by Lindsay Clark

Created on: September 12, 2009   Last Updated: September 13, 2009

India is going to rock your world, and I hope it will in a good way. Some love it; some hate it. And sometimes this reaction is purely determined by what one know before going to India. It's not like any other region of the world, and to know a few tips on how to get by is certain to improve the quality of your trip.

Always be cautious of the water. Make sure you open the water bottle yourself (and before you do, make sure the top wasn't fooled with and squeeze the bottle to make sure it doesn't bust out the bottom). Never take ice cubes unless at a nice place that ensures they were made from purified water. This also means avoid eating salads, raw veggies that have been washed, and anything where water isn't thoroughly boiled. Tell them to boil your tea water extra long. Bring Cipro in case you get diarrhea and Pepto Bismol tablets to pop before and after each meal (one each time). Your tongue will turn a little black because of the Pepto, but it works like a charm.

Bottom line: It's pretty much inevitable that you will get a funny stomach and have bowel troubles in India, but these tips will help you fight off the worst of it.

Everyone pretty much makes the same food, so it helps to learn what some of those words mean on the menu. Aloo means potato. Gobi means cauliflower. You can look this up easily so you know what sort of foods and preparations you'd like to try. Assume it's going to be mad hot...or rainy. Check the weather before you go or the almanac to see what it's usually like at that time. Think about having a room with AC unless you're up in the mountains. You will be very tired and jetlagged once you get there. Melatonin is a great thing to take with a little red wine on the plane to sleep well on the way. It's a hormone that already exists in your body to make you sleepy, and this small pill just increases that amount for a good 5+ hours of sleep when you need it (and you're not groggy later). Take a rickshaw (little yellow three-wheeled things) because it's a great experience. Know exactly where you want to go (show an address), ask a local how much it should cost, hail a rickshaw, make sure he's agreed on the price you want before you get in, don't let him tell you sob stories to raise the price, act really calm and firm the whole time, and you'll have no hassles! Get some chai (spiced tea with milk), which is almost always good to drink because they boil it a lot. When out in the city, wear crappy tennis shoes unless you don't mind stepping

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