Safety

Cautions while Accessing Internet

Internet shops (popularly called cyber café, though the café part is almost always missing in reality!) can be found in every nook and corner of the country. Most of these are broadband except in small time places. ‘Peak' hours of bandwidth usage are from morning till noon and then post-office hours till approximate dinner time. Avoid using bandwidth intensive tasks (uploading photographs, webcams, voice chats, downloading, etc.) during this time. Also, since power cuts are frequent and untimely, it is prudent to save all your online work locally on the harddisk too.

But the most important caution to be exercised while using internet is to avoid using online banking facilities and using credit card details. Do not use small time cyber shops unless it is an emergency. They can potentially use key-logging softwares to capture your sensitive information (passwords, credit card details, etc.) Coffee shops in upmarket areas and some supermarts and decent hotels provide wireless access to their customers. If you are in India for long, you might want to purchase a ‘data-card', for wireless internet access while roaming. It works well, at least in the cities, if not in remote areas.

Scams and Thefts

In a country of more than a billion people, when a huge percentage of the population lives below or just above the poverty line, with bare minimum to survive upon, then it is not difficult to imagine the crime rates. There are very many cases of thefts and looting everyday across the country. Not that many foreigners are targeted but, at least, at popular tourist destinations they are probable targets simply because of the fact that they are considered unaware of the ways of the country, inquisitive and friendlier towards Indians. But the catch is no one would loot you directly. All the ‘looting' comes coated in sweet talk! Rule of thumb is that, any person or any deal that sounds too good to be true are actually just so—don't get sweet-talked or cajoled into accepting any offers. Remember you are obliged for nothing and to nobody. Some specific tips and typical kind of cases to be remembered are enumerated in this section.

Cautions for Women Travellers

No matter how modernized the country is but a large percentage of (semi-urban and rural) population is still conservative. Especially when it comes to women Indians are not very conciliating. Openness on part of women and liberal costumes are looked down upon. And then there is a small percentage of Hindu fundamentalist who think of Westerners as the source of moral corruption and take unto themselves to ‘purify' the system! And some men just think of foreigners as promiscuous, which adds an altogether different perspective in their dealings with women travellers! Crux of the matter is that women travellers who do not seem to ‘fit in' might get sexually harassed (both, physical and verbal). The most common forms are the less severe ones eve-teasing, lewd remarks, staring gazes, groping in crowded places, etc. Cases of physical abuse or even rape have been fortunately lesser.

Fitting in is the key to having a peaceful stay in India , not just for women but for everyone in general, including the native people. While being paranoid is it is not at all called for, but being cautious and conscious is something you cannot do without. The dos and don'ts are covered point-wise below:

• Drop your notion of what is offensive and what is casual when it comes to behaviour, choice of words, costumes, etc.
• Always observe the locals intently to get a hint of what is acceptable and what is not—be it dresses you wear, greetings you make, stares you give, or your behaviour in general. You never know who might judge you how.
• If possible always travel with a male partner. Solo woman/women travellers are likely targets. But then again accompanying some Indian male (friend, fellow traveller, etc.) is not looked upon favourably.
• Get used to being stared at all the time! Some (like tour operators, shopkeepers, taxi drivers) will ‘examine' for business, some are plain curious, whereas, most just ogle.
• You cannot afford to be confronting people normally. Almost always avoid bothering men or crowded places if it makes you uncomfortable. It's a fact that in India women cannot have equal freedom and opportunities with men.
• If in doubt, don't ask locals. No one will tell you on your face what is wrong or what is right. Rather use your observation and instincts. If possible ask at hotel reception about how safe the places of your interest are. In every city there always are some localities which are not so safe for women. Avoid them. If necessary, then rely only on decent looking couples or families or sober looking female travellers for advice. Making some such temporary friends during travel or stay in hotel and resorting to them for such information is a good idea.
• Always dress conservatively, even if in a pool or by the beach or its summer time. You'll find Indian women wearing dark coloured T-shirts even on beaches or in a swimming pool. There is a reason why there are, say no nude beaches in India ! Conservative dressing and appearing sober in public (for example, not indulging in public display of affection or not drinking in public) will obviate most of your troubles automatically. Another thing worth trying are Indian costumes ( salwar-kameez or sari ), and not just from the point of view of safety, but also from the point of view of a unique experience. Always avoid shorts, mini-skirts, sleeveless tops, clothes with plunging necklines and in general clothes which show off much skin or fit tightly. Long skirts are ok but don't wear a tight or a small top. It'd be perceived as going out half-dressed because of the way sari is worn (with a tight blouse and plain skirt-like petticoat, underneath sari). If in doubt take a hint from local women. Then again a thing might be fine for local women to wear, just because they are Indians, whereas, a non-Indian wearing something similar would be looked down upon.
• With strangers always keep your conversation sober and to the minimum. Men tend to take unnecessary hints just because some women are friendly. At casual parties or conventions you'll even notice local women sitting together and separate from men. In Mumbai, there are a few women-only ‘Local' trains (for city-wide commuting).

You'll for sure find it intimidating and frustrating initially, but remember Indian women get along very fine all the time and lakhs of foreign travellers enjoy their stay a lot. So don't be put off, rather adapt and indulge.

Noise Pollution

Constant din of never-ending traffic, blaring loudspeakers, marriage, religious, funeral, etc. processions, publicly celebrated personal events and festivals, noisy machinery, etc. will drive anyone crazy. And if you are a quiet-loving person it can be sometimes nightmarish. Though there officially are rules about volume levels in public places and their timings, but these are almost never adhered to. A light sleeper will surely have his/her share of woes in major cities of India . Avoiding it 100% is, well, next to impossible, unless you lock yourself in a secluded spot! But you can surely minimize the intrusion.

Check the time of Diwali festival (it falls on some date in either October, or November). Diwali is the biggest and most auspicious festivals of Hindus. During Diwali there is a week long din of fireworks/fire-crackers. If you can like it, there's nothing like indulging in the most widely celebrated Hindu festival. Otherwise there is rarely a place where you can save your ears, except behind earplugs. Or for that matter, thanks to the above mentioned constant harsh noises, earplugs are a must have whether you are sleeping or travelling.

In general, it is advisable to look for hotels which aren't right on the main highways or busy city roads. Similarly, rooms on the far side from the streets will be quieter. Always inspect your room before taking it. Check if the windows can be properly closed or not. This is also helpful, in preventing rain water from seeping in, in regions which receive heavy rains. Tightly closing windows and doors keep the mosquitos out at night! Last but not the least, it'll ensure your privacy too.

Cautions with Children

Indians are very accepting of children. In fact, in mythology many gods have been shown to avenge evil after being born to humans. But with a crunch for basic amenities themselves, you'll rarely find any specific facilities exclusively for children. Or for that matter specially designed facilities for people with disabilities or for children are rarely found. Be aware that children will have some hard time in India . It could be accommodation, it could be excess of pollution, heat and noise, it could be the crowd itself, it could be (spicy!) food—the list is endless.

A general word of advice is to be always on your guard while travelling and eating out. Take utmost care of hygiene as food at small time places in India can be outright contaminated or might have been prepared under unhygienic conditions. Also Indian kids grow up eating spicy foods, so it is difficult to find exclusive menus for children in hotels.

Be wary of animals which have become so common in Indian neighbourhoods that first time travellers would be surprised to find people going about their work casually in the presence of dogs, cows, ox, monkeys, pigs, etc. Children being inquisitive need extra care everywhere in India . Always carry extra food and drinks for your children. Know the weather beforehand and protect children from heatwaves, which are very common in North India during summers (April-June).

Cautions while using Credit Cards

Be prudent in using credit cards for shopping. Imprint slips with credit card details can be and have been duplicated and further transactions made without owner's knowledge. Always get done with your transactions on the counter itself, where the card and the card-reading instrument are both in front of you. A good option is to do cash payments. But then again do not carry too much cash as pickpockets and crocks especially target tourists (Indians and foreigners, alike). Network of ATM machines is very good, except in some remote areas, so cash is always handy.

Visa and Mastercards are accepted at ATMs and in shops in every town and city. Making inquiries from your bank about usage of credit cards in India , or for that matter in any foreign country is advisable before embarking on any trip abroad.

Also travellers cheque are accepted across India , most popular being those from Thomas Cook and Amex. Try carrying cash and cheques in US dollars only, as American dollars are universally accepted for change. Some small-town banks might not possibly

Cautions while Travelling

Talking of travelling woes, another mode of theft (actually a right away looting) is drugging travellers with strong sedatives. Always some friendly-looking person will strike a conversation and get comfortable with you. You'll be offered a contaminated foods or drink which will send you to sleep, and your new found friend will part away with anything on you—not just luggage but even jewellery, wrist watch, wallet, waist pouch, etc. At railway stations or bus terminal (they are called as bus stands), you might just be looking other way for a second and realize the next second that your bag you put at your feet has suddenly gone missing.

But then again, do not strictly abstain from making friends while on the move. In fact do strike casual conversations with fellow travellers, as they can be of mighty help in helping you understand the working of things better. You can ask for advice, know the weather conditions, get valuable tourist information about which places to visit when and how, know the approximate prices of various products and services, etc.

Always carry a small padlock with you. A chain would be of mighty help in securing your luggage in trains and busses. Don't shy away from asking for assurance of safety and no matter how reassuring a place or person feels like, the onus of securing goods lie on you. Even the railway coaches are designed keeping this in mind. They have iron hooks below seat where passengers can not only keep their luggage but also chain it and lock it. Notes are written in almost all public buses and trains that passengers must care for their own luggage and are solely responsible for any thefts.