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The
Important Notices for
Spiritual Trip to India (September 20 – October 10, 2010) Things
to prepare prior to the trip: ·
2
copies of passport (one to bring, one at home) ·
2
copies of visa ·
2
copies medical records ·
Visit
family doctor to get all necessary vaccinations Things
you need to know: 1.
Hotels ·
In
big cities, hotels are more comfortable compared to smaller villages. Most of the holy sites are
located in small
towns. The hotels
provide only the basic
necessities such as beds, blankets, pillows, and towels, but they do
not
provide soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair dryers, etc. Please be sure to bring
all personal items,
just like you would for a retreat or for going camping. ·
Most
hotels in the bigger cities have adequate electricity supplies, but in
smaller
towns, the electricity is unreliable, just like in Vietnam. Most of the hotels do not
provide irons. For
safety, bring a flashlight and enough
batteries to last for the whole trip.
·
At
the hotels, safety will be a big concern.
Please remember to lock your doors, and keep your
passport, paperwork,
money, jewelry, and all other valuables with you at all times. It is recommended that you
keep a bag, such
as a backpack, to store your valuables and essential items, and that
you keep
it with you at all times. 2.
Food ·
Vegetables
are a main dish in India. Besides
vegetarian dishes such as fried or boiled vegetables, eggs, or tofu,
the rest
of the Indian food is usually very strongly seasoned, most often with
curry (in
almost every dish). They
also use goat
milk, which has a strong flavor. ·
Everyday,
three meals will be provided by the travel company.
However, we recommend that you bring
dehydrated lemon grass and tofu, a small bottle of soy sauce, seaweed
mixed
with sesame seeds (these are very popular dishes), or any other
nonperishable
foods that you like to keep on hand in case you find the food
unpalatable. It is
recommended that you bring extra
instant noodles, dried shredded mushroom (chà bông
chay), snacks such as
crackers, cookies, raisins, or any nonperishable items that will keep
for at
least three weeks. ·
Do
not buy food or drinks that have not been cooked or pasteurized. If you buy something along
the way to eat or
drink, but it makes you feel uncomfortable, do not try to force
yourself to eat
it. If
you eat it, it will cause you to
become very sick. ·
Along
the road, don’t buy any local foods except roasted peanuts
and fruits. Bananas
are cheap and good for your digestive
system, and provide energy for the trip.
·
If
you drink coffee, make sure you bring instant coffee with creamer and
sugar
already in it. Coffee
creamer in India
is made from goat milk, which has a strong smell.
Boiling water will be provided at most
restaurants, but you should bring your own instant coffee and tea. ·
It
is recommended to bring multiple types of snacks on the bus, because
they don’t
sell many snacks except fresh fruit (which may be questionable). 3.
Currency ·
India’s
currency is the Rupee (INR-Indian Rupees).
The following link provides the current exchange rate: http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi?Amount=100&From=USD&To=INR Currently,
the exchange rate as of
June 26, 2010 is $10 = 46.055 Rupees. ·
Only
exchange money at the bank through the tour guides.
Most small villages do not have banks, so it
is recommended that you exchange your money ahead of time. It’s recommended
that you exchange $100 at a
time so you can use it for a few weeks.
It would be best to keep smaller bills for shopping, such
as 10 or 20
Rupees. Make sure
you count the money
you exchange before leaving the counters. ·
Traveler’s
checks and credit cards are not commonly accepted in
small villages. ·
Make
sure that you bring new U.S. bills to exchange, because
people who exchange money for you or do business with you will not
accept old
or torn bills. It
is recommended to
bring new $50 dollar bills or $100 dollar bills for ease of exchange. 4.
Clothing ·
The
weather in India between September and October averages with highs in
the 90s
and lows around 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is recommended that you wear long-sleeved shirts and
hats to protect
you from the sun. Because
it is very
sunny and dry, it is recommended that you bring sun block and lotion.
It’s not
very cold at night in India, but you should bring a light jacket for
Nepal. ·
It
is recommended that you wear good, supportive tennis shoes for walking. ·
Each
person should bring five to seven pairs of clothes to use for one week,
because
we will have limit facilities for washing and drying clothing. 5.
Electricity ·
In
India, they use 220V/50 Hertz, so a converter will be needed before
plugging in
any electronic devices. ·
Each
person should bring their own personal flashlight with extra batteries
to last
for the whole trip. 6.
Personal Health You
must take care of yourself very well to stay strong for the whole
journey. You must
eat and sleep sufficiently and keep
yourself in good spirits so you can enjoy the entire trip. ·
YOU
MUST BRING ALL YOUR
PERSONAL MEDICINE, because the pharmacies in India are inadequate. ·
Only
eat food in
restaurants recommended by the tour guides, and only eat hot dishes
(things
that have been cooked). ·
Don’t
drink water from
the tap in restaurants. Only
drink
bottled water with sealed caps, or drink hot tea.
·
There
are a lot of flies
and mosquitoes like in Vietnam, so you should bring insect repellant. ·
You
should do some
physical warm-ups in the morning so you can be prepared for the long
periods of
walking, especially when visiting all the holy sites.
7.
Beggars ·
Absolutely
DO NOT give money to the beggars separately, because it will cause a
big
interruption of the trip. ·
Whenever
tourists give money to one beggar, many other beggars will come and
surround
everybody on the trip. This
has often
caused delays in continuing the journey, and in some instances, it has
lead to
injuries and deaths of the beggars while they run after the bus. ·
The
tour guides suggest that we collect money and donate it to a Buddhist
temple or
charity organizations for distribution to the poor around the holy
sites. 8.
Transportation ·
Except
one flight to Nepal, the rest of the trip will be by bus or train
between holy
sites. Most of the
buses are old and not
as well-equipped as in America, but they are still adequate. The drivers are very
experienced at
navigating through the small and dusty roads.
·
It
is recommended to bring a small backpack on the bus for supplies. 9.
Phone and electronic devices ·
When
at the holy sites, your cell phones will not get any reception, so make
sure
you inform your family that you cannot keep in contact at this time. |
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