Heading to India in January

[tmitchell]

Last time I went was 30 years ago! It was remarkable but I got really sick and ended up in the hospital for a day. Swore I’d never go back.

Now I’m older and wiser and interested to see the changes. Anyone been there recently? Tips appreciated. Healthcare is cheap there—do we need supplemental insurance?

We’ll be mostly in the Golden Triangle, then two nights in Mumbai. Favorite spots? Restaurants?

 

[flyingaway]

We were there in March in the Goden Triangle and in Amritsar. I got sick (diarrhea) on the last few days, probably due to eating a breakfast buffet at a five-star hotel (Hyatt Regency) in Amritsar. My Indian friends guessed it was probably because of the watermelon. I normally stay in cheap hotels in travel, but that trip was for a friend's daughter's wedding.

 

[Cortina]

My "saying" ... having lived there for two years and visited since quite a few times :
"The quality of the food is inversely proportional to the price"


Not what one would normally expect !!

 

[athena53]

Bring Immodium. Bring hydration powder, too. I had a bad episode of dehydration when I was there 5 years ago and just drinking more water just means you have even fewer electrolytes per unit of water in your system- a downward spiral.

I was in India a half-dozen times on business and once 5 years ago as a tourist. I LOVE India. My advice: try to stay vegetarian and avoid fish. The two times I had really bad GI upsets were when I had fish in perfectly good hotel restaurants. My guess is that meat and fish carry more types of unfamiliar bacteria your system might not like.

Cortina had an interesting observation: my trip 5 years ago was an organized tour and I figured the guide knew what was safe and unsafe on the streets. We had chai from street vendors a couple of times and lunch at a hole in the wall with flies buzzing around- no ill effects at all.

 

[Texas Proud]

My sister whet there a number of years back and an Indian Dr she has asked 'why would you want to go there? I was born there and never want to go back'....


He did suggest my sister ONLY use bottled water to drink... do not eat anything that has not been cooked to a hot temp... when showering do not get any water in your mouth or your eyes... brush teeth with bottled water..


IOW, do nothing that would put anything in your body that has water from there...

 

[latexman]

I get sick when I fly over India, so no thanks.

 

[prudent_one]

He did suggest my sister ONLY use bottled water to drink

When I was there for work a few years ago, I was given the same warning PLUS the advice to ensure the cap was still sealed. Don't accept a bottle that a server brought to the table and "opened" for you. Our hosts would always take the caps from the bottled water they consumed and pitch them out at work or home to prevent places from refilling those bottles and selling them.

 

[Fermion]

It is one of those places I would want to see...if there were not 1.5 billion people crowded around me.

 

[Cortina]

It is one of those places I would want to see...if there were not 1.5 billion people crowded around me.

1.428 actually ... that's quite a few less , you should be ok !!

 

[Fermion]

1.428 actually ... that's quite a few less , you should be ok !!

Ah. Doesn't seem so bad then. I think I see a place to stand somewhere by Waldo

 

[tmitchell]

Bring Immodium. Bring hydration powder, too. I had a bad episode of dehydration when I was there 5 years ago and just drinking more water just means you have even fewer electrolytes per unit of water in your system- a downward spiral.

I was in India a half-dozen times on business and once 5 years ago as a tourist. I LOVE India. My advice: try to stay vegetarian and avoid fish. The two times I had really bad GI upsets were when I had fish in perfectly good hotel restaurants. My guess is that meat and fish carry more types of unfamiliar bacteria your system might not like.

Cortina had an interesting observation: my trip 5 years ago was an organized tour and I figured the guide knew what was safe and unsafe on the streets. We had chai from street vendors a couple of times and lunch at a hole in the wall with flies buzzing around- no ill effects at all.

Thanks we are definitely planning on eating vegetarian! Glad you love it there. I’m hoping this time is a better experience. Not sure if having a bit more money than in my 20s will help or not

 

[tmitchell]

My "saying" ... having lived there for two years and visited since quite a few times :
"The quality of the food is inversely proportional to the price"


Not what one would normally expect !!

I can absolutely understand why since crowded restaurants have more turnover and less chance of things going bad.

Curious where you lived there?

 

[walkinwood]

A lot of good advice here. Bottled water, avoid fresh fruit unless you're peeling it yourself, avoid raw veggies,fruit juice if not from a sealed container.

Hygene standards, especially at restaurants & hotels catering to the foreign tourists have come a long way in the last couple of decades, but with a short visit, it is best to take the precautions listed above. Eat in places with a lot of turnover - and eat hot (temperature) food.

Mosquitoes shouldn't be a problem in January, but take & use deet mosquito repellent and cover your skin - long sleeve, long trousers, socks & shoes. If you can, treat some of your clothes with permethrin before you go. Take an anti-malaria tablet like Malarone (https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/drugs.html)

Ask your doc for a dose of antibiotics to treat any intestinal bacterial infection you may pick up. Our Kaiser Permanente travel clinic provides us with one & we used it on one trip.

By "Golden Triangle" I assume you're going to Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. The sights to see there are well known. For the Taj - try to get there before dawn. They open the gates at sunrise and the taj is magical at that time. Hopefully, there will be no fog when you go. In general, try to go early to sites. If you have the time while in Agra - visit Fathepur Sikri & Akbar's tomb. In Delhi, one of my faves is Himayun's tomb. A lesser known gem is Safdarjang's tomb. India has a new parliament building & the old Rajpath (now renamed Karthavya path) has been redone. I haven't been there yet so can't tell you what to expect.

Uber works well in India, but we saved a lot of time in Delhi by using the metro. The local trains in Mumbai are usually very crowded, but the new monorail may not be (I haven't used the latter).

In Mumbai, a sunrise walk along Marine Drive is wonderful. If you're in the area, there used to be a superb Konkan restaurant in the Taj President at Cuffe Parade. I love walking around in that part of mumbai -Fort, Marine Drive, Gateway of India.

I've been in the US since 1986, but go back to visit every few years. Early 2020 was my last visit.

India is fascinating. Embrace the difference. Enjoy yourself.


The Taj at dawn:

 

[athena53]

I’m hoping this time is a better experience. Not sure if having a bit more money than in my 20s will help or not

Yes, it will. Some of the most beautiful hotels I've ever occupied have been in India and the price is tiny compared to comparable accommodations in NYC or Chicago (which, of course, they should be given lower costs of labor, etc.).

I stayed at this one a lot and it's just as beautiful as the pictures. https://www.hotels.com/ho198402/taj...1.w1&msclkid=985deeee79f21ac53de88b9799ccedad

 

[tmitchell]

A lot of good advice here. Bottled water, avoid fresh fruit unless you're peeling it yourself, avoid raw veggies,fruit juice if not from a sealed container.

Hygene standards, especially at restaurants & hotels catering to the foreign tourists have come a long way in the last couple of decades, but with a short visit, it is best to take the precautions listed above. Eat in places with a lot of turnover - and eat hot (temperature) food.

Mosquitoes shouldn't be a problem in January, but take & use deet mosquito repellent and cover your skin - long sleeve, long trousers, socks & shoes. If you can, treat some of your clothes with permethrin before you go. Take an anti-malaria tablet like Malarone (https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/drugs.html)

Ask your doc for a dose of antibiotics to treat any intestinal bacterial infection you may pick up. Our Kaiser Permanente travel clinic provides us with one & we used it on one trip.

By "Golden Triangle" I assume you're going to Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. The sights to see there are well known. For the Taj - try to get there before dawn. They open the gates at sunrise and the taj is magical at that time. Hopefully, there will be no fog when you go. In general, try to go early to sites. If you have the time while in Agra - visit Fathepur Sikri & Akbar's tomb. In Delhi, one of my faves is Himayun's tomb. A lesser known gem is Safdarjang's tomb. India has a new parliament building & the old Rajpath (now renamed Karthavya path) has been redone. I haven't been there yet so can't tell you what to expect.

Uber works well in India, but we saved a lot of time in Delhi by using the metro. The local trains in Mumbai are usually very crowded, but the new monorail may not be (I haven't used the latter).

In Mumbai, a sunrise walk along Marine Drive is wonderful. If you're in the area, there used to be a superb Konkan restaurant in the Taj President at Cuffe Parade. I love walking around in that part of mumbai -Fort, Marine Drive, Gateway of India.

I've been in the US since 1986, but go back to visit every few years. Early 2020 was my last visit.

India is fascinating. Embrace the difference. Enjoy yourself.


The Taj at dawn:

Beautiful shot! Thanks for the info.

 

[walkinwood]

Beautiful shot! Thanks for the info.

I want to add one more point. We've stayed at Taj properties whenever possible & they are very good. We ate fresh fruit / salads there without any issue. Book early and you'll find good deals.

DW got a bad intestinal issue at some other place and when we arrived at the Taj property (President hotel, Mumbai) the staff made special, no spice food (kichdi) for her off the menu. We were very thrilled with their service in general and this just put it over the top.

 

[Cortina]

I can absolutely understand why since crowded restaurants have more turnover and less chance of things going bad.

Curious where you lived there?

About 150km South of Chennai - a place called Pondicherry (Locals spell it differently) Interesting place with strong historic French connections. Have been back a few times since leaving .... for heat , and nice food !!

 

[tmitchell]

About 150km South of Chennai - a place called Pondicherry (Locals spell it differently) Interesting place with strong historic French connections. Have been back a few times since leaving .... for heat , and nice food !!

Awesome. I think I went through there when I was a kid??

 

[rkser]

Hot temperature food,
bottled water only,
can get hot & humid or cold depending on the month of the visit,
crowded streets & crazy traffic,
many speak English in tourist places,
be aware of pick pocketers,
corruption present.

 

[Cortina]

Hot temperature food,
bottled water only,
can get hot & humid or cold depending on the month of the visit,
crowded streets & crazy traffic,
many speak English in tourist places,
be aware of pick pocketers,
corruption present.

Hmm .... I'm going to "politely disagree" / ? clarify, with some of the things you have written.


Hot temperature food : Well , I never had a problem with the ice cream there ... maybe better to say Freshly cooked food ?
Can get ...... : January is the month of the visit (assuming title is still valid) ... It WILL get hot and humid , it is very unlikely to get cold anywhere in India - UNLESS you are at high altitude , but I did not pick up that you were off mountain climbing / motoring on 18500 ft high roads.
Crowded streets etc : Yes , it does get very busy ... lots of people , and trying to find "peace and quiet" is almost impossible. Crazy Traffic : Yes , but only if you try to drive with a "Western Attitude" - 99% of visitors will NOT be driving themselves - the norm is to hire a car AND driver - or go by organised / public transport. Their driving only appears CRAZY to "us" because they have a different set of rules and values ... in reality it's not crazy and works well most of the time (This one is very hard to get your head around !)
Many speak .... : English is the common language: there are approx 1600 local dialects and about 40 different languages - English is the only way that the different regions can communicate , so you don't have to look too far to find someone who speaks it ! (Tourist or non tourist areas). We travelled about 12,000 km by road there - and only ever once got caught out with language problems.
Pick pockets and corruption - yes , same as the world over mostly .... be alert (the world needs as many lerts as it can get ..... wee joke there !)
I see I missed bottled water - yes good idea , and I agree with earlier comment ref seal breaking

 

[athena53]

Hot temperature food,
bottled water only,
can get hot & humid or cold depending on the month of the visit,
crowded streets & crazy traffic,
many speak English in tourist places,
be aware of pick pocketers,
corruption present.

YMMV but I always ate fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in the hotel breakfast buffets. As I said, I had 2 severe GI episodes over 6 or 7 trips but both happened after I ate fish.

And one other piece of advice: DO NOT give money to beggars. One kind-hearted coworker did that and she was swarmed by more of them. The police had to shoo them away. You'll see pitiful sights- women who had acid thrown in their faces (for such "offenses" as resisting the advances of a male coworker or having only girl babies), raggedy children, women who tap on the window of your car stopped in traffic and show you their scrawny infant. I felt awful ignoring them but I knew better. Donate to organizations that help the poor in India but don't give to individuals begging in the streets.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Hmm .... I'm going to "politely disagree" / ? clarify, with some of the things you have written.


Hot temperature food : Well , I never had a problem with the ice cream there ... maybe better to say Freshly cooked food ?
Can get ...... : January is the month of the visit (assuming title is still valid) ... It WILL get hot and humid , it is very unlikely to get cold anywhere in India - UNLESS you are at high altitude , but I did not pick up that you were off mountain climbing / motoring on 18500 ft high roads.
Crowded streets etc : Yes , it does get very busy ... lots of people , and trying to find "peace and quiet" is almost impossible. Crazy Traffic : Yes , but only if you try to drive with a "Western Attitude" - 99% of visitors will NOT be driving themselves - the norm is to hire a car AND driver - or go by organised / public transport. Their driving only appears CRAZY to "us" because they have a different set of rules and values ... in reality it's not crazy and works well most of the time (This one is very hard to get your head around !)
Many speak .... : English is the common language: there are approx 1600 local dialects and about 40 different languages - English is the only way that the different regions can communicate , so you don't have to look too far to find someone who speaks it ! (Tourist or non tourist areas). We travelled about 12,000 km by road there - and only ever once got caught out with language problems.
Pick pockets and corruption - yes , same as the world over mostly .... be alert (the world needs as many lerts as it can get ..... wee joke there !)
I see I missed bottled water - yes good idea , and I agree with earlier comment ref seal breaking

I went to India 25 years ago for business. My company sent us to a travel physician beforehand. Her advice was pretty simple: Don't have sex with anyone. Don't eat any raw unpealed fruit. Carry immodium and if you get diarrhea, take enough to constipate yourself and self evacuate to to a large city in China, Japan, Korea, or Malaysia. I think India has come a long way since then but if you get sick you probably still don't want to go to an Indian hospital.

I absolutely would get evacuation insurance from Global Rescue, Ripcord Rescue, or similar.

 

[SecondAttempt]

YMMV but I always ate fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in the hotel breakfast buffets. As I said, I had 2 severe GI episodes over 6 or 7 trips but both happened after I ate fish.

And one other piece of advice: DO NOT give money to beggars. One kind-hearted coworker did that and she was swarmed by more of them. The police had to shoo them away. You'll see pitiful sights- women who had acid thrown in their faces (for such "offenses" as resisting the advances of a male coworker or having only girl babies), raggedy children, women who tap on the window of your car stopped in traffic and show you their scrawny infant. I felt awful ignoring them but I knew better. Donate to organizations that help the poor in India but don't give to individuals begging in the streets.

Oh yeah. My coworker gave a dollar to a beggar and I just glared at him and said some things that would probably get me fired these days and called him an idiot just seconds before we were mobbed outside the Bangalore airport! We actually had to strong elbow our way out of the mass.

And I agree about pitiful sights like 9-year olds hauling big loads of steel pipe on manual carts. Things may have improved. I was in relatively rich areas (high tech) but not tourist areas.

 

[tmitchell]

Hi all. Just an update here in case others are interested!

As I mentioned in my first post, I went to India 30 years ago after college. I traveled on a shoestring budget and got quite ill, but it was a remarkable adventure. Things have changed for the better in some ways, notably the poverty floor has come up quite a bit. There is still a TON of serious poverty however, and the doubling of the population is palpable, particularly where the pollution is concerned. I've honestly never been to a place with so much pollution. We were vigilant with our food choices and happily didn't get wind up with Delhi belly at all! But I did get bronchitis on our last day, I'm pretty sure because of the air pollution. So the sanitary concerns aren't just water.

We alternated between mid- and high-range accommodations. The mid-range places were quite comfortable, and the service was excellent overall. However, the high-end spots were a welcome relief from the constant noise, and--in the case of our hotel in Jaipur, for instance--amazingly beautiful. You definitely get what you pay for there.

Uber is easy to use and widespread, and a welcome relief from taxi negotiations. The trains are still an adventure! Air travel was generally good.

There is still magic to be seen in the architecture and culture. The Taj Mahal remains as one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen. We got lucky and had 4 bengal tiger sightings in Ranthambore Park. Jaipur has so much wonderful architecture to explore. The whole country is a photographer's dream.

Our best meal was in Mumbai at the Bombay Canteen, which is a bit of a classic apparently. Did not disappoint. Alcohol was expensive across the board and the wines we encountered were pretty average, even at the high end places. Reminded me of Egypt in that regard, so after a couple days I stopped hoping for better and just had a beer here and there. We stuck exclusively to vegetarian meals, which overall were quite good.

In summary, India is a very mixed experience. It's not always easy or comfortable--sometimes downright challenging--but you can buy your way out of a lot of the heartache. That said, avoiding the reality isn't something I'd necessarily advise, since the broad spectrum of the human condition in all its starkness is part of the education and adventure.

 

[walkinwood]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad you had a good time there.