Travel Preparations

The purpose of this article is to describe the preparations for our trip to the South Indian states Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Pondicherry.

Being safe, staying healthy and travelling light are preconditions for successful travelling. Every time one of these is compromised, misery is added to what should be a pleasure. For instance, a traveller who is robbed, gets a hebatitis A infection or travels with 30 kilos of luggage in a suitcase is less likely to get as much pleasure from travelling than is possible. In order to avoid too many negative experiences, we have, in our planning of the trip, tried to minimise the impact of such, most often, avoidable hazards.

The first, very avoidable, hazard, which in itself can increase the likeliness of other hazards surfacing, is luggage. There is no excuse for luggage when travelling in South India. Luggage gets lost or stolen, increases the risk of injury as a result of excessive weight and awkward carrying techniques, and it limits mobility. Therefore, travelling light, i.e. not packing more than can be taken on board the plane as hand luggage, is our basic principle when travelling.

Airlines seem to use a standard size for hand luggage, and in order to get the bag on the plane as hand luggage its dimensions must not exceed 55cm x 40cm x 25cm. However, in terms of the weight of the hand luggage there are variations. Emirates allow 7 kilos and Air India 8 kilos whereas British Airways allow hand luggage of any weight as long as the passenger can lift the hand luggage into the overhead locker unaided. We have decided not to carry more than the harsh 7 kilo restrictions of Emirates. The premise is that any item needed whilst travelling, which can be bought cheaply on location, should be bought there. Should we come across items that we would like to bring home, but are too large to travel with, we'll send them home by registered mail. If it is not worth sending, it is probably not worth buying.

Below is a list of what we perceive to be the basic necessities for travelling light in South India. The list includes a number of health and safety tips.

Rucksack: The only reasonable way to carry luggage is in a rucksack. There are plenty of high quality 20 to 30 litre rucksacks that adhere to the airline dimension requirements. Ideally, the rucksack should be tried on before purchase since not all human shapes match every rucksack.

We have chosen the Berghaus Freeflow Plus 25 + 6 (now called Freeflow IV 25+5) which retails at £55. The reason for this choice is not only that this particular rucksack meets the dimension requirements and receives very good reviews, but also because it uses the Freeflow II back system. Basically, the rucksack will not touch the back thereby limiting the development of unpleasant cold sweat between the back and the rucksack. The only downside to this rucksack is that it is unreasonably heavy for its purpose as hand luggage. However, its extra weight of 500 grams, compared to other rucksacks of this size, is more than compensated for by its comfortable fit and features.

Travel book: Of the South Indian travel books that are usually recommended, Rough Guide and Lonely Planet, we found that Rough Guide has the most extensive coverage of South India. We stayed away from the Thomas Cook Traveller Goa and Kerala since it gets poor reviews and doesn't cover the whole of South India. In order to reduce the weight of hand luggage we recommend any books be carried onto the plain by hand.

Camera + accessories: Not being a professional photographer makes choosing a camera very easy: a cheap digital camera with a memorycard. Ideally, any battery driven travel item should use AA batteries, since these are cheap and available all over the world. However, in retrospect we would recommend bringing rechargeable batteries and a charger; a camera uses too many batteries, and is very inefficient since it doesn't deplete the batteries fully. Consequently, you end up having to dispose of batteries that could have been used in other electrical items. It is very important to bring a camera compatible usb wire to be able to transfer photos to a blog or email them home. There are plenty of Internet cafés in South India from where photos can be transferred. The camera can be carried on board the plane out of the hand luggage thus minimising the luggage weight.

Footwear: Needless to say, not using proper footwear increases the risk of walking related injuries.

Sandals: The most important traveller's item in the tropical climate of South India are sandals. There is a reason why sandals or, more often, flip-flops are used by all South Indians: they keep feet cool. A pair of sandals from Bata can be bought for as little as 350 rupees. Only at night, when trekking or when worried about local creepy-crawlies is it worth temporarily discarding the sandals in favour of boots/shoes. Don't use leather in any shape or form; it goes mouldy in tropical climates. We bought sandals from Teva before leaving; they are of fantastic quality and highly recommended.

Walking boots: Choose a pair of boots or shoes that are designed for walking, even if no extensive trekking is planned. For weight reasons, wear the boots/shoes on to the plane.

Walking socks: An often ignored but essential part of walking properly, particularly in the tropical climate of South India, is a pair of high quality walking socks. Proper socks will reduce the risk of feet overheating, blisters developing and of impact injuries, and they will increase the overall comfort when walking in boots/shoes. Never use cotton socks for serious walking.

Air travel socks: On the plane, using flying socks designed to prevent deep vein thrombosis makes sense.

Clothing: There are advantages to travelling from a cold country to a warm country: only a small amount of clothing is needed. The trick is to buy the clothes in India. Traditional Indian clothing is cheap, cotton, cool and comfortable. There are numerous small shops selling nice clothes, but also the popular Fabindia. It is highly recommended to have clothes made by a tailor if possible.

Even though South Indian women dress more traditionally than South Indian men, wearing Kurtas and pyjama bottoms or churidars is reasonable for any westerner, male or female. Pyjama bottoms are ideal to wear in warm, daytime conditions because of their loose fit. The tight fit of churidars make them ideal in the evenings decreasing the risk of mosquitoes disappearing up the trouser legs. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours, so choosing a light coloured fabric is recommended. Stay well clear of turbans, loin cloths and other types of traditional clothing that are clearly unsuitable for non-Indians.

Taking the favourable Indian clothing market into consideration, it is only necessary to bring a few pieces of clothing. A long-sleeved shirt and a few pairs of underpants and socks should be enough.

Water flask and filters: Water is a scarce resource in India making excessive and unnecessary use of water bad practice. However, as a result of the heat and subsequent perspiration it is necessary to maintain a high intake of liquid. The problem is that Indian drinking water is not that suited to western stomachs. In fact, the main reason for developing the much referred to Delhi belly is contaminated water. The simple measure of only consuming water that is clean will reduce the risk of developing diarrhoea. Therefore, do not eat salad unless it has been washed in cleaned water, avoid ice cubes, and only drink bought bottled water if it is sealed when purchased. Water is sterilised by boiling it for at least 5 minutes.

Another reason for the development of diarrhoea is the consumption of animal flesh and unpasteurised milk products. A vegan diet will significantly reduce the risk of developing diarrhoea. Also, it is recommended to only eat in restaurants that are popular with the locals. They probably know best.

Water shortage is not the only problem in India. The amount of waste being produced in this densely populated country is huge. Consequently, there is a problem with waste disposal. Tourists should always strive towards minimum impact behaviour. Therefore, instead of constantly buying bottled water in plastic containers that have to be disposed of, bring a iodine based water purification system.

The APTi Water Purification System provides a safe, convenient and environmentally sound alternative to buying bottled water. Practically any water will be drinkable and clean tasting once it has gone through the built-in iodine sleeve. An alternative to a water bottle is to clean the water by adding tablets or liquid containing iodine to the water. However, this approach of using iodine directly in the water creates a risk of iodine poisoning, and is not recommended for long term use.

Torch: South India is situated just north of the equator. This means that daylight is limited to around 12 hours a day, and bringing along a torch when going out after 18.00 is recommended since street lighting can be sparse. The classic travel torch is the Mini Maglite AA. It is small and hard to break. The problem with torches, including the Mini Maglite, is that the lifespan of bulbs is limited to as little as 10 hours. Also, normal bulbs use a lot of battery power. In order to get the perfect torch, it is possible to upgrade the bulb to LED; e.g. the TerraLUX MiniStar2 High Dome Version. With this upgrade the torch turns into a battery efficient, high performance £25 torch that will last a lifetime. Since early 2007 the Mini Maglite has been available with a LED bulb from Maglite. Another highly recommended travel torch, though not as powerful as the Maglite/Terralux combination, is the reflector version of the £20 Inova x1 LED. Anyone interested in torches should visit Flashlight Reviews, which provides indepth analyses of torches.

Money belt: The purpose of a money belt is to carry money, passport/visa and other light weight items that must not get lost or stolen. Therefore, the money belt should always be attached to its owner and well hidden. Take out the amount of cash needed for the day and store it somewhere else. There is no reason to increase the risk of opportunistic theft by accessing the money belt in public.

Some people recommend scanning passport, visa and insurance policy documents and emailing them to an email address that is accessible in India. Should authentic documents get lost it is possible, by accessing the email address, to get a copy thereby limiting the hassle experienced as a result of the loss.

Sheet bag: Investing in a cotton sleeping bag liner is a good idea. It can be used to sleep in if accommodation turns out to be too unclean, e.g. on trains. Especially useful in the tropical climate of South India.

Spectacles: If dependent on spectacles bring an extra pair. Do not invest in spectacles in the UK since they can be bought cheaply in India.

Ear plugs: An item that is often overlooked is a set of earplugs. They are very useful on planes and trains, and in busses and noisy accommodation.

Universal sink plug: For some reason India does not have a thriving sink plug industry, and sink holes have varying sizes. In many places there will be no sink plug making a universal sink plug a very useful travel item. Should you find yourself without a sink plug it possible to make a custom sink plug from the inner tube of a bike tyre; cut it to shape, and the water pressure will effectively seal the sink.

Pen and paper: Always handy.

Playing cards: Good for idle times.

Clock with alarm: A travel alarm, or even better, a waterproof wrist watch with inbuilt alarm will be useful.

Locks: Tourists are unlikely to be robbed in South India, but there is always a risk of opportunistic theft. There are a number of locks and locking systems available to the traveller who wants to safeguard their belongings. When asleep on trains, or in other situations where luggage has to be left unattended, it is worth considering locking the luggage to a solid fixture. The Wrapsafe cable lock from Pacsafe provides enough safety for most travellers. Adding the Squire DCL1 padlock, which according to a Which Magazine review is very secure and good value for money, would safeguard any rucksack in most locations. Alternatively, in order to not having to keep keys safe, it makes sense to use a combination padlock. A padlock will also be useful in certain types of accommodation where the room door is locked with a flimsy padlock.

Sewing kit: Is very useful for repairing ripped mosquito nets.

Mp3 player: If you enjoy listening to music at home you will almost certainly miss not having access to music when travelling. Further, music can be used to de-stress, and it can be used to shut out unwanted noise. Choosing an mp3 player is a very individual choice, but obviously it has to be sturdy, which immediately disqualifies the Ipod, and it has to have enough capacity to satisfy the traveller's musical requirements. A fairly unknown mp3 player which scores high on all relevant parameters (music reproduction, battery life and build quality) are the Iaudio X5 and M5. These can also be bought with an L attached (X5L and M5L) which offer about 30 hours of battery life. It is always recommended to buy headphones separately. In-ear phones are particularly useful since they shut out outside sound with the same efficiency as ear plugs. Sennheiser CX 300 are very good earphones at a reasonable price.

Health: Going on holiday must not result in illness. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for travellers to contract one or more illnesses. However, if properly prepared the risk is minimal. Preparing the trip involves getting the right vaccinations before leaving, bringing the right medication, and immediately contacting a doctor if any unexplained illness appears during or after the trip.

Since there is no reciprocal health care agreements between India and Britain, it is recommended to get adequate travel insurance health cover. Some home insurances cover theft and similar losses abroad.

The single most important preparation is to get the right vaccinations. Though it is not obligatory to be vaccinated before going to South India, a number of basic vaccinations are recommended. Additionally, if there is an outbreak of certain illnesses in the area at the time of travelling it is recommended to be vaccinated against these.

The basic vaccinations are diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A and typhoid. The additional vaccinations, which are sometimes advised, are hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis, Japanese B encephalitis, meningococcal meningitis and cholera. The traveller should always consult their GP before leaving Britain. It is also recommended to check the WHO website for information about recent epidemic developments in the area.

The other health preparation is to obtain protection against malaria. The risk of contracting malaria on the Indian subcontinent is insignificant compared to the risk in Africa from where 9 out 10 of the world's malaria cases originate. Further, the risk of contracting malaria in South India is much lower than in the rest of India as the Indian malaria map shows. There are a number malaria drugs on the market. However, there are numerous potential negative side effects from using malaria drugs. Various articles suggest that the least intrusive drug is Malarone. Based on available information we have decided not to use malaria drugs.

The most important malaria protection is to limit the number of times you are bitten by mosquitoes. First, when out at night, where the risk of getting bitten by mosquitoes is the highest, wearing light-coloured clothing that covers as much skin as possible is recommended. Second, perfume or aftershave should be avoided since these either attract mosquitoes or inhibits the repelling function of insect repellent. Third, it is recommended wearing a deet cream (chemical) and neem tree extract (natural), which repel mosquitoes. Fourth, sleeping under a mosquito net is highly recommended unless the room itself provides sufficient protection. Fifth, if bitten by a mosquito the zapper linked below will reduce itching.

It also makes sense to consider the health risks from flying. The Guardian Newspaper has published an article about worthwhile health related flying precautions. In order to get off to a good start, reading the manual for dealing with jetlag is recommended.

The health protection items we will be bringing are:

Mosquito net: Not all types of accommodation will provide a mosquito net. And even if a mosquito net is provided there is no guarantee for its effectiveness. So it is highly recommended to bring a mosquito net that is impregnated with the mosquito repellent Permethrin. Add a couple of tiny hook eyes and dental floss or string to attach the net in places that are not equipped for mosquito nets.

Insect repelling neem spray: The natural product neem is used by Indians to protect themselves against mosquito bites. The spray should be applied to exposed areas at times when there is a risk of mosquito bites, which primarily is in locations below 2000 metres from dusk till dawn. Neem extract can be bought in South India and mixed with coconut oil for easy application.

Deet cream: To achieve extra protection, the very effective chemical deet may be used. Deet is pretty toxic stuff that in its concentrated form will dissolve plastic products. However, we have decided to use the Ultrathon insect repellent, which is very efficient.

We found that Odomos, which is produced in India, is just as efficient as the neem and deet creams that we brought we us. Further, it costs a fraction of the non-Indian alternatives.
Odomos can be bought even in the smallest towns in India. The lotion version is recommended; it is easier to apply than the gel and cream versions, and is has a less intrusive smell.
Zapper: Scratching an insect bite can lead to terrible infections and potentially end the trip. Using a zapper will alleviate the itching, reducing the risk of inadvertently scratching the bite.

Tick remover: If a tick attaches itself it may cause horrible illnesses in the host. The traveller should, when travelling in areas where ticks are present, check the body for ticks. Ticks will normally attach themselves in the warm regions of the body, like the crotch and armpit areas. A tick remover should be used to safely remove ticks.

First aid kit: A simple first aid kit will be useful.

Thermometer: A thermometer will be useful to determine whether or not a fever is severe enough to seek medical assistance. Fever could be an indication of malaria infection.

Antiseptic cream: Even the smallest wound should be cleaned immediately and antiseptic cream applied. Any untreated perforation of the skin can develop into a tropical ulcer, which really is not nice.

Imodium: Should diarrhoea occur, imodium can, in some cases, be used stop it. However, there are a number of precautions that have to be taken before using imodium, and a few potential negative side effects.

Rehydration sachets: Dehydration may ultimately lead to death if left untreated. The purpose of rehydration sachets is to replace minerals lost through vomiting and/or diarrhoea. An essential travel item. Alternatively, it is possible to make a rehydration solution by adding 8 teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt to a litre of water.

Paracetamol: It makes sense to be able to treat simple headaches etc.

Sun protection: Four essential items will be useful to bring along when travelling to a place where strong sunshine is expected: hat, sunglasses, sun lotion and an alcohol free aftersun. Alternatively, buying an umbrella upon arrival is recommended. It is the Keralan approach to sun, and rain, protection.

Hygiene: Whereas the health items above are, more or less, obligatory, selecting hygiene items is an individual choice. Items like hair brush/comb, nail clippers, shavers, hair conditioner and vitamins are not relevant for all travellers. However, there are a few hygiene items that most people will find useful:

Wash bag: A wash bag that is well constructed and voluminous will keep the health and hygiene items separated from other items in the rucksack.

Hand disinfectant: In tropical climates bacteria flourish. Since the bacteria may potentially lead to an illness it is necessary to always clean hands thoroughly before touching food. A good hand disinfectant that contains alcohol will remove most bacteria.

Combined soap: There are a number of all-in-on soaps available. These soaps can be used for endless purposes like hair washing, body washing, shaving and clothes washing. Such soaps are infinitely more appealing when travelling than bringing different soaps for different purposes.

Tooth items: Taking a tooth brush, tooth paste, a protective cover for the tooth brush and dental floss is a good idea for most people. The added benefit of dental floss is that it can be used to tie up a mosquito net.

Women's sanitary product: Tampons and similar products are hard to get in India. Quality ones are even harder to find. It is essential to bring these along from home. Why not try a moon cup?

Talcum powder: In tropical climates applying talcum powder will help prevent the heat rash miliaria. The rash arises as a result of an infection of the sweat ducts.

Toilet paper: Traditional Indian toilets do not come with toilet paper. Though toilet paper is widely available, bringing a couple of toilet rolls may prove useful, for instance on trains where toilet paper generally is unavailable.

Conclusion
Preparation is everything when travelling. However, it is possible to bring a lot of items, even in a small rucksack. The combined weight of all the items listed above is around 7 kilos. If the actual weight turns out to be higher than the airline allowance some items can be carried by hand, in pockets or attached to a waist belt.

Recommended sites
One Bag
Travel Independent
Catch 22
Safariquip
Nomad Travel
Travelpharm

Rough Guides
Lonely Planet

World Health Organisation

This entry was posted by pundabee, on Saturday, February 11, 2006. You can leave your response.