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Save Yourself Hassle: Buy a Local SIM Card in India

Hippie in Heels — Wed, 13 May 2020 06:02:41 +0000

Back when Rachel first wrote about how to get a SIM card in India, the process was much more complicated and getting tourist SIM cards wasn’t done as much. Of course today people get them more often, so with the help of Jules, our resident India expert, we’ve given this guide a much needed update! Read below for all your options of staying connected.

Tourist SIM cards are such a game changer when it comes to travel. Back in the day (aka less than a decade ago), you either needed to get a cheap phone for local calls and then hope you find WiFi either in your hotel or some random cafe to use your own phone. Nowadays, you just make sure your phone is unlocked, and you can top up or recharge with credit as you please!

Do I Actually Need a SIM Card or Data for India?

We’re assuming you’re asking this because you either a) are hoping there’s enough places with WiFi that you can just rely on that or b) you’re hoping to somehow be a true intrepid traveler and go off the grid while discovering the beauty of India.

Well for those wondering about WiFi, you’re definitely going to need some sort of data at least as back up. While many places do offer WiFi, you never know how strong it’ll be or if something could happen that causes it to go out during your visit. Also, chances are, you won’t have access to WiFi while you’re on the move. Having data of some sort lets you check maps, double check the timings of trains and buses, and look up reviews of restaurants or hostels you might be dropping into last minute.

Also, you still might want to have a phone number available because you never know when you need to give it out. Rachel used her number on fliers when she asked for a ride share from McLeod Ganj to Amritsar and got loads of calls which saved her both time and money.

For those that are hoping to be the next intrepid traveler, chances are you’ll just make yourself more miserable getting lost or not being able to contact anyone. Plus having some sort of connection or ability to call will help keep you safer in India.

How to Get a SIM Card in India

They change the rules on how to get a SIM card in India often, but as of now, you can get one as a foreigner as long as you have an address to list.

What You Need to Get a SIM Card

An Unlocked Phone

First, you need a phone with a SIM slot. Pretty much all phones have at least one these days. In fact, if you’re due for a new phone, check out Android options as they often have 2 SIM card slots vs. Apple’s one. This means you can keep your original SIM card in with your Whatsapp and usual apps going whilst putting the new Indian SIM in the second slot and using the data from this SIM card to run the phone.

An important point to note, even if you have one or two SIM card slots, your phone needs to be unlocked. In many places this is automatic, but check with your phone company first. Last we checked, US phones don’t come unlocked unless you purposely buy one that way.

If You Can’t Unlock Your Phone

The easiest option is to look into Trabug (more on that below), but you can also buy phones in India on Amazon.in and they can be delivered to your hotel/hostel within a few days.

There are phone brands on Amazon called Oppo, Redmi, Xiaomi, Infinux – all relatively cheap and good quality phones. Have a look before you start your trip to see whether it is better to buy it before your trip in your home country or in India once arrived.

2×2 Photograph & Passport Copy

In order to apply to get a SIM card, you need a copy of your passport, a 2x2inch photograph, and, of course, there will be paperwork at the shop you buy it.

Which is the best SIM card in India?

It’s honestly hard to say because it depends so heavily on the area. For example, IDEA was non-existent in some areas of NE India, but worked great in Mysore for Rachel. It’s all dependent on the area and it’s very cheap to change SIMs if necessary so don’t worry too much if yours doesn’t work well at first.

Some bigger brands are: Jio, Airtel, IDEA, and Vodafone but, again, depends on the region!

Prepaid or Postpaid?

In India, SIM cards are sold as “prepaid” or “postpaid” – prepaid is topping up before you can use it, similar to pay-as-you-go and postpaid is basically a monthly contract which you pay for at the end of every month. Depending on your length of travel in India, prepaid is recommended and is likely to be less paperwork.

Where to Buy SIM Cards

These days, most airports now sell SIM cards at arrivals. Usually they will have a little bit of a higher price.

If you don’t want to buy one at the airport, your best bet is to go to an authentic shop and not just a reseller. Go somewhere recommended by a local or seems popular.

Warning: If a shop doesn’t ask for paperwork, passport information, or a 2×2 photograph, they aren’t planning on submitting anything and your SIM will only work until the company realizes someone is using it and turns it off. Go somewhere else!

Basically, the company is supposed to check the address and phone number you list, call and see if you really are there. This is why it’s so hard for foreigners to get SIMs that last, and why three of Rachel’s were turned off after a couple of weeks… even one that she bought IN THE MAIN OFFICE of Vodafone. It’s one of the many scams of India.

Also just know that sometimes SIM cards are “recycled.” They’re still fine; you just might get a few random calls from a stranger and also expect to receive lots of lovely phone calls in Hindi trying to sell you something.

How much do SIM Cards in India cost for foreigners?

The perfect thing about SIM cards in India is that they are CHEAP. Some places give them out free, and some make it a little harder to get. In fact, the government used to give them out for free to tourists (though they don’t anymore).

Yours shouldn’t be more than Rs 150 at baseline. You don’t want to add too much money to top up your credit if you’re traveling around the country. If you’re traveling in one state for a longer stretch of time, we’d put around Rs 500 of credit. Otherwise just add Rs 100 or 200 at a time because you might wind up wanting to buy a new SIM in a new state (more on that next).

Either way, there are shops on every corner if you need to top up. Sometimes you can top up on line. Typically, you need an Indian bank account for this, but sometimes international credit cards are accepted.

Also keep in mind when looking at the different options, that you’re probably going to want a bigger data plan and not just a calling and SMS plan.

Roaming in India: What to Know

You know how if you have a cell service in the US and you go to Canada, it’s considered “roaming,” which meant a much larger phone bill if you were calling or using data abroad? It’s also like that in India, though obviously not as pricey as going to a different country. Wherever you buy your SIM is considered its “home state” and anywhere you else you go will be roaming. So if you buy your SIM card in Goa, for example, you’ll be considered “roaming” in Rajasthan.

This is why you don’t want to top up too much. You can compare prices, but it often might be much cheaper to just buy a brand new SIM per state you visit and add 100 or 200 rupees of credit. Plus, like we said above, the best cell service per country seems to change by state, so that could be another factor if you use data often. However, it is much less waste and paperwork to keep the same SIM throughout your trip and top up as you roam through different states.

Don’t Want to Deal with Getting a SIM? Try Trabug

Trabug is a Travel Phone and Wifi Hotspot service. It honestly might be a great alternative if you’re worried about getting your phone stolen or breaking it on your trip. You can see the damage or theft breakdown costs here.

If you check out their site, there’s a video explaining all that they do and it’s changed quite bit from when Rachel first heard of them.

The Travel Phone

Cost: $5.99/day
Data: 2.5 GB daily at 4G
Calling: 250 minutes daily domestic
SMS: 10 daily domestic
Incoming calls and texts are free
Max: 80 days

This is an actual smartphone they’ll mail to your accommodation for you to pick up. The phone comes loaded with popular apps as well as Trabug’s own curated tips for India as well as recommendations and things like the closest ATM. They even have audio tours uploaded.

Apps on the Travel Phone Include:

Travel: Google Maps, Uber, Ola Cabs, IRCTC Trains, Trabug Currency Converter and Delivery, Trabug Travel, Trabug Emergency Services
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, GooglePlus
Communication: Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, Hangouts, Skype, Google Translate
Other: Youtube, Chrome, FM Radio, and more

If you need more apps added, you can contact Trabug up to 7 days before your rental start day to request them.

WiFi Hotspot

Cost: $3.99/day
Data: 2.5 GB daily at 4G
Devices: Up to 5
Max: 80 days

If you don’t think you need calling or SMS at all, you may just want their pocket WiFi instead. The nice thing too is that you can have up to 5 devices connected, so if you’re with a friend, you could each pair up your phones and laptops (though 2.5GB will go fast if you’re only using your hotspot).

Additional Charges

You can add on:

More Data
International Calling
More Texts and Data

Just contact them to add any of the above after you book.

Additionally, shipping is $9.99 per device for delivery and return pickup, but it’s free if you your rental bill is over $50.

You will also be asked for a security deposit before they ship the product to you, and this will be refunded within 10 business days of your return.

Another nice thing with Trabug is that you won’t have a change in charges for roaming in India like with a SIM card; it’s all included in the base price of $5.99/daily.

How to Order

Keep in mind you must have an e-Visa to qualify for a Trabug phone. For more on that, check this post.

Once you have an approved e-Visa, you’ll just need a scan or clear photo of your Passport ID pages.

If you need to cancel your trip, you can get a 100% refund up to 6 days before the start of your rental period. After that it goes down to 50%.

And there you have it! All you need to know about getting a SIM Card in India and staying connected. Let us know if you have any more questions.

For More India Travel Planning Guides:

Check out some of these posts to help you continue planning your trip to India:

Trip Planning Tips

Logistics

Packing Tips

Itinerary Tips

Pin for later!

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The post Save Yourself Hassle: Buy a Local SIM Card in India appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

10 pieces of travel advice I give… that I struggle to follow myself

Rachel Jones — Wed, 25 May 2016 11:02:30 +0000

I’ve said this a few times on here…

“Do as I say, not as I do.”

As a travel blogger, sometimes I feel pressure to make sure I’m saying the right things, giving the best advice, and not leading someone astray. I wrote a little about that in my post The Truth About Traveling India Alone after a reader thought my advice for girls to travel India alone wasn’t the best.

I’m not perfect obviously and when I do mess up, I definitely get called out on it.

My education background is nursing, not geography, writing, or spelling (I’m sure you’ve noticed!). I don’t write anywhere near perfectly and I also don’t travel perfectly.

Anything I’ve learned about traveling, is from experience, which means I often learn from my mistakes. Sometimes I repeat those mistakes! I have gotten part way to the airport and realized I don’t have my passport. I’ve calculated time wrong and had to beg an airline counter to rush me to an airport gate. I went to the wrong airport in Bangkok once and had to rush to the other one when I realized my airlines check-in counter was nowhere around.

I don’t hide my mishaps on here and I often tell people “I don’t do this, but you SHOULD do ___ ” . I believe in this advice that I give and wish I could always follow it myself.

My own travel advice I struggle to follow

1. Don’t wear leggings in India

I have mentioned that wearing tight leggings/yoga pants and not wearing a t-shirt long enough to cover your bum, is showing a bit too much. I live in yoga pants and in Goa because it’s okay here, so sometimes I’ll wear them to the airport and when I land in Mumbai I’ll wrap shirt around my waist. Sometimes I wear them when doing adventure things to- but no, I wouldn’t wear them to a temple.

Jeans in India are fine in my opinion. I saw girls wearing jeans even up in Northeast India tribal areas.

The longer I stay in India, the more Indian girlfriends I meet. I see them wearing whatever the hell they want, and so I start to too – but I don’t advise people to do so.

2. Do your research comparing flights

I have shared that you should look into flights in advance and watch the prices. Statistics show that you should book about 40 days out for the best price. I do search my top 3 sites to see who’s got the best deal, but sometimes I’m so excited I just book the best price I see that day!

I don’t have enough patience to wait and watch… but you should because it saves money! I definitely don’t have patience to travel hack or use frequent flier miles. I actually just reviewed a service called Next Vacay where you pay $25 for a year of flight alerts from the airports closest to you which is a lifesaver since they have found return trips USA to India for $300 and I usually pay $1200. Eek!

3. Show up on time for your flights

Should be a common one, and I usually have the best intentions to show up really early but for some reason I am always miscalculating time and making the most ridiculous flight errors. I guess the percentage isn’t that high since I fly a lot but at least 2x a year I’m basically sitting in traffic somewhere nearly in tears!

I also know and tell you guys that you need to book a train ahead of time because they are often full. That doesn’t stop Ben and I from just showing up and getting on and paying the conductor for a seat no one showed up for. This can and has failed, and you have to get off the train. Obvi not the best thing to do.

4. Read about a place before you go & plan

I wish I did this every time I travel but sometimes, like my recent trip to Unawatuna, I wing it. It costs more which is why I tell people to prepare ahead of time but the more I travel I find that I don’t have time to do so much research. It’s fun this way, but also can cause headaches like rocking up in Hawaii with no car or hotel and figuring it out after a 40 hour journey from India… stressful.

how to travel with no plans

I’m in Unawatuna.. what should I do… check tripadvisor lol

5. Experiencing the food of a new place

I definitely DO try the food of any place I go. I am so into eating lol, but I can’t deny that I go to McDonalds, Starbucks, and other places when I travel, especially in India. A lot of the reason is because I can’t get these things in Goa and when you can’t have them, you crave them more.

I wrote about how I try to keep it real when I travel so I’m not ashamed of this but I guess it’s something that people like to judge travelers on. You gotta be yourself to find yourself is what I always say.

TGIF in Mumbai

6. Keep extra cash in your luggage for emergencies

You should do this. You should have back up money in your hotel room just in case. I basically never remember to do this. I am often traveling and have no cash on me. I am always have taxi drivers stop at the ATM because I don’t have any cash on me to pay them.

how to handle money abroad

7. Have data on your phone to follow maps in a taxi

Ben always makes fun of me like I’m a teenager in England that won’t pay the money to “top up” their phone. I never have recharge and data on my phone. I have a pay-as-you-go in India and never remember to top it up. I catch myself all the time in a taxi wishing I had data to map out the path so I don’t pay extra getting lost or going on a “let’s make the meter go up joy ride”.

how to get a SIM in India

lost on the side of the road with a broken down car

8. Don’t hitchhike or go off with strangers

I guess I feel like I have a good judge of character and might meet friends as I travel that I end up having a drink with. I hitchhiked in Albania and even here in India. In fact, I pick up hitchhikers in India. You totally shouldn’t do this! I shouldn’t do this either! A US women hitchhiked to her home in Manali (super touristy town) and was raped by 3 men in 2013 which is a year after I first came to India. Of course, there are MANY cases like this here. I no longer hitch rides but I do take little old ladies into Mapusa and little girls begging in Anjuna to new places to beg which are on my way. So far, seems harmless.

9. Don’t get drunk & stay out late when you are traveling alone

Don’t do it… because you make yourself vulnerable to bad situations. Have I done this? Yup. Because sometimes you don’t plan it and just have one too many! I don’t try to not follow this advice but sometimes break it (very very rarely!)

10. Try to stay fit while you travel

I have had guest posters give this advice because I can’t even write about it- I’m that bad at it. I’ve had guest posters write how to stay skinny while you travel & how to stay healthy while you travel. I believe in this advice and try to follow-up but very often fail at this advice. I’m actually trying a lot harder at it recently.

from my guest poster (linked above), cuz I can’t do this awesome stuff!

The post 10 pieces of travel advice I give… that I struggle to follow myself first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 10 pieces of travel advice I give… that I struggle to follow myself appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

100 India Travel Tips You HAVE To Read

Rachel Jones — Wed, 04 May 2016 12:41:27 +0000

Technically, travel blogging is my job and I’ve been to and written about over 30 countries, but it really seems like my job is giving people India travel tips. I wake up to emails about it, check my FB messages, IG messages, and tweets to answer questions, and throughout the day answer blog comment questions and more emails. I’m like an India travel guide-book! :)

I actually really love giving advice about it and since I’ve been traveling here over 3.5 years straight, it comes naturally and easy to me. I do answer the same questions repeatedly though which means I’m not making the information clear enough or easy enough to find.

I have an insane amount of articles on my website that offer similar advice to this and I”ll link through on things that I go more in-depth on another article. In this post I’m just going to touch on the basics for those who are still considering what traveling India entails.

If you’re headed to India, you can also check out my Guide to India which is a 100,000-word ebook with 6 years of travel knowledge – it will make sure you have the most epic trip. Read more about it here.

100 India Travel Tips

General Tips on India & When to Go

1 People DO speak English in many places. It is one of the languages that is taught in schools in India and if you’re going to be on the tourist trail, which most people are, you won’t have many issues with this.

2. You should get health insurance for India. When my dengue fever was at its worst and I was supposed to get a platelet transfusion, a doctor said I should fly home and do it there. Although health care isn’t a huge expense here, emergencies are and World Nomads Travel Insurance is very affordable and very well worth it.

3. India is seasonal in part due to the monsoons which are not always fun to travel in. The months that lead up to a monsoon are incredibly hot and are best to be avoided. Read here to see which months you can go where and which places to avoid.

4. Northern India, including Delhi, can get very cold in the winter (jackets, boots, gloves) so bring warm clothing if you are coming in December and January.

5. The mountains close up in the peak of winter because the roads are impossible to drive on. There are areas called “passes” that shut when the roads are too dangerous and this can leave you stuck somewhere or ruin a planned trip. Traveling to the Himalayas in November to February is best avoided.

6. You need a visa. For a stay one year or less, you can now do it online through the government website or you can use a third party, like iVisa, so you don’t have to do all the work. iVisa charges an admin fee, but allows you to submit well in advance unlike the government site & does all the hard work for you. I have four articles about getting a visa in India:

How to get a tourist evisa for India (for a stay under one year, done easily online)
How to get a visa for India from the UK (longer than one year)
How to get a visa for India from the USA (longer than ones year)
How to get an e-medical and e-business visa for India

Transportation Tips to and around India

7. Getting to India is a pain in the but from the US and Canada! The UK is a lot easier and you can do charter flights from Manchester to Goa for super cheap. Flying from further west, you can get good deals flying with Turkish Air and Air France as well as Qatar. American and US also give okay rates but I am not a huge fan of them. I book on Momondo and Cheapoair. The least I’ve paid is $900 USD from Ohio to Mumbai and back, and the most on the same route is $1400.

8. The cheapest places to fly in and out of tend to be Delhi and Mumbai. Sometimes Calcutta, and if you are going to Goa you can do a charter flight from some places.

9. You can fly direct from the states without stopping in Europe. It’s about 17 hours from NYC to Mumbai and I totally prefer this as it takes out one more hassle of layovers.

10. On transport in India, do not take anti-anxiety pills or sleeping pills (unless you take them normally) to help you sleep as it sets you up as a target for theft. You should be careful not to take food and drink from strangers unless it’s a family. There are stories and even signs in the stations warning people that they could be drugged if accepting things from strangers.

11. While you can lock you bag under the bottom seat of a train (I use a

[easyazon_link identifier=”B000XTPO2M” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]master lock chain[/easyazon_link]), on a bus your bag will be put on top of the bus if it’s a local bus and on the stowed in the bottom if it’s a A/C Volvo bus. You should keep your carry-on, purse, and all important things with you at your seat.

12. What to take on the train and bus to sleep comfortably… on a sleeper bus you’ll need a [easyazon_link identifier=”B00Z6TWZ5S” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]sleeping bag[/easyazon_link]. There is no A/C and there are little beds you lie in. They are dirty. On a Volvo A/C bus, you’ll have reclining seats and should take a blanket as it gets very cold. Bring a travel pillow as well. On trains, it depends on the class. The lower classes give you nothings so bring a sleeping bag and pillow, but on 2AC, 3AC, and first class you will have a clean sheet, a dirty blanket (haha), and a pillow.

13. If you are put in a seat or bed right next to a lot of men, you can ask the conductor to change seats so you can sit by a family. They will oblige. I’ve written an article with more safety tips here.

14. Booking trains and buses in India isn’t as hard as it seems online. As a foreigner cards are often blocked but you can set up an account with cleartrip and download their app which is easy to use and book trains. If you can’t get approved, you can book in the stations in India or at agent offices which are all over the place. PS consider Trabug which is an Indian phone reloaded with data and calling so you’ll all set up. They send the phone to your first hotel in India.

15. Download the “Indian train status” app which seems to be only for Android and is always up to date on the train timings. Trains are delayed a lot and there’s no point sitting at the station hours before your train.

16. Booking buses online can be done with Redbus or like the trains you can book in an agent office. I know it seems confusing and you may not be used to going into an office to make bookings but it’s common here. You have to find one which is busy and put trust that they give you a real ticket. Knock on wood, but in 3 years I’ve never been given a fake ticket. They make a commission so it doesn’t benefit them to give a fake ticket.

17. Need a train but it’s booked? This is a VERY common problem as you can imagine with 1.3 billion people in this county. You have a few options. One is tatkal which is a lottery system, another is the foreign tourist quote where they save seats in big cities for tourists, and there is the RAC (waitlist). There’s a lot of information so please check out this post for details.

18. If you have a short distance and take a local bus (which looks like school buses), you are not assigned a seat and will have to struggle for one. You might have to hold you luggage on your lap. You might have to stand for hours. It’s not the best option, but can be done and sometimes in remote areas is the only option. Here are tips on buses in India.

Where to Stay & How to book in India

19. You don’t need to over think this part of it. If you don’t want to book ahead you don’t have to. When I first backpacked here, I didn’t but I DID call ahead and make sure there was space where I wanted to go. I was pretty unorganized so I thought it would save me money. I stayed in 300 Rs. places and didn’t care if they were nice.

20. If you want a place that’s decent or great, you should book ahead. There are booking sites like cleartrip and makemytrip, but these days I’m all about booking on Agoda.

21. I use Tripadvisor to research (and now you can book through them actually) and I also like to look at i-escape to see carefully chosen boutique hotels to limit down my search. They usually pick 10 or less in each city or town that are amazing.

22. If you’re the type that likes to book ahead but you want to be more “carefree” on this trip… just keep in mind that India is stressful while traveling, so if you have anxiety, you will be better off booking ahead even if it’s not the best deal. When you just walk in to a guesthouse sometimes you can negotiate a little lower, but not having something set up might add to your stress levels. It is up to you! These days I always book ahead.

23. If you want to meet people and have a cheap room, you can now stay in hostels in India which wasn’t really an option 5 years ago. I wrote about some of the best hostels in India. They actually are not as cheap as you can get in guesthouses in India, but you will make friends so if you’re feeling lonely, check it out.

How to Stay Safe in India

24. You can travel India alone and be safe. I wrote about my first experience here and after a few years, I wrote this follow-up after getting so many emails from girls who were seriously struggling here alone: the TRUTH about traveling India alone.

25. It’s not always peaches and cream… it can be really tough and a huge part of traveling India is being mentally prepared. You need to accept that things are going to go wrong sometimes and taxis or someone might scam you.

26. Do not travel India alone if you are second guessing it. I highly suggest you come with a friend if you have high anxiety. I can be quite anxious and I did okay in India but as I’ve said before, some of traveling here is just sheer luck.

27. Research which regions to go to. Places like Bihar or Manipur aren’t deemed safe now. There are more but you just need to check into each place and see if it’s okay. The places I’ve written about are all okay.

28. Make sure you have the correct permits for places that are restricted zones and because there are less travelers, consider joining a tour to stay the most safe.

29. Sadly, women shouldn’t go out at night alone in the cities. I hate that this is the case, and sometimes I break my own rule, but as I’m sure you’ve read bad things happen. Yes, there ARE a tiny very small percentage of men here who truly believe that women out late alone or women dressed against their idea of the norm, DESERVE to be raped or harassed. It’s tragic. The biggest example are the educated lawyers of the men who raped Jyoti Singh, one of which said he’d burn his own daughter in the town square for being out late. He followed up in the media later saying he meant it. It’s fucked up and although I LOVE India and promote India travel, I won’t ignore the craziness that happens here.

30. Dress according to the rules! I don’t.. ahh.. I know, I know.. but I live in Goa where the rules are nonexistent. You’d be surprised that even in rural NE India the young girls all wore skinny jeans. In Mumbai girls are in short dresses and shorts. You’re best to cover up though and I wrote tips here.

PS: If you’re coming to India and will spend a week of more in Goa, check out my ebook the Insider’s Guide to Goa. After five years of living here, I’m sure this 170-page book is the most comprehensive guide to Goa on the market. Click here to buy it.

31. Without sounding too extreme, my opinion is to not couchsurf in India unless it’s with an expat. I hate to say this because I LOVE Indian dudes that I’m friends with BUT I don’t suggest couchsurfing with Indian men. As someone who weekly has Indian dudes coming up to me at the beach saying “can I take a selfie with you” and is stared at by dudes constantly when I travel around India, I know there is an obsession with white skinned ladies, who are deemed “easier” and it’s a risk you shouldn’t take, in my opinion. There will be men on couchsurfing who are really interested in having a foreign girl stay at their house. It is not normal in India for a chick to be traveling alone, so a girl who would choose to stay with a man in exchange for a free room, might be thought of negatively. Indian women most likely wouldn’t choose to couchsurf with a man. Indian girls are an option to couchsurf with, although young Indian girls rarely live alone and you don’t know their family situation. Is their brother nice or mean? Is their dad accepting of foreigners? You can make your own decision. I have couchsurfed in India with foreigners and Indian men so this is not a judgement based on nothing.

32. Be kind but not overly friendly. You might find it strange that in the culture, it’s not common for a woman to smile and chat with a stranger who is male. I still smile and am kind, but if you are too nice it will put off the wrong idea.

33. Do not take photos with dudes when they ask! It’s weird and they’ve got to knock that off.. When families ask, I am okay with it, but a man on his own… hell no. The amount of phones I have thrown in the sand in Goa… because men come up and say “let me take one selfie with you” and are taking it while they are asking – I have no patience for this. I tell them “do it again and I”ll throw it in the sea”.

34. Only get really verbally angry if you need to. If a man touches you, YELL at him. People will back you up. 99.9% of people here are GOOD and will be just as outraged.

35. On the other hand, Indian women don’t usually curse and tend to be softer spoken, so if it’s a small issue and you go nuts you might upset people. To stay safe, try to stay calm even if you are being scammed or stared at. You can calmly say that you will get the police if you think are being scammed, and you can tell a man firmly to look away without cursing. Again, do as I say not as I do, because I curse at guys in English and Hindi when I can’t keep a lid on it.

36. Try to get transportation set up from your hotel at train stations and bus stops. Most will give it for free or a very fair cost.

37. If you tell a driver a hotel name and they say it’s not there anymore or burnt down, they are pulling your leg. They do get commissions and might use that as a reason to lie.

38. Don’t let the driver bring a friend… ever.

39. STAY OUT OF IT. See a child getting slapped? See a dog getting a rock thrown at it? Sadly, stay out of it. Again, not something I’m good at and I tend to get involved, which I nearly always regret. Indian women do slap their kids sometimes. It’s a different culture. Many people hate dogs here as dogs can be aggressive and bite. I love dogs and cry when I see these things.You can’t change a culture and a person who would harm a dog is an asshole, so imagine if some foreigner tries to correct them…. they will be furious. I’ve done this over and over because I can’t seem to stay out of things but I think finally I’ve learned to mind my own business!

40. Know a few words in Hindi!

Namaste- Hello

Acha- good

Acha na-he- not good

Teek hay- right, yeah or say ha/ haji -yes

Bus- stop (for a rickshaw driver is handy. You can add yaha-here)

Kitna rupia- how much?

Krupiyah- please & shukriyah- thank you

Mutlub- meaning? Apka mutlub ho? (what do you mean?)

Ek bottle Pani dedo- give me 1 bottle water (krupiyah- please!) or if you want a hot shower ask, “garum pani?” when checking in, they’ll know what you mean. Want to know if the water is clean, ask “yay pani sof hay?”

Madat- help

1, 2, 3, 4, 5- ek, do, teen, cha, panch

How to Budget for India

41. India is cheap, but it isn’t free! You could spend 1,000 Rs a day or you could spend 10,000 Rs. You need to really think about your budget.

42. Try to think that you’ll need about $20 USD a day and use this piece I wrote to help you understand the full budget breakdown.

43. Save money by traveling slower. Transportation takes up the most of a budget, so it’s smart to pick fewer places and really enjoy them longer. Also, the longer you take a room, the more you can negotiate the price down.

44. Keep track of your spending so that you can make cut backs where you need to. For me, it’s always food! I always wanted naan and coke at lunch and that is a lot more expensive that roti and water after some time.

45. Avoid Goa in December and January. Peak season here is awful. Prices are SO high and it’s not really that enjoyable with so many people in a small area of the state.

Don’t forget about my Goa E-book! It’s the most comprehensive guide to Goa on the market. Click here to buy it.

46. Don’t take out more than 10,000 Rs from the ATM at a time. That’s about $160. If you bank with someone like Charles Schwab who doesn’t charge ATM fees you can save a lot of money and take out even less, like 5,000 Rs. at a time.

47. Travel with a buddy to split room costs in two! Curries are usually big enough for two as well, so you can cut your food cost in half as well.

What to Eat in India

48. As I wrote in my journal when I was here “today I had green goo for lunch and red goo for dinner”. Eventually I could figure out the differences of the curries but they all seem similar at first! Curries are a gravy-like dish made in hundreds of varieties. Order 1 to share as they are large usually.

49. Palak paneer is spinach and cottage cheese (although not the cottage cheese we have in America, cubes of cheese). It’s very tasty. This is a veggie favorite

50. Butter chicken is a meat eaters favorite in the North and is a dish you HAVE to try while here. Same goes for chicken tikka.

51. Typically families will have either roti and chapati (bread) or rice with their meal, but most tourists order both because while eating with your fingers some find it easier to pick up the rice and curry with the bread. You can really just go for it with your hands though and dive into the rice. It’s nice and you can get the perfect bite… not having things falling off a fork!

52. In the South, you’ll get healthier curries (less cream) and will notice they have more coconut milk. I made a list of common foods in the South here. You must have a masala dosa!

53. On the coast, you have to get “fish curry rice” or “prawn curry rice” as well as fried prawns and calamari.

54. It’s not only curries. You will want to try things from the tandoor. It’s an oven which naan is put on the inside walls of to make it so perfect. You can have skewers of chicken or veggies with marinades of your choice. Chicken tikka masala is a curry but chicken tikka kebab will be a screwer with the same taste. I like malai chicken tikka which is a cheese and cream tikka masala marinade. Cauliflower is nice in the tandoor as well.

55. Ask for less butter and cream if you don’t want to put on 10 pounds while you’re here.

56. Mostly in the North you can have seekh kebab which is a mutton (lamb) mince (okay, sometimes it’s goat) made into a kebab and it is SO good.

57. You won’t have a lot of beef, especially up North. In Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan, and other huge areas of the country you won’t find it on a single menu (even the 5 star hotels). If you do, it’s actually water buffalo. In Maharashtra, it’s illegal. In Goa there is beef and in Kerala there is beef.

58. Don’t be afraid of street food! Egg puffs and chili bhaji make me sooo happy! I made a list of tips so you don’t get sick eating from the street.

59. Unless you’re in a great restaurant in the city of a tourist area like Goa, don’t get “American” food. It’ll be Indianized and not tasty. Definitely don’t get Mexican food! If you really want something “Western” then go for a sizzler which will be meat and veggies on a hot plate.

60. If you want a bit of everything, get a thali. The plate will have a curry, rice, bread, pickle, and dal (chick pea thick soup, kind of). Depending on where you are, the thali will be totally different. For example, in Goa the fish thali is to die for!

61. To drink: salt or sweet lime soda, chai (tea that is milk tea & about 5 rs), and lassi! Lassis are yoghurt fruit drinks.

62. Know a few words in Hindi!

palak – spinach (could also be called saag)

paneer- cheese

aloo- potato

jeera- cumin, you’ll often see jeera rice as an option

gobi-califlower

nimbu-lime

mattar- peas

chana- chickpea

kofta- kofta will be a ball of veg usually, although it may confuse as in Middle Eastern food it’s meatball.

masala- this refers to a spice mixture which is often used or can mean a variety of veggies as in “masala omelette” which would be an omelette with chili, onion, and tomato.

papadum- you can’t get these everywhere but they are similar to a tortilla but made of lentils.

pakora- means deep fried.. if it’s pyaj pakora it’s onion, you could have gobi or anything really. It is (i think) the same as bhaji which is fried, as in “chili bhaji” a deep fried chili served with ketchup…mmm!

raita- yoghurt side, used as a condiment

Which Tourist Places to Visit in India

63. Try not to have huge expectations on seeing and doing everything you want. Transportation takes longer than you’ll guess and you might have to cut places off your itinerary. Try not to stress.

64. I really think Lonely Planet books do help plan travel and recommend the India one. You can use their itineraries or mine. You can also read up on the places you’re going ahead of time to decide where to go. I also write in detail about most tourist hotspots.

65. So, to dive into it, Rajasthan is the awesome desert state that I really love. Popular spots are Jaisalmer (camels), Pushkar (holy lake), Udaipur (floating palace), Jaipur (pink city), and Jodhpur (blue city).

66. Himachal Pradesh is the mountains and in that state people chill in Manali and go trekking. Usually Delhi is next from here, and people hit up Agra from there.

67. Rishikesh would be done while up North as well and is the place made famous by the Beatle’s. Goa is the hippy place, but this is a close second.

68. Kerala is “gods own country” and is stunning with rolling tea fields, perfect beaches, and Nature parks. Here is a 10 day Kerala itinerary.

69. You’ll want to do a safari somewhere but there are so many options, it will really depend on your itinerary. They are more expensive for foreigners than Indians, as are all government tourism sites (example: Taj Mahal). Not only India does this, but many developing countries in Asia.

70. If you want something different, I’m all about Karnataka and NE India. Karnataka is a hidden gem and NE India is a Tibetan influences Buddhist area in some places, and tribal in others. It’s SO cool.

71. Make an itinerary but give yourself wiggle room. I would keep 7 days on your 3 month trip free, or 3 weeks of a 6 month trip. If you’re here a couple of weeks, keep 3 days free. There will be places you want to stay longer. If you want someone to make it for you or do a group tour, the only company I recommend is G Adventures.

Packing for India

72. I did make a complete packing list for India that you NEED to read.

73. If you will be in NE India, the mountains, or another cold area of India, please check out this list which is for cold weather.

74. Some key takeaways for backpackers are that you should bring a travel pillow, very tiny sleeping bag, bike chain to tie your bag up on trains, and a headlamp which is great for treks, moving around in hostels in the dark, and on buses. All of my choices for these exact items are in the list at #72.

75. Don’t overpack. You will get lots of medicine here in India, except something like birth control which is only in big cities and Goa (from what I’ve found so far). Don’t bring more than one pair of jeans.

76. I really love

[easyazon_link identifier=”B003JJ4R26″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Keen boots[/easyazon_link],

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00E1RWVNC” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]chaco sandals[/easyazon_link], and

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00120WEMY” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Tom’s burlap flats[/easyazon_link]. Again, my exact choices are in #72’s link.

77. Bring a backpack that’s 65L or larger so you can shop. Also, if you want to take a rolling suitcase you can if you are going to be staying at nice hotels and traveling by car and place. They are difficult on trains, buses, and bumpy alleys that lead to guesthouses. My current backpack: REI Crestrail 65L Backpack. PS: tips on how to haggle when you shop.

78. Don’t pack like you are going to another world. You will still want cute clothes and practical things. I even take a mini bottle of OPI nail polish. You have to stay “you”!

Things to do In India

79. I made a bucket list for India with things I’ve done that were awesome and things I want to do. I cross it off as I go and it really shows the awesome experiences you can have in India. Check that out for these tips.

80. Keep in mind it’s the experiences that matter, not just checking things off a list and the journey in India as a whole is a CRAZY experience.

81. You can volunteer here but it’s something I recommend you do a lot of research into. There are many MANY scams here and some are so bad that they take kids from parents (or parents sell them) so that they can have an “orphanage” that westerners will come and give money to and pay to volunteer at.

Shopping in India

82. Shopping here is the bomb.com and I made a list of what to buy in each area of India. You MUSt read it!

Things to know about SOME Indian people

83. I’ve addressed that there is staring. It’s not only men but in some rural areas, women may stare. It can be unnerving when you are on a train trying to sleep and every time you peek out you see 10 eyes on you. Such is life.

84. It’s not a big “thank you” culture. Thank you’s are understood here so if you tip high, don’t expect a big thank you but instead just a nod.

85. There’s a lot of line jumping. I mean like someone will just walk up to the front of a line and push in — the shocking thing is, no one will say anything! It drives me bonkers. You have to be aggressive.

86. Which leads to this one.. people push, especially in lines but also on transportation. I will never forget riding the local train in Mumbai and beautiful women in sari’s elbowing me and shoving me. There are SO many people in the cities and they PUSH their way through everywhere even supermarkets. You don’t need to yell or even say anything, just make a disappointing clicking noise while you step back into your spot.

87. There’s a “me first” attitude that is very Indian. When driving, people honk and pass constantly even if they are going to continue the same speed ahead. The roads are insane. When getting off a plane, people in the windows seats are pushing out to the isle to push to the front to get off the plane first. It makes no sense, but absolutely happens in so many scenarios.

88. Indians don’t say no. Okay they do, but not often to tourists! If you ask a question, try not to make it yes or no, because when they don’t know the answer they often say “yes”. “Is the SIM card shop this way?” “Yes” even though they don’t know what you even asked. They don’t like to disappoint.

89. Rubbernecking. If you see an accident, you’ll see 100 people looking in to see what happened, only adding to the chaos. They love drama, watching fights, helping in fights, judging who’s wrong in fender benders and more. If there is an accident your driver may want to stop, you can say “NO, keep going.”

90. “India standard time” is a way of saying they are late a lot. If you need a ride at a certain time you need to be very clear with your driver.

91. I have seen lots of animal abuse, which I mentioned above. I am not sure why this is the case, and it’s not something I’ve seen outside India where I’ve traveled in many other parts of Asia. It’s heartbreaking. A driver once laughed when someone hit a dog. I just lose my mind over it but it doesn’t do any good. Be prepared. There are lots of strays and many are injured, as an animal lover it can be very difficult.

92. Lastly, there isn’t so much personal space. People stand right up against you in line or on buses, men and women. I have had people sit their babies on my lap while they get their bags down, without asking. Most people here share water and don’t put their lips to the bottle. I’ve had a women take my water bottle from between my feet on a bus and take a sip then put it back. Everyone shares and doesn’t say much about it.

How to Stay Healthy in India

93. First step is preparation and prevention. You should make sure you have vaccinations and required boosters. Here’s a list.

94. Bring your own birth control (pills, protection of other kinds) as you will have a hard time finding it here.

95. You will get Delhi belly at some point if you are here a long time. Don’t panic. If it’s been a few days, seek help. Don’t take Imodium as it’s better out than in.

96. If you have the shits, you should get a stool test done at a clinic. Do not just go to the chemist and take whatever random antibiotic he happens to have closest to him when you walk in. You destroy your immune system doing this over and over.

97. Do have travel insurance. I mentioned it above. When I had Dengue that wanted to do all kinds of scans on me that would have been really expensive. Always ask for a proper receipt. Always ask ahead of time what the costs are, as even hospitals will scam you especially small private ones. I use World Nomads Travel Insurance.

98. Mosquitos… they are the devil, no? You should wear spray when in areas that have them. You can take malaria tabs but I never have. There is no prevention to Dengue and no cure. It has to leave your system. Malaria has a cure and should be treated immediately. It’s not usually a big deal in India as the strain isn’t the same as in some places like areas of Africa.

99. Tylenol isn’t a thing everywhere.. even in UK they say paracetamol … remember to use the “science” name not the brand name when you ask the chemist for drugs.

100. During siestas in Goa, holidays, or in evenings, lots of chemists close up and you won’t have anywhere to go for meds. If you really need something you can go to the hospital and buy them from their pharmacy. You don’t need prescriptions in India unless it’s hard-core pain meds, anxiety meds, or other controlled substances. PS bringing your US prescription does not work half the time and some drugs are plain illegal here, like adderall so don’t bother trying.

WOW! That took forever. I hope it helps you! haha :)

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Ask Me Anything: Meeting Travelers in India

Rachel Jones — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:50:49 +0000

I sometimes share e-mails under the tag “ask me anything“. I get a lot of very similar e-mails which means there are a lot of people out there thinking the same questions. Why not address them to everyone? You can search more like these by clicking that link above.

Meeting Travelers in India

“Did you find it easy to meet other travelers? I’ve heard mixed reviews as one friend told me since it’s mainly hotels and guest houses without common areas, it’s a bit harder to meet people. What’s your experience?”

I get this questions A LOT. I know exactly why too, because the guide books kind of make it sound like you won’t make friends. I was nervous of this myself before going to India the first time.

In India the first thing you need to know about accommodation is you won’t be staying in hostels that often. More and more are popping up in big cities, Mumbai, North Goa, Varanasi, etc but they are often more expensive that a guesthouse. This is new in the last two years.

Before I went on my trip two years ago, my friend Jon was explaining his budget to me, helping me figure out how much I should take. He’d say his guesthouse was 10 USD and I’d go yeah but I will just stay in a hostel. He’s like “Rachel, I keep telling you… there are NO hostels. You won’t find one.” I didn’t really believe him because in my travel experience even in fancy Paris there are hostels so why wouldn’t there be one in India? Why would Lonely Planet send me somewhere with no hostels?

I met Ashley in Pushkar by chatting to her over breakfast from a table away. We ended up meeting up again in Varanasi.

Making Friends in Guesthouses

Inevitably Jon was right and I found myself checked into a guesthouse in Rajasthan trying to make friends. Some are Havali’s meaning there is a house and a common room- maybe someone just down the hall from you. Others look like apartment complexes, and some are separate houses, but the common thing they have is YOUR OWN ROOM and BATHROOM.

Some will offer free breakfast. Make sure to meet people there if possible. Others offer activities. ASK them if someone else has signed up or wants to, so that you can go with another guest.

On your overnight transport (the most common way to travel in India) you absolutely want to make friends with anyone going to the same destination, especially someone solo. You can share a room! I’ve done this. It’s not that weird. Usually guesthouses will only allow 2 people or make you pay extra for a third person to sleep on a cot.

Read More: how I made friends when I moved to India

Take a class

India is all about classes. They know us foreigners are here to learn so they offer a class in everything. I learned Thai massage one week, took art classes, and did yoga classes at an ashram. There are so many more than that. Instead of eating out, learn to cook Indian food and instead of getting henna down, learn to do it yourself. Learn Rieki or reflexology. If you don’t feel like learning you can just go get Reiki or all these new things you’re discovering down.

You’ll see in most of my posts an option for short term (daily) volunteer (donation) options. You can visit the Tibetan orphans in McLeod Ganj or help at Mother Teresa’s in Calcutta.

Was so happy to meet Chloe on Couchsurfing.org

Making friends shopping and at dinners

The other great thing about India is since it’s not quite ready for a huge influx of backpackers, the ones who do come kind of have to stay in the same places. While there are LOADS of guesthouse options in any city, there aren’t always that many great places to eat.

I actually agree with Lonely Planet on their food selections a lot, but do some research and go try to make friends. Usually at night, popular restaurants will either play a movie or have some kind of drum circle hippie fest. Join in and find someone cool to meet up with the next day.

One girl I traveled a week with, I met while shopping for jewelry.

You have to strike up conversation

India is not the place to be quiet. It’s loud so you should be loud and outgoing too. To be honest, if you don’t you may not meet many people at all. It’s important to talk to other backpackers.

Most often, they are sick of who they’re traveling with (not in a bad way, but we all get a little annoyed when we travel with someone for a long time) and are happy to have a new friend… unless they are solo; then of course they want a new friend.

Just know there are tons of solo backpackers in India and they are just like you.

then I met this guy… never saw him again. Jk! In case you’re new I met my boyfriend in Goa and now live in India because of it.

Where are the other solo backpackers?

If you’re not staying in a guesthouse, many solo travelers are on couchsurfing.org as a way to meet locals and make friends. Since I’ve lived in India I don’t use it much anymore and I DON’T recommend couchsurfing in India unless it’s with a foreigner or a girl- I hate to generalize but better safe than sorry.

What couchsurfing IS great for in India is checking the forums or message boards to see if other solo travelers are looking for someone to travel with. That’s how I met Chloe, a French girl I traveled with for at least 3 weeks in the mountains. She was a lifesaver.

Enjoy Being Alone

The last bit of advice I have is that there is a chance that you might not make friends in India while backpacking. It’s a slight one, but much more possible here than in Europe. There are no bar crawls and hostel parties to bring you together with other people. If you aren’t that outgoing you might find yourself spending a lot of time alone.

In any case, if you make friends like I luckily did, they most likely won’t be going the same place as you. I try not to plan too much but of course it’s not cool to just follow someone else’s journey. Usually when I did make a friend, I then had to say bye, get on a bus alone, and make a new friend in the next place.

I wouldn’t worry too much because India keeps you VERY busy and activities are cheap, so if you’re bored or lonely you can go do something fun and hope to meet someone in an art class, yoga class, or just shopping.

If you know you won’t enjoy alone time and the risk of it stresses you out, or you’re scared to travel alone, then join a tour, like the one I took with goMowgli.

feature image credit from flickr and edited by me.

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15 Tips on Eating Street Food in India & Not Getting Sick

Rachel Jones — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 08:31:23 +0000

Being the type of person that eats week old chicken from the fridge, I’m probably the last person that should give advice about this but I’m going to give it my best shot. There are some things on the street here even I won’t eat. I want to share some tips on eating street food in India but really a lot of these can go for just eating in India and not getting sick. I asked in my Facebook group, and it seems like this is one of your biggest fears!

15 tips for eating street food in India

1. Don’t be afraid of the street food. It’s just like any other hot country with street food. In northern India, the street momo’s are the best I’ve had in any restaurant in the world. Don’t miss out on this!

2. This is one that always works- go where the locals are. If there’s a long ass line with local’s chowing down on samosas then obviously they are good AND they are making them fresh.

3. I usually stay veg only when I eat street food. You just don’t know how long the meat has been sitting out before it was stuffed inside whatever they’re frying in it. Exception: the beef cutlet guy at the Arpora/ Anjuna roundabout in Goa… give me those beef burgers all day! Obviously shwarma and other stands that are known for meat are okay. I’m talking more like small stands that have one meat option.. it’s probably been sitting there all day.

4. Judge on cleanliness. Are they using a dirty old knife and a cutting board covered in mold? Probably skip eating at that place. It’s really just using your judgment here and deciding if they place looks clean enough to eat at.

5. Beware of the street drinks which are not hot. Because the water didn’t come to a boil it could be bad, and most likely the ice was NOT made from clean water like you’d automatically assume in an Indian restaurant. Just because the locals are drinking it doesn’t make it okay as they can handle the water better than a foreigners body.

6. Beware of the Sauce.If you get a samosa and sauce is offered, just know the sauce and chutneys are made with tap water most times and could have been sitting out in the sun a while. I always eat it anyways, but I’m a streetfood risk-taker. They also water it down to make it last longer.

7. Any grilled or deep fried veg, fruit, and nuts should be snatched up and eaten! It is so good. The corn on the cob grilled with lime and salt is the best I’ve ever had. The fresh potato chips are almost as good as the pan roasted nuts. Maybe the veg and fruit wasn’t washed, but it’s been cooked and should be fine. Don’t be alarmed if they re-fry something. It’s kind of like re-heating it and it might not have been cooked fully at first. It’s to speed things up when you order. Definitely try a potato patty (aloo tikki) and dosas in the south.

photo of snacks flickr / oranges from flickr

8. This is a no brainer, but if you buy fresh fruit and veg from a stall, you need to wash with clean water before eating.

9. Puffs and samosas are common but if you don’t know the Hindi words for specific veg, don’t except much explanation. They will just say it’s a “veg puff”. You can guess which one! In Goa it’s usually aloo (potato), while in Kerala you get a scrumptious egg puff or a mutta(r) puff (peas)

10. Avoid ice basically all the time on the street.

11. Chai is totally fine to drink even when the place looks a bit dirty and grimy. Sometimes you can stop in Bombay at 4 am and buy chai from a guy who’s also selling cigarettes to drunk people. The people who walk up and down trains also sell a mean chai!

12. The GOOD street meat you should eat every chance you get is a shwarma! Usually it’s goat or chicken, or some kind of mix. Doesn’t matter; it tastes like a little lamb. They layer lots of mayo on local bread and some fresh veg (which may or may not be clean, but like I said… I’m not really the best person to be telling you what to eat since I eat everything). Usually shwarmas are so popular that you don’t need to worry about freshness and the whole slab of meat will be gone in two hours, but if you see them re-light the meat and heat it back up that’s a sign it’s old and might get you sick.

13. When you get fresh juice, have them juice it in front of you, don’t take a cup of pre-made juice. It could be very old or watered down with bad water.

14. If you are buying food from a vendor during a bus stop and can’t tell if the food is fresh, ask in Hindi: yay taja hay? They will be too impressed/confused with your Hindi to lie to you.

15. Lastly, don’t blame your illness on the street vendor if you do get sick. Who knows, maybe you hadn’t washed your hands! It’s a common mistake while backpacking but in India you really need to at least rinse them with bottled water if you don’t have sanitizer or hand wipes.

Are you ready for your big trip to India?

Check out my other article on eating here: how to make sure you don’t get Delhi Belly. You can also check out my tips on vaccinations and what to pack in your medical kit. Want more tips for traveling India or better yet to have me plan your trip? Buy my India Guide ebook and even if you ONLY read that, you’ll be 1000% prepared for your trip. It’s 6 years of India travel experience all wrapped up in an organized easy to read manner.

Pin these tips for eating street food in India and not getting sick for later:

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City vs. Village Travel in India | Which is Safer?

Rachel Jones — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:32:40 +0000

I reached out to Renuka, a badass Indian chick that travels alone all over India, to ask her opinion on which area she thought was safer for solo female travelers- the city or the villages?

Since I’ve been traveling around very rural Karnataka a little while now and have a few weeks to go, I’m curious to find this out for myself. So far I can say that people have been very nice in villages and staring hasn’t actually been bad at all.

You see quite conflicted information online. Some articles say avoid Delhi and Bombay at all costs if you’re alone and instead, enjoy peace in the friendly villages. Other articles say the cities are crowded therefore safer and the villages are desolate and full of people with less education who will rob, rape, or kill you. Some say Goa is safest because they’re used to foreign girls and others say it’s dangerous because of drug gangs.

So which is true?

No one better than Renuka to tell us!

Introducing Renuka from Voyager for Life:

Solo travel for women in India is a hot topic. It has been fuming in the wake of certain unpleasant incidents that have happened to women travellers in India. Female solo travel isn’t questionable for no reason. If certain women folk are wary of travelling in India alone, there is a reason behind it and unfortunately, we can’t ignore it.

City vs Village Travel in India

Are deserted villages more unsafe to travel to? Our views and thoughts keep changing with every new mishap that takes place. But, I still recommend solo travel for women any day. Yes, solo travel isn’t as scary as it’s made out to be. I am an Indian woman and I travel solo all the time.

As far as the turmoil of cities and villages are concerned, both are fine to travel to. The first ground rule of safety is to believe that no place is safe or unsafe. Whether you are travelling to a busy city or a remote village, be on your guard. Being careful and trusting your instinct should never be overruled. The first thing a woman traveller should do before deciding on a destination is research it thoroughly. There are certain states in India that have a bad reputation with women’s safety, while there are states that are known to be safe for women. So, you have to make your choices wisely.

In my opinion, it’s always safer to travel to places that are culturally rooted. For instance, I felt absolutely safe in Rajasthan and Sikkim. I travelled to some popular cities in Rajasthan like Udaipur and Jodhpur, and then I also visited a village called Nagda and ventured into a desert safari alone.

As far as city travel is concerned, I had great experiences exploring metropolitans like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Delhi is a so-called unsafe city for women, but I would say it’s quite easy to travel here. Since the transport system is efficient, you can commute easily on your own. Plus, there are so many nice accommodation options. I am not saying that nobody will try to dupe you or be bad with you. But, you have common sense, right?

On the other hand, even my rural exploration has been smooth so far. I have travelled alone to Matheran, a small hill station near Mumbai, villages in Sikkim and Darjeeling, and as I mentioned earlier, desert safari in Rajasthan. The only common factor of my rural expeditions was that I came across all good people.

In fact, I would say it is far better to explore the villages in India, as they have more natural beauty, culture and tradition to amuse a traveller. But, I wouldn’t say that you should blindly land in any village in India and expect to find good people and absolute safety. You have to research your destination.

Whether you are travelling in a big, bustling city or in a deserted rural region, make sure to figure out your mode of transport and accommodation. As long as you make right choices, everything should roll out nicely.

Renuka is a writer/photographer and a travel blogger from India. With her blog, Voyager For Life, she aims to inspire and awaken people to travel. She has been a native in four different cities in India and would not mind more city-hopping in the future. When she is not travelling, she likes to be a tourist in her own city. Renuka blogs at www.renuka-voyagerforlife.com. Follow her on Facebook, twitter, google plus, and pinterest.

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big purple box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

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Traveling India alone is hard. Here’s a pep talk.

Rachel Jones — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 08:57:38 +0000

I’ve gotten a few e-mails this month that really bummed me out. Three people sent me long e-mails about how difficult they were finding India to be and how badly they wanted to go home. One girl said she hadn’t left her hotel in Bombay in 3 days since she arrived because she was so scared. Another girl in Kerala said she didn’t want to travel anymore in India and wanted to change her flight to go home because every time she left her hotel she started crying. One e-mail was from a guy, so it’s not a gender problem. They all regretting coming and regretted traveling India alone. One was really hoping I could come meet her and travel with her.

They were experiencing serious culture shock. They aren’t alone in feeling this way. I met lots of people traveling that were having breakdowns saying they hated India and were ready to book a ticket out.

It always surprises me how many people say India is the last place they want to travel to. If you look at travel blogs that talk about India, mine included, there are posts about scams to look out for, how to stay safe in India as a woman, how to dress to “avoid rape” since that’s they way politicians address the situation here, and posts talking about how you have to “keep your chin up” so you don’t let India defeat you.

There is a love/hate relationship with India and I go back and forth on that- although about 80% of the time I love it here. But of course I do, I’m an expat here now living a comfortable life in laid-back Goa.

When I was backpacking solo, that number was a LOT different.

It was a struggle. I won’t lie about that. Scams were barely avoided daily, I felt like I couldn’t trust anyone, and I got tired of the stares. After a couple weeks I had to shake it off and ignore those things or I knew I wouldn’t come to love India like I’d hoped.

I made a list in my travel journal of the things that bothered me that I needed to shrug off. It was long… and when I re-read it, I realized how silly they were on their own.

The problem had been that they compiled throughout the day and frustrations grew.

So, the next time I was in line and a man cut in front of me, I let him. I didn’t even roll my eyes (ok, maybe I rolled my eyes a little bit at first). When a rickshaw driver quoted me 4x the normal price, instead of getting angry I patiently explained I knew the real route price and we should settle on a more fair price. When people stared at me, I stared right back. (But then that got awkward so I stopped….)

Anyways, the point is: my stress levels went down and I started to actually enjoy India and eventually came to love the place and the people.

taking a photo with each person here wasn’t annoying, it was fun

When you’re here short-term, I truly think it’s best not to let the scamming and lying get you down.

Just go with the flow, know it’s going to happen, and make the best of it. If you don’t then you’ll be one of those people who goes home and says, “India was terrible! The people were so rude and it was filthy!” I hear it all the time and I ask them if they really changed their mindset and tried to like India enough.

It’s such a different and difficult country to travel in and the media doesn’t make it sound like a dream, so people come with preconceived notions of the horrors that await them… and they don’t look past them when a few come true.

On this blog, I try to to be realistic and let people traveling to India know that it isn’t going to be a breeze, but I also show the glamorous side to India, the luxury hotels, the kind locals I’ve gotten to know, and fancy clean restaurants. The important thing is once you really begin to understand Indian culture you will be less agitated when things go awry- because at least you’ll know why.

Also, obviously the higher your budget is in India the easier your trip will go. You can hire a driver in an A/C car.. get a nicer hotel, eat at nicer places, etc. Although I am an expat here now, I was a backpacker and when I write on here, I keep what it was like in mind so I don’t try to “sell” India as a perfect destination.

where on earth would you see this other than India?! Honestly!? I love that men hold hands here to show friendship. I’ve even gotten used to the ATM guard having a loaded gun in his hand.

kids selling pooja offerings… although I agree with research not to give money to them, I do sometimes buy things like this or at least play with the kids.

Asking this guy to let me row really gave him the giggles. He couldn’t believe I wanted to do the work! Crazy foreigner!

Now, if you’re here as an expat or long-term, obviously it’s no way to live to just ignore the things that bother you. I admit when a man cuts me in line at the pharmacy now, I step right in front of him and tell him to get back. Everything in moderation :)

Your first couple weeks in India might be difficult, but keep at it, and keep an open mind. Open your heart to the people you meet and don’t keep a guard up (other than obvious safety guards).

Unlike lounging on a beach in Thailand, you have to really put a mental effort into being able to relax and enjoy India.

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Big News! Touring Karnataka with goMowgli, India’s first backpacker’s bus

Rachel Jones — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 10:01:23 +0000

This October, I’m going to be touring around Karnataka with goMowgli! It’s a state in India I haven’t seen nearly enough of. They’re going to be revolutionizing the way people travel in India- so take a second to check out their site.

UPDATE: As of 2018, gomowgli is no longer – sadly! If you still want a tour in India, I recommend checking out my blog post with the best group tours and this post which explains the best day tours for the adventurer!

To me, Karnataka is the “real jungle”.

I’ve been to Karnataka a couple times to Bangalore, into the waterfall areas at the border, and made a road trip to Hampi. It’s the only place I”ve been that while stopping on the road to use the toilet I’m afraid a giant cat may attack me. Signs through the jungle read: “don’t get out here- there are tigers”

Well, I’m about to see a lot more of Karnataka because I’m about to do something I’ve never done before: a hop on hop off bus tour!

Obviously, it would have to be a pretty damn good tour to get me interested, and it is. I am so positive the young, extremely educated owners of goMowgli, India’s first backpacking bus, are bound to change tourism in India forever… and I want to be a part of it!

Sunset at the ruins of Hampi, Photo by Subbu KL

Some of the places I’ll get to go are Mysore, Coorg, Hampi, and Gokarna.

Unlike most tours, goMowgli doesn’t plan out your days unless you want them to. I’ll get more into it later, but they get you there safely, tell you what’s cool in the area and let you go do your thing. They have connections for discounted stays which it’s your call to use or not. If you have nothing planned then goMowgli hooks you up like only locals would know how. I LOVE to get the local hook up! In India it literally makes all the difference for whether you’ll love or hate the country.

The owners of goMowgli are travelers themselves, which is what got me interested.

The goMowgli Team with the Support Staff

It wasn’t some 50 year old disconnected man trying to start a company, it was these young adventurers with a passion for backpacking- which I would say is rare here. They have backpacked not just their home country but all around the world. Thanks to those comparisons, they know where the gaps are for backpackers in India and how to fill them.

Incredible Stone Carvings at Somanathapura Temple

So, who are goMowgli?

They are a hop on hop off backpacker bus service in Karnataka. Their tours are experiential and truly off the beaten track. If you want that “real” Indian experience this is the way to do it. You’ll eat as local as it gets and chill with the people who make India the colorful country it is. I always tell people who want to come to Goa, it’s 10x better when you know someone. You get that with goMowgli. It’s like staying with a friend; they take you to those secret places you never would have known about on your own.

“Someday, we want to enable backpackers to backpack across India on a single ticket with goMowgli. All 3 million square kilometers of it on a single ticket. And fall in love with every inch of it.” –Sunil, goMowgli

Wildlife Spotting in the Western Ghats, Photo by Subbu KL

The BEST part about goMowgli: flexibility

You have safety conscious, local, english-speaking guides who drop you off. Then, it’s up to you. If you want to couchsurf, stay with a friend, find a cheap guesthouse, or check into a 5 star hotel- go for it. They will take you as close as they can and pick you up when you’re ready- BUT if you don’t have a hook up, they will tell you the hotel they like the best and you’ll get their special discount for staying there.

Bhutanatha Temple at Badami, Photo by Subbu KL

For all those girls that want to travel India and are afraid to be solo:

I think you’ve found your answer with goMowgli. Instead of hopping around local buses and sleeper class trains (although quite fun) you can relax knowing you’re safe on goMowgli buses, but at the same time it’s no typical “tour bus”. You still have your indepence once you arrive at a location.

Expect equal amounts fun and budget friendly backpacking.

Trek inside the Western Ghats, Photo by Subbu KL

Passes:

The passes are valid for 6 months (check out pass options). In and around Mysore, Melukote, and Srirangapatna, they have some one, two, or three day passes. Each offers something different from coffee tours to local temples. There is a 9 day filter coffee pass which is all about the rich heritage and the Dharwad Peda which is a 6 day tour through Northern and Coastal Karnataka.

All the passes are named after local foods, and the biggest pass: Masala Dose, is a 19 day pass (32,000 rs) that covers A LOT of ground. I’ll be going on this tour. You can hop off as long as you want in each place.

Keep in mind the days of the pass are “travel” days on the bus. You can take up to 6 months to complete the 15 legs of the tour!

“Just like the Masala Dose, this pass offers pretty much everything on offer in Karnataka. The rich heritage of Mysore and Hampi is contrasted by the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats stretching from BR Hills to Coorg to Chikmagalur. We discover the ancient kingdoms of Hoysala, Chalukyas and Viajayanagara. The temples of Somanathapura, Belur and Halebid compete for excellence with Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole. There are wildlife spotting opportunities at BR Hills, Kabini and Bhadra sanctuaries. There is that misty peak of Mullayanagiri along with the solitary beaches of Karwar and Gokarna. The pandi curry of the Kodavas, the kadabus of the Malnad cuisine and the seafood along the coast. There is so much to do in Karnataka. And we deliver it to you on a single platter.. err.. plantain leaf, accompanied by a butter masala dose, of course. “

Mysore palace, got our cycles loaded on to a volvo bus to bangalore back, Photo by Subbu KL

When guides are passionate it makes all the difference and did I mention the complimentary activities yet? There are fun things to do along the route, like popular treks, tours, and markets which are included in your pass costs and even more you can opt to do at a fee. The buses are A/C and at each destination you get a map with all the important things you need to know: ATM’s, chemists, supermarkets, toilets, and cafes in case you want to go on your own.

Of the highlights mentioned in the pass information, here is what I’m MOST excited about:

Buying everything at the famous silk markets in Mysore
Bathing elephants at Dubare elephant camp
Tribal dancing with the Soliga tribe at BR Hills
Driving 4-wheelers in the Western Ghats
Trekking to Coorg’s highest peak at Tadiandamol, all 5,500 feet of it
Camping on a secluded island near Karwar

Bathe the elephants at Dubare Elephant Camp

Rockclimbing at Chamundi Hills

Sunil’s team sees the challenges for backpackers in India, and recognizes the negative images that media portrays. They want people to come and see for themselves and are giving them an afforadable option to do so. As Sunil said, backpacking is a phonomenon really yet to take of in India; the infrastructure isn’t available everywhere. They have built that in Karnataka and connected it in a safe way.

“The Indian tourism industry is still largely unorganized and not as professional as the world requires it to be. We are here to change that forever AND spread the word that the world is not as bad a place as it is made out to be. If a kid can be raised by wild wolves, there is still hope for this world- and this was the inspiration behind the name ‘goMowgli’

Trek atop French Rocks near Mysore

Beach Trek along Gokarna, Photo by Subbu KL

I will be a guest on the Masala Dose tour with goMowgli this October and will be filling you in along the way. I’ll introduce a hashtag before I go so you can follow along in real time! I’ll be instagramming and tweeting all through the jungle with live updates.

I get e-mails very often from readers who want to get off the beaten path in India, and you can’t really get more rural than a lot of these locations so I am so excited to share these new places with you. Want to know more now? Read up on the goMowgli FAQ.

Some photos courtesy of Subbu K as noted. UPDATE: After taking the month long tour, I wrote a full review here: The Nitty Gritty | A Review of goMowgli

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Ask Me Anything: Scared to Travel Alone

Rachel Jones — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 11:51:22 +0000

I have posted a few e-mails from readers before, under the tag “ask me anything“. I’m going to be doing it more often. I get a lot of very similar e-mails which means there are a lot of people out there thinking the same questions. Why not address them to everyone? That is what inspired my FAQ about India post. You can search more like these under the tag or in the search bar: “ask me anything”.

Scared to Travel

After answering this e-mail, I realized I’ve gotte a lot that are similar. People have fears of travel and I’ll tell you exactly what I told her.

“The second I booked my flight, I just got scared. I am 19 years old, and I really don’t know what I’m doing, even though that’s something I think is the great thing about traveling as well, it also is really scary. I’ve read all your posts on female traveling, and you have some very good tips. I was just wondering if you could tell me something that helped you get less scared before you travelled? If there is even something to tell of course… I know it will be scary at first no matter what. “

Travel can be scary! Especially the day before and day of. If you are an anxious person at all, you’re bound to get a belly-ache. You’ll start double checking your lists and making sure your flight REALLY leaves when you think it does. That’s okay. I promise, everyone who has any type of anxiety does it. Anxiety always escalated when it comes to travel.

When you’re on the plane all alone.. you may start thinking “what the fuck was I thinking!? OMG.”

Well, I’m here to assure you that I’ve had that feeling and it goes away. It’s how I felt the first time I was on a plane to India. I was all, “I’m going to see tigers and hike to the top of a mountain!” and then once I got on the plane to Bombay along with all these confusing Indian people, I was like, “who cares about tigers, I should have just gone to the zoo, and really I hate hiking, I don’t even want to climb a mountain or even a hill for that matter.”

It gets better…

When I landed in Bombay, I couldn’t sleep thanks to the time change, so I laid awake until the sun finally rose and I could explore. That’s when all my fears went away. I realized it wasn’t such a scary crazy place and I wasn’t the only person doing it. I met friends right away near the train station.

India is a pretty daunting place to a new traveler and if you can make it there you can make it anywhere. If you are showing up in Paris or Bangkok, you’re going to adjust so much faster than you think.

You’re going to be nervous, maybe even a little scared. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s excitement just getting confused and being misplaced, in my opinion.

Just keep your head up and once you get to your destination you’ll see the worry was for nothing.

Some Tips on Anxiety & being scared to travel alone:

Join couchsurfing, not just to stay with a host but for meet ups. You can even find a travel buddy like I did in India. It’s great to have a “friend” in your new place. Try to do this at your arrival point so you can adjust better, like I did staying with Elise in Bombay.
Feeling bored and lonely in a big city? Go to the train station and scout for another tourist arriving. Don’t be creepy though! In India, the forien tourist quota line is bound to have some toursits hanging around that you can sightsee with.
Take something comforting from home: maybe it’s your favorite songs on a playlist, photos on your iPhone to scroll though, or a hoodie you love.
Embrace traveling alone. Write, learn to take great photos, try taking a language book and practicing talking to locals.
If you have severe anxiety, don’t let that stop you from traveling. As a nurse, I have seen first hand how people with anxiety taking their medications appropriately just makes it melt away. Talk to your MD before your trip and get some “just in case”.

feature image photo source flickr

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20 Unique & Honest Travel Tips for Varanasi

Rachel Jones — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 08:26:28 +0000

These 20 Varanasi travel tips come from basically making so many mistakes here. It’s such a complex city that I have four posts about it. I actually could write even more.

If you missed the last ones, I recently shared an intro to my Varanasi trip about where to stay, how to get there, and how terrible it went for me at first. I also told you what to expect at the Ghats, which can be an overwhelming place. Now here are 20 random but important travel tips for Varanasi to read before you head to the holy city!

20 Varanasi Travel Tips

1. The most important tip is to make sure you go here while in India!

Varanasi MUST be on your list because it is all the chaos and love of India all in one place. IT IS THE CULTURE CAPITAL OF INDIA. It’s the most shocking place on earth that tourists can go. Bold statement, but probably true. Every two seconds, your eye will catch something new and exciting.

2. Having said you must come here, don’t come to Varanasi first.

It will scare you. You’ll be so overwhelmed that I can’t imagine you’d want to leave your hotel room. You need to ease into India a month or so then make your journey here, plus, this way you will appreciate it more. These travel tips for Varanasi aren’t to scare you away! Anything negative I say is just the truth and to warn you, but it’s still a magical interesting place that I would 100% go back to.

3. Getting there:

It’s cheapest to fly into Delhi and take a train to Varanasi. You will have a stopover in Allahabad most likely. From the station get a rick to take you to Old city. You’ll have to walk through once you get to the entrance. If you haven’t ridden a bike-rickshaw, now is your chance! For cheap flights in India, you must read this which has my secret tactic to traveling here so so inexpensively. You can also check my tips for traveling by train in India here.

4. Don’t come here to party

In my intro to Varanasi, I say where I slept. Other than that, I don’t have tips on where to eat or party. It’s not a city for that. Eat street food and drink lassis. It’s probably not the best place to even try to find a party. Save that for another city in India.

You can show up and find a place, but if you book ahead someone can meet you at the entrance to Old City and help guide you through (which I highly recommend). I showed up alone in the middle of the night and had to find a place. Not ideal. Look for places that say “near the main ghat”.

5. You don’t have to “make a trip” to the Ghats.

The old town is built on them. Part of your daily walk will involve seeing the cremations on the Ganga. That’s the great thing about much of India; you can just go about your day and the normal sights are the things you’ll remember years later. Be aware of what to expect on the Ghats.

6. You cannot take photos of the cremations.

It’s a special and holy time for the families. Yes, you’ll see their own family members taking selfies with the deceased, but you should keep your phone/camera stashed away. You can take photos of the Ghats of long as there is no cremation happening.

7. The Vishwanath Temple is the most famous.

And while I was there was not open to foreigners. I’m told this can change daily.

8. You’ll see lots of Sadhus smoking something along the Ghats.

You can take their photo but ask first, and sometimes they will ask for a fee. Please be careful doing drugs anywhere in India.

9. Touts here are the most persistent I’ve encountered in India.

Don’t give in to them just asking for “wood” money. If they start to follow you or tell you a fact about the Ghats, they will expect payment unless you tell them you don’t need their services. You have to be very direct to make them leave you alone. If you allow one to follow you, he will make a scene wanting money when you’re ready to leave. They will probably curse you with bad karma.

10. Apparently, you should be careful telling a woman she looks nice.

(She had just been married and in India, that means henna everywhere, bangles galore, and so much head jewelry!). He husband claimed her like a piece of meat and said, “Mine” as he pushed me to the side. As if I’m trying to steal your bride, dude.

11. There is more cow poo in the alleys of Varanasi than in all of the state of Goa.

They are a very religious city, respect their cows immensely, and allow them everywhere. There seems to be 10x more cows here, hence 10x more cow shit. Basically, you’re going to step in it at some point. It’s okay, but being head-butted by a cow was not.

12. The alleys are small and plentiful.

You’ll probably get lost but eventually they lead to the main road and you can start all over again. Make sure to have a business card from your guesthouse so you can ask people which way to go when it’s time to get home.

13. SO. MUCH. PAAN.

Paan is betel leaf and all the dudes are chewing it. They spit it all over the place and roll it at lots of booths all over the city. It’s popular all over India, but I’ve never seen so much of it as I have here. It’s basically old school chewing tobacco.

paan source photo

14. If you hear bells jingling and yelling coming from behind, get out of the way.

It’s probably a body coming through. Family carry them on stretchers above their heads down the main street in Varanasi. Although normal, it may shock you at first.

sourced photo

15. You have to negotiate a LOT for the boat rides on the Ganga.

Don’t feel bad about it. It may be a holy place, but business is business, and if there’s anything I learned in my time here it’s that Indians won’t cheat or steal from you, unless of course it’s just business. If someone puts paint on you, just walk away- you don’t have to pay them.

16. Watch the little boys get their first hair cuts along the river!

I know there’s a reason for it, but it’s totally escaping me right now. Hopefully one of my Indian readers will remind me in the comments why so many boys were getting cuts. Some type of sacrifice?

17. Cover up more than normal (even for India)

I’ve explained previously the Do’s and Don’ts for how to dress in India, but seeing as though here you are borderline also at a funeral, you should cover up even more than usual. Ashes will fall on you, so the less skin the better just for cleanliness as well. I’d also wear closed toe shoes if I went again.

18. Do NOT get in the water

While some Ghats are for cremations, some for washing bodies and clothes, some are for curing leprosy. Needless to say: do NOT get in the water. Even the Indian government is outspoken about the changes needed in Varanasi and the diseases in the water. They urge Indian nationals to stop getting in.

sourced photo

19. Try going for a festival

I actually got to visit during the Dee Deepavali, which was in November and always on a full moon. It coincides with a Jain festival and there are lights everywhere which were great to see from a boat on the river. Try to go during Maha Shvratri festival for Lord Shiva. It’s apparently the 14^th night of the new moon (sorry guys, that is all I can find online!) My friends assure me this is a BIG deal.

20. Take a really good shower after you leave.

The ashes are in the air and you may not see them right away, but after some time they build up on your clothes and skin. You can see the Sadhus covered in ashes (on purpose I believe) along the riverbanks.

Essential Travel Tips for your India Trip

I’ve been living and traveling in India for the past 5+ years and have over 400 articles on my blog but I’ll just share a few things here to get you started in case this is the first post you’ve found.

If you want a day tour in Varanasi, I would take this insight tour if I went back. I regret not having a guide teach more all about the ceremonies I was seeing. For more options, you can look on at the Varanasi tours on this page and see which one you like best. A sunrise one would be awesome.
You DO need a visa for India: My favorite site is iVisa as the Indian government site is a pain for visas.
You DO need health insurance: World Nomads is all I’ve used. Here is a post on what exactly it covers and doesn’t.
Want more tips for traveling India or better yet to have me plan your trip? Buy my India Guide ebook and even if you ONLY read that, you’ll be 1000% prepared for your trip. It’s 6 years of India travel experience all wrapped up in an organized easy to read manner.
Hostels are becoming popular in India, here is a hostel guide to India here.
Group tour more your thing? The best rates are with G Adventures.
Step by step planning your trip to India from scratch
100 tips for India travel
How to spend less than $20/day in India
The best India itinerary for 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months

Pin these Varanasi travel tips for later!

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Mango Fit Shares How to Stay Fit While Traveling

Rachel Jones — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 18:09:19 +0000

“Oh, as if! You skinny bitch!”

This is what skinny girls hear when they complain about being fat, so I’ve got to tread lightly here. I know I’m not fat, but I have gained about 8 pounds in the last year in India. Traveling/expat life and being fit don’t really go together, especially in India when it’s a few bucks for a 3 course meal and there are so many new things to try.

I haven’t worked out since High School soccer and that was six years ago. I also eat like a 15-year-old boy. Ben and I eat dinner out most nights and lunch often too. Appetizers, main course, and dessert! It’s amazing and horrible. June 9^th I turned 25 and apparently that’s when metabolisms stop! I need help to figure out how to stay fit while traveling.

I know this super fit chick, Lindsey, who runs Mango Fit, and always saw her killer abs popping up in my FB newsfeed. I told her to save my body from self-destruction and figured instead of keeping her advice to myself I’d share her words of wisdom on staying skinny and healthy while you travel.

Handing it over to Lindsey, my new online personal trainer ;) Look at those abs…. I mean, clearly you should hear her out!

Lindsey from Mango Fit:

There are two things I truly enjoy in life: Fitness and traveling. I am far from an expert on traveling, but have tons of experience and knowledge on fitness and health.

I have had the privilege of training in some of the most well equipped university workout facilities and was taught by some of the most educated and tough strength trainers in the U.S. Since my college volleyball days, I have learned a lot about living a healthy lifestyle. It’s realistic for most people; even if you’re one who enjoys traveling!

Yes, of course, I am doing it to live a long, healthy life… but I will be completely honest, I do it mostly because I love to feel good about the way I look in my clothes and my bikini.

I am pretty sure most of you would agree, when we travel, we want to experience the culture. We all know delicious local food is a big part of learning a culture. It’s highly unlikely you have access to the local Urban Active or YMCA to get a quick workout in.

So you finally get to your destination; you weren’t able to fit all your workout gear into your bag and you may not be in an area where it’s safe to go for a run by yourself… So what will you do to stay fit?

I have created a list of exercise circuits plus 10 tips so you can choose from and do in a confined space keep your nutrition in check while still enjoying your travels to the fullest!

High Intensity Interval Training (straight from your hotel room)

In general, the absolute best type of workout you can do when you don’t want to spend a lot of time is HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. This is basically doing an exercise or cardio for a short period of time at a high intensity, then resting.

But I will stop with all the technicalities and get to the example workouts. Just remember if you want to get in a quick 30-minute workout before your day begins, do short bursts of any exercise for a short period of time and then rest and repeat that for 5 (or X number of) rounds, then change it up for a new round of exercises.

It is also great to utilize some sort of weight, so be resourceful with what you have. Use your backpack or water jugs or even large rocks. It doesn’t really matter, just get active and moving for at least 30 minutes a day and I promise you will feel good about yourself and enjoy your travels without having to worry about any weight gain.

TIP: Fit it in first thing in the morning! This way you can enjoy your day worry-free…and your “plan” to do it later doesn’t get skipped because of your exciting day of sightseeing!

HIIT Exercise Options: (repeat each set 4-8 times)

Set 1: Squat jumps x 15-20

Jog in place 30 seconds

Rest 20 seconds

Set 2: Plank holds 20 seconds

Floor Run 30 seconds

Rest 10 seconds

Set 3: Burpees x 15

Squat holds 30 seconds (can include weight)

Rest 20 seconds

Set 4: Lunges in place x 20 (can include weight)

High knees 20 seconds

Rest 20 seconds

Set 5: Ski jumps x 20 (hop one leg to the other side to side)

Push-ups x 10 (on knees if necessary)

Rest 20 seconds

Set 6: Bicycle Abs x 20

180-degree squat jumps x10 total

Rest 20 seconds

Hopefully this gives you a good idea of what HIIT is. It can be done with running/sprints or really any kind of exercises. Once you get a good understanding, you can start to make your own combinations of exercises.

[Note from Rachel- I’m so out of shape I only do 2 or 3 sets of each (except burpees, I can only do one) and in just a week I swear I can see a difference! I do it barefoot inside my house since it’s monsoon.]

10 Tips and Tricks for Fitness and Travel

1. Balance out your day. If you know you are going to some delicious restaurant or heavy food for dinner, try to eat healthy throughout out the day. On the opposite side, if you want to eat a giant breakfast, eat healthier/lighter options throughout the day.

2. Drink Water. So important for everyone but also great to control overeating!! I enjoy my adult beverages, so if I know I will be drinking some later that day, I will drink even more water throughout the day.

3. Eat and Embrace Local Veggies and Fruits. We know both are very nutritionally sound AND it gives you the opportunity to try fruits and veggies you may have never had in the states.

4. Eat Carbs Early in the Day. Not always possible, so if you can’t follow this rule, refer to tip #1.

5. Days you Eat Heavily, Be More Active. This is partially an exercise tip, but on days you know you will be eating heavier food, make sure you get some physical activity in.

6. Protein, protein, protein. Eating foods that are lean and high in protein is going to also be nutritionally sound. Protein helps you build muscle, increases immunity, helps you lose weight, along with many other benefits

7. Don’t Overeat. This is pretty obvious, but we all know how hard it is to eat only until we are satisfied, especially when we are eating some delicious new foods. This will be huge in maintaining your weight because at the simplest level, it’s all about calories in and calories out.

8. Walk if You Can. Obviously if you aren’t in a safe surrounding or the hike will put you in pain, don’t walk, but if you have the option to take a bus or walk a manageable distance, WALK! Who knows what kind of cool things you may come across!

9. Bring a small snack. In a perfect world, I recommend eating every 2-3 hours. This helps keep your metabolism up. While traveling this is difficult and I know your backpack may not have any spare room; but really how much does a small bag of almonds take up? You’ll be thankful you have them when you haven’t eaten in hours and only have unhealthy options readily available.

10. Balance Out your Week. Goes along with number 1 but on a larger scale. Maybe pick a few days where you will enjoy some extra heavy, delicious food and try to eat as healthy as possible the rest of the week. This way you can enjoy the food without the guilt.

Lindsey Mango is the mind and body behind Mango Fit. She has a passion for training clients with fitness programs and provides meal advice. If you’re nowhere near her, that’s okay because she provides her services online. Mango Fit helps people take back control of their lives through health and fitness while creating a team of individuals who dream of having the same impact. If you want to be a part of her fitness community and get abs like hers check out her Facebook page, Instagram, or e-mail her at mangofit3@gmail.com

The post Mango Fit Shares How to Stay Fit While Traveling first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Mango Fit Shares How to Stay Fit While Traveling appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Most Popular Travel to India Questions Answered

Rachel Jones — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 01:30:11 +0000

I’ve been answering a lot of questions from potential travelers to India. Some of the questions are things I never even think to post on this website. I’m going to address the basics of travel to India now with some reader e-mails I have received, so perhaps you’ve even been redirected here in a reply from me about FAQ India & India travel tips.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE getting emails from my readers, but found that I was answering the same questions very often, which was a failure on my part. It means I didn’t have enough information on Hippie in Heels.

Most of the time when friends travel for the first time and get nervous, I just tell them it’s a bit of culture shock.

THEN there’s India for the first time. Culture shock times 10. It’s gonna blow your mind. You’re going to have moments when you freak out and cry and other times where you’re just happy and making friends with locals. Every day SOMETHING will shock you. But you’re going to LOVE it, and I have never met anyone who has regretted coming to India.

Why Can I Answer These Questions?

I’ve traveled India extensively! Whether it’s budget travel or luxury travel, I’ve experienced it all. And, yes, that’s including the grosser aspects.
I’m an expat in Goa and have been for quite some time. I actually just wrote a whole, comprehensive guide to Goa that’ll make Lonely Planet outdated! You can purchase the e-book here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel to India

Here are all the questions I’m asked about travel to India! This is a long post, but do tell me if I missed anything!

Do I need a visa to travel India?

UPDATE: There is now a 60-day visa on arrival for select countries. iVisa charges an admin fee, but does all the work for you and allows you to submit it way ahead of time, which the government one doesn’t allow. It’s your buffer so you don’t deal directly with the government site and they assure your documents are all sorted. You can easily get a quote here for it.

Here is my guide for a Step by Step Indian Visa application for Americans if you are staying longer than 60 days and another guide for UK citizens applying for their Indian visas.

You can get your visa expedited by going into the office. You must mail them your passport- this can be scary for people the first time they get a visa but is completely normal. Use FedEx and do immediate delivery, which is quick and can be tracked.

Make sure that your passport has at least six months left before expiration. Your visa will last six months from the time it is made, NOT the time you enter the country (this is the case as of when I got mine in 2012. I cannot find information if this has changed). Plan accordingly! You’ll need to apply for a multiple-entry tourist visa.

What airline should I fly with to India?

It’s less about what airline and more about which airline is the cheapest at the time. I use Kiwi to search and book. They combine low-cost carriers so you can fly a big airline to India and a low cost from Delhi/Mumbai onward. (Check Kiwi prices here)

Read here for more on how I book cheap international flights

This is dependent upon which country you are coming from. From the U.S. I always find great deals with United Airlines/ British Airlines, and I’ve since signed up for Star Alliance to gain points with them. When looking at last minute bookings for return flights, it seems Air France offers a great deal. Round trip from Ohio to Bombay I pay no more than $1,400 if I book a month in advance.

Do I need travel insurance or are hospitals cheap?

You DO need insurance. For something like a broken arm, you will be out 3,000 USD. It’s as low as $200 for 5 months in India. I got sick in India multiple times and having insurance is a good way to feel safe and secure when they say you need extra testing done.

I strongly recommend World Nomads! It’s super easy to get a quote, and you’d be surprised by how much it covers for cheap!

Here’s my post on what exactly is covered in World Nomads

Do Indians speak any English or is it impossible to talk to them?

Many people speak English especially in big cities and tourist towns. Some may speak English only a little, but it is one of their national languages along with Hindi. You can’t bank on that though in very very rural areas that have never seen a tourist. It won’t make much difference as you most likely won’t be in very rural areas since they are unsafe (I’m talking TRULY rural, like

It won’t make much difference as you most likely won’t be in very rural areas since they are unsafe (I’m talking TRULY rural, like the middle of nowhere Bihar). In the touristy places, the drivers and such will at least know enough to get you around.

If you want to make friends with the locals, bring perfume samples for the women! They LOVE them! I am taking loads back when I get to the US to stock up.

What resources do you use while traveling in India, including books and websites?

I use Kiwi for booking all my flights international and domestic.

In general for hotels, I stick to Agoda these days as I’ve gotten some good deals but honestly, it’s always changing.

In Goa, I highly recommend Airbnb for a villa instead of an expensive hotel. Sign up now and get $35 credit toward your first booking. The credit doesn’t expire.

For specific search results, I like reading blogs more than travel guides. Travel guides make everything sound amazing and wonderful when it’s not always the case.

I download Lonely Planet to my tablet AND took the printed book. I use it less for restaurants and where to sleep, but so I know which temples and such to see and like to read the history of a place before I go. Absolutely buy the book and research ahead of time.

Of course, if you’re going to be in Goa a while, I recommend my e-book.

Also! I have a Facebook group exclusively for travel to India! Join here and ask away!

What port should I fly into?

This is dependent upon your chosen itinerary in India, but most likely you’ll enter through Delhi or Mumbai. Budget airlines in India are incredible, so even when I’m flying round trip Goa to USA, I still only book Mumbai to USA and back. I book my domestic flight in India separately.

In Delhi, Mumbai, and other major airports, there are both domestic and international. You will take a free shuttle between to the two to get to your connecting flight. When leaving India, make sure you are very clear to your drive which airport to go to.

You MUST have a ticket, whether printed or on your phone to enter most airports in India. The line is longer to get in the airport that to get your bags checked often times. You will need to run your to-be-checked bags through a security check as soon as you enter the airport before you line up for your boarding pass. They won’t tell you to do this, but you must or they won’t check your bags.

Keep in mind; if you fly into Mumbai in the evening, the last domestic flight to Goa is at 10. If you miss that you will have to wait until the earliest flight at 6 am. It’s a bitch. I usually get in around eleven which is not quite enough time to get to a hotel, shower, sleep, and come back.

If you take an airport taxi, choose a government approved one. Not all prepaid taxis are the same.

Fields of Munnar

How much will I spend? I’m going for six months.

UPDATE: Full India budget breakdown here based on 20 USD per day.

I think you would be safe to say 1,000 USD a month if you are traveling like a bum backpacker which is what I did a couple years ago on my first trip. I never chose the higher priced option, always stayed in the cheapest guesthouse (usually anywhere from 4-10 USD and luckily could split that with a friend for one month). I feel like each year the prices go up and I don’t know if you’ll get these same prices.

Because I live here and am not hopping around, I can stay in nicer places. This amount also only counts if you travel by LOCAL bus and LOWEST class train, if you don’t shop a lot, if you get only one massage a week, and eat the cheaper menu options (which is usually Indian fare at about 3 USD per meal). I also didn’t do tours other than the camel safari in Rajasthan. With this budget you would be able to afford cabs; rickshaw only for you- or better yet, walking.

Read: How to haggle in India

If you plan to take 3rd class A/C or 2nd class A/C, stay in mid-range guesthouses, shop quite a bit for souvenirs, take one flight, and eat western food, that price is easily going to jump to 1,500-2,000 USD per month.

You can’t think “just because it’s India, everywhere is cheap”. Today (in India) Ben and I spent 120 USD at the grocery store and 14 USD at a coffee shop. If you want a true vacation and want to live it up, you can quickly accidentally spend as much in Mumbai as you would in London.

Where should I go and what route should I take?

I explained the itinerary I took in India, but that’s not for everyone. You have to decide if you’re here to party, to live in the city and club life, or if you want the “spiritual” route. I chose the so-called spiritual one, although skipped hotspots like Auroville hippie commune and French Pondicherry.

For more suggested Itineraries:

I don’t want to go to touristy places. I want a unique experience. What do you recommend?

In the nicest way possible, I recommend you let go of that worry or concern. India is off the beaten path. It is unbelievably unique and intense. I’m all about finding new places, but I’ve been in India almost 4 years all together and am very comfortable with that. Initially, I don’t recommend you trying random places on a map.

You can go all day in a “touristy” place and not see another westerner. They aren’t that touristy! I’m all about trying rural places, but I’ve been here a while, I wouldn’t recommend it to someone their first trip to India.

Again, try Airbnb instead of hotels if you want to be in with the locals and not in the backpacking scene. It’s not always more expensive especially here where a hostel is a novelty at 700 rs and you can get a room in a house for 500 rs or less. Here’s that code again: Sign up now and get $25 credit toward your first booking.

Fore more reading, these are my 5 favorite cities in India!

What are the best budget airlines in India?

In general, I search on Kiwi for all my flights since it includes budget airlines and doesn’t rely on code sharing.

My guide to budget airlines in India could prove helpful if you want to know what airlines are ranked higher than others. They are pretty much all the same, though.

I’m nervous I’ll get sick from the food or get malaria! What medicine should I bring and which vaccinations should I get before departure?

It’s okay to be nervous of the food, but I feel like the food actually made me feel healthy (although I gained loads of weight!) and I didn’t get sick from it. Here are 15 tips for not getting sick in India on street food. Anytime I have gotten sick, it’s imported European food. Indian food never makes me sick. Of course be careful with street drinks with ice. Other than that, chai and street food is okay. If you’re really nervous, just know that worst case you can eat rice, bread, and steamed veggies if you’re on a budget. If you’re not on a budget, you don’t have to eat Indian food at all if you don’t want to.

Feel free to drink juices from restaurants, and eat raw fruits and veggies. Just make sure they are washed! You can ask politely and you won’t offend anyone. Even Indians will want to make sure their lettuce is washed before they chow down on a salad.

Because I’m a nurse, I get so many health questions which I am okay with. I must say though, this is all my opinion and it differs greatly from what many doctors will tell you. I don’t take malaria medication, there is no prevention for Dengue which kicked my ass, and I didn’t get extra vaccines. Here are the vaccinations I already had, and this is what I pack in my first-aid kit, which is super tiny.

I do recommend health insurance and used World Nomads when backpacking India. You can use this box to test how much it’ll cost you for health insurance backpacking India:

You say you are a hippie and I hear India, especially Goa, has great drugs… So, can you tell me how much they are and where to get them?

No, no, no, no! Sorry, guys. There are drugs like everywhere else in the world but you need to be very careful and know that even though people bribe police, you can’t bank on that and you could end up in prison. Like any country, they are illegal. I did write about bhang lassi in Jaisalmer, as it’s a culturally accepted drug, but that’s all I have to say on the matter.

Ok, is it true- do I have to eat with one hand and wipe with another? What IS the toilet situation?

Well, you got it right. First off, you will eat with your hands sometimes. If there is silverware on the table, use it. If not, finger food! Why bother with forks or chopsticks! Totally unnecessary. Use your right hand. Your clean hand.

Ok, on to the toilets: You will see western (normal) toilets or squat ones. No matter which it isn’t that hard to figure out and you won’t think much of it until you get sick to your stomach and wish you had somewhere to sit!

Toilet paper access…. you’ll have it some places which is great but you can’t always flush it- you need to throw it in the trash. You can bring wipes with you to keep in your purse, which is what I do in places like Mumbai, or rural areas, but definitely on trains and buses for late night stops. When you have neither option, there will be one of two things, a water hose to spray off, or a bucket and tap. The sprayer is genius and actually incredibly clean like having a shower. It’s what I use at home. The water bucket is the worst. You will fill it and use your left hand to splash water on yourself. It’s hard sometimes to get used to. Always wash up after!

What are the hostels like? I am afraid my things will get stolen while I’m out. How much will one night cost? Will there be showers?

Hostels are new and novelty in India, meaning they are expensive for what you’re getting. I only recommend them if you are worried about being alone. Usually, a shared dorm and bathroom goes around 400 Rs to 700 Rs.

Most likely you’ll stay in “guest houses”. If you have only traveled in Europe, this will seem strange at first. If you’re familiar with SE Asia, it’s quite similar, although half the price. You’ll have a room to yourself with a huge padlock and an attached bath. The places I stayed were always listed as “budget” options. I paid no more than 500 rupees (10 dollars) a night, and that was rare. Usually 200-300 rupees for a non-A/C room. I only had a shower a few times, but actually, a bucket shower is going to be easier especially since you may not have hot water. Once you get used to bucket showers, it won’t seem like a nuisance at all.

At beach locations, there are many stories of huts getting robbed while you are out. You may want to take your own padlock, make sure the windows lock (if there are any), or as the front desk to lock up anything valuable.

In Rajasthan, you’ll be lucky enough to stay in Haveli’s, which is just beautiful with amazing courtyards. Make sure to pick one out. It’ll still cost the same!

More hostels are starting to pop up in the bigger cities and I’ve heard good things about Stop Hostels and Zostels, while personally have stayed at Vedanta Hostels which were clean and full of travelers, like these ones below.

I want a “life-changing”, soul searching experience. I want to find myself and hear India is the place for that. Eat, Pray, Love!

Great to hear. Make sure you stay true to yourself. Check out an ashram in Rishikesh. Do Vipasanna at a quiet location for ten days of meditation. Do early morning yoga every day every city you stop in. Sunrise hikes. Sunset yoga. Take a class to learn reiki, yoga, massage in the mountains, or art in the desert. Find love in Goa! Go to Auroville and live in a true hippie commune. Spend time exploring the Western Ghats.

Here are 5 spiritual events in India you could plan to partake in.

But most of all, realize that the trip as a whole is what makes it life changing. Have fun with it! India will change you even if you don’t want it to. You could go there and not have one single plan, but you’ll eat too much, pray at hundreds of temples, and probably love too!

I want to take a week long yoga retreat in India or do a yoga reacher training course – where should I do it?

The top places for this are Rishikesh, Goa, and Dharamshala but you’ll find courses everywhere like Mysore and Kerala too. There are two reputable sites for this that compare review from yogis.

Use bookyogaretreats.com for retreats and bookyogateachertraining.com for YTT. Filter by the top recommended then compare reviews to see what sounds like the best class for you. Don’t book something without reading reviews. India does have scams. I recommend this site because so many readers use it to book their classes and all say it is the best resource they know.

What is the Indian Head wobble?

The more I turn Indian, the more I wobble! It means yes, no, maybe so, or maybe not. It’s so funny and you’ll probably start doing it before you even understand it. You’ll catch on to gestures before you do words. Eventually, you’ll be able to tell the subtle differences or wobble for what the person is saying, and even if they have a little bit of attitude!

Is it safe to travel alone as a girl?

I started Hippie in Heels as a way to share my tips on how to travel safely as a girl and just overall to tell girls to stop even making that an issue. It doesn’t matter what sex you are- you can travel safely in India! As I write this I am on a plane alone to Chennai, and only because the trains were booked. Read these 14 tips for solo female travel in India and check out why backpacking India is an incredible option for a unique gap-year.

Make sure you dress appropriately. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts.

I answered an e-mail for a reader asking how to get rid of those butterflies before a solo trip, check it out if you’re a little nervous to travel alone.

Most recently I wrote this article The Truth About Traveling Alone after hearing a lot of feedback from readers who traveled India alone after feeling overwhelmed. Please give it a read.

I’ve also written specifically about traveling alone in Goa as a girl.

Travel agents I’ve talked to don’t have much information on India and say they can’t book my trip. Can I get a travel agent in India to sort everything for me?

Before going to India:

Travel agents in the US can book things for you (hotel, flights) but I don’t recommend this. If you want help planning or to do a tour, I 100% recommend going on a tour with G Adventures so everything is cohesive. I know many people who travel India with them including some amazing readers who emailed me feedback and I am so happy that they do such a great job here!

While in India not on a tour, traveling solo:

Unless you are Indian, speak Hindi, and are a great negotiator, then no, you shouldn’t use an Indian travel agent to book your trip. You can and should use them to book individual legs of your journey, like a train ride from point a to point b.

I know it can be stressful to wing it, but it’s no exaggeration to say that you will pay 10 times more money AT LEAST for a driver to take you around India and 5 times more money for them to book your hotels, train tickets, bus tickets, etc.

It also leaves you no freedom at all to change course and stuck with a driver that does this route for a living and will try to take you in every textile shop on the road to make a commission.

Don’t worry about getting places in India. They have a way of getting things done here. “Anything is possible” people always tell us, and it’s true. You can book a day in advance by bus to go just about anywhere in India. You’ll have freedom and it’ll be a hell of a lot cheaper. Give it a whirl and don’t give in to the offers for travel agent bookings. They are going to rip you off. Everything is negotiable in India including hotels and taxis. Not only will they not negotiate, but they will make a higher rate so they can take a cut and the hotel still gets paid more than they typically would.

What should I pack for a six-month trip? I’m going to be on the beach and in the mountains so I have no idea how to fit it all!

You have come to the right place. I’m a pro at packing. I have lists galore on Hippie in Heels about packing, but the one that you should start with is my ultimate packing list for backpacking India. From there, you will see more links to other packing tips.

And so many ask me, “Should I even bother bringing a bikini?” Yes! Of course, you can.

Will be computer blow up if I plug it in? I’m afraid the electricity will break my gadgets. Should I take something to protect them?

Refer to my post on what to pack (question above). I talk about the tech gadgets I travel with in India. I use a universal adapter to plug in my US based products and have had no issues, although as the Globetrotter Girls recently found out, computers can get altitude sickness, so keep that in mind while in the mountains about 10,000 feet.

I’m worried about train and bus travel. I’m afraid it isn’t going to be safe. Don’t they crash a lot too?

When it comes to the safety of person and personal belongings, you don’t need to worry as long as you follow a few safety rules & pack a chain for the trains. I actually find bus travel safer in India in regards to theft than in SE Asia and many big cities in Europe, like Barcelona. They might scam a little because they get greedy, but they are not thieves for the most part. I know I’m generalizing but I am grown to trust so much more in India than when I first arrived.

They will put your bag under the bus or on top, but always keep valuables on you. On trains, beware of people getting on and off at night as it’s not regulated in the lowest class. How to book and choose classes of trains and how to choose between local and tourist buses takes some getting used to, but after a few weeks you’ll have it down.

Trains and buses can crash. Obviously, take a look at your driver and see if he’s drunk. This is more an issue with rickshaw drivers than bus drivers. The mountains can be a little crazy in the winter and sometimes buses won’t run. Yes, they crash. It’s in the news a decent amount. But like a plane ride, it’s a risk you take. I actually worked with a nurse who crashed on a major highway and has back problems to this day because of it.

Are there ATM’s in India and do they accept foreign cards? How much should I withdrawal?

You’ll be able to find an ATM most places. I can almost guarantee you won’t end up in a place with no access to cash unless the ATM is empty- fresh outta dolla bills. I take out 200 USD at a time. 10,000 rs is usually the max on ATM withdrawal.

When should I go? I want to see all the different regions like the mountains, desert, and beach but have only 2-4 months in which to do so.

India is very seasonal with the monsoon in the south and the snowy road closures up north. Luckily these happen at opposite times so you can plan your trip better. I went to India and started my itinerary in October went to the mountains off-season which wasn’t ideal, but made for an interesting experience.

You should try to go at a reasonable time to make the best of your trip, but if you make a mistake or go somewhere “off-season”, it’s all going to be okay. There are perks to traveling off-season. I have outlined the seasons in India elsewhere on Hippie in Heels.

you won’t see green like this in Goa unless you come off-season

I’m going to travel alone. Will I make friends easily? I’m worried I won’t meet many other backpackers here.

Making friends in India as a backpacker is not like Europe. I want to be open about that because you can’t come alone with the expectation you will find someone to travel with. Here are some tips for meeting friends in India, a post I wrote because I get this question a lot.

In India there aren’t hostels like Europe, there are guesthouses, which you will have a room and bathroom to yourself. You can meet people in the market or at a restaurant, which is why lonely planet guides are nice to tell you where the tourists (aka your new best friends) are. My first 4 weeks in India I met some cool people, but never shared a room, never took a bus with anyone, or shared anything with anyone. I was completely alone. I never met anyone on the same path as me.

You must be prepared for solo travel. After a month, I needed a friend. It was fine and dandy, but I was starting to get bored at night. I met Chloe on Couchsurfing message board- a girl looking for a travel buddy in Himachal Pradesh. We messaged a little and met up in Delhi. I traveled with her for the next month which was so fun, plus saves a ton of money.

Here is a post on where to meet people traveling in Goa, specifically.

surfing lessons in Varkala

When you see someone that looks friendly, it might be the only backpacker you see for a couple days. You need to approach them! You won’t make friends being an introvert. If someone doesn’t seem interested in chilling with you, remember you are in a place that people come specifically to “find themselves” and all that, so they may need peace and quiet.

I hear such bad stories about the toilets and traffic. I’m afraid it won’t be relaxing enough or what I’m looking for. Should I go to Europe instead?

India can make even the most saint-like patient person, CRACK…. Lose their mind… go bonkers. It’s just a chaotic, crowded place. I’m sure you‘ve read it before: the smells, the sights, the cows in the road, the beggars, the traffic and honking, the scams, dirt, and pollution.

Whatever you are expecting, times it by 10. It’s like nowhere else on earth and love it or hate it, you’re going to have to suck it up and get by.

Every time you want to scream (which you will), there will be another day where you feel like the luckiest person on earth and you start to cry for no reason other than the feeling of being blessed.

You live in Goa, I was wondering if you can give me the insider tips that you’d give your friends.

Happy you asked! I’ve written an entire post dedicated to that- the Ultimate Guide to Goa as well as a Guide to the Goa Monsoons, Top 5 Tips for Goa, and 3 most FAQ about GOA. You can also search Goa in my search bar to the right for all Goa posts on food and nightlife.

Want more? Here’s how to spend 3 days in Goa and here is 50 things to do in Goa.

What is the internet connection like and should I get a phone or will there be internet cafe’s to get on Skype?

The Internet is great in India whether 3G of Wi-Fi options. Most hotels offer it, although some only have connection near the main desk. Make sure you ask if you need to pay extra. One time I was told after, “I saw you use the internet on your phone many times, please pay for that [insert obscene amount]” even though when I asked for the password nothing was said.

Restaurants will have Wi-Fi and give you the password on their request. They change them daily so no one steals! I used my iPhone and connected to Wi-Fi often, but also had a crappy Nokia I got in Bombay for 1,200 rupees and bought a SIM Card for. SIM’s are convenient, cheap, and easy. I recommend them to everyone coming to India. If you don’t have a phone that can take a SIM card, then I recommend Trabug.

I don’t want to travel on a budget- I want to live it up in the most luxe places on offer!

Go for it! If you want to live it up in Mumbai or Delhi it’s going to cost you twice that of Goa. The Leela’s, Taj, and Intercontinental’s are incredible 5-star hotels all over India. I’m also dying to stay in an Oberoi. There are world famous restaurants and chefs all over, not only cooking Indian but Thai, Japanese, Italian, Fusion- you name it.

You’ll try the best Indian wines and drink bottles of champs all night at fancy clubs, where you pay extra for VIP seating. You can hire nice cars to avoid buses or fly everywhere. There are even luxury trains. The beach resorts fill up with people like Brad and Angelina, and Kate Middleton and Prince William on the regular. Rich Indian women own 11% of the world’s gold, so you better bet they dress to impress! Have fun with it.

PHEW! That was a lot of questions. A few last minutes bits of advice:

Here are 100 travel tips for India you HAVE to read.

Indian time is not on time. The person you met most likely will be late.

There are plenty of places that do laundry on the cheap, usually right there at your guesthouse.

Do NOT fall for the 20 most common scams.

Pudin Hara will cure your belly problems. Just ask the chemist.

Only got one week? That’s a little odd, but I think you should then do the Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur.

GET TRAVEL INSURANCE! I do recommend health insurance and use worldnomads when backpacking India.

Keep in mind some temples, it’s NOT ok to take in your leather purse.

10 mistakes everyone who comes to India makes

Men are peeing everywhere, all the time. Ew. The streets in some cities just reek of urine or a little cow poo. It’ll be okay though and these negatives are small compared to wonderful India.

Get Henna done by a girl and give her a nice tip because they charge so very little. Consider doing henna on your nails!

Embrace the bindi. It’s a beautiful accessory. Any night I go out, I wear one.

10 tips for first timers to India

Everyone will want a photo with you. It’s fine not don’t take them with each boy individually. Tell them one group photo only. Set a limit or you’ve just given up the next hour of your day while the line grows.

Massages are different. They massage really close to your special bits haha. That is normal! They won’t exit while you undress either.

Not sure about coming to India? Here are 10 reasons you need to come to India now.

Rickshaw negotiations can be intense whether you are white or Indian. Try not to let it get you down but also stand your ground. Don’t pay outrageous prices, or they’ll never stop doing it.

Cows can and will head butt you and throw you down if you get in their way!

Pin “Travel to India FAQ” for later!

The post Most Popular Travel to India Questions Answered first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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WARNING: 20 Common Tourist Scams in India

Rachel Jones — Wed, 21 May 2014 05:33:54 +0000

India isn’t usually the gap year backpackers’ first choice destination. Maybe because of the onslaught of smells and dirt, or maybe it’s because of the horror stories of scams in India happening to travelers.

From jewelers, and cab drivers, to the cable man, I think in a year and half I’ve had every scam attempted on me that India has to offer.

Maybe if I warn everyone about them they won’t be afraid to travel in India. Some happen in places other than India too, but without further ado, here you go!

Before coming to India do not forget these two very important things:

Travel Insurance. I use World Nomads which is what Lonely Planet recommends

a VISA. You would be surprised how many people email me saying they showed up without one and got sent home. Click here to see what one you need and GET IT ahead of time.

Also buy a copy of my India Guide Ebook. The massive 100,000 guide will plan your entire trip to India from visas to itineraries and comes with maps showing the iconic landmarks, adventures, and itinerary options here – plus has loads of real reader FAQ answered in each chapter.

20 Common Tourist Scams in India (most have been tried on me!)

1. “Your hotel has moved places/burnt down/changed names” this most likely isn’t true and the driver is going to take you to his friend’s place and take a commission. On the way he’ll ask if you are hungry or need a pashmina. Anywhere he drops you on the way, he’s getting commission. Unfortunately, India is not the place to ask your driver to take you to the best local food in town he’ll just take you to his cousins’ place. If you get to know a driver and use him often, then you can start to build trust.

2. The SIM card scam: if you buy a SIM while in India, you need to fill out paperwork, give a copy of your passport, and a 2×2 photograph, which is one of the things I’ve told you which paperwork to have handy! If they don’t ask for all that, they are either giving you a used SIM meaning you’ll get calls all day from rando Indians, or they aren’t even planning on filing your paperwork which means your SIM you just prepaid 500 rupees on will shut off when it isn’t verified. As a tourist, it might be best to go straight to the main office of Vodafone, Idea, or whatever company you choose. Vodafone is the worst. They turned three of my SIM’s off!

If you want to avoid this get Trabug! Trabug is a travel phone that you can have shipped to your hotel in India. This phone has the internet and all kinds of India travel apps on it. It’s more expensive than a SIM, but SIM cards are sometimes a huge hassle for foreigners in India (plus if you have to buy an “unlocked” phone anyway, this is likely cheaper). You don’t want to be in India without access to the internet.

3. While driving in a taxi, if the police stop your car (and no one else’s) and tell you to pay a road fee, they’re lying. The cab driver might be a good guy and tell the cop no, which happened once, or he might be a bad guy and tell you he can’t go until you pay. You can either pay the “fine” or “fee” or “tax”, whatever they call it, or you can argue. In the end if the driver won’t go, and you’re going to end up paying. It won’t go to the road, it’ll go for his next beer. On the other hand, tolls are real and the passenger does have to pay.

4. The 5 extra cocktails on your bill. That itself isn’t the scam. You’ll tell them you didn’t order them, and they’ll say “whoops, that was another table!” They will say okay, let’s subtract that amount. The scam is the service charge of 15% and luxury charge of at least 10% was taken from the first and higher amount. Make them make you a new bill if it’s high enough to matter.

5. Giving your driver or shop owner 1000 rupees and waiting for change, just for him to say you only handed over 100. You just have to argue this one out but to prevent it, you should show it very clearly as you hand it over. Most times, in a scam like this if you involve people on the street the driver will turn honest very quickly.

this nice guy charged me such a low fare, I tipped him triple the cost of the ride, but not all drivers are this way

6. When taking photos or certain people or animals (like cows that are dressed up or elephants on the street), someone nearby is expecting a tip. It isn’t a law or anything, but if you don’t pay expect to be yelled at!

to sit on the yak is Rs 50, but you better hope he doesn’t take a step- who knows what they’ll charge for taking a ride on the yak!

7. The beggar’s milk and the children’s pens: When you think, “I won’t give them money and make the begging situation worse in India, I’ll give them what they need. I’ll go to the store and get them milk for their hungry baby! Or follow these kids to the store where they want pens for school!” The pens thing is big in Hampi and Kerala. The milk scheme is popular everywhere. The beggars and kids have deals with the stores and will return the product when you leave. It’s a sad scam because you are trying to help and get ripped off. Eventually, you get jaded in India and you your heart stops hurting for people… that’s when I know I need a little escape from the chaos.

Sorry cuties, you’re the best- but no pens for you!

8. “Pashmina? Cashmere? Only one thousand rupees!” Ok, you’ll never get real cashmere that cheap, so you know right away it’s fake. You can negotiate him down to 500 but you’re still overpaying for the product which is a fake silk/blend. You know what though, they are so beautiful it doesn’t really matter!

9. Buying a week or two long tour through an agent when you’re stressed is a bad idea. They will charge you a higher price for each leg of a driving route, and a higher rate than normal for each hotel, WHILE they take commission on each night’s sleep. Keep in mind local buses can get you from point A to B overnight for somewhere around Rs 300-700 no matter where you’re going. Don’t give into the temptation because of stress. I met loads of girls who paid for these “tours” (driver and hotel) and all paid more for two weeks than I did for three months with shopping my butt off!

10. Fake train ticket offices. These are tricky and happen all over the world but just use you best judgment. This was the worst one that (almost) happened to me in Delhi and made me want to punch a biatch!

11. Kids or “Holy men” putting flower bracelets or red string on your wrist while saying “it’s a gift!” It’s not a free gift; decline!

we got these from our kind massage therapist teacher in McLeod Ganj, no strings attached. Get it?

12. The last one brings me to the “Pushkar Lake Scam”. This one is cute. The Holy man will do a ceremony for let’s say an agreed Rs. 100. He’ll ask how many people in your family and bless them, each and every one. After he’ll say, “you misunderstood. 100 rupees per person in your family. Pay me 500 or I will curse your whole family!” Like I said, it’s a cute one. Pay Rs 100 and walk away. You can’t let people get away with things like that and they won’t follow you; you have the right to pay what’s fair and leave. Better yet, like one reader told me- “put the money in the donation box, the correct amount, like you’re supposed to!”

if you participate in a ceromony, and someone “gives” you this, you will need to pay them

13. “The Name Game” If there is a popular hotel or restaurant, you better bet there is another one with a similar or even the exact same name nearby. If it’s a popular place, you can bet your driver knows it. If he takes you to the wrong ones, he’s done it on purpose. It’s good to remember what the place looks like online!

14. Trick Question: Are pre-paid taxis at the airport always the best deal? NO way, Jose. Bombay, Delhi, and Bangalore all offer pre-paid taxis at obscene prices. A meter is the best deal but it’s almost impossible to get a driver near an airport to use one. You want to go to the GOVERNMENT approved pre-paid stand like MERU cabs and pay the Rs. 50 for a ticket for the driver. The driver will then meet you outside and will use his meter! Follow your GPS for shortest route.

15. Get a receipt if you pay upon arrival at a hotel. I have had a couple of places try to make me pay again at check-out swearing I never paid. This goes for more than hotels really; any tour you go on or anything you pre-pay for, get a receipt. If at check-in to a hotel you agree on a set price to pay later, get it in writing.

the rate was set… but he didn’t divulge that it was hourly, not final.

16. Someone coming up to you saying they want to give you directions, or help you find something, is going to ask you for money after. If you are in somewhere touristy like Varanasi and someone starts to tell you about what’s happening, they are going to DEMAND money after. As soon as they start talking, tell them you aren’t interested. They will say “no, no, I’m just being your friend”, but they aren’t. Sadly. If you want a guide, go for it, but work out a price ahead of time. Even airport employees will do this! I was yelled at in Bombay by an employee once he pointed out where the ticket printing counter was outside the airport- apparently he didn’t think that should be a free service. He followed me, yelling at me for about five minutes until I lost my cool and yelled back at him making another employee come over and I’m assuming he got reprimanded, but really, who knows?

cute kid followed everywhere in Jaipur and wanted a tip- it’s hard when it’s a kid

17. “Meter is broken, Miss”. OK, it’s not broken. In Bombay it’s illegal not to use a meter now (although near tourist attractions they will never turn it on for you). When you say you’ll tell the police, the invisible meter fairy always fixes the meter. Taxis that don’t use meter outside Bombay: agree on a price ahead of time. Show them the map on your phone if they do use a meter (even if it’s a fake map), so they go the shortest route. It will save you money and prevent anger issues.

18. Keep in mind, just because they are willing to use a meter, doesn’t mean that the meter is set appropriately! Just use your best judgement. You’ll get used to how fast the meter should run. If it’s going too quickly, call the guy out on it, threaten to tell the police, and leave. If you get to your destination and you KNOW the amount you should pay because you take it often, just give that much. The driver will not argue because they know what they’ve done. I’ve done it often when it’s a fee I know well. You can even say, “you must be able to tell that meter is broken, see how fast it went? I know you are an honest man, so you won’t charge me that price. You’re taking it to get fixed now, yes?” Since the guy knows he’s caught, it’s an out for him to take without being embarrassed and will prevent a fight.

19. If you hire a driver for the day and leave your bags in the car, first off take photo of the license plate and his information in the car. Secondly, don’t pay him until the end of the day and don’t leave your valuables in the car.

20. When you rent a bike or car, take photos of the damage already there and show them. Know that you take a chance of the renter stealing his own bike from you and then making you buy a new one. You could lock it up. I have never heard of this happening in Goa. We did rent bikes in Hampi and one tire blew- they made us pay 3,000 for a new tire. There wasn’t anything we could do.

If you will be spending a week or more in Goa (which I highly suggest) then do check out my $25 e-book. The Insider’s Guide to Goa is 170-pages long and will guarantee you have the best time in Goa, meet other travels, and chill at all the coolest places. Click here to purchase.

If all of this stresses you out, don’t freak out. You don’t have to travel India alone!

If you want to go with a group tour, there is one company I recommend: G Adventures. Lots of my readers have used them and loved their trips. I usually travel alone, but it’s not for everyone. Read up on the “truth” of traveling India alone.

Bonus tip: Hospitals in India are not above the small scams. When I was suffering from Dengue Fever, which has no cure & just needs platelets monitored, the hospital in Varanasi pushed me to get many tests down like a CT and chest x-ray that as a nurse, I knew I didn’t need. These are expensive even in India. Before your trip do yourself a favor and get travel insurance. You can go ahead and get the tests done that they suggest without worrying you are being ripped off or worrying that you actually do need the test. You can submit the claim later and get your money back. I’ve always used World Nomads.

In this post are affiliate links, meaning I get a small percentage of sales, but all opinions are my own! You can see all my travel resources on my “travel resource” page.

Pin these scams to avoid in India for later:

The post WARNING: 20 Common Tourist Scams in India first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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Don’t Go To Delhi Until You Read This!

Rachel Jones — Fri, 16 May 2014 03:38:49 +0000

Delhi was not kind to me and Delhi scams can be harsh to handle. Luckily I had already been in India a month before I came here or I would have thought India was a drag. So what happened in Delhi?

1. I got Dengue Fever

2. Couchsurfed at a creep’s place

3. Almost got scammed while the police did nothing

Doesn’t sound like fun, does it?

Many travelers in India have had negative experiences in both Delhi and Bombay. After re-visiting Bombay many times with friends that were born and raised there, I see a whole new fun side of the city. Delhi could have been the same way, but I’m not looking forward to going back because my experience was so negative.

As a backpacker, I would advise either wandering Delhi with a friend, or meeting a female couchsurfer to show you around and help you avoid popular Indian scams.

I go by my policy of India, that if you keep and open mind and heart, India will show you its magic and beauty. But, if you let the negatives of India bring you down, India will stomp on you until you book an early flight home or decide not to leave your hotel room.

Sadly, I let the negatives bring me down in Delhi; I was punished by seeing none of its charm!

credit: flickr

I was meeting a French girl, Chloe, in Delhi. We met on the Couchsurfing page as we were both looking for someone to go to the mountains with. I’d been solo for four weeks and was hoping for a travel buddy. The host she got for us said last-minute he only had room for one, so she found me another guy on Couchsurfing as I was moving around and had no internet. Traveling solo in India is safe for females if you’re smart about it, but I was happy to have a friend in the empty mountains off-season.

Acquiring Dengue

Unbeknownst to me, there was an epidemic of Dengue fever in Delhi while I was there. I got bit 4 times on the metro and that was it- I was delirious from the fever. Damn you Delhi mosquitos! If you haven’t read about what having dengue is like, you should. It’s worth a few minutes of your time.

It also made me SO thankful that I had travelers insurance because I spent the next month in and out of hospitals and clinics. I use World Nomads Travel Insurance.

This is my second time using this Snooki GIF on my blog; someone slap me

The Couchsurfing Creep

I went to our public meeting place, which is one way to stay safe using couchsurfing, and my host was about an hour late. When he did show up, he asked me to pay for a cab to his place, and I said okay not thinking anything of it. I should have sensed something was off when he was trying to negotiate a cab down to hardly pennies while showing signs of anger that the drivers wouldn’t budge.

I was promised a separate room with a single bed. Seeing that he could hardly pay for cab should have made me perk up and think, “wait then how does he have a two bedroom home…?” Maybe I was just too sick to think.

We arrived at his place. One room with a hard floor or a yoga mat type piece I could have shared with him. I was annoyed by this but didn’t say much because my fever was getting worse. It was way too late at night to wander around looking for a hotel. Plus, on this trip I didn’t travel with 3g only calling, so had no way to search and Delhi is not the place to trust a driver to take you to a nice hotel.

He had no bottled water and told me it was “too dangerous” to go buy some. He offered me water from his fridge saying, “it was from a bottle that I poured in here.” I was pretty sure he was lying but drank it anyways as I felt like I had a furnace inside me.

In the middle of the night in his non-A/C room on the floor I started getting delirious. I didn’t know it was Dengue and thought I’d been given bad water. I tried to wait it out. I asked if I could turn the fan on, and he said “no, I don’t like it”. So I went through the fever in 105-degree heat while on the verge of tears.

Around 5 am I said that I felt like I was dying and needed to go to a doctor. He tried to hold me hand and rub my chest, as if that would calm me? This guy was a weakling so I wasn’t afraid of him, I just pushed him away like “ew you whack job”. I told him basically to fuck off, and I left to find Chloe at the metro early.

Chloe’s host said he’d make room for me so Chloe came with me to get my things and we were off to her host’s place. Thanks for that guy being awesome and dealing with me staying at his place while I was seriously sick. He was from somewhere in South America; I hate to make such a bold statement but don’t stay with an Indian man in Delhi on couchsurfing. There are some good guys, some of my best guy friends are from Delhi, but it’s not worth the risk.

Keep in mind when I was there the infamous “Delhi Gang-rape” hadn’t happened and there was no tales of women at risk in the papers until after that made international news. I didn’t have fear in Delhi because I didn’t know better.

I did some research seeing where other bloggers prefer to stay in Delhi and hostel chains that I’ve worked with in other areas of India who have opened rooms in Delhi to make a little list of options for you to consider. It’s the same list I’ll be referring to when I go back.

The Leela for 5 star heaven

If you want hostels, these are come highly recommended: Zostel, Madpackers, & Moustache

Shanti Home & Scarlette Boutique hotel for boutique properties in Delhi that are under $100 a night

The Delhi Train Ticket Scam | Delhi Scams

After Chloe and I met, and she probably assumed I was a bit pathetic because I just kept saying, “I feel like I’m dying”, we went to find a ticket out of Delhi, while stopping every twenty minutes for me to sit down as blackness came over my eyes and I fought the urge to pass out.

We walked for ages looking for the train station, neither of us having a map or internet. Once we found it, we saw that the tourist quota line was shut down for construction.

Tip: Now that I know how 3g works in India, there’s no reason not to get a SIM and pay the 100 rs for 1 gb data!

The trains were booked out, so the tourist quota I’ve used before helps travelers like her and I keep backpacking with separate reserved seats. They (men in uniform) told us to go to the new office, gave us the address, and a rickshaw driver knew just the place.

The place was his friends fake train ticket office.

We walked past a police officer into the fake office where about four guys were eating lunch and no computers were in sight.

One guy pulled a laptop out and said he’d book them for us. He told us there were no beds on the trains and we’d have to take a bus. He said there were no sleeper buses, just locals, and it was going to cost a figure that I knew from experience was at least 5x the normal rate.

Being that I had no sleep thanks to dengue, felt like I was going to vomit all day, had just been walking in the hot sun for a few hours, and had a guy try to rub me down… I lost it a little. A little… a lot… I called him on his scam, realizing it wasn’t even a ticket office, and the site he was on wasn’t the booking site.

Him and I yelled at each other, he waved his fist in the air calling me a bitch. It was messy. I went completely bonkers. Chloe told me to chill out and we would just leave.

I told the cop outside, “you know they are fake, how can you just stand here!?” I haven’t had this much aggression in me since my soccer days when girls would elbow!

I judge a cities safety on whether or not I can trust the police. In India the answer is no, you cannot trust them. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Delhi gang rape I mentioned above. It shook the nation. That year 1 in 700 people were actually prosecuted for rape. There is a culture here that puts the blame on women and this video by an Indian comedy group explains that a little bit more through sarcasm. Just read the comments by Indian men and you’ll see what women here put up with.

We finally found the real “new” office and got tickets out immediately just so I could get sick on the bus as it winded up the mountains. Turns out, other bloggers have written about getting scammed by this same exact thing and it’s one of the top India scams. Real shame I didn’t know about travel blogs a year ago!

Giving Delhi a Second Chance

Looking back, I hate that I got so mad at the man. I think it’s a perfect example of how you don’t know what a tourist has been through before an incident happens. India had been beating me up and I was ready to snap. Now that I’ve found peace with the sometimes-unfair rules here, India has become an easy place to live and travel in.

I was in such a bad mood that little things were upsetting me. I was annoyed at the pollution, traffic, and car horns. Why did the men get 5 lines at the metro, and the women had to wait in one seriously long line? Wasn’t that sexist? Why were the Delhi scammers so much meaner? How dare that man kick that little dog! Why am I getting charged three times more for my chai? It’s the same all over India, but because I was feeling low, it was all intensified.

What did I accomplish in Delhi? Nothing. We went by the red fort but it had shut down for the evening. I know I need to give the city another chance, but I did have two of the worst days in my travel history in that crazy city. Now that I have some friends who live in Delhi, I will go and stay with them and see it from a more relaxed local point of view. Luckily I didn’t start in Delhi; I’d already seen a month’s worth of kindness and beauty before these horrible two days.

I can’t imagine how my trip would have changed if this had happened at the beginning of my trip. I wrote in my journal, “Delhi is the worst place I’ve ever been. Everyone is cheating, lying, and pushing”. It can only get better on a second visit.

I was handed this baby when the bus stopped, once we got off I couldn’t even find his parents for 10 min. I thought they’d left him!

If you see a tourist snap while you’re traveling, don’t get mad at them, because you don’t know what they’ve been through leading up to that moment. Solo travel isn’t always fun, and backpacking India isn’t always easy; when things get hard you need a friend!

Thank God for La Fe Chloe and finally making it to the mountains (all while holding a barf bag to my face). First stop: Shimla.

Update: It’s been 6 years since I wrote this blog post, and I never left India. I’ve been traveling all over and even wrote a book which is the ultimate guide to traveling in India. Read more about it here.

The post Don’t Go To Delhi Until You Read This! first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Don’t Go To Delhi Until You Read This! appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

6 Reasons You’ll Love Jaisalmer

Rachel Jones — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:44:25 +0000

“I find Jaisalmer too touristy… you can’t really enjoy it”

Blah, blah. Not true!

I loved Jaisalmer with a passion. I’m going to tell you 6 reasons why you’ll LOVE Jaisalmer, plus some Jaisalmer travel tips! I didn’t only love this desert town for the famous camel safari. It’s also got a still inhabited fort with massive imposing walls and surrounding mazes of alleyways. Such a fun place to explore and daydream.

The fort is literally a giant real life sandcastle. It’s magical. It was bustling with trade to Persia, but eventually Bombay took over, and now Jaisalmer is like an ancient town stuck in the past.

IS the camel safari touristy? Well, if only I had a hobby of riding camels around the world so that I could do a comparison for you guys. In reality, I don’t decide if something isn’t worth my time by how touristy it has become. All that matters: it’s a fabulous escapade over soft rolling sand dunes just kilometers from Pakistan. That’s pretty cool.

Like all great attractions in the world, it has brought in curious people, but I’ve expressed before how you CANNOT let the threat of being labeled a tourist stop you from seeing the wonderful world!

You do NOT have to constantly “stay off the tourist path”. Sometimes, what the tourists are doing is a great adventure, and even without the safari, Jaisalmer is that, an adventure.

6 Reasons You’ll Love Jaisalmer

1. The camel safari.

Of course! This is the number one reason because it was incredible and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I have another post dedicated to the details, read it here tomorrow.

2. The landscapes.

Remember the sandstone buildings I told you about in Jodhpur? Times that by ten! I don’t care if there are 10 million tourists (there weren’t), I felt like I was in an ancient hidden town of India. Granted, I was there October, just before the crowd comes rolling in.

I could wander the streets all day, not see hardly any other western faces, gaping at the intricate carved details on the havelis that have magically held up over time.

Each state in India varies so drastically in food, dress, and customs; Jaisalmer is no exception. The further into the desert I got, the darker and prettier their skin, the brighter their eyes, the more colorful the turbans, and more sequined the sari.

The women just keep layering on the gold and I couldn’t help but wear a couple jiggling anklets myself. I got more henna, more piercings (my friend had her nose pierced with a nail on the street!), and more photographs of kids.

It is truly like walking through a movie set. I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real. I didn’t take classes here or try anything new, other than the Fort… I really just spent my time sitting around, drinking chai, and people watching.

Someone would bump into me with a basket, and before I knew it a cobra would be feet from my face. I didn’t have to find adventure; it came to me in Jaisalmer.

3. The Fort “Jaisalmer Fort”.

I loved touring through this old fort, and people still live in it. It used to hold the entire town, but now only 4,000 people live there, mostly Brahmin, the highest caste. The sandstone the fort is built from took the color desert sand, so as the sun changed it stayed cleverly camouflaged and giving it the name the “golden fort”.

Tourists are allowed to stay in the fort as well as a very decent price. There is substantial overcrowding and deteriorating plumbing. It is considered a little unethical to stay in the fort, and I found just touring it was fun enough for me.

The fort is busy with people and full of merchants as well as positive vibes! It’s a strange thing to be in a still in use fort, that hasn’t been turned into a museum.

Be ready to tell vendors no on repeat. I have never seen such lighthearted jokesters of merchants like here. They had funny signs about ripping tourists off, Viagra, magic bed sheets, and it made it much more relaxed.

there are views of the fort from every angle! even when I hang my clothes out to dry

4. Bhang Lassies.

Bhang is from the cannabis plant and is prepared and mixed in a yoghurt fruit drunk for your pleasure. This is considered a drug in many eyes, but not in India. This is part of the religious culture in India and shops are government approved.

There are a couple shops right before the entrance of the Fort. Prices are insanely cheap. You can get cookies as well. I have a list of tips, but please do be safe because they make these very strong, sometimes so they can take advantage of your state of mind.

5. The Shopping.

Like everywhere else on the planet, I found good shopping here. Jaisalmer is known for it’s camel leather. They say they wait until the camel is dead, so no harm is done. Some say it’s not even camel leather at all.

Either way, I got lots of braided leather bracelets as gifts, a purse, and shoes for my mom, a couple cotton tank tops, and a leather crocodile Dundee hat for my brother, which was a massive hit! I purchased my leather from Vijay Leather Works on Asani Road. He does wholesale. You can call him at 02992 252 247 or e-mail him at vijayleatherwork@yahoo.co.in

What is THE BEST BUY in Jaisalmer, or all of Rajasthan? Hand embroidered wall hangings. I think Jaisalmer has the most beautiful of them all. Of all the ones I examined in Rajasthan, here had the most options and detail in design. The problem is, they are quite pricey being near a tourist attraction. It’s up to you! I’m actually going to write an entire post of this in the future!

6. Dinner with a view.

Like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer has many rooftop restaurants that offer views of the Fort while you eat. I wanted to branch out a little, and had dinner at a Royal Hotel by candlelight with a new friend, Beth.

I tried jeera rice (rice with cumin and peppercorn) instead of regular, but stuck with my favorite order of palak paneer, cheese naan, and dal.

As for where to stay…

& one thing I didn’t love about Jaisalmer

My bad experience with Hotel Garden City

After almost missing my bus from Jodhpur, and a horrible bus journey, I came into Jaisalmer at around 4 a.m. Traveling solo, I like to arrange a pick up from the hotel I’ll stay at. In India I usually pick a place to stay ahead of time just by calling and confirming they have a room.

Rates are low and competitive, so most will offer a free pick-up to make sure you stay with them instead of one of the other hundreds of guesthouses in the area. The hotel agreed to pick me up at 4 a.m. For the first time, a hotel disappointed me with pick up and I had to haggle with loads of rickshaw drivers in the dark, not even sure where the hotel was.

The room was to be 400 a night, and I paid half that for the rickshaw to go 2 minutes up the road.

don’t forget this is what a bus ride is like overnight in India!

Now for the bad part, the nightshift guy woke up, let me into my room, and went back to bed. The room was horrible. I do NOT have high standards when I’m traveling budget, especially in India. I mean this was a cheap room; I wasn’t expecting much.

Maybe a sheet or blanket… a towel… working water… a fan.

I digress. So I got in my sleeping bag and slept for 3 hours. When I got up, I couldn’t get out of my room! It had not been communicated to the day-shift worker that I had checked in.

My room had been dead-bolted from the outside.

Being too far away to be heard, I had to crawl out the window after a 10 minute call for help.

My tired grumpy ass got the key, got my stuff, and told them they weren’t getting a penny before I stormed off.

I always have back-ups in case a guesthouse doesn’t work out and I headed there. I stayed at Hotel Swastika (a peaceful sign that Hitler twisted into a hateful reminder). I was greeted with green tea and a cute little room right across from a bookstore. Thanks to hot water, I finally got my clothes a little cleaner (I’m not a great hand washing… I’m more of a swisher). The room was 250 rupees (5 USD) a night. Contact for reservation at 91 2992 252 483.

Extra tip: ATM’s often run out of money here so get enough out before you come in case there’s an issue.

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Why You Should Hire a Car from Jodhpur to Udaipur

Rachel Jones — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:38:30 +0000

Most times, people take buses and trains and wouldn’t consider hiring a car. It’s a little different in India, where car hire can be quite cheap. I once took a mountain car ride through treacherous roads for 10 hours and paid a fee of 70 bucks that I split with my friend.

You MUST hire a car from Jodhpur to Udaipur, if you’re going to do it anywhere. It’s a gorgeous drive.

Extras You’ll Get to See:

1. Kumbhalgarh Fort.

Here, you won’t want to stay the night unless you have lots of time to kill. You need about 2-3 hours to see the majority of the fort and you can hire a guide to teach you it’s history. This Mewar fortress is about 2 hours outside Udaipur (80 km). I didn’t spend time here, because Jodhpur is all about forts, and I was a little sightseeing out. There is a Hindu temple inside. It was built in the 15th century and people lived there until late in the 19th century. Pretty cool!

next…

2. Ranakpur Temple.

Located in Desuri Tehsil near Sadri town, in the Pali district, this temple is closed to non-Jains before noon. We got there early and had to wait. Jains are quite strict, so you can’t take in ANY leather, not even your purse. Make sure you are very covered up and leave your shoes at the door. There are some smaller temples here as well called “sun temples”.

You could stay for lunch, but you really only need an hour. This was built in the 14th century by a Jain businessman out of pure marble. There are 1444 marble pillars holding this temple up, and no two have the same design! This is known as the most spectacular Jain temple.

then you’ll seee…

3. Dilwara Temples.

Just near Ranakpur, this was very cool to see. This is a Jain temple in a small village. Prayer is important on Mondays, so it’s quite packed then. This is 2.5 km from Rajasthan’s only hill station, Mt. Abu, and is a pilgrimage for Jains. There are 5 temples here.

up next…

4. Villages and Farms.

You’ll pass little monkeys, herds of cattle, and people is colorful saris and turbans. You can buy bananas on the side of the road and feed the animals if you wish, but the monkeys are a little feisty, especially the moms. You can also see the water-wheels drawn by horses or cows. We even saw camels walking down the road.

More Tips & Safety

Of course you need to show your driver on a map the exact places you want to stop at. The worst thing is to underestimate what the driver is worth, which will make him feel under-appreciated. If you take a long time touring temples, you need to discuss that with your driver. Keep in mind, he will be waiting outside in the heat for you! You can ask your guesthouse for help with a finding a driver.

It’s best to find a friend to share a car with. When I was getting a car from Dharmsala to Amritsar, I put up signs and got 5 phone calls with people who wanted to share rides! Saved me tons of money. This is definitely a good option to try. If you don’t want to work it out yourself, you can look for Rajasthan tour packages on various sites and do you research to see which tour you prefer.

Always make sure you let someone know if you are going alone. Call ahead to your hotel letting them know your arrival time; do this in front of your driver. He’ll know someone is waiting on you and that you have a cell phone. Sometimes if I feel uncomfortable leaving my purse, etc in the car while I tour temples I will take a photo of the driver’s license plate. I let him see me do it so that he knows I could find him if need be! If you end up taking a train or bus in India follow these safety tips.

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Everything You Need to Know: Traveling India By Bus

Rachel Jones — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 02:39:59 +0000

In this article, I am going to tell you all about booking a bus in India, how to get around India by bus, and tips for safety on buses in India. For backpackers, sleeper buses are the best option to save a night’s accommodation but I’ll also share about when to choose a train over a bus when traveling India. If you’re planning a big trip to India, check out my India ebook which is your complete guide to the best of India from my 6 years of experiences traveling and living here.

Being from the Midwest of America, I didn’t travel by bus and train until I went to Europe years ago. I can remember being troubled by the London tube. Before coming to India the first time, I was nervous about transportation. Not safety, but just how to get from point A to point B traveling India by bus and train.

There were challenging times throughout the journey, but like the Dabbawalas in Bombay, Indians have a way of making things magically work. A lot of transport in India is just letting them tell you what to do and following blindly.

These days, you can book a train ticket online (here’s how) and a bus ticket as well with Redbus; but previously only Indians cardholders could. The best way to get it all set up is to make a cleartrip.com account and set up your train tickets through here. Because trains are often booked, I traveled by bus a lot. In Rajasthan, bus travel is much easier.

If you don’t set up an account then you need to book in little side-street shops as you travel. I was used to rolling up at a train station and booking things on my own, so it was a twist to let travel agents do it in a shady back alley, giving me a piece of paper and pick up time and place. You must trust.

You’ll have to decide between local and sleeper buses. I’ll explain what that means! And to stay organized keep in mind I have this post on bus travel, another on train travel, then a post on safety on trains and buses in India.

Budget Travel in India for Transportation

I always take sleeper trains and buses to keep me on budget and India was no exception. Trains are usually cheaper for overnight if you travel by sleeper class or second class. Local buses are just as cheap, but when booking through an agent it won’t be local, it’ll be a “sleeper” bus. So, if you are budgeting go to the bus stop the day of and just get a ticket rather than a sleeper bus.

Local buses are so cheap you won’t even make a dent paying, but I try to take these for four hours or less. I did take one for 12 hours once. What was I thinking…

It was like a kid’s school bus, but so full that when going around turns in the Himalayas, half the bus had to get off so we didn’t tip over or get stuck. While freezing cold, the people hanging out doors let the wind come in full blast. Lesson learned.

Booking a Bus: Go Local or Sleeper?

I do prefer trains for comfort, but in most instances, it was more convenient to travel by bus. In Rajasthan, sleeper buses would leave from nearby, while I would have to take a rickshaw 20-30 minutes to catch a train.

I would have saved a lot of money taking the lowest class train (and by a lot, I mean 200 rupees…) that sleeper buses. In Himachal Pradesh in November, trains weren’t possible at all, neither were sleeper buses. It was local buses all the way. Yikes!

If you want to go totally local and the cheapest way possible, just go to the bus stand and buy a ticket the day off. Most times, they won’t even let you buy ahead- you just need to show up when the bus is there and buy it from the driver’s helper-man. It only happened a couple times that I paid more than people going to the same place as me, but it’s so a small amount of money… best to let it go. I’m talking maybe 3o-100 rupees. Pick your battles!

When traveling by local bus, you must know when to get off to switch buses. You’ll switch throughout the night and may have to wait hours for your next bus. I would guess I paid on average 100-200 rupees for buses like these for the overall trip.

Sometimes you will get a seat, other times there are none assigned and you might have to stand. I have stood WITH my backpack for almost 3 hours before (and that was a connection from that 12 hour bus ride from hell!).

Chivalry is dead.

Even though local buses might give you a ticket and “seat”, this is meaningless most times as they are SO crowded with people standing and hanging out the doors. If you get up you may never get your seat back. You can argue right and wrong, but it will get you nowhere.

Is this not sounding like your style? Don’t worry there’s a better option.

If you pay a little more money (600 rupees or so) you can have a coffin to sleep in on a sleeper bus. This bus will take you from point A to B without you having to worry.

They are meant to wake you when it’s time to get off (the bus will keep going to more places), but lets be real, you can’t trust that happening, and it was about 50/50 for me. I take a Travel Alarm Clock and wake myself up with enough time to pack up my sleeping bag and pillow. If you’re curious what else to pack for India click here.

What You Can Expect on a Sleeper Bus

You will have an assigned seat aka coffin all to yourself. You’ll have a window view on one side and an isle on the other. Coffins are stacked on top of each other. If traveling with a friend, it’s cheaper and cozier to get a double coffin.

Don’t expect blankets, pillows, water, etc. It’s bumpy and noisy with rattling doors of each coffin. I actually get a decent amount of sleep on these once I get cuddled into my sleeping bag. I like that I can close the isle curtain.

You will pay a tip for the driver to put your bag in the bottom of the bus and just hope that it actually makes it to your destination. I have never had problems and don’t hear many stories about thieves on sleeper buses in India like you would in SE Asia. Sometimes there is no “bottom” and you can keep it in your sleeper. Other times, they put it on top. It never looks like they have enough straps for that so I always worry it’ll fall off! Obviously keep all valuables and paperwork on you.

Safety Tips

I have an entire post dedicated to safety on Indian trains and buses. I think sleeper buses are safer because you have a little door you can slide shut and there are usually other backpackers and families on there. The down side, especially in the mountains, you have a risk of a bus crash.

Driving in India is hectic, and I’m a new learner, now lover, of their honking way of life, but if you have bad nerves, maybe stick to a train (and hope it doesn’t derail. Just kidding.)

If you’re headed to India, check out my guide to planning your trip. It takes you through visas, flights, itinerary, what to wear, and more. I also have a post with 100 tips for travel in India that will be helpful for you!

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Tips For Traveling India by Train Solo

Rachel Jones — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 21:25:25 +0000

Traveling India by train can be fun and safe. First, you have to know how to book your ticket. But then you need to know which class to book. In this article I want to talk about the basics of traveling India by train like how to pre-plan it, the route, and what type of seat to get.

Traveling India by Train: Tips on Booking & Classes

I will break it into sections of booking a ticket, which train class to book, foreign tourist quota, tatkal, waitlist tickets, and safety. Please note that I also have an article on how to travel India by bus and another article on safety for trains and buses in India (which also touches on when to take which).

Booking a train ticket in India

The easiest way is to use 12go.asia who book you a true Indian railway ticket and email it to you at a fee of like 50 cents (more information here). You cannot book on the Indian railway site yourself, as they, unfortunately, do not accept foreign cards – only Indian. This is best if you want to book online before your trip. The prices listed are the same as on the Indian rail website, then they add their fee.

You may prefer to wait and use a travel agent in India. This is about the same thing as having 12go.asia book your ticket, except you’ll go into a little travel agent office in India and do it in person. You’ll pay about 100 rs ($2) to an agent to book for you and give you the train ticket. Most people want to book ahead because trains can and do fill up. It is worth it especially in peak season of December and January or on popular routes like Udaipur/Mumbai or Mumbai/Goa.

If you decide to wait and book in India, make sure you have what you need. You must have your passport and in some instances a copy of your passport. You always need photos and paperwork handy in India. If the station is close you should go straight to them to book, but there’s nothing wrong with using an agent. I had a hell of a time getting almost scammed on a train out of Delhi, and you don’t want to end up with a fake ticket.

You want to look at the Indian Rail website and jot down the information to take into the booking office if you are having them book for you. You’ll have an idea of when you can head out and how much it’ll cost so you aren’t scammed. Make sure you have a form filled out completely before you get to the front of the line. If you aren’t in a tourist line, beware of line jumpers! Don’t get into an argument, but simply say, “this is my place. You are behind me.” Usually, they are annoyed but a little embarrassed to be told off by a foreigner. You have to learn to be a little more assertive in India or you’ll never get anything done.

I HIGHLY recommend that you stay online in India. You can get a SIM card and put it in an international unlocked phone. If you don’t have a phone like this, try Trabug. Trabug is a travel phone that you can have shipped to your hotel in India. This phone has the internet and all kinds of India travel apps on it. It’s more expensive than a SIM, but SIM cards are sometimes a huge hassle for foreigners in India. You don’t want to be in India without access to the internet.

yes, I’m all sweaty because it was over 100 degrees, but at night you’ll be happy 2A/C has a blanket!

Which Train Class to Book in India

You not only book by class, but by tier, meaning how many berths there are in the compartment. Second class 2 tier will be more expensive than 3 tier.

I hear whisperings first class is nice, but I wouldn’t know….

I took the three tier A/C once (referred to as 3A) from Bombay into Udaipur, 17 hours, for 1755 rupees. This was a lovely train ride. A/C was a little too cold but blankets were provided and food was offered at an extra fee.

I advise you to request upper tier at time of purchase. When it’s time to wake up in the morning, the bottom and second tier are put up so that people can sit on the benches and eat breakfast (yum samosas!). If you are on the top tier you can lie down and sleep the whole trip. Make sure you wake up for a little bit to get some chai; they sort of don’t let you sleep through their offerings, “Chaiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!”. You’ll hear it all morning! Some say don’t eat and drink unless it’s packaged, but that’s not really living, now is it?

I preferred to go the cheaper route after seeing how nice the trains were and went sleeper class or second from there on out. The busiest sleeper trains I took were in areas like Delhi, Allahabad, and Varanasi. Even so, I still have no qualms with sleeper class. You can expect an assigned bench to yourself, although others may crowd in. Nothing will be provided; doors will be open therefore very windy and cold at night.

There is also second class (not to be confused with second class A/C). This is not a sleeper. These are just free-for-all benches that you can fight over and cram in. People will be sleeping in the isles, some even sleeping while standing up! I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s shocking and smells faintly of urine, but exhilarating and a must do at some point during your India trip. I only took this class twice but LOVED it.

As a foreigner, people are curious about you and that makes this a perfect time to chat with the local people. Although “chatting” means an Indian man asks you so many questions you can hardly keep up answering. “Where are you from? Where are you going? What do you study? Are you married? What’s your father do? Do you need a tour of my hometown?”

Curious fellas. I have been videotaped and photographed while pretending to sleep or while looking at them with an expression of “ok, that’s enough now”. To pretend I didn’t deal with frustrations would be a lie, but looking back it wasn’t that bad.

Foreign Tourist Quota

India really wants you here! So much in fact, that they have a certain amount of tickets that haven’t been sold just for you. You need to go into the station and wait in line at the “foreign tourist” line. These are “emergency” tickets therefore you can only do this the day before or day of travel. This is how I got out of Bombay to Udaipur on a “booked” train. This is not for Indians or anyone on anything other than a tourist visa.

Unfortunately, only big stations have these foreign tourist lines. These are Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Secunderbad, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Varanasi, New Delhi, Agra, Aurangabad, Mumbai, Rameshwaram, Vadodara, and Vasco da Gama.

You can also access foreign tourist quota online now if you have an IRCTC account.

Waitlisting and RAC

If you are waitlisted, it means you buy the ticket but are given no seat and you may not get to go on the train. If you are waitlisted in the first 20 then you can probably go as they save 20 seats for government fellas. In the top 50 you’ll probably get to go as well. If you don’t then you can get a refund for your ticket.

With RAC on your ticket, it means you are sharing a seat with someone unless they cancel. Better than nothing right?

Tatkal

There’s a good chance I’ve overloaded you with information, but perk up, this is important! I was struggling to get to Delhi from Varanasi for a flight and Tatkal saved me. These are emergency tickets for anyone. You will pay up to 200 rupees to use this service and it is not offered at all stations.

Here is how it works: Tatkal starts at 10 A.M. for one hour only. Whatever the booker can get booked while tatkal is on will count as a ticket. He will pull out applications from the pile in the order in which they were received. You need to show up when the office opens, no later than 7 A.M. to be in the front of that pile. Wait until 10 A.M. when things get manic and he starts inputting data and printing tickets. I arrived at 7 but the line was already long in Varanasi. By 8:30 he had my paperwork and I barely made the cutoff during tatkal. Luckily, I got a seat! This ticket cannot be refunded or canceled.

Non-used tatkal tickets are then released to those waitlisted. This is better than being on a wait list. Sound crazy? Don’t forget there are almost 1.3 BILLION people in India. There’s a little more to it that’s a bit too hard to explain (and understand) like when agents can access tatkal- some can. Because of misuse, this information and timings are changed regularly.

Getting Off Your Train

You really don’t want to sleep through your destination. Unlike Europe, there is no one announcing the stops. You need to set an alarm and be aware of where you are. If you are a small stop, you may have only a few minutes to disembark. Be prepared.

If at your destination you cannot check into your hotel for hours, you can leave your belongings in the cloakroom for about 20 rupees. If you arrive by train at 4 or so in the morning, keep in mind most buses don’t start running until 7, even local ones, so you might have to hang out to catch a connection.

Safety on Indian Trains

I have an entire post dedicated to safety on Indian trains and buses. I think sleeper buses are safer as a solo traveler that lowest class train because you have a little door you can slide shut so no one even needs to know who’s inside. Many sleeper trains I took were mostly men and although trusting of the universe, I did sometimes get a little jumpy. The real worry is that the train will derail. Trains crashes happen everywhere, but I sure seem to read about a lot of Indian ones.

Now that you are caught up on traveling India by train, here are more tips for planning your India trip

I have a step by step article that takes you through planning your trip to India. Read it here.
Flights: Kiwi. You can easily fly all over India for $200!
Visa: I use and recommend iVisa for everyone coming if it’s under 60 days
If you’re headed to India, you can also check out my Guide to India which is a 100,000-word ebook with 6 years of travel knowledge – it will make sure you have the most epic trip. Read more about it here.
Visa for more than 60 days: Here are my posts for US Citizens and for UK Citizens explaining the process
Travel insurance: World Nomads. Here’s my full post on what exactly it covers and doesn’t.
Hostels: my hostel guide to India here.
Hotels: Agoda
Tours: G Adventures. I have a list of the best itineraries I suggest for group tours in India as well.

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15 Tips for Drinking Bhang Lassi in India

Rachel Jones — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 23:04:42 +0000

Before I tell you my tips on how to drink bhang lassi in India, I want to paint a little picture of Rajasthan… but since there ARE photos in this post (lol) feel free to skip ahead, I suppose. Rajasthan is a very unique state in India. In the desert, with buildings that blend in with the sand, you’ll see painted elephants in the streets and ATM’s that are constantly out of money (this happens more often than you’d think!). You feel like you’re in a movie. Like you’re really far out there and no one can find you. But, they can find you. It’s quite touristy, but as I’ve said before, Who Cares!?

Mostly vegetarian, the food is superb and the shopping is even better (including great deals on hand-beaded wall hangings).While touring through the majestic town of Jaisalmer, looking at the men with bright turbans smoking charas in a chillum (like the guy below) or drinking opium tea along side the road, I came across a “Government Approved” Bhang Lassi shop.

On menus across Rajasthan, Bhang Lassi is referred to as “special lassi”.

Tom Maisey govt. bhang shop

Keep in mind most towns in Rajasthan, like Pushkar, are very holy. You can’t have items like eggs, and you definitely can’t have beer. So what is bhang? It’s a form of cannabis put in a fruity yoghurt drink.

Read more: how to have the PERFECT 3 days in Goa

Sadhus, who openly partake in smoking hash. It is not taboo here.

Cannabis is part of the culture in India, partially thanks to the powerful god, Shiva, who loved his cannabis plant along with his pet cow. It is confusing what is OK and what’s not in India, especially rules on how females can dress, considering one can get hash in a restaurant but girls can’t show their thighs.

Like many articles, I must make a disclaimer: Don’t do drugs! Even Bhang Lassi! Now in the off chance that you choose to ignore me and partake in the ~~delicious~~ dangerous drinking of special lassi…

Here are my 15 tips for bhang lassi in India

1. If you don’t like yoghurt, ask for a special Coca-Cola or Fanta.

2. While you’re there, grab some green cookies. They aren’t suspicious at all. Just kidding. They are very suspicious, so just in case eat them discreetly. It’s a tricky law where you can’t buy and sell, but officials seem to be looking the other way. Best to not take your chances showing the whole world your cookies.

Reuben Strayer bhang

3. On your first try, even if you think you compare to Bob Marley in tolerance, get a “light” lassi. They make them very strong. It is not the same as smoking and bhang side effects can be stronger.

4. Do NOT take this alone. I have heard from travelers that they drank one, fell asleep, and woke up without a purse.

5. You are asking these vendors to put a drug in your drink. You are at their mercy, and you are taking a risk that they could add anything else they want; you don’t know their bhang recipe and what else they might add. As another option, you can try to make your own lassi at home or partake on Holi with locals you trust.

6. Buy from government approved shops, not street vendors.

7. Do NOT by any means drink bhang lassi before your camel safari. This is just a no-brainer… right? Possible complications due to bhang effects include: almost slipping off your camel, wobbling for an hour, thinking it’s hotter than it is, feeling like you’ve been on your camel for days, and worse thinking that you are in danger in Pakistan since during my trip 6 years ago, a couple of tourists had been killed there at that time.

8.You, as a foreigner, should not partake in smoking/drinking on the streets like the sadhus (holy men) do. They are worshiping and/or helping free their people from sin (I’ve been told mixed reports) and you clearly are not.

9. Do NOT think this is the same as smoking a joint. It isn’t. You may be loopy for hours.

10. Do NOT think that because you ate a brownie once, you are the master of all drugs edible. Do not underestimate the powerfulness of bhang drinks.

11. Don’t drink lassi on an empty stomach, and try to stay outside.

12. I don’t even know why I’m typing this… but don’t give a sip to a child or animal. I don’t know why this would EVER happen, but for some reason I feel obligated to type it.

13. If you have forgotten a few cookies and taken them on a bus/train/somewhere that you get searched, first of all you’re a silly person. Second of all, remember that this is India and ask “How much is the fine?” The best way to nonchalantly offer a bribe. Does this make you ethically innocent? Nope, but it can easily keep you out of trouble.

14. If you are in India during Holi, there is a huge increase in Bhang intake, and everyone and their father are on it. Although I’m not advising you do drugs… Holi is a fine time to give it a whirl.

15. If you see cannabis growing on the side of a street, don’t steal it. It could just be a nuisance in someone’s garden OR, in somewhere like Malana, you could get in a lot of trouble from locals (so I hear).

16. Get travel insurance! If you’re reading this considering taking bhang while here, then you are a bit of a risk-taker. Risk takers especially should have insurance. Health care in India is expensive, and a broken wrist for instance at the hospital could be 1,000 USD or I’ve heard of a bladder infection being 2,000 USD for two days on IV drips. Get a quote and see if you can afford it.. and if you can’t, maybe put off your trip until you can. It’s pretty cheap.

Ok, that’s enough tips on bhang lassi. So here’s just a little summary in case you weren’t paying attention.

Keep in mind this is a mind-altering drug. Use common sense. If you are nervous about taking it then DON’T. I don’t suggest this to anyone who has never smoked anything other than a cigarette. Actually, I’m not suggesting it at all. I’m just giving tips in case you decide to drink it. “Cause I’m a cool mom.” Remember that weed is accepted in India because of religious beliefs. Do not be so carefree about other drugs. Be safe and be smart!

Excited for your India trip? Check out my other articles on India. If you click that link, you’ll get to all my India articles from booking trains to packing. I cover just about every subject! Here are a couple posts to start with:

My India Guide and Tips Ebook Read what’s inside here. It’s my ultimate guide and if you only read this guide, you’ll be SET on your first, second, and even third trip to India.
How to find the cheapest flights in India (fly to almost all the tourist cities for just $200 in total)
How to get your visa for India

Pin these bhang lassi in India tips for later:

The post 15 Tips for Drinking Bhang Lassi in India first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 15 Tips for Drinking Bhang Lassi in India appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

10 Safety Tips for Train and Bus Travel in India

Rachel Jones — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 23:40:33 +0000

The media has been treating India like a punching bag recently… and not without reason. Even Indian media reports on the horrid incidents occurring somewhat regularly in India. This will be one of many posts dedicated to safety tips for traveling India: safety tips for train and bus travel in India.

Many of us have heard of tragic attacks in India over the years, often involving transportation and women traveling alone, and some became subconsciously nervous to travel in India. Before these stories were in the news, six years ago, I was in Delhi riding buses, alone, at night. I didn’t make a fuss of my safety because I really didn’t know I needed to – but these things had been happening then as well, they just weren’t in the news as much intentionally.

With more and more women coming forward about their attacks (the only good thing that came out of the mass attention), it’s becoming clear, if it wasn’t already, that safety for women is an issue in India particularly but not limited to being on transportation. Regardless, I will continue to travel throughout India just like many other women, foreign and Indian, will. I have 14 tips for solo female travel in India that might help you and even wrote an India Guide ebook.

I traveled solo and still continue to do so on overnight buses and lowest class trains, as well as local buses and trains, like in Bombay. I have additional information you can read here about which classes to book on trains in India and tips for specifically solo train travel.

If taking trains and buses in India is daunting and something that stresses you out, then on the longer legs just FLY. It’s so cheap here in India. Use Kiwi to search for the low cost carriers and ask hotels to arrange transport to the airport.

Here are my Safety Tips for Train and Bus Travel in India

1. Don’t take heavy sleeping/anxiety pills before an overnight bus or train. It’s so nice to conk out (and I have to admit, even I’ve done it), but it’s not worth sleeping through someone taking all your stuff, is it?

2. I took a bike chain on my first trip to India. If I were to do another extended trip by train I would do it again. I ordered this Master Lock Chain from Amazon for about 15 dollars. On buses this wasn’t necessary, and it wouldn’t be necessary on 2^nd and 1^st class trains. On sleeper class trains, it was necessary. Overnight sleeper and second class trains can get overwhelming, and I wouldn’t have slept well without this. The doors are open, people are on and off all night, and could easily grab my bag.

3. Hold your purse or “daybag” while you sleep. I wrap a handle around my arms and keep in in my sleeping bag, which leads me to my next point…

4. I never go on a long trip without a REI Trael Sack Sleeping bag, mummy liner , and a

[easyazon_link identifier=”B002PWFSEO” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Therm-A-Rest travel pillow[/easyazon_link]. Other than my contacts, it’s literally the most important thing in my bag. On trains it benefits me in that it keeps me covered from the blasting fans, keeps me covered from staring men, I can keep my purse close to me inside of it, and I stay a little cleaner in my shell.

5. Stay covered up. The trains and buses are not the places to decide you want to express yourself or something like that. When traveling local buses instead of tourist ones, and lower class trains, you’re going to looked at anyways because it’s rare. Don’t draw more attention to yourself.

6. I find the closest family on the train and make friends with their kids, or at least say hi. I make them aware, without saying it, that there’s a solo female traveler on the train. For some reason it relaxes me; if something were to happen I’d like to think our newly made friendship would send them to my rescue.

7. There is this rule in guidebooks that says, “don’t smile to men in India” C’mon. I’ve said in my post about traveling India solo that it’s an unfair silly rule. I think that the reason I didn’t have problems is because I smiled, because I offered some of my snack, and because I didn’t judge these men that stared; I chose to believe they were just curious. Even some of my Indian guy friends call me naïve for that, so take it with a grain of salt- but it’s worked for me.

8. Hold your spot! I’m not kidding, I have had someone sit on my lap on an overnight local bus in the mountains coming from Sarahan. There is no such thing as personal space on Indian transport. The worst is the Delhi metro in rush hour or the Bombay slow local. On the overnight trains, even though you buy a whole bench to sleep on… others have bought a whole bench for their whole family. I have woken up many times to people sitting on my bench, fitting into the empty spaces my curled up body made. One at the end of my feet I can allow, but eventually a line must be drawn. They almost make me feel bad for having a whole seat to myself.

9. Overnight buses: if they stop for a bathroom break, obviously take your belongings off with you to the toilet. Don’t take long because I’ve met people who were left behind!

10. Don’t sick next to the pretty Indian woman who looks nervous, like she’s never traveled before… she’ll puke on you! (and no, they won’t stop the bus for you to get water and clean off)

Before coming to India do not forget these three very important things:

Travel Insurance. I use World Nomads which is what Lonely Planet recommends
a VISA. You would be surprised how many people email me saying they showed up without one and got sent home. Click here to see what one you need and GET IT ahead of time.
I HIGHLY recommend that you stay online in India. You can get a SIM card and put it in an international unlocked phone. If you don’t have a phone like this, try Trabug. Trabug is a travel phone that you can have shipped to your hotel in India. This phone has the internet and all kinds of India travel apps on it. It’s more expensive than a SIM, but SIM cards are sometimes a huge hassle for foreigners in India. You don’t want to be in India without the internet.

The post 10 Safety Tips for Train and Bus Travel in India first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post 10 Safety Tips for Train and Bus Travel in India appeared first on Hippie In Heels.