Cash
- Cash can only be taken out at State Bank of India. ATMs do not always work. You also can only take out 10,000 Indian rupees at a time. Finding cash is difficult. I'd recommend bringing smaller bills as most places don't have change for the 500 rupee bills.
- Credit cards are not widely accepted. Cash is still king in India.
Dress
- You can wear tee shirts into temples. You do not need long sleeves but you must cover your chest and shoulders. As expected, you need your knees covered. I should have brought more tee shirts. We did do laundry in Varanasi but still.
- It's freaking hot so lulu is the best bet. I'd highly recommend not wearing jean capri. Lulu pants seem to be fine everywhere.
- You will be wearing a money belt every time you leave your hotel room.
Food
- There's a serious lack of protein in their diet. It's a lot of carbs - rice, naan, and potato. When ordering food if it just says chicken it's just chicken. If it says chicken and sauce then it's that. You must order all parts separately.
- Meals take ages. Lunch takes about an hour. Dinner can take up to two hours for a single course. I'd recommend getting your bill as soon as you've received your food to speed up meals.
- I've struggled to find food that is filling besides butter chicken, chicken tandoori, and continental breakfasts. Naan gets tiring fast. They've got a ton of Chinese meals on most menus but nothing looks appealing normally.
- Indian medium is our blow your head off. Their mild is our normal high spicy.
- Based on how Christina and I travelled, we spent about 1,100 rupees per day on food including the thousand bottles of Fanta we drank. Pop is normally cheaper than water.
- Expect to spend 180 rupees per day on water bottles. You go through about 4-5L a day.
Culture
- You will be stared at everywhere you go. It is not common to see a lot of white tourists.
- Children and men will ask to take photos with you. It's slightly annoying.
- All temples you must take your shoes off to enter so if you are seeing quite a few in a day wear flip flops.
- You will be constantly asked where your from. It's a sales tactic to get you to talk then they "invite" you into their shops.
- When being harassed for a sale or a tuktuk the best policy is silence and to not even shake your head.
Transportation
- When crossing the road, the name of the game is commit. You have to cross it at a single speed as vehicles will avoid you.
- Rickshaw are cheaper than tuk tuk for transportation. Always argue what price you want to pay upfront.
- There are no rules of the road. It's organized ish chaos.
- It's noisy. Like constant honking when you are on the road. Expect to have your ear drums blown. Cars honk to pass, let you know they are passing, and if you are in the way or just cause. It's loud 24-7. You almost feel constantly agitated due to the noise.
Bathrooms
- Bathrooms are typically western at hotel and on trains but else its squatting potties. I'd highly recommend carrying toilet paper and hand sanitizer constantly.
- Both Christina and I have had a solid tummy ache from lack of pooing. It's almost a period cramp because your body is so stuffed up. But when you get that poo feeling go immediately. Do not hold it in. I don't think you can even hold it in. You will get to know each other well when the poo starts coming down like a literal shit storm.
- Everyone at some point I'll get the running shits. It's not if, it's when. Bring drugs both pharmacy and gravol.
- You must brush your teeth and wash your face with mineral water. The water is not safe enough to do either activity.
- When buying water bottles buy mineral water else it's just filtered water. Filtered water needs to be sanitized if you buy it. We bought Camelback UV filters and they work amazingly.
Other
- Electrical sockets are 250 volts. I blew an entire hotel room trying to plug in my iPhone charger. That blew my charger. It's a type 4 adapter in both India and Nepal.
- All temples you must take your shoes off to enter so if you are seeing quite a few in a day wear flip flops.
- You have to wear bug spray constantly. I mean even at night in your room. It's a real hassle but there's mosquitos everywhere.
- India smells like pee and burning garbage. Expect to see garbage in every corner of India. It's amazing how little they care and just throw everything on the streets. There's not an inch that doesn't. Varanasi at least swept it into piles. Elsewhere just had it sprawled everywhere.
- It's dusty. Expect to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from all the dust. Also it's sunny so win-win.
- I'd recommend bringing protein bars, tons of Advil, electrolyte solution, and tons of bug spray and hand sanitizer. I'd bring more than you think you need - almost double.
- Wifi is not as common as everyone made it seem. Hotels have it. Some make you pay for it and majority only have it in the lobby. Some restaurants have it too. Else it's no where to be found.
- Cash can only be taken out at State Bank of India. ATMs do not always work. You also can only take out 10,000 Indian rupees at a time. Finding cash is difficult. I'd recommend bringing smaller bills as most places don't have change for the 500 rupee bills.
- Credit cards are not widely accepted. Cash is still king in India.
Dress
- You can wear tee shirts into temples. You do not need long sleeves but you must cover your chest and shoulders. As expected, you need your knees covered. I should have brought more tee shirts. We did do laundry in Varanasi but still.
- It's freaking hot so lulu is the best bet. I'd highly recommend not wearing jean capri. Lulu pants seem to be fine everywhere.
- You will be wearing a money belt every time you leave your hotel room.
Food
- There's a serious lack of protein in their diet. It's a lot of carbs - rice, naan, and potato. When ordering food if it just says chicken it's just chicken. If it says chicken and sauce then it's that. You must order all parts separately.
- Meals take ages. Lunch takes about an hour. Dinner can take up to two hours for a single course. I'd recommend getting your bill as soon as you've received your food to speed up meals.
- I've struggled to find food that is filling besides butter chicken, chicken tandoori, and continental breakfasts. Naan gets tiring fast. They've got a ton of Chinese meals on most menus but nothing looks appealing normally.
- Indian medium is our blow your head off. Their mild is our normal high spicy.
- Based on how Christina and I travelled, we spent about 1,100 rupees per day on food including the thousand bottles of Fanta we drank. Pop is normally cheaper than water.
- Expect to spend 180 rupees per day on water bottles. You go through about 4-5L a day.
Culture
- You will be stared at everywhere you go. It is not common to see a lot of white tourists.
- Children and men will ask to take photos with you. It's slightly annoying.
- All temples you must take your shoes off to enter so if you are seeing quite a few in a day wear flip flops.
- You will be constantly asked where your from. It's a sales tactic to get you to talk then they "invite" you into their shops.
- When being harassed for a sale or a tuktuk the best policy is silence and to not even shake your head.
Transportation
- When crossing the road, the name of the game is commit. You have to cross it at a single speed as vehicles will avoid you.
- Rickshaw are cheaper than tuk tuk for transportation. Always argue what price you want to pay upfront.
- There are no rules of the road. It's organized ish chaos.
- It's noisy. Like constant honking when you are on the road. Expect to have your ear drums blown. Cars honk to pass, let you know they are passing, and if you are in the way or just cause. It's loud 24-7. You almost feel constantly agitated due to the noise.
Bathrooms
- Bathrooms are typically western at hotel and on trains but else its squatting potties. I'd highly recommend carrying toilet paper and hand sanitizer constantly.
- Both Christina and I have had a solid tummy ache from lack of pooing. It's almost a period cramp because your body is so stuffed up. But when you get that poo feeling go immediately. Do not hold it in. I don't think you can even hold it in. You will get to know each other well when the poo starts coming down like a literal shit storm.
- Everyone at some point I'll get the running shits. It's not if, it's when. Bring drugs both pharmacy and gravol.
- You must brush your teeth and wash your face with mineral water. The water is not safe enough to do either activity.
- When buying water bottles buy mineral water else it's just filtered water. Filtered water needs to be sanitized if you buy it. We bought Camelback UV filters and they work amazingly.
Other
- Electrical sockets are 250 volts. I blew an entire hotel room trying to plug in my iPhone charger. That blew my charger. It's a type 4 adapter in both India and Nepal.
- All temples you must take your shoes off to enter so if you are seeing quite a few in a day wear flip flops.
- You have to wear bug spray constantly. I mean even at night in your room. It's a real hassle but there's mosquitos everywhere.
- India smells like pee and burning garbage. Expect to see garbage in every corner of India. It's amazing how little they care and just throw everything on the streets. There's not an inch that doesn't. Varanasi at least swept it into piles. Elsewhere just had it sprawled everywhere.
- It's dusty. Expect to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from all the dust. Also it's sunny so win-win.
- I'd recommend bringing protein bars, tons of Advil, electrolyte solution, and tons of bug spray and hand sanitizer. I'd bring more than you think you need - almost double.
- Wifi is not as common as everyone made it seem. Hotels have it. Some make you pay for it and majority only have it in the lobby. Some restaurants have it too. Else it's no where to be found.
No comments:
Post a Comment