India has a well established infrastructure for western travelers. You need just a little extra patience and consideration to have a wonderful experience. The transport and the range of hotels in some ways eclipse those you will find at home (except in speed and luxury) and you will comfortably get by with English in any established tourist town or city.

TIME:
 India is 5 ½ hours ahead of GMT/ UTC, 4 ½ hours behind Australian EST, and 10 ½ hours ahead of American EST.

WOMEN TRAVELER :
Once upon a time, women traveling alone used to be frowned upon in India, but times are slowly changing. Proper dress code in accordance with the Indian social matrix serves to an extent. In mosques, women should be fully covered, and in temples and gurudwaras (Sikh temple), they have to cover their heads. One needs to be on the right side of caution while entering into conversations with strangers, accepting invitations to drinks and late night dinners. Remember that the more you move away from touristy areas, the lesser problems you are likely to have.

The southern and the eastern parts of the country are more fun to travel for the women traveler. And as a bonus, there are ladies’ queues for train tickets, ladies’ compartments in trains and even ladies’ seats in buses. So you see, it is not just caution all the way.

SENIOR TRAVELERS :
Elders are respected and revered all over India. Thus senior travelers will not have any problem in touring India. Unless you have poor vision or are otherwise challenged, there shouldn’t be any reason for not visiting India. All senior travelers have senior citizens’ quotas in trains and senior citizens’ queues for train tickets. Your stay in India will be a memorable one. So, enjoy it while it lasts.

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED TRAVELERS :
Traveling in India for the physically challenged is not easy. Few buildings in India are geared up for the wheelchair. Sometimes even footpaths cannot be used by the physically challenged. Restrooms have not been designed with the wheelchair in mind. Nevertheless, many physically challenged travelers are daring a head-on encounter with these difficulties.

TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN :
Traveling with children is a real joy as it often increases the chances of having interesting encounters with the local people. Children are easily welcomed everywhere and hospitality is extended to those accompanying them. One of the reasons for this might be that children are not self-conscious and they do not feel cultural differences as acutely as some adults are likely to. It is thus easier for them to make friends with the locals.

However, traveling with children can also be exhausting, for they fall sick very easily. In big hotels, obtaining safe baby food is not a problem. Disposable nappies are available in all major towns and cities. Most big hotels provide babysitting facilities.

Extra care should be taken to protect children from the Indian heat by avoiding the sun during the hottest part of the day. Cool showers and baths always help. Dehydration can be remedied by drinking plenty of water that is either boiled or purified with tablets. Diarrhea can best be avoided by staying away from uncovered street food. If traveling with children, it is best to visit India in the cooler months.

DANGERS & ANNOYANCES :
Theft :Nothing could be more annoying than to discover that you have lost something important. It is always preferable to carry important things on yourself and never leave them behind in your room. Be extra vigilant about your baggage at airports, on trains and other means of public transports that you might take. However, if anything is stolen or lost, it should immediately be reported to the police. Finally, a good travel insurance policy may help to some extent in making good the loss or damage.

Stolen Traveler's Cheques: Traveler's Cheques can easily be stolen or lost, but the good thing about them is that they are replaceable. It is best to buy them from American Express, Visa, Thomas Cook, Citibank and Barclay. Instant replacement may be difficult. However, the best way to deal with such a crisis is to keep an emergency amount aside. Those availing of American Express TC facilities can seek help at the 24 hour helpdesk in Delhi at (011) 687 5050. The loss of TC's should be reported to the company concerned within 24 hours of the loss. Carrying the receipts of the missing TC's would ensure a speedy replacement. It is advisable to keep the receipts in a separate place and a photocopy of the same in another.

Business Hours:
Government offices are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Monday through Friday. Banks are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on Saturday. However, major cities have been divided into zones where banks remain closed on particular days of the week. You must check that up before you actually go to one for a transaction. Traveller’s cheque transactions usually cease 30 minutes before the official bank closing time. The Reserve Bank of India has a half-yearly closing on 30th June and 31st December. Other banks have it on 31st March and 30th September. Shops also remain closed on particular days of the week according to their location. Offices are usually closed on Sundays and public holidays.

HOLIDAYS :
India is a multicultural, multilingual country and thus has a great number of holidays and festivals. Most of these festivals follow the Indian lunar calendar. Therefore they are likely to fall on different days each year in the Gregorian Calendar. Muslim holidays and festivals follow the Islamic calendar. So they too fall on different days every year. Numerous religious festivals are celebrated throughout the country, although the manner in which they are celebrated may vary from state to state. Amongst those that count as public holidays are – 26th January: Republic Day, 15th August: Independence Day, 2nd October: Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday and 25th December: Christmas.

PHOTOGRAPHY :
Film: Every kind of film is available in the Indian markets. Always check the expiry date printed on the film rolls as the heat and humidity of India can take their toll on them. Each city has its own camera and film market, so if you are looking for a large stock, it is better to get it from these markets as you’ll get it much cheaper here. However, it is better to bring your own positive films as they are not readily available in smaller towns. Kodak and Fuji have their labs all over the country, including in small cities. You should try to store both your exposed and unexposed films in a cool place to protect them from the summer heat. And if you’re traveling during the monsoon, it is better to have waterproof cases for your equipment.

Equipment: A UV filter permanently fitted to your lens will not only cut down the UV rays but also protect your lens from the heat and dust of India. UV and polarizing filters will also help shoot better photographs in high altitudes. Professional photographers should carry their tripods as well, for India has a lot to offer through its historical monuments. Fast films (400 ASA) are also useful while photographing the interiors of India’s numerous temples, forts and monasteries.

Exposure : In India, photographs are best taken early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The midday sun tends to eliminate the shadows of objects cutting down on the depth to your shots.

Restrictions : Indians could be very touchy about what you photograph. To photograph places of military importance including railway stations, bridges, airports, military installations, tribal areas and sensitive border regions, you would require to seek permission from the authorities concerned. Some temples prohibit photography in the main hall and the inner sanctum. Usually such temples have prohibitory signboards on their premises. It is always prudent to ask if there are no such indications. Some temples, forts, palaces, tombs and monasteries levy a fee to bring a still or video camera into the premises. A few wild life sanctuaries levy a much higher fee. The Archaeological Survey of India issues special permits for photographing monuments with tripods and artificial lights.

People in India are ever willing to pose for complete strangers. In places where tradition and conservatism rule the society, care should be taken before training your lens on women.

SHOPPING TIPS :
The most important rule while purchasing handicrafts is to get the right bargain. It wouldn’t hurt to first look around to know the fake from the real. It is always beneficial to get an idea of the quality and price of items by visiting the various state emporia and the Central Cottage Industries Emporia in Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Here the prices are fixed and will give you a fair idea of how much you could expect to pay while purchasing similar items from regular dealers.

Again, be careful when buying items that include delivery. You may have to pay additional customs as well as the handling charges. Beware of buying gems and carpets unless you’re an expert. Export of items such as ivory, fur and skins, antiquities is banned. Hence it is mandatory to obtain a certificate of legitimate sale and permission for export before trying to take any of these items out of the country.