8 Tips for Tourists to India
India is definitely an exciting tourist destination for all, and will be the perfect place for you to plan your next holiday. However, have you thought about your survival strategy in this fast-paced country where every city is extremely different from the other, and where the variety in food is as vast as a galaxy? Not everyone can survive the local thrills and life of India, so it is necessary for you to follow some tips, so that you can have a safe trip.
1. Be prepared to taste different foods
Food in India starts to vary in taste and preparation the moment you cross the inter-state border and reach a different city. So if you have liked a certain kind of food in Delhi, don’t expect it to be there in Mumbai, or in Gujarat. Also, you will have to get yourself acquainted with the various spices used in different parts of the country. Hence, always ask the server in the restaurant about the level of spice in each of the dishes that you are about to order.
2. Be careful about buffet food and water
Do not consume buffet food, as it may have been out for long, and may not be healthy enough to eat by the time you reach the restaurant for your meal. This is even more applicable in the case of salads. For water, ensure that you are consuming mineral water everywhere, and do not rely on the waiters cleaning the glasses in the front of you in a local hotel and filling them up with water.
3. Focus on your hygiene
Make sure that you wipe off your plates and other utensils in the hotel on your own. Even though the servers will clean it in front of you, it is not the best hygiene policy to be followed. Do carry a sanitizer with you as well, as not all hotels will have washrooms or washbasins for you to wash your hands.
4. Opt for prepaid taxis wherever possible
In India, you will find various modes of transportation, ranging from buses to auto rickshaws, to manually pulled rickshaws, local trains. For buses and trains, you can always buy tickets at counters and travel conveniently. However, when it comes to auto rickshaws, insist on having the meter machine switched on, lest the driver take advantage of you being a foreigner and takes you on longer routes. Do carry maps with you and keep cross checking with the auto driver if he is on the same route as the map says. Better still, go in for prepaid taxis or autos, so that you know that you have paid the right fare according to your destination right at the start, and don’t have to unnecessarily worry about being cheated later on.
