Has anyone travelled to India?

[Julie]

Hey doods,

My parents keep yelling at me about travelling to India: That it's a very dangerous place (terrorism in November 08) and you get sick from the food and water, etc.

I'vetold them that I'll be super careful in drinking drinks in unsealed bottles and living on cooked vegies and boiled rice which I'm pretty certain will keep me from catching anything. I've also (yesterday) had an Adacel Polio and Hep A + Typhoid vaccines.

There is also another reason I'm travelling to Mumbai (a medical thingy that I'd rather not divulge) that has my parents extremely concerned because in their view, India and other countries like it, have appalling medical care. But I've researched the medical staff on the web and they seem above board and that I'll be in very safe hands.

So.... today I'm very sad.... but I'm also a bit pissed off. My parents have threatened that if I go ahead with this medical thingy I'll have to move out when I return home and fend for myself. Not that I can't: I've lived on my own plenty of times but due to the medical thingy (sorry, can't think what else to call it), family support would be a huge help.

Now I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing....

 

[ice-is-forming]

is it the 'medical thingy' thats upsetting them or the fact that its in india? it seems a bit strange that they are threatening to kick you out because of it! i can't see the logic there *confused*

 

[Christo]

hello

have a look at the forums on indiamike.com, lots good people there, indians and non-indians..

what maggot says is right, it's hard arriving in strange noisy towns where you can't speak the language and there are no street signs.. it is ok though once u get used to it

i felt lucky that a friend warned me that delhi is tough, in his words EVERYONE is out to get your money, whereas Mumbai more relaxed, there are areas you can walk round (Colaba, it's touristy, but nice to be able to walk somewhere), being by the sea is nice... nonetheless delhi has some beautiful places and good people - purana qu'ila (i spelt it wrong) is beautiful beautiful garden

pushkar and rishikesh are easy to be in - they are on the israeli post-national service circuit, quite relaxed...

i have never been to south india but the rule of thumb is that it is more relaxed / less hassle

in retrospect the most interesting place i went, Haridwar, was at the time (3 days into trip, post-Delhi shakedown ie getting ripped off badly and shaken up at the station, and staying in a rat-infested hotel by the ganges, surrounded by 100,000 pilgrims and noise and sounds and sights like you;ve never seen before, 200 feet kali statues, incredible colours, screaming poverty) quite a shock, but after hearing indian friend's perspective ("I go there to feel calm") had a major re-evaluation).

anyway, indiamike.com is a good link to people who know better than me what they are on about..

ps about the terrorist attacks, of course do your own risk assessment but I feel quite strongly that one should not play into the hand of people who try to cut the world in two

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I taught in Haridwar

 

[Voley]

My parents keep yelling at me about travelling to India: That it's a very dangerous place (terrorism in November 08) and you get sick from the food and water, etc.

I'vetold them that I'll be super careful in drinking drinks in unsealed bottles and living on cooked vegies and boiled rice which I'm pretty certain will keep me from catching anything. I've also (yesterday) had an Adacel Polio and Hep A + Typhoid vaccines.

Terrorism? Most of India's no more dangerous than London or Madrid. A lot of it's got no terrorist problems at all. I lived there for three years on and off and never encountered anything.

Health? Tbf, you'll probably still get a tummy upset or two even after taking your precautions. Almost everyone does - even if you're super careful there's just a whole new set of germs out there you've probably not experienced yet. The good news is that the vast majority of people that go to India get a bit of travellers diarrhoea and that's it. It's a small price to pay for seeing such a mind-boggling country.

There is also another reason I'm travelling to Mumbai (a medical thingy that I'd rather not divulge) that has my parents extremely concerned because in their view, India and other countries like it, have appalling medical care. But I've researched the medical staff on the web and they seem above board and that I'll be in very safe hands.

A lot of people are travelling to India these days specifically for medical reasons. The standards in the major hospitals are up there with the West and it's heaps cheaper. There's a place in Hyderabad (I think) that did more heart surgery on Americans one year than local people. This wouldn't be happening if standards were poor. Obviously you've got to research your individual hospital fully - the cheap ones aren't any way near Western standards - but I'm sure you've already done that.

 

[Detroit City]

*Your advice will be most warmly received.

take lots of medications for the gastro-intestinal tract and stay away from the lepers

 

[laptop]

is it the 'medical thingy' thats upsetting them or the fact that its in india?

This.

Unless your parents are racist as well as, er, medical-thingy-ist?

Pushkar

Beware: that Sadhu offering you enlightenment is actually interested in lightening your wallet and/or shedding light on your genitals.

That is all. If you avoid Sadhus, a quaint enough hippy retreat


E2a: Ajmeer, on the other hand - the place that the guidebooks say "no-one stops here on their way to Pushkar" - you're getting my drift?

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Oh, and unless you are a seriously battle-hardened caner already, don't go anywhere near the Really Strong bhang lassis.

(A mild one will get you nicely battered all day)

 

[Pie 1]

Oh, and unless you are a seriously battle-hardened caner already, don't go anywhere near the Really Strong bhang lassis.

Fucking seconded

I just remember just curling up & saying 'please make it stop' over & over

( & I was fairly battle hardened at the time too - oh, the horror)

 

[Voley]

Unless your parents are racist as well as, er, medical-thingy-ist?

It's probably just a perfectly normal fear of the unknown rather than that. Most people's folks are a bit anxious when one of their children goes off to a strange country - it understandable particularly when you throw the medical thingy into the mix. Threatening to throw you out when you get back is bizarre, mind. I expect the difficulty they're having is that they've not been to the country themselves and are perhaps unaware that India isn't riddled with crime and disease.

Usually, once someone has seen the country for themselves they realise that their fears were unfounded. I think you'll be fine, Julie, and I think you'll have a fantastic time.

I envy you hugely - there's nothing like your first trip to India.

 

[Dr Jon]

I envy you hugely - there's nothing like your first trip to India.

Me too. I've been here so long I've become tired and cynical. I could do with some beginner's mind.

 

[Julie]

is it the 'medical thingy' thats upsetting them or the fact that its in india?

It's both Icey

 

[Julie]

hello

have a look at the forums on indiamike.com, lots good people there, indians and non-indians..

what maggot says is right, it's hard arriving in strange noisy towns where you can't speak the language and there are no street signs.. it is ok though once u get used to it

i felt lucky that a friend warned me that delhi is tough, in his words EVERYONE is out to get your money, whereas Mumbai more relaxed, there are areas you can walk round (*Colaba, it's touristy, but nice to be able to walk somewhere), being by the sea is nice... nonetheless delhi has some beautiful places and good people - purana qu'ila (i spelt it wrong) is beautiful beautiful garden

pushkar and rishikesh are easy to be in - they are on the israeli post-national service circuit, quite relaxed...

i have never been to south india but the rule of thumb is that it is more relaxed / less hassle

in retrospect the most interesting place i went, Haridwar, was at the time (3 days into trip, post-Delhi shakedown ie getting ripped off badly and shaken up at the station, and staying in a rat-infested hotel by the ganges, surrounded by 100,000 pilgrims and noise and sounds and sights like you;ve never seen before, 200 feet kali statues, incredible colours, screaming poverty) quite a shock, but after hearing indian friend's perspective ("I go there to feel calm") had a major re-evaluation).

anyway, indiamike.com is a good link to people who know better than me what they are on about..

ps about the terrorist attacks, of course do your own risk assessment but I feel quite strongly that one should not play into the hand of people who try to cut the world in two

Thank you. I'll check out the site.

*Colaba is where I'll be staying

 

[Julie]

I taught in Haridwar

Fabulous

 

[Julie]

Terrorism? Most of India's no more dangerous than London or Madrid. A lot of it's got no terrorist problems at all. I lived there for three years on and off and never encountered anything.

Health? Tbf, you'll probably still get a tummy upset or two even after taking your precautions. Almost everyone does - even if you're super careful there's just a whole new set of germs out there you've probably not experienced yet. The good news is that the vast majority of people that go to India get a bit of travellers diarrhoea and that's it. It's a small price to pay for seeing such a mind-boggling country.



A lot of people are travelling to India these days specifically for medical reasons. The standards in the major hospitals are up there with the West and it's heaps cheaper. There's a place in Hyderabad (I think) that did more heart surgery on Americans one year than local people. This wouldn't be happening if standards were poor. Obviously you've got to research your individual hospital fully - the cheap ones aren't any way near Western standards - but I'm sure you've already done that.

Thank you too. A very encouraging post (like all of them) and you've answered each of my quesries in a way I feel reassured I'll be fine.

I must share all of your responses with my paranoid, judgemental, super anxious parents.

 

[Julie]

take lots of medications for the gastro-intestinal tract and stay away from the lepers

Righteo, thanks

Are you joking about the lepers though?

 

[Julie]

This.

Unless your parents are racist as well as, er, medical-thingy-ist?




Beware: that Sadhu offering you enlightenment is actually interested in lightening your wallet and/or shedding light on your genitals.

That is all. If you avoid Sadhus, a quaint enough hippy retreat


E2a: Ajmeer, on the other hand - the place that the guidebooks say "no-one stops here on their way to Pushkar" - you're getting my drift?

Yep and thanks

 

[Julie]

Oh, and unless you are a seriously battle-hardened caner already, don't go anywhere near the Really Strong bhang lassis.

(A mild one will get you nicely battered all day)

What is it?

 

[Julie]

It's probably just a perfectly normal fear of the unknown rather than that. Most people's folks are a bit anxious when one of their children goes off to a strange country - it understandable particularly when you throw the medical thingy into the mix. Threatening to throw you out when you get back is bizarre, mind. I expect the difficulty they're having is that they've not been to the country themselves and are perhaps unaware that India isn't riddled with crime and disease.

Usually, once someone has seen the country for themselves they realise that their fears were unfounded. I think you'll be fine, Julie, and I think you'll have a fantastic time.

I envy you hugely - there's nothing like your first trip to India.

Thanks so much.

I'm really looking forward to it and I don't want my parents negativity to taint my excitement. You know what I mean?

 

[Julie]

Me too. I've been here so long I've become tired and cynical. I could do with some beginner's mind.

Are you living in India Dr Jon?

 

[ice-is-forming]

It's both Icey

tbh julie , i thought melbourne was the sex change capitol

 

[Voley]

I'd agree about Indiamike.com being an excellent resource, too.

I met the bloke that set it up a couple of years back and he's a really sound bloke. It's changed hands since then and changed a bit but if you ask a question there you'll get an informed response. It's a friendly site by and large, too, unlike the Lonely Planet boards.

 

[Dr Jon]

Are you living in India Dr Jon?

Yup. Lovely green Kerala / Kerala green.
I only come to UK when it's warm enough!


ETA:
Bhang Lassi
Go for it!

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

How do you manage to stay out there all the time?

 

[Dr Jon]

How do you manage to stay out there all the time?

2-year business visas.

 

[Voley]

They still giving them, Dr Jon?

I've got a mate that's lived in Goa for 11 years but she says business visas are getting increasingly difficult to come by. This could just be a Goa thing, mind - if you read the local press, foreigners are responsible for every social evil known to man. The rest of India is still as welcoming.

 

[Julie]

tbh julie , i thought melbourne was the sex change capitol

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

2-year business visas.

I meant more financially etc...

 

[Dr Jon]

They still giving them, Dr Jon?

I've got a mate that's lived in Goa for 11 years but she says business visas are getting increasingly difficult to come by. This could just be a Goa thing, mind - if you read the local press, foreigners are responsible for every social evil known to man. The rest of India is still as welcoming.

I'll find out when I come back this summer. Never been a problem before.

I meant more financially etc...

I'm a robbing-bastard parasite landlord!

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

What is it?

Legal hash, prepared in a yoghurt drink (normal lassis are ubiquitous and delicious). Takes about an hour and a half to 'work' but when it does, make sure you don't have to do anything important any time soon .