India. What should I expect when I go there.

I may be travelling to India in February. The plan is to meet my daughter (currently working in Afghanistan) there and hit a few of the more popular gotta-see sites specifically to shoot B&W pictures potentially for exhibit. I plan to carry only 35mm equipment (bodies, several lenses, tripod, etc) and will be staying about 1.5 to 2 weeks.

I'm becoming a little concerned because of what I've read in the blogs of some people who have been there in terms of crime, begging, scams, corruption, lack of bathrooms, disease from eating the food, etc.

I'm not the world traveller type. I don't get to take vacations like this very often, so I want to be sure I'm not setting myself up for dissapointment. There are certainly other places I could go that would be less of a departure from my western habits, but I need to quantify the risk somehow. To me, India would be the most exotic place I've been or will likely visit in this lifetime, so I don't want to blow it off too quickly.

I'd appreciate any comments from westerners who have been there, especially if you've lugged around a lot of camera equipment.

Where is "there"?

India is not a place, it's a subcontinent with a population of 1000 million, with a climate ranging from tropical rainforest through desert to temperate and bl**dy freezing.

I haven't been to India myself, but at least I know it's bigger than most places. I would say that two weeks is far too little time, and you will run out of film regardless how much you bring.

Start off with a vindaloo... and wing it from there!

That Evans quote would also apply to a vindaloo!

PE

While I've not been to India, I have been to Cambodia, which has on the whole more wrenching poverty even than India. Spending my time in the touristy areas around Angkor Wat, I never felt unsafe, even with several grand worth of camera gear over my shoulder. It did take a bit of getting used to, though. All the usual stuff you hear about is there - the bar girls, the one-armed one-legged beggars, the merchants trying very hard to get your attention to come in their shop, etc. It's just part of the ambiance of the place. If you don't want to deal with all the touts and the beggars and the poverty, try getting away from the usual touristy stuff. Do some research before you go about the cities you plan to visit, and find something a little less high-profile. You'll have a much more pleasant experience, and you'll come back with some memorable images, and maybe even some new friends in a different part of the world.

Just to show you how far Cambodia has come from a war-ravaged hell-hole, when I was there, I got in to the airport at Siem Reap which is little more than a two-room building, only one of which is air-conditioned (the departure lounge). After making it through customs, I decided to change some money at the foreign exchange booth (a wheeled cart on the sidewalk next to the parking lot). In the hustle and bustle of worrying about my bags, looking for my driver, etc, I forgot the envelope with all my money (almost $500 USD) on the counter at the foreign exchange booth. I didn't realize it until I was checked in to my hotel, and my driver was gone. I figured I'd never see that money again, since that represented two years pay for the average Cambodian. To make a long story short, I asked at the airport lost & found on my way out, and the guys at the foreign exchange counter had turned it in to the airport manager. I got all my money back. Try THAT in a developed country.

Having been to Angkor Wat, and seen firsthand that it is everything and more than any guidebook can describe, I would say if you have the chance, go see the Taj Mahal if your plans take you even within a hundred miles or so. Try to book an early morning visit if possible so that you can get in before all the crowds, and before the air pollution builds up for the day and ruins the skies. Also not far from the Taj, if I'm not mistaken, is the Red Fort at Agra. This is supposed to be spectacular in its own right.

I have not been to India but I have done alot of travelling. Check out the Lonely Planet series of travel guides for India to get a better idea of the specific places you will visit. For such a short trip, travel very light - a backpack plus your travel gear and a light tripod for 35 mm. FYI, I would also take a light monopod which is excellent for the times you don't want or need a tripod but need some extra support and a handy weapon. I think walking around with the monopod as a walking stick and dog deterrent is OK.

Be sure that you can lock the zippers on your bags and ideally the camera bags. Be prepared for crowds with prying hands. Don't take a wallet. I take a slim wallet-type bag that hangs from a string around my neck but under my shirt. Take little cash, credit cards, and a good sized traveller's check stashed away just in case.

Also, your gear will probably get filthy so be prepared to clean everything.

I've been 'there' (Rajasthan to be more specific) although I was only carrying a 35mm camera with a handy zoom lens. What you should expect is a large culture shock.

Crime: the worst thing I think that could happen to you is that you're being scammed. Just be normally suspicious. Read up on recent scams on various fora (Lonely Planet, etc) so you'll know the tricks.

Begging: get used to it. People are poor and you're rich. Just ignore beggars although it'll bother you in the beginning. It may sound harsh but it is the most wise thing to do. If you can't take it, donate something to local charity.

Corruption (baksheesh): never had any problems with it but if you have to pay an official to get what you want, it will probably be a (comparable to our standards) small amount.

Bathroom: do not expect much from it. Carry a toilet roll in your backpack. If you'll stay in mid to high class hotels, bathrooms probably will be neat & clean.

Food: be VERY suspicious about what you eat! It may smell great & look tasty but you can't trust any of the food sold at markets and roadside stalls. Eat at restaurants and hotels. You'll get diarrhoea anyway...

I'm sure you'll get an experience of a lifetime and won't regret going there.

Last thought: are you sure you'll shoot B&W only? India is perhaps the most colourful place in the world, so think about bringing some Velvia instead!

You might check with your physician prior to going to make sure you are up on vaccinations, especially any country specific recommendations such as Hepatitis or Malaria. I also normally carry some pretty potent antibiotics in case food born things become serious issue. I would drink only bottle water. As mentioned above, you likely will have some intestinal track reaction to this new environment. Certainly consider bringing some lomotil or Immodium or the like.

I've never taken a lot of camera equipment on a trip, so don't have a feel for how much that makes you stand out. Would suggest that you keep tethered to your equipment, especially any bags you might set down to take a shot.

And I agree concerning net searches for things to see where you're going.

Stew

I was in India this past year. It was southern India, Chennai. I have images posted on my web site if you are interested.

India is a very big place. What you experience will depend on where you go.

I found that the people were the kindest on earth. While there are beggars at times, there is a lot of affluence as well and a very strong middle class.

I would say that from my experiences, the state department is a little on the paranoid side, but then I don't see the US government as a protectorate agency, I feel we should take care of ourselves.

I was told that if anything happens to you, to fly to Hong Kong for hospital service. What a load of hooey. I found some of the most modern and clean hospitals there I have ever seen.

The food was fantastic. I loved it. I wouldn't drink the water, simply because it has bacteria in it that we are not used to. The Indians would have to do the same when they came here. Just drink bottled water.

I drank fruit juices, and local fruit, washed with bottled water. Never had a problem.

To them a small city is 50,000 people. I thought that was funny, but appropriate.


There is some corruption in the government, but none that should worry you, unless you need to get a drivers license. If you are not the ugly American, learn how to conduct yourself in their culture, and above all, be polite, you should have a marvelous time.

I shot 35mm and found that I only needed 2 lenses. A small zoom and a wide angle for some of the sites.

I shot 12 rolls there in the 2 weeks I spent. It was one of the best places I have been to on earth.

Hi Dave

I am available as a guide.
Absolutely incredible place. I am probably a little prejudiced as my ex is Indian. I am looking forward to trip 8 in a couple of months. Check out this web site:

www.world-heritage-tour.org/map.html

There are quite a few locations you can preview. I took 40 rolls of film each trip until I switched to 4 x 5.
Drink only bottled water. I don't know about you but dysentery gives me the shits.
Security in airports: ask to have a hand inspection; sometimes it won't work. Some trips my film was scanned (hand luggage) as many as 8 times. I never noticed a difference when processed. Do not process north american film there as there are chemistry differences.
The attitude you present to people will govern how you are treated. You have to learn quickly to ignore beggars.
If you want any specific information, PM me.
And everything else posted by others.
Richard

Matthijs said:

I've been 'there' (Rajasthan to be more specific) although I was only carrying a 35mm camera with a handy zoom lens. What you should expect is a large culture shock.

Click to expand...

Rajasthan would definitely be at the top of the list in terms of places we intend to go, but it will be cold there in February, so I'm not sure how this is all going to work out yet.

Matthijs said:

Crime: the worst thing I think that could happen to you is that you're being scammed. Just be normally suspicious. Read up on recent scams on various fora (Lonely Planet, etc) so you'll know the tricks.

Click to expand...

That's about what I've been reading. I was just wondering if it will be an annoyance or a constant worry. I've read that taxis will take you to wrong hotels and hotels will change their rates when you try to check out.

Matthijs said:

Begging: get used to it. People are poor and you're rich. Just ignore beggars although it'll bother you in the beginning. It may sound harsh but it is the most wise thing to do. If you can't take it, donate something to local charity.

Click to expand...

Ok, I can ignore them as long as they don't get too physical or approach in numbers that look more like gangs...

Matthijs said:

Corruption (baksheesh): never had any problems with it but if you have to pay an official to get what you want, it will probably be a (comparable to our standards) small amount.

Click to expand...

I haven't read about much corruption, but thought I'd ask about it anyway.

Matthijs said:

Bathroom: do not expect much from it. Carry a toilet roll in your backpack. If you'll stay in mid to high class hotels, bathrooms probably will be neat & clean.

Click to expand...

This is one of the more worrisome concerns. Basically, I've heard that restrooms are often a "go anywhere" proposition. And, of course, no such thing as paper. In the midst of having disgestive problems from the food, a lack of restrooms or even a lack of some degree of privacy might be less than optimal. Carrying paper is a foregone conclusion.

Matthijs said:

Food: be VERY suspicious about what you eat! It may smell great & look tasty but you can't trust any of the food sold at markets and roadside stalls. Eat at restaurants and hotels. You'll get diarrhoea anyway...

Click to expand...

Ok. Eat at restaurants and hotels. That I can do. One thing I read said to take water purification tablets even for the bottled water. An Indian friend of mine said to make sure the bottled water is not reused bottles. I'm also under the impression now that food is mostly vegitarian there. :-(

Matthijs said:

Last thought: are you sure you'll shoot B&W only? India is perhaps the most colourful place in the world, so think about bringing some Velvia instead!

Click to expand...

My daughter will be shooting digital, so that will be our color pictures. I'm a big Bollywood movie fan, not to mention all the photo blogs I've seen, so I know of their colorful nature. Color is just not my thing, but I may take a roll or two maybe in a second body.

Stew Squires said:

You might check with your physician prior to going to make sure you are up on vaccinations, especially any country specific recommendations such as Hepatitis or Malaria. I also normally carry some pretty potent antibiotics in case food born things become serious issue. I would drink only bottle water. As mentioned above, you likely will have some intestinal track reaction to this new environment. Certainly consider bringing some lomotil or Immodium or the like.

Click to expand...

Already on my list of things to do. There is a clinic in town here that specializes in vaccinations for foreign travel. Will also bring Immodium. I'm a daily Prilosec user which, from what I gather, reduces your immunity to intestinal "bugs" because it reduces stomach acid secretions. Not sure how much of a problem that will be for me. Also, my daughter recommended an antibiotic that I will ask for. She's travels a lot. Also, bottled water of course, but I read that it never hurts to have purification tabets even for bottled water...

"I'm becoming a little concerned because of what I've read in the blogs of some people who have been there in terms of crime, begging, scams, corruption, lack of bathrooms, disease from eating the food, etc."

Bit like everywhere else then!

Just get your bottled water in a store, and check that the cap is a factory seal of some kind, and you'll be fine with the water. Street vendor food is actually probably ok, if it is cooked. A grill is a grill is a grill, and if the meat's been on it long enough to be cooked the whole way through, it doesn't much matter where you are on the planet. DON'T eat local fruit on the street if it is pre-sliced. If you see it peeled and sliced in front of you, you're probably safer. What you may encounter that you'll not be used to or very comfy with is squat toilets, which often don't have a partition between them. You'll mostly find them in public restrooms. Any hotel you'll be comfortable staying in will most likely have private restrooms with western style toilets. It is entirely possible to go to tropical developing nations and avoid intestinal disturbances - I've been to both Thailand and Cambodia without a single gastrointestinal eruption. The worst I ever got? West Virginia.

Indian vegetarian food is some of the tastiest in the world, and you'd do far worse than to have a predominantly veggie diet while you're there. After someplace like Mongolia, where folks will try to give you fermented mare's milk and gamey goat meat, a little chickpea and spinach in curry will be very welcome. Or fried trarantulas in Cambodia.

What was interesting to me during my stay in the far east, were the unisex restrooms with no doors on them and no stalls. This was even in big modern cities and large shopping areas.

But, if they didn't care, neither did I.

PE

About food. Most milk or dairy products are not free of Tuberculosis, as the dairy herds and livestock are not tested as they are in Europe and North America. Pasteurization is not universal.

Watch out for this and eat or drink only approved dairy products. Don't drink bottled water or any drink if the bottle is not sealed when served.

PE

TheFlyingCamera said:

While I've not been to India, I have been to Cambodia, which has on the whole more wrenching poverty even than India....

Click to expand...

Ah-ha! My daughter has traveled in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkey, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan, and is currently living in Afghanistan, so I'm relying heavily on her experience and advice. Even though she travels largely alone, she has never reported any negative experiences aside from occasionally wishing she had gotten a better hotel. She's not the kind of person who let's little inconveniences get to her. I might not be as tolerant, though. haha!

Photo Engineer said:

What was interesting to me during my stay in the far east, were the unisex restrooms with no doors on them and no stalls. This was even in big modern cities and large shopping areas.

But, if they didn't care, neither did I.

PE

Click to expand...

Ewww... How much of a problem is this? If I'm going to be suffering from diarrhea, I'd prefer to deal with it without an audience...

1. Asking for advice on traveling to India is like asking advice on traveling to the US or Europe. It's a big place. Where exactly are you going?

2. Get rid of the negative write ups you have seen on the blogs. I remember when there was the SARS scare in Toronto and people were telling each other not to travel to Toronto. 23 deaths from SARS in total. When I was living in Chicago that year there were 400 murders. Funny that no one was telling each other not to travel to Chicago....

Regards, Art.

Matthijs said:

Food: be VERY suspicious about what you eat! It may smell great & look tasty but you can't trust any of the food sold at markets and roadside stalls. Eat at restaurants and hotels. You'll get diarrhoea anyway...

Click to expand...

So true.. :rolleyes:
I've been in India in 2002 on a business trip (Bangalore). I was staying at one of the 5 stars hotels, being careful (almost paranoid) about eating cooked stuff, only bottled water, etc... still it happened.

Matthijs said:

I'm sure you'll get an experience of a lifetime and won't regret going there.

Click to expand...

Yes, it's really such a great experience. That was my first time outside Europe and it was so overwhelming (in a positive way).
I remember I had bought a small digital point&shoot (I was not into photography at the time). Shooting in India was the spark that opened to me the joy of photography (only one year later I would have moved to film).

gr82bart said:

1. Asking for advice on traveling to India is like asking advice on traveling to the US or Europe. It's a big place. Where exactly are you going?

Click to expand...

Not nailed down yet. Based on your own experiences, where do you recommend I go?

gr82bart said:

2. Get rid of the negative write ups you have seen on the blogs.

Click to expand...

From the responses here, I'd say they aren't that far off the mark.

Dave Krueger said:

Not nailed down yet. Based on your own experiences, where do you recommend I go?

Click to expand...

From the responses here, I'd say they aren't that far off the mark.

Click to expand...

Well, based on these two remarks, I can't give you any advice other than to travel to the tourist areas and look for a reputable tour to go on.

When I traveled I had a backpack and stayed in places I know you wouldn't enjoy. This is when I was a student.

I traveled there about 5 years ago on business, but I don't know if $300-400 per night is in your budget? None the less, I still ate the 'local street food', away from the tourist places, on the weekends, to the aghast of my American (and Indian) colleagues. I think the street is where the real culture is.

Regards, Art.

Dave Krueger said:

Ah-ha! My daughter has traveled in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkey, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan, and is currently living in Afghanistan, so I'm relying heavily on her experience and advice. Even though she travels largely alone, she has never reported any negative experiences aside from occasionally wishing she had gotten a better hotel. She's not the kind of person who let's little inconveniences get to her. I might not be as tolerant, though. haha!

Click to expand...

You'll be amazed if you get out and around enough what a good hotel really is. And it isn't just white linen sheets and mints on the pillow. I stayed at a hotel in central Bangkok that was $25 a night, had my own king size bed, a/c, private bath, fantastic room service food for $6 a meal (which by local standards was overpaying, but they gave you a LOT of food for the money). It was a three-block walk to the nearest Skytrain station, which made it very convenient for getting around as a tourist.

The place I stayed in Cambodia was not quite so swank, but it did have a/c (working so long as there was power), private bath, and they provided me with several 1.5 liter bottles of bottled water fresh from the factory with the factory seal intact every day. Had I booked it directly myself, I could have gotten it for about $35 a day I think, but as it was, $55 was still well worth it. What made both of these places worth far more was the courteous and helpful staff. I don't know that I would have had a significantly more pleasant experience staying at the Grand Hotel D'Angkor, which is a $350+ a night hotel. Plus, staying at my little hotel, I was able to get out, walk around, take in the old market and do some shopping, hit a cybercafe to check my email, and choose a different restaurant in the neighborhood each evening to sample some of the local delicacies (note: I did NOT hit Happy Herbs, home of the Cambodian Pizza (which actually is pretty good) with the "special" oregano topping. Some friends of mine warned me about that... they said they tried it, had a very pleasant but fuzzy evening, and then woke up a day and a half later).

TheFlyingCamera said:

You'll be amazed if you get out and around enough what a good hotel really is. And it isn't just white linen sheets and mints on the pillow. I stayed at a hotel in central Bangkok that was $25 a night, had my own king size bed, ... snip ... I did NOT hit Happy Herbs, home of the Cambodian Pizza (which actually is pretty good) with the "special" oregano topping. Some friends of mine warned me about that... they said they tried it, had a very pleasant but fuzzy evening, and then woke up a day and a half later).

Click to expand...

YMMV.

I write this because, I have had a few girlfriends, who lets just say despite the rationale and experience you just gave I would have had a great time, but I know they wouldn't. My brother is another example. If it isn't a 5 star all inclusive resort hotel, you can forget convincing him he'll have a good time. Traveling experiences, like taste in images of exposed peni (is that plural?) is very subjective.

I have a suspicion the OP is more like some of my past GFs and my brother. Which is their perogative and I wouldn't want to dampen their experience of India. There are some really amazing very upscale and 'Western' style hotels with Western amenities available. I just don't know the mid-range ones as I have only stayed in the opposite extremes.

Regards, Art.

Art-

well, there's just no accounting for snobs I guess. I've stayed at 5-star establishments, and while I enjoy them greatly, when I'm on a limited travel budget, I'd rather spend my money on airfare, food, and film. Rooms need to meet certain minimum criteria - safe, clean, comfortable. I think my best experience of a hotel on my Argentina trip was the last few nights I was there, where I stayed at this b&b out of the downtown area. It was a small place, with only six rooms. It was fixed up quite cute, but by no means fancy. The people who stayed there and the people who ran the place more than made up for any deficiencies in the establishment. That's my point I guess- travel with an open mind and get down in the streets, get a little grit on your shoes and under your fingernails, and you'll come away with a much better overall memory of the place. Five-star hotels are great if you want the impersonal, distant touch (like in New York!). It is highly unlikely you'll ever develop a personal relationship with someone working at the Four Seasons or the Plaza. In a bed & breakfast, you'll be sitting around the tv in the living room with your host, talking about the days' events. I know it's different strokes for different folks.

And enough about the damn penis, ok? Did I provoke THAT much envy in folks?