of us actually come to study in the US :)

Thanks for your comments Naveen, I added them to the main post above.

Here in Delhi, I'm enjoying reading this :)

I'd like to add a few points.

1. Stay safe. Do not wander off alone, especially late evening and nights. Move around in groups of 3-4 people minimum. If there are women in the group, make sure they are accompanied by at least a couple of guys.

2. If you have any pre-planned travel plans, book a cab through the hotel you are staying in. If you plan to hire a bus to visit places, make sure you book at least a full day in advance and get the contact details of the relevant tour operator. If there are last minute hassles, you know whom to catch.

3. Carry INR. Make sure you have sufficient local currency for travel and food. While credit cards are accepted at most places, you never know where they aren't and you don't wanna end up with less cash after the meal. Also, in touristy places where you might buy souvenirs, you will need cash.

4. Be careful of your wallets and if you plan to carry satchels for your stuff. They might be easily flicked.

Will jot down any more points if they come to mind!

P.S: Stick to mineral water. 20-25 cents for 1 litre (INR 10-12) :D

PS2: Be prepared to enjoy the hospitality and warmth of the people. I'm not sure you will ever again see so many people around you, except maybe if you are in China ;)

My comment turned out to be more sarcastic then I had intended it to be, I guess what I am trying to say is that we shouldn't limit on our experiences. I agree with most of Dan's points, though I would love to hear more about #3

Despite what I said in #1, I think that the filtered hotel water is safe for *most* people. I can tell you that I have inadvertently drunk local water in India, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. and never gotten sick. I have also had street food in many of those places without a problem, so you probably don't want to model your behavior after me. I do know of a number of students who have gotten sick abroad (including Duke MBAs in last year's class in India), so I'm passing this on as conventional wisdom. Better safe...

I personally think India (and most of Asia, really) is fascinating, booming, exciting.

Which is the common sense...that the 5-star hotel has filtered water coming out of every pipe, some of the pipes (i.e. from the kitchen), none of the above?

This post isn't meant to be a sensational "Oooh, India is DIRTY and POOR", just some helpful tips from Dan for those of us who have been spolied by comforts of the developed world.

Here is an even safer way of doing it, don't shower, don't eat, don't drink anything while you are there. Better yet, don't go, that's the only way of making absolutely sure nothing bad will happen.
I'm sure we will be fine, just use common sense and don't eat from the road side food stalls.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences John!

That's an interesting observation about soup. It seems like Chinese take-out places in the U.S. serve everything boiling hot, damn near scalding. I figured the behavior was a remnant of necessary health practices from abroad. Maybe they just like messing with Americans :)

Wanted to add my experience to #1.

Avoid the soups. Although I think this is more common with Chinese cuisine, the water from the soup made me sick. I suppose it wasn't boiled/boiled long enough.

#4 really caught me off guard when I went to China. Having a young child tug at your shirt was eye-opening for a first-time-in-developing-country American. I know India is significantly worse for poverty.

All the best in Delhi! I'll make the same trip some day!

I think this list is more geared to us wussy Americans, who may not have developed the iron stomachs of you more seasoned travelers.

really? tap water in a 5 star hotel? i mean, i can understand if it's some food stall in the middle of nowhere, but an international 5 star hotel in new delhi? how do you wash your toothbrush afterwards? how should you rinse? bottled water as well?

my 3rd world stomach was more than a match for pakistan, but i'm not too sure about india. anyone there who can vouch for the safety of getting shower-spittle in your mouth?

no, i'm serious!

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    [...] Marshall ‘10 Andrew met Alfred Mann Institute’s Head of Marketing and Business Development, Nathalie Gossett. Darden ‘10 Mechanigal dared to look back at the ups and downs of 2009. Darden ‘10 July Dream received a full-time job offer, but struggled to decide whether to take it. In preparation for a class trip to India, Fuqua ‘10 Dan and Naveen posted a number of helpful travel tips. [...]

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    [...] Marshall ‘10 Andrew met Alfred Mann Institute’s Head of Marketing and Business Development, Nathalie Gossett. Darden ‘10 Mechanigal dared to look back at the ups and downs of 2009. Darden ‘10 July Dream received a full-time job offer, but struggled to decide whether to take it. In preparation for a class trip to India, Fuqua ‘10 Dan and Naveen posted a number of helpful travel tips. [...]