Whether you decide to make a short or long trip or go for volunteering or work, it is curious to see the expressions of the people you talk about your journey to India. They will look astonished and frightened, and somehow they will increase fears and fears in you. Don’t be afraid, and go on your way, ’cause I can assure you, it will be worth it. Here below there are some tips or suggestion to make your trip to India a unique but above all conscious and ethical experience.
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You will need a visa for entry to India at the Embassy of Rome or at the Consulate of Milan. Practices for getting a visa are not the simplest, but if you follow all the directions it will be a joke. I turned to the Consulate of Milan and I must say that I found myself very well. The first step is to fill in an application form in which that you will need to attach a passport photo that has to follow specific features (face uncovered and for those with long hair in sight but behind the ears, serious expression, etc.). After filling out the application, you will have to submit it to the consulate with the printed application form, a passport photo and pay the visa fee. Go ahead well in order to be more relaxed in case they will reject the request and you need to do it another. Regarding the issue, visa regulations have changed and now you can apply for a visa online for 60 days; my suggestion is to check all the information on the official websites.
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Although vaccinations are not mandatory, before leaving for a trip to India, it is advisable to inquire at the International Vaccination Centers on which vaccinations to do especially if you plan to stay in the Country for a long time, perhaps in rural contexts or in contact with children. In particular, I feel to recommend the anti-colic because it will help you not to contract intestinal infections of various kinds (overall in places like Varanasi!)
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Take very strong lactic ferments (24 mln).
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Follow the usual rule of peeling the fruit or washing it well before eating it.
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Don’t drink tap water.
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Travel with a disinfectant which will often serve you when you eat or when you travel on public transport.
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Bring a roll of toilet paper with you because in the bathrooms you will certainly not find it.
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Bring along a bedding bag or sleeping bag if you are traveling in “Sleeping class” where pillows and linens are not provided.
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Bring a padlock with you, it will serve you when you sleep by train to tie your backpack. Generally, nobody cares about your luggage, but as in all the world’s places, some robbery can happen.
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For women, dress appropriately and respectfully. If you are traveling to Rajasthan and North India don’t wear shorts, skirts, jerseys, tops. It’s not forbidden but you should consider the context in which you are. Here, women wear sari and kurta with leggings and trousers. You must start from the fact that, when you walk in the streets, you will attract many looks, because you are a foreign and because your features and shapes are different from those to which they are accustomed. Bring your leggings with you to combine comfortable and beautiful kurta. Even in India you can find them and there are many shops that sell them, but the patterns are much more comfortable and less elastic than those we usually wear in Western Countries. Obviously, in the cities, especially in Mumbai, the speech changes, here also the Indian girl, dress more and more in the West wearing adherents leggings and shorts. On the beaches of Kerala or Gokarna, of course, there will be no problem wearing bikinis, short dresses, etc. As for temples, there is no dress code to be observed except for not wearing shoes, I think that respect, always comes first; I saw European girls wearing very succinct dresses, leaving little to the imagination
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If you are asking for information, do not trust the first information they will give you. As mentioned earlier, Indians occasionally respond yes or no even if they did not understand. Plus, their way of talking by moving their heads can confuse them. If you have read information about a guide, from the internet or from a friend, trust yourself with what you already know. When I and a girl were looking for the place from which boats leave to see the Taj Mahal from the water all the Indians to whom we asked responded that there was no boat because the government had forbidden it. In fact, some boats were there and so we took it. They later explained to us that it is forbidden to sail in a certain river area and not anywhere!
Another example. I had to get to Delhi airport terminal for domestic flights and I knew I could get by subway and shuttle, I was pretty sure because I had read information on the internet. Asking the staff outside Delhi Station, everyone was just telling me that it was not possible to reach the airport by public transport but only by taxi at obviously high cost. I decided to don’t give up and to don’t trust any of them and, as soon as I got on the subway, there was the staff who helped people to take the right direction.
The absurdity of this Country is that even those who should remain neutral and shouldn’t have any personal interests, instead do. If you ask information to the police near the stations they’ll probably suggest or take you to tuk-tuk/rickshaw or else because they’re handled by friends, it’s always a matter of favors exchanges.
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Don’t be naive and trust your instincts.
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Visit India by traveling by public transport: local/state buses, semi/sleeper buses, and trains. Booking tickets for trains are not easy and at some times the trains can be really crowded, it is advisable to book tickets in advance through the Indian Railways site, but this involves creating an account site. Another way, easier if you are traveling slowly, is to go directly to the station. In almost every station there are ad hoc counters for the foreigner, but in other cases, like Jaisalmer station, you have to rely on the channel used by the Indians. Here you will be given a form to fill in which you will indicate the number and time of departure of the train (you will see these directions on the site of the Indian Railways), the arrival station and the place typology. You will need to submit this form to staff who will tell you the availability or not of the place.
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As you travel to India you will encounter many beggars, do not forget that you are traveling to a poor country, and especially if you meet kids, do not give them money but rather donated food, clothes.
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Help the local economy staying in family-run hotels/hostels/guesthouses or where the local staff works. Eat in the typical restaurants and try streetfood. Buy souvenirs or craft products from local craft shops.