Visa:
Americans and many other countries/citizens MUST have a visa for travel to India. This process can take up to 3 weeks. For instructions obtaining your Visa please follow this link http://www.incredibleindia.org/newsite/cms_page.asp?pageid=798
Money:
The currency in India is the Rupee, which is divided into 100 Paise.
Rupees: Rs 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000.
Coins: 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 paise and Rs 1,2 and 5.
One lakh is Rs 100,000, written 1,00,000.
One crore is Rs 10,000,000, written 1,00,00,000.
You are unlikely to come across paise. Many people will have difficulty giving change for notes larger than Rs 100 so keep bills smaller than Rs100.
Get Cash at ATMs
ATMs are recommended for cash withdrawls. In Jaipur and larger towns they are easy to access. The average daily limit for withdrawal of money from an ATM is Rs 15,000 (about $300).
Meeting People:
When greeting people avoid shaking hands unless someone is offering you theirs. You can greet people with a ‘Namaste.’ It is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching, and fingers pointed upwards in front of the chest. The gesture can also be performed wordlessly and carry the same meaning.
Eating:
Eat and handle food with your right hand only. The left hand is reserved for unclean activities like wiping after using the toilet. To practice, I often sit on my left hand at home to get used to this etiquette.
Preparations & Precautions:
I scan my passport, drivers license, and credit cards. Then, print it all out to carry in a different bag than the originals. I also advise emailing those scans to yourself in case everything is lost you can access those documents from almost anywhere with an internet cafe.
Traveler’s Stomach or Delhi Belly:
Be prepared for travelers stomach; diarrhea and/or vomiting caused by bacteria in food. Antibiotics should generally only be taken in severe cases. Ciprofloxacin, also known as Cipro, and Norfloxacin are the two most common antibiotics for this. It is safe to discontinue taking these antibiotic as soon as symptoms cease unlike with other antibiotics. You may want to ask your doctor to prescribe antibiotics to take along just in case. I always pack Immodium anti-diarrhea pills and a laxative like Dulcolax. (traveling causes digestive upset in both directions sometimes!)
Weather:
In the last weeks of September in Jaipur the average daytime temperature around 85˚F going as high as 100˚F is possible. At night temp drops to around 70˚F. Highly unlikely we will see any rain.
India: Getting Ready
Getting ready for India
Visa:
Americans and many other countries/citizens MUST have a visa for travel to India. This process can take up to 3 weeks. For instructions obtaining your Visa please follow this link http://www.incredibleindia.org/newsite/cms_page.asp?pageid=798
Vaccinations:
You are responsible for vaccinations being up to date.
Please read this India destination page at the United States Centers for Disease Control
Money:
The currency in India is the Rupee, which is divided into 100 Paise.
Rupees: Rs 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000.
Coins: 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 paise and Rs 1,2 and 5.
One lakh is Rs 100,000, written 1,00,000.
One crore is Rs 10,000,000, written 1,00,00,000.
You are unlikely to come across paise. Many people will have difficulty giving change for notes larger than Rs 100 so keep bills smaller than Rs100.
Get Cash at ATMs
ATMs are recommended for cash withdrawls. In Jaipur and larger towns they are easy to access. The average daily limit for withdrawal of money from an ATM is Rs 15,000 (about $300).
ELECTRICITY:
For charging laptops, cameras, and video cameras you may want a power converter and an adapter for India
REI sells Eagle Creek’s kit
Radioshack converter
Radioshack India grounded 5A adapter
Walkabouttravelgear has more info and converters and adapters for sale, including one that is also a surge protector
Meeting People:
When greeting people avoid shaking hands unless someone is offering you theirs. You can greet people with a ‘Namaste.’ It is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching, and fingers pointed upwards in front of the chest. The gesture can also be performed wordlessly and carry the same meaning.
Eating:
Eat and handle food with your right hand only. The left hand is reserved for unclean activities like wiping after using the toilet. To practice, I often sit on my left hand at home to get used to this etiquette.
Preparations & Precautions:
I scan my passport, drivers license, and credit cards. Then, print it all out to carry in a different bag than the originals. I also advise emailing those scans to yourself in case everything is lost you can access those documents from almost anywhere with an internet cafe.
Traveler’s Stomach or Delhi Belly:
Be prepared for travelers stomach; diarrhea and/or vomiting caused by bacteria in food. Antibiotics should generally only be taken in severe cases. Ciprofloxacin, also known as Cipro, and Norfloxacin are the two most common antibiotics for this. It is safe to discontinue taking these antibiotic as soon as symptoms cease unlike with other antibiotics. You may want to ask your doctor to prescribe antibiotics to take along just in case. I always pack Immodium anti-diarrhea pills and a laxative like Dulcolax. (traveling causes digestive upset in both directions sometimes!)
Weather:
In the last weeks of September in Jaipur the average daytime temperature around 85˚F going as high as 100˚F is possible. At night temp drops to around 70˚F. Highly unlikely we will see any rain.
We will continue to update this page, any questions? email us salaamgarage@gmail.com