Caution for Women Travellers
No matter how modernised India has become, a large percentage of the, mainly semi-urban and rural, population is still very conservative. Indians are not very conciliatory towards women. Openness on the part of women and liberal clothing are looked down upon. There is a small percentage of Hindu fundamentalists who think of Westerners as the source of moral corruption and take it upon themselves to 'purify' the system! Some men just think of foreigners as promiscuous, which adds an altogether different perspective in their dealings with women travellers. The crux of the matter is that women travellers who do not seem to 'fit in' might get sexually harassed (physically and/or verbally). The most common forms of this are the less severe forms; flirting with the eyes, teasing, lewd remarks, staring gazes, groping in crowded places on so on. Cases of physical abuse or even rape have been lesser, fortunately, but do occur occasionally.
Fitting in is the key to having a peaceful stay in India, not just for women, but for everyone in general, including the native traveller. Whilst it is not necessary to be overly alarmed about this, being conscious of your surroundings and generally cautious is something you should practise. Below are some things to keep in mind:
- Remember that your notion of what is offensive or casual when it comes to behaviour, choice of words, clothing and customary habits will almost certainly not be conservative enough for India. It pays observe the locals to get an idea 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 or how.
- If possible, always travel with a male companion or at least another female. Solo women travellers are the most likely targets of many things. By the same token, accompanying an Indian male (friend, fellow traveller, etc.) is not looked upon favourably.
- Get used to being stared at all the time! Some people, such as tour operators, shopkeepers and taxi drivers, will be looking for business, some are plain curious, however, most just ogle.
- You cannot afford to approach men, particularly those in groups, and some women in the usual Westerners' fashion. Alas, it is a fact that, in India, women do not have equal freedoms and opportunities as men.
- If in doubt about what is right or wrong, do not ask the locals. No one will tell you to your face what the problem is. Rather, use your observations and instincts. If possible, ask at your hotel reception about how safe your places of interest are. In every city there are some localities that are not so safe for women. Avoid them. If necessary, rely only on 'decent-looking' couples, families or other female travellers for advice. Making some temporary friends during your travels or stays in hotels and resorting to them for information is a good idea.
- Always dress conservatively, even if in a pool, by the beach or when it is hot. 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 no nude beaches in India! Conservative dressing and appearing sober in public (for example, not indulging in a public display of affection or not drinking in public) will obviate most possible troubles automatically. Another thing worth trying are Indian costumes (salwar-kameez or sari), not just from the point of view of safety, but also for the unique experience. Always avoid shorts, mini-skirts, sleeveless tops, clothes with plunging necklines and clothes which show a lot of skin or are tightly fitting. This would be perceived as going out half-dressed. Note the way the sari is worn; with a blouse and plain skirt-like petticoat underneath the sari. Long skirts, long sleeves and loose clothing are good and often much cooler.
- Be conservative in your conversations with strangers. Some men will misread a woman being friendly. At casual parties, meetings or conventions, you'll notice local women sitting together and separate from the men. In Mumbai, there are a few women-only local trains (for city-wide commuting).
You may find some of this advice intimidating and/or frustrating initially, but remember that Indian women get along fine all the time and lots of foreign travellers enjoy their stay. So don't be put off; adapt and try to enjoy the cultural differences.
Travelling with Children or People with Disabilites
Indians are very accepting of children. However, when looking for basic amenities, you'll rarely find any specific facilities exclusively for children. Nor are there many facilities especially designed for people with disabilities. Many people may have difficulties with some things in India, whether it be the excess pollution, heat and noise, the crowds or the food. Indian kids grow up eating spicy food, so it is difficult to find exclusive menus for children in hotels.
Being inquisitive, children often need extra care everywhere in India. Always carry extra food and drinks for your children. Read about the weather before departing on a trip to protect everyone from heatwaves, which are very common in north India during the summers (April to June).
General Travel Advice
Always on your guard while travelling and eating out. Take utmost care of personal hygiene, as food at some places in India can be contaminated or might have been prepared under unhygienic conditions.
Be wary of animals. Many have become so common in Indian neighbourhoods that first-time travellers may be surprised to find people going about their work casually in the presence of dogs, cows, oxen, monkeys, pigs and so on! Do not be tempted to feed these animals. Monkeys, in particular, can be food thieves and may turn on you if you start to feed them and then try to walk away.
Credit Cards, Travellers' Cheques and Cash
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at ATMs and in most shops and restaurants in every town and city. Making enquiries from your bank about the usage of credit cards in India or, for that matter, in any foreign country, is advisable before embarking on any trip abroad. Consider lowering your daily cash withdrawal limit.
Travellers cheque are accepted across India, with the most popular being those from Thomas Cook and Amex. It is advisable to carry cash and cheques in US dollars, as these are universally accepted. In some small towns, you may not be able to cash a travellers' cheque, so make allowances for this before departing the larger cities.
Be prudent in using credit cards for shopping. Imprint slips with credit card details can be, and have been, duplicated followed by further transactions being made without card owner's knowledge. Always complete 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 make cash payments, but do not carry too much cash at one time, as pickpockets and crooks do target tourists (Indians and foreigners, alike). The network of ATM machines is very good, except in some remote areas, so cash is nearly always to hand.
Beware of Theft
Be cautious with strangers. India is very poor in parts and many will try to rob an unwary tourist. A known mode of theft is by drugging travellers with strong sedatives. A friendly-looking person may strike up a conversation and try to make you feel comfortable. You may be offered contaminated food or drinks that will send you to sleep and your new-found 'friend' will depart with anything on you—not just luggage, but jewellery, wrist watches, waist pouches, wallets and passports. At railway stations or bus terminals (called bus stands), you might just glance other way for a second and turn back to realise that your bag that was at your feet has suddenly gone missing.
However, do not completely avoid making friends while on the move. Fellow travellers are often of significant help in assisting you to understand the way of many things. You can ask for advice, learn about weather conditions, get valuable tourist information about which places to visit and when is the best time, and help to famaliarise you with approximate prices of various products and services.
Always carry a small padlock with you. A small chain is also helpful in securing your luggage in trains and buses. The railway carriages usually have iron hooks below the seats, where passengers can chain and lock their luggage. Warning signs are placed in almost all public buses and trains that passengers must mind their own luggage and are solely responsible for any theft.
Agents and Middlemen
Commissioning via middleman, agents, brokers and other fixers is a widespread practice. Although these are commonplace, you will have to pay more, often without your knowledge. Businesses have to pay a commission to whoever brought them the customer (that's you) and they raise the price, sometimes by as much as 50% to100%, and usually well above the worth of the service or product. Throughout the process, you'll never know what deal went on 'under the table'. Right under your nose, by means of sign language, they'll even decide what percentage will get paid as brokerage and you will never know!
It helps to know your destinations (especially shops and hotels) and know the approximate routes, landmarks and fares to those places. Ask one or two different hotel employees (more than one opinion is good), which will show that you are not totally unfamiliar and gullible, so many will think twice before 'taking you for a ride'. Do make inquiries on your own (from locals or fellow travellers), never tell taxi drivers or shopkeepers that you are in India for the first time or are in need of help (unless you desperately are!) and do not admit to having a 'weak point', such as no reservation, being late or having an unseen disability.
A taxi driver may ask you which route to take to your destination to gauge your familiarity with the city, so carrying a local map is handy. Some unethical taxi drivers (a large percentage of them) might either charge you a flat rate (not all taxis have meters) that is quite high or, if you are paying by the meter, might take you around in circles to get extra money.
In tourist cities, most taxi drivers, if asked, will take you to a cheap hotel from which they can get a commission. Do not be fooled by excuses, such as the destination/shop you asked for is closed or you'll get a better deal at somewhere known to your driver or escort. You might consider getting out at a nearby landmark before your destination and walk, as some taxi drivers will indicate that they brought you and claim a commission anyway, for which you will ultimately be charged.
Scams and Thefts
In a country of more than a billion people, where a huge percentage of the population lives below the poverty line with a bare minimum to survive upon, it is not difficult to imagine the crime rates. There are many cases of theft and looting across the country every day. Not that many foreigners are targeted but, at popular tourist destinations, they are probable targets simply because they are considered to be unaware of the ways of the country, inquisitive and friendly towards Indians. However, it is unlikely that anyone would mug you directly. All 'looting' comes coated in sweet talk! The rule of thumb is that any person or any deal that sounds too good to be true, usually is just that, so don't be sweet-talked or cajoled into accepting any offers. Remember that you are obliged for nothing and to nobody.
Internet Access
Internet 'cafés' (popularly called cyber cafés, although the café part is almost always missing in reality!) can be found in every corner of the country. Most of these offer broadband except in small towns or villages. 'Peak' hours of bandwidth usage are from morning until noon and then post-office hours until approximately dinner time. Avoid using bandwidth intensive tasks (uploading photographs, webcams, voice chats, downloading, etc.) during this time. Also, as power cuts are frequent and untimely, it is prudent to save all of your online work locally, preferably onto a floppy disk or CD.
The most important consideration while using the Internet is to avoid using online banking facilities and/or using credit card details. Do not use small cyber cafés unless it is an emergency. They can potentially use key-logging software to capture your sensitive information (passwords, credit card details, etc.) Coffee shops in upmarket areas, 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.
Noise Pollution
The constant din of never-ending traffic, blaring loudspeakers, marriage, religious and funeral processions, publicly celebrated personal events and festivals, noisy machinery and more is enough to drive anyone crazy. If you enjoy silence or quiet times, it can be almost nightmarish! Although, officially, there are rules about volume levels in public places and their timings, these are almost never adhered to. A light sleeper will likely have their share of woes in the major cities of India. Avoiding it altogether is next to impossible, but you can minimise the intrusion.
Check the time of the Diwali festival (it usually falls in October or November). Diwali is the biggest and most auspicious festival for Hindus, during which there is a week-long din of fireworks and fire-crackers. If enjoy this type of thing, there is nothing like indulging in the most widely celebrated Hindu festival. Otherwise there is rarely a place where you can avoid the noise, except behind earplugs!
In general, it is advisable to look for hotels which are not 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 whether the windows will close properly. This is also helpful in preventing rain water from seeping in, particularly in regions which receive heavy rains. Tightly closing windows and doors also keeps the mosquitoes out at night! And, last but not the least, it'll ensure your privacy too.
