Travel tips for India and Asian countries (long)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/31/2002 4:22:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,

sprose1 writes:

 

> >Watch your luggage. I always carried a chain and lock so I could secure my

> >bag when I needed to.

>

> Dear Peter:

>

> I hope you don't mind me asking, but could you clarify what you meant by

> this.

 

The chain I took was about 18" long and I had a medium sized padlock. I would

chain my bag to the seat on a train, to the bed in a hotel room or to

something else secure whenever I wasn't watching it every minute. I kept two

keys to the lock in different locations, one on my body.

 

Now, a knife could cut the bag free from the chain but most Indians do not

carry knives. If the bag is loose, it can easily be snatched in a flash and

gone for good.

 

If you use a backpack, be mind full that someone can slice through it when it

is on your back. Your stuff is gone before you know it. Wear it on your front

if you can. I kept a piece of Aluminum in the bottom of my backpack to

prevent this.

 

Never keep your passport, plane ticket, traveler's check receipts, etc., in

your bag. Always keep them in a money belt or similar on your body beneath

clothing. Take a couple of photocopies of important documents (drivers

license, passport, plane tickets, credit cards, etc.).

 

If someone steals your passport, worth a lifetime's income on the black

market, you might not be able to get a hotel room, plane or train ticket to

get back to your Embassy in Mumbai or Delhi. Before you go, take a list with

you of all your Embassy locations. Pre-plan your moves if a disaster strikes.

 

I put in a couple thousand dollars on my credit card so I could get instant

funds if I ever needed it in case of theft. Call your credit card company and

make certain they do not refund your credit balance. One of my cards did that

to me. I did not find out until I got back home 7 months later. Fortunately,

I did not need the money. Ten years ago, it would be difficult to get $$ on a

credit card in India. I would have to find a bank that could process them.

Not an easy job unless you are in a big city. Nowadays, it is much easier.

The bank you go to can always see that you have money on your card.

 

Keeping a credit balance on your card also means you can buy stuff and not

worry about paying the bill on time to avoid finance charges and no payment

fees ($25 to $50 each month even if you only owe $1). Check with your card

before you go and tell them what you are doing. Make sure they put a note on

your record to that effect. I dislike telling them anything about my

whereabouts but I dislike paying their fees even more!

 

I always had an American Express card with me as they have many offices

throughout the world. You can also get mail delivered to their offices too.

 

Setup a email address so you can get email throughout the world. Snail

mail really is snail mail in other countries. When sending mail make sure it

is cancelled before your eyes. Some post office workers will steal the stamp

off your mail for extra income and your mail never gets sent. They might do

it even for a 10 rupee stamp (worth 30 cents). I never saw any postal clerk

get offended by this request. They knew and understood.

 

I would periodically send a package of papers and stuff I brought to myself

back home so I didn't have to lug it around. Nothing I couldn't live without

in case the package didn't make it. They all did. Once, in Rishikesh, I went

to mail a package and I was just in a higher rate class because of the

weight. The clerk told me that he could put me in the lower class if I wanted

but the package might get re-checked on the weight in Delhi. Yeah, right, I

thought. I tipped him 20 rupees (60 cents) to his great delight! That saved

me about a 100 US dollars.

 

Watch the expression on a person face when you give tips. If he just stands

there, you gave to little ... he is waiting for more. If there is

atonishment, you gave to much. Make him happy but do not over do it. And make

sure you always have small bills with you. Taxi drivers, etc., never say they

have change so they get to keep it.

 

The vast majority of Indians are very courteous, friendly and helpful. They

treat foreigners with respect much more than I have encountered in any other

country. They are proud you came to their country! There is extreme poverty.

Even the poor ones know that you spent more money on airfare than they can

earn in 10 - 20 years! You are rich by their standards just by the fact that

you are there. If they can, they will help you correct the imbalance of

wealth in the world, at your expense, without asking. Be aware!

 

More to come .....

 

Peter