About India - A visitors Survival Guide

1. Drink only bottled water.
2. In case bottled water is not available, boil the water (ask your hotel staff) and drink.
3. In case no water is available, drink soda or coconut water. Coconut water is a very quenching, sweet fluid without any risk. Good for stomach too.
4. Try to eat very warm food. Cold cut foods (e.g., salads, cold sandwiches, etc.) may be contaminated with bacteria.
5. Try to eat items that most people are ordering. Beef, or rare sea fishes, etc. may be risky. Local fishes may be fine, if it is a popular item in that restaurant.
6. Carry most of your regular off the counter medicines (headache, stomach upset, Band-Aid, Tylenol, etc.). In case you need any special prescription medicine in India, you may get them in most of the drugstores as an off the counter medicine.
7. In case of a severe illness (or emergency) always go to the private hospitals (or the smaller ones known as private nursing homes). Do not go to the govt. public hospitals unless very famous.
8. For moving around in a city, take authorized taxicabs. Do not take the private car transportation (which is also popular), unless your hotel staff authorizes them.
9. In catching a taxi from any airport or railway station try to take the prepaid taxis. In that case you will know exactly how much it will cost you prior to your trip.
10. In case when prepayment is not possible, ask your hotel staff (or people at the place you are taking off from) the amount of approximate fare. It is a common practice the taxi drivers will take you to your destination in the longest way hiking the fare.
11. On the very first day learn how to read taxi meters (often it's not the number which shows up in the meter). There is a complex calculation they do on the meter and they charge. You should be able to see the chart (or table) by which they charge.
12. Keep your car windows closed while traveling. It will protect you from dust pollution and also from panhandlers.
13. Do not pay any money to panhandlers, or even try to converse with them. That behavior may attract a swarm of unwanted hecklers to you.
14. In a public place do not go to help or support any strangers, whether solicited or not. While not in your hotel room, do not keep any valuables in the room. Keep them in the safe locker provided by the hotel.
15. Do not carry a lot of money with you. In case you have to carry some money, do not take out a lot of money at a time making it visible to others. Showing a lot of money anywhere (whether in the street or in a store or a hotel lobby) may attract a lot of trouble.
16. Do NOT carry a thick wallet full of credit cards, money, etc. (it is better to travel without a wallet in your pocket. Pick-pocket is a regular phenomenon in crowded places). Carry your wallet (only with necessary cards, etc.) in the front pocket and be careful. Be careful also with your cameras or video cameras.
17. Try to shop from big, well decorated stores. Even in big stores you may bargain for prices. However you can not bargain in the govt. stores with fixed prices.
18. If shopping from the side-walks in big cities, shop with some locals. Side-walk vendors often quote 200-300% mark-up over the prices they are ready to settle. Therefore don't be afraid to ask for half or even more bargain on the quoted price.
19. While traveling in domestic airlines, mark all your luggage with proper destination tags, showing hotel names, telephone numbers, etc