Guest guest Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 In a message dated 1/2/03 5:33:09 AM Eastern Standard Time, Ammachi writes: > Message: 9 > Wed, 1 Jan 2003 17:24:21 EST > pwhite0130 > Re: Travel tips for India and Asian countries (long) > > 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. Dear Peter: Thank you for the detailed description of these important travel precautions. I know I will use some of them in the future in India. Yet, I would like to make sure I follow several point, which remain somewhat confusing to me. Above, I wonder where else one would store the second key, if one is travelling. It seems to me that one would have to carry both keys on one's body; where else could it possibly be? I also recall something you wrote about having a padlock for use on flimsy doors in hotels; did I misinterpret this, for I don't know how one could use any kind of lock on a door, i.e., how a padlock could be used if there are no fittings for one ( I have never seen a padlock used in a hotel door). > > 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. ::I am not sure how one would wear a backpack on one's front. I just don't seem to get this at all. I am further confused about this aluminum kept at the bottom of the backpack, which would ostensibly prevent it from being sliced or stolen? Could you elaborate about how aluminum would do 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. ::Is AOL mail OK or is better for this? ::The rest I think I grasp, though I am not familiar with much of it, especially about the money issues. Thanks again for sharing. Originally I tried to email you directly about this, but somehow it backfired and ended up here, though I am sure that I used your email address. I wish I understood this. But, in the end I think the error is going to help many others, so it is a happy accident. Still want to know how come the letter addressed to you ended up on this .Avram > > 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 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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