Top Five Tips on Traveling in India

Lotus Pond, Himachal Pradesh, India

If you are planning to travel to India anytime soon, then you’d probably come prepared with a map and, in all probabilities, a copy of Lonely Planet or the likes.  You’d have found out about the top travel destinations in India and also about the cheap hotels and travel guides. I am sure your bag has a supply of medicines and a dictionary. However, let me tell you, all these wouldn’t be enough for you to travel to a place like India if you do not know some of the travel tricks to get the best out of your experience of traveling to India. What are those tricks? To make it sound a little more politically correct and appealing, let me call these “Travel Tips.” I am hoping these to be the one of their kinds, and so I use the title, “Top Five Tips of Traveling in India.” So, here you go!

1. Brush up on your Hindi to sound like someone who has been traveling in India for long. You can actually visit YouTube and watch some of the latest movies (with subtitles, of course) to get a hang of the catch phrases doing the rounds in India. If you come across as one who knows India, there are chances of people being more friendly to you rather than trying to rip you off the money, which (based on your skin color and accent) they might assume to be in plenty in your hold. This, my friend, is my first tip of traveling to India. Being an Indian, this suggestion might sound pretty rude, but the poor of the world, be it U.S. or just us in India, are always the same…they’d put their caps out and ask for a hand! J
2. The other most important tip about traveling to India concerns your travel destinations. While it is most natural to visit the most popular travel destinations, I would say that the wise thing to do is to talk to the locals of such top travel destinations and find out about the places less traveled. You’d be surprised at how much remains unexplored in this land of culture and heritage that just lies ignored for ages. What I do is this: I talk to the rickshaw pullers or the waiters at the restaurant or anyone who is ready to talk to me and ask where else can I visit (apart from the ones mentioned in the Lonely Planets and the likes). People generally share information on places that are exotic and rarely traveled. Collect such gems out of the unexplored treasure trove of traveling in India.
3. The next tip about traveling in India is to make friends. Talk to people, know them well, know their families and culture, and respect them. This way, you will get to peek inside and know the real India. Do not throw money out at every given chance; Indians do have their share of money and you do not need to feel bad for them. Make them understand that simply because your skin color is different, your economic situation is not heavenly. This way, you will avoid being an outsider and be considered rather as a friend who has a right to the interiors of Indian life and culture.
4. Traveling in India and not thinking about food? This cannot be the case. So, here is the next tip about traveling in India: get your body used to the food and water that more than half the people in this world are used to having. This way, you would enjoy the delicious Indian street food and save a mammoth amount on your travel budget. Trust me, if you tell your mind and body not to react, then they won’t. If they do not listen to you, then try out Indian Yoga; you’ll know how to control your mind and body.
5. Finally, before you travel in India, get in touch with your Indian friends. They would be delighted to have you visiting them! They will take you places and make you see things that the Lonely Planets have always been deprived of. In case if you do not know anyone in India, try Facebook or http://www.couchsurfing.org/ to find out people you relate to. If you do not find anyone at all, try us at: escapeenchanted@gmail.com and we can see how best to help you out.

I hope these tips are useful and helps in your traveling to India. For any other queries or help, please feel free to reach out at:  escapeenchanted@gmail.com. We’d be more than happy to help.

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