It should be obvious without saying, but it is good to know a little bit about India and its cultures before going backpacking in India. For example, it is good to learn a few phrases in the local language, but a Hindi phrasebook does not help much in the middle of Karnataka in South India, where the local language is kannada and the pro-kannada movement is strong.
Most India guidebooks provide good up-to-date information about India's cultures, languages, customs and do's and don'ts, and it is surprising how few backpackers seem to read these important parts of their travel guides.
Packing For A Trip To India
The backpack has to be carried around India, up and down stairs in cheap lodges, on the beach in blaring hot sun and at railway stations. So pack light.
Some items to pack in the backpack for a trip to India are a padlock (cheap hotels have useless locks), flashlight (torch) for frequent power cuts, a bedsheet (cheap hotels may have dubious-looking sheets), earplugs to help sleeping, prescription medicines and tampons with applicator for those who prefer them.
Getting Sick In India
Most backpackers get sick at some point during their trip around India. It takes time to get used to a different climate, different food and different hygiene. It makes sense to be careful, but it doesn’t make sense to ruin the trip by being paranoid.
Many travellers get diarrhoea in India. Sometimes it goes away on its own within 24 hours. If diarrhea doesn’t get any better after 48 hours, if there is pain or blood or fever, it’s time to see a doctor. Diarrhea can be caused by bacteria, amoeba, worms or other parasites and a stool test is required to determine the right course of treatment.
Travelling Safely In India
India is generally a reasonably safe country to travel in, and every day travel safety is usually a matter of common sense: dressing respectfully, avoiding trouble such as political demonstrations and learning enough about the country beforehand so that one does not obviously offend local culture. Female travellers in India can avoid a lot of trouble by paying attention to what they wear.
How much money one wants to carry around India depends on the individual. Theft happens, especially in sleeper class in trains. Credit cards are not accepted as widely as in Europe or the US, cash is still used in most transactions in India and nobody ever has change, so it is necessary to carry enough cash and especially small change to be able to pay for accommodation, food, train and bus tickets, autorickshaw trips etc. There are cashpoints (ATM:s) in most big Indian cities now as well as in many tourist destinations, but not all cards work on all ATM:s.
Real India Starts Outside The Backpacker Ghetto
Spending months in a hammock on Om Beach in Gokarna or staring at the Himalayas in Manali is fun, but real India starts outside the backpacker centres. Leave the backpacker ghetto behind every now and then.
