Ok, going to Kolkata (Calcutta) alone as a woman -- advice?
January 22, 2017 7:44 AM Subscribe
After posting this question, I've decided to go on this trip to Calcutta! India advice needed.
This will be my first trip to India, and it will be short -- just a week. Several days I will be doing research (hard to describe what it is, but not really fieldwork per se -- shadowing a nonprofit organization that has links to my non-India related research.) At least part of this shadowing will be in very poor parts of the city. I have a hotel already that the nonprofit has helped me to organize. Otherwise, I am pretty much on my own.
I am not particularly well-traveled outside the US and Europe (though I am very well-traveled in these places, and generally not shy about solo-travel), so excuse me if my questions seem stupid :).
I'd love tips for:
1. Travelling around Calcutta as a woman on my own. My contacts say Calcutta is pretty safe, but I'd like tips on personal safety.
2. Where to eat on my own? How to go about doing this without getting sick?
3. It would be amazing to have some sort of cell service -- is it possible to get a SIM card to use there (prohibitive to use my ordinary phone)?
4. Travelling around -- should I get a driver? I think the hotel can organize one. A guide? Uber?
5. I will have probably just one day for actual sightseeing. Is there anything I MUST see or do before I leave? The one day is not negotiable, I'm afraid. I should get a guide, right?
6. I give money to people on the street all the time where I live, so I know this will be overwhelming. How do tourists manage this? I was thinking of not giving out money but giving to a reputable charity -- does that sound like a good plan?
7. Silly -- but clothing advice? I presume modest?
8. I have an appt with a travel clinic, but my doctor seemed offhand not to think I'd need anything, and I'm breastfeeding so some vaccines might not be recommended. My doctor also didn't seem to want to give me an antibiotic to take with me just in case -- I should push for this, no? Doesn't seem from malaria maps that it will be an issue.
9. Am getting a visa-on-arrival tourist visa? Any anticipated problems with this? Anything I should be prepared for for customs/immigration?
Anything else I'm not thinking about? Because I'm anxious about leaving my children, I'm most worried about getting the max amount of work done, and being really safe and healthy. But I also want to have at least some kind of "tourist" experience as well.
Thanks in advance!
This will be my first trip to India, and it will be short -- just a week. Several days I will be doing research (hard to describe what it is, but not really fieldwork per se -- shadowing a nonprofit organization that has links to my non-India related research.) At least part of this shadowing will be in very poor parts of the city. I have a hotel already that the nonprofit has helped me to organize. Otherwise, I am pretty much on my own.
I am not particularly well-traveled outside the US and Europe (though I am very well-traveled in these places, and generally not shy about solo-travel), so excuse me if my questions seem stupid :).
I'd love tips for:
1. Travelling around Calcutta as a woman on my own. My contacts say Calcutta is pretty safe, but I'd like tips on personal safety.
2. Where to eat on my own? How to go about doing this without getting sick?
3. It would be amazing to have some sort of cell service -- is it possible to get a SIM card to use there (prohibitive to use my ordinary phone)?
4. Travelling around -- should I get a driver? I think the hotel can organize one. A guide? Uber?
5. I will have probably just one day for actual sightseeing. Is there anything I MUST see or do before I leave? The one day is not negotiable, I'm afraid. I should get a guide, right?
6. I give money to people on the street all the time where I live, so I know this will be overwhelming. How do tourists manage this? I was thinking of not giving out money but giving to a reputable charity -- does that sound like a good plan?
7. Silly -- but clothing advice? I presume modest?
8. I have an appt with a travel clinic, but my doctor seemed offhand not to think I'd need anything, and I'm breastfeeding so some vaccines might not be recommended. My doctor also didn't seem to want to give me an antibiotic to take with me just in case -- I should push for this, no? Doesn't seem from malaria maps that it will be an issue.
9. Am getting a visa-on-arrival tourist visa? Any anticipated problems with this? Anything I should be prepared for for customs/immigration?
Anything else I'm not thinking about? Because I'm anxious about leaving my children, I'm most worried about getting the max amount of work done, and being really safe and healthy. But I also want to have at least some kind of "tourist" experience as well.
Thanks in advance!
Hi, I was in Delhi and Kerala over Xmas. Our friends got us an Airtel SIM, they said its the best card, which I swapped into my phone. My partner has Google Fi and it worked with no problems. We hired a driver to sightsee in Delhi through our hotel, its a normal request so it was easy and we did it the night before. We used Uber for other transport, it will be much cheaper than the hotel or airport, there are drivers everywhere, and the price is stated when you order it. I would add avoiding ice to your food safety list, and all our hotels provided bottle water. Our travel clinic gave us a prescription for Cipro as a matter of course but we didn't need it. I would pack plenty of immodium and pepto bismol. Pepto can also be taken as a prophylactic against traveler's diarrhea. Indian bathrooms come with a sprayer for wiping, so I would recommend having some toilet paper to dry yourself, and some hand sanitizer or wetwipes to clean your hands. We got our visa in the US which took about three weeks. The biggest challenge we had is that India remonetized their currency so many of the atms were out of cash, and there was a withdrawal limit.
posted by florencetnoa at 9:15 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by florencetnoa at 9:15 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
I am an Indian woman but have never traveled to Calcutta so won't have a ton of specific advice about the city. However here's my two cents for what it's worth.
1. Travelling around Calcutta as a woman on my own. My contacts say Calcutta is pretty safe, but I'd like tips on personal safety.
I think if you're either traveling around in a car with a driver (which I would recommend - see below) or shadowing the non-profit, you shouldn't have to worry about personal safety too much. Generally, travel with others whenever possible, don't wander into alleys or go out on your own much after dark. Traveling in a car with a driver after dark should be totally fine though.
2. Where to eat on my own? How to go about doing this without getting sick?
I don't have Calcutta-specific suggestions for this. However, since you're only there for a week, I would generally avoid street food, though it can be very delicious. It's not worth jeopardizing the reason for your trip. Hotel food should be fine, but I would still drink bottled water. Be careful about ice - it can be made from (generally filtered) tap water. The more cooked something is the safer it generally is. Try to eat hot food as much as possible, and avoid salads or fresh fruit unless it's at a nice restaurant or in your hotel.
3. It would be amazing to have some sort of cell service -- is it possible to get a SIM card to use there (prohibitive to use my ordinary phone)? It's absolutely possible. I haven't had to do this in India myself for a long time so I don't know the latest (maybe someone else can chime in), but if you have an unlocked phone, getting a SIM card should not be hard. The cell service market in India is extremely competitive so there are plenty of niche players. This is something your contacts should be able to help you with as they likely know the best carriers in Calcutta and the like.
4. Travelling around -- should I get a driver? I think the hotel can organize one. A guide? Uber? Would highly recommend a driver - will make your life infinitely more easy, and for such a short trip being able to leave on your own terms and having some flexibility could be very important. Relying on Uber / public transport would be more unreliable and will likely cut into your actual work time. You can also feel more personally safe with a vetted driver.
5. I will have probably just one day for actual sightseeing. Is there anything I MUST see or do before I leave? The one day is not negotiable, I'm afraid. I should get a guide, right? I'll let people who know more about Calcutta answer this one.
6. I give money to people on the street all the time where I live, so I know this will be overwhelming. How do tourists manage this? I was thinking of not giving out money but giving to a reputable charity -- does that sound like a good plan? That sounds like a good plan. There are plenty of reputable charities in India - one I can personally vouch for is AID India, which does a lot of great work in education as well as disaster relief.
7. Silly -- but clothing advice? I presume modest? Neither men nor women in India tend to wear shorts, but pants or jeans with a shirt or tunic should be fine. Indian clothes can be more comfortable in the heat, but for a week I'm not sure I would bother.
8. I have an appt with a travel clinic, but my doctor seemed offhand not to think I'd need anything, and I'm breastfeeding so some vaccines might not be recommended. My doctor also didn't seem to want to give me an antibiotic to take with me just in case -- I should push for this, no? Doesn't seem from malaria maps that it will be an issue. If you do end up needing antibiotics, they're actually really commonly available. I brought a huge stash of antibiotics to the US when I first arrived from India, because they're basically OTC there (not saying this is a good thing, but it is the reality). I wouldn't worry about getting antibiotics from here.
9. Am getting a visa-on-arrival tourist visa? Any anticipated problems with this? Anything I should be prepared for for customs/immigration?
Being Indian, I haven't had to deal with this. It's a fairly recent change (earlier you would have needed to get a visa beforehand). Perhaps others have more insight.
posted by peacheater at 9:21 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
1. Travelling around Calcutta as a woman on my own. My contacts say Calcutta is pretty safe, but I'd like tips on personal safety.
I think if you're either traveling around in a car with a driver (which I would recommend - see below) or shadowing the non-profit, you shouldn't have to worry about personal safety too much. Generally, travel with others whenever possible, don't wander into alleys or go out on your own much after dark. Traveling in a car with a driver after dark should be totally fine though.
2. Where to eat on my own? How to go about doing this without getting sick?
I don't have Calcutta-specific suggestions for this. However, since you're only there for a week, I would generally avoid street food, though it can be very delicious. It's not worth jeopardizing the reason for your trip. Hotel food should be fine, but I would still drink bottled water. Be careful about ice - it can be made from (generally filtered) tap water. The more cooked something is the safer it generally is. Try to eat hot food as much as possible, and avoid salads or fresh fruit unless it's at a nice restaurant or in your hotel.
3. It would be amazing to have some sort of cell service -- is it possible to get a SIM card to use there (prohibitive to use my ordinary phone)? It's absolutely possible. I haven't had to do this in India myself for a long time so I don't know the latest (maybe someone else can chime in), but if you have an unlocked phone, getting a SIM card should not be hard. The cell service market in India is extremely competitive so there are plenty of niche players. This is something your contacts should be able to help you with as they likely know the best carriers in Calcutta and the like.
4. Travelling around -- should I get a driver? I think the hotel can organize one. A guide? Uber? Would highly recommend a driver - will make your life infinitely more easy, and for such a short trip being able to leave on your own terms and having some flexibility could be very important. Relying on Uber / public transport would be more unreliable and will likely cut into your actual work time. You can also feel more personally safe with a vetted driver.
5. I will have probably just one day for actual sightseeing. Is there anything I MUST see or do before I leave? The one day is not negotiable, I'm afraid. I should get a guide, right? I'll let people who know more about Calcutta answer this one.
6. I give money to people on the street all the time where I live, so I know this will be overwhelming. How do tourists manage this? I was thinking of not giving out money but giving to a reputable charity -- does that sound like a good plan? That sounds like a good plan. There are plenty of reputable charities in India - one I can personally vouch for is AID India, which does a lot of great work in education as well as disaster relief.
7. Silly -- but clothing advice? I presume modest? Neither men nor women in India tend to wear shorts, but pants or jeans with a shirt or tunic should be fine. Indian clothes can be more comfortable in the heat, but for a week I'm not sure I would bother.
8. I have an appt with a travel clinic, but my doctor seemed offhand not to think I'd need anything, and I'm breastfeeding so some vaccines might not be recommended. My doctor also didn't seem to want to give me an antibiotic to take with me just in case -- I should push for this, no? Doesn't seem from malaria maps that it will be an issue. If you do end up needing antibiotics, they're actually really commonly available. I brought a huge stash of antibiotics to the US when I first arrived from India, because they're basically OTC there (not saying this is a good thing, but it is the reality). I wouldn't worry about getting antibiotics from here.
9. Am getting a visa-on-arrival tourist visa? Any anticipated problems with this? Anything I should be prepared for for customs/immigration?
Being Indian, I haven't had to deal with this. It's a fairly recent change (earlier you would have needed to get a visa beforehand). Perhaps others have more insight.
posted by peacheater at 9:21 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
On preview, yes, I would enquire with your contacts about the impact of demonetization specifically in Calcutta and ask their advice about how much currency to bring in. You might want to carry more cash than you otherwise would because of the ATM issues.
posted by peacheater at 9:22 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by peacheater at 9:22 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
I (white, female, late 30's) went to Kolkata this time last year, as a friend's +1, she was there for work, so I had a lot of time to myself.
I'd been to India once before 10 years ago, to Mumbai and Rajasthan, and after our stop in Kolkata we went in to Delhi. Kolkata is by far my favourite city I've visited in india, I loved it. It was noticeably less hassle free to walk around as a single woman than anywhere else. We didn't get anyone trying to hustle us and no harrasment. I went for a walk along the river at sunset by myself and everyone just... ignored me. But follow peacheater's advice about avoiding alleyways and stick to the main streets after dark.
That said, if you've not travelled outside Europe and North America before, it will still be a culture shock. Don't feel bad about retreating to your hotel to regroup. I've found helpful if you're spending some time with locals, who you can ask questions and get their perspective.
I would ask the hotel to organise a driver or a guide for you for you day of sightseeing, as you've not been before. But I had no problems using taxis by myself, I just picked them up on the street, and Uber is popular in India.
I think I took some loose long sleeve tops, but didn't use them t-shirts and jeans or long skirts were fine. I wouldn't wear revealing clothes, really short skirts or low cut tops.
It's not a city ram packed with tourist sights. I'm not sure there's anything you *must* see, more just experience being in Kolkata. The colonial buildings are grand, but try and see some of Black Town, north Kolkata, there's some fantastic architecture there too. See the street life, even if you're avoiding the street food. Maybe ask if there's any festivals or exhibitions happening, there were two book festivals on when I was there. It's a very cultural city, and it seemed like there was always something to do or see. Try some sweets from the sweet shops!
Getting an Indian SIM card is tricky as I recall, as I think you need an Indian address (I might be wrong though). But someone from the non profit might be able to help you with this.
posted by Helga-woo at 9:32 AM on January 22, 2017
I'd been to India once before 10 years ago, to Mumbai and Rajasthan, and after our stop in Kolkata we went in to Delhi. Kolkata is by far my favourite city I've visited in india, I loved it. It was noticeably less hassle free to walk around as a single woman than anywhere else. We didn't get anyone trying to hustle us and no harrasment. I went for a walk along the river at sunset by myself and everyone just... ignored me. But follow peacheater's advice about avoiding alleyways and stick to the main streets after dark.
That said, if you've not travelled outside Europe and North America before, it will still be a culture shock. Don't feel bad about retreating to your hotel to regroup. I've found helpful if you're spending some time with locals, who you can ask questions and get their perspective.
I would ask the hotel to organise a driver or a guide for you for you day of sightseeing, as you've not been before. But I had no problems using taxis by myself, I just picked them up on the street, and Uber is popular in India.
I think I took some loose long sleeve tops, but didn't use them t-shirts and jeans or long skirts were fine. I wouldn't wear revealing clothes, really short skirts or low cut tops.
It's not a city ram packed with tourist sights. I'm not sure there's anything you *must* see, more just experience being in Kolkata. The colonial buildings are grand, but try and see some of Black Town, north Kolkata, there's some fantastic architecture there too. See the street life, even if you're avoiding the street food. Maybe ask if there's any festivals or exhibitions happening, there were two book festivals on when I was there. It's a very cultural city, and it seemed like there was always something to do or see. Try some sweets from the sweet shops!
Getting an Indian SIM card is tricky as I recall, as I think you need an Indian address (I might be wrong though). But someone from the non profit might be able to help you with this.
posted by Helga-woo at 9:32 AM on January 22, 2017
Ah yes, that reminds me. People from Calcutta (Kolkata) are known for their sweet tooth and Bengali sweets are a thing. I would definitely try some when there.
posted by peacheater at 10:10 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by peacheater at 10:10 AM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
For food while traveling in places where the water isn't good to drink or you're not used to the water, the general rule is "cook it, peel it, or don't eat it." So a banana would be fine, lettuce less-so. Drink bottled water and be cautious of ice and use bottled water when you brush your teeth (the hardest one for me to remember!). I've been fairly lax about some of these and generally only get mildly sick, but you know yourself and your stomach better. Pepto and Imodium are good to have on-hand, but you can also get equivalents in pharmacies. I ate tons of street food and had chai from street vendors every morning and never had a problem, but ymmv.
I'm not generally a hand-sanitizer kind of person, but I like it while traveling in unfamiliar places especially with squat toilets & no toilet paper, but it's not like soap isn't usually readily available.
Check on that visa, I'm not sure where you're coming from but I have a long boring story about going to India from the US and realizing much too late that you need to get even a short-term tourist visa in advance from the consulate.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 10:30 AM on January 22, 2017
I'm not generally a hand-sanitizer kind of person, but I like it while traveling in unfamiliar places especially with squat toilets & no toilet paper, but it's not like soap isn't usually readily available.
Check on that visa, I'm not sure where you're coming from but I have a long boring story about going to India from the US and realizing much too late that you need to get even a short-term tourist visa in advance from the consulate.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 10:30 AM on January 22, 2017
Here's a couple of posts from the Blue that helped me understand Kolkata better, and some ideas of things to see:
https://www.metafilter.com/160237/The-crumbling-glories-of-Kolkata-City-of-Palaces
https://www.metafilter.com/128840/Jadu-Ghar-The-house-of-magic-in-the-heart-of-Calcutta
posted by Helga-woo at 11:42 AM on January 22, 2017
https://www.metafilter.com/160237/The-crumbling-glories-of-Kolkata-City-of-Palaces
https://www.metafilter.com/128840/Jadu-Ghar-The-house-of-magic-in-the-heart-of-Calcutta
posted by Helga-woo at 11:42 AM on January 22, 2017
I'm so excited you decided to go! I think you'll find that traveling to India is an experience of a lifetime.
I'm a Chinese-American whose traveled to India 7 times in the last 5 years, but never to Calcutta, so I'll due my best to answer your questions based on India in-general:
1. Traveling around Calcutta as a woman on my own: I wouldn't personally choose to wander around walking alone, the way one might explore a new city at home. However, if you know where you're going, and have a plan to get there/back that's confirmed by either your host organization or the hotel, you should be fine. But also, my experience has been that Indians love hosting -- unless you're an extreme introvert, it might be fun to invite your new colleagues along and I'd bet that they'd be happy to do it.
2. [Avoid] getting sick? Nth-ing the advice above to avoid food outside reputable restaurants. One thing that was unexpected (and I learned the hard way) is that even in a reputable restaurant, don't assume that the water is ok to drink. The water that is free when you sit down might be tap water, which even upper-class locals don't drink. Always ask for bottled water (sometimes called "Bisleri", which is a domestic brand) and make sure that you watch the unsealing of the bottle. There have been scandals in the past where used bottles are filled with tap water and resold as filtered water. This might sound a little paranoid, but since you'll only be there a couple days, it's probably better to be overly cautious then to lose precious days of research.
3. is it possible to get a SIM card to use there? This used to be very easy--just a quick visit to a street side stand. However a couple years ago, there were a bunch of terrorist bombings where cellphones were used to detonate devices. Since then, India (and China, fwiw) have required that sim cards be connected to gov't ID. I would highly recommend that you ask your host organization to take care of this for you. (Indian citizens are allowed a couple SIMs per person, so it'll be relatively easier for them to get one for you in their name.) If that is really impossible, I'd recommend sucking it up and paying get your American SIM to work in India -- if you're going to be alone for considerable lengths of time, a cellphone with data is vital to getting around. You'll need it to uber and to call the hotel for directions if you get lost.
4. Travelling around: I've used uber and hotel-hosted drivers in Bangalore and Mumbai without too much hassle. (The domestic competitor OLA is also a decent choice.) Sometimes an uber driver will call you and expect you to speak Hindi (or the local language), because they want to verify where you are for pickup, which can get difficult. But, you can always cancel and get another one if you really can't communicate.
5.I should get a guide, right? I can't speak to where you should specifically go sight-seeing, but I do think that if you're the kind of person who would be really disappointed about not getting to everywhere on your list, you should probably ask the hotel to arrange a guided tour. If you're the type of traveler where figuring out the journey is part of the fun, and you don't have any specific goals in mind, you could probably get away with just a driver.
6. I was thinking of not giving out money but giving to a reputable charity -- does that sound like a good plan? Yes. I have seen Indians give money to beggars without too much trouble by strictly instructing the receiver not to bring a crowd. With the language barrier, it'll be hard for you to do this. I would highly recommend against this, although your host organization will know best.
7. clothing advice? I don't think this is silly at all! My first trip to India, I wore 'American' clothes like jeans and t-shirts, but now when I travel I generally wear a Shalwar kameez and a dupatta. You can pick these up for cheap once you get there, but given your limited time, you might also find something American (tunics + loose cloth pants + silky scarf) that is similar. This outfit is partly for modesty, and partly functional since it's comfortable even in extreme heat and the scarf can be used to cover your nose/mouth from traffic fumes, as well as to cover your hair in Hindu temples, if you want. If you can't find anything, enough people (especially the upper class) in India wear western clothing that your regular clothes won't be inappropriate/extra-ordinary. But for me, I find that I 'fit in' better, and get less scammy solicitation when wearing Indian clothes. (Your mileage may vary, depending on your build and skin color. Since Indian skin-tones are very diverse, you might be able to 'blend in' as North Indian by looking the part.)
8. My doctor also didn't seem to want to give me an antibiotic to take with me just in case -- I should push for this, no? Antibiotics are pretty easy to get in India, if you end up needing them there. The medicine that I would bring with me is whatever you'd find comforting if you get diarrhea, and sleep medicine for the jetlag.
9. Am getting a visa-on-arrival tourist visa? I'm pretty sure that you cannot fly to India without a visa already prepared. (Although, you should double check with a travel agent and/or airline since it's always changing.) For your stay, I believe that you can get the e-tourist Visa, which you can apply for up to a month in advance, and no less than 3 days before your flight. Depending on your airline (United is a stickler about this), they might also insist that you have a return flight. Additionally, make sure that you carry a pen and your hotel's address -- you will have to fill out a form on arrival.
Also, you didn't ask about this, but I'd recommend learning a couple words of the local language to prepare for your trip. (Don't assume that the language you should be learning is Hindi, a state-specific dialect might be more prevalent with the population your nonprofit serves.) This isn't because I think that you'll learn enough to really communicate, but because it's generally delightful for your host/local friends to know that you're trying.
I hope that wasn't too much text -- just wanted to give you as much background as possible. I considered myself decently well traveled (including to other developing nations) before going, but India was still pretty overwhelming the first time, and I had extreme culture shock. But I'm also so grateful for having gone and having experienced the culture first-hand. As long as you come prepared, and are willing to go-with-the-flow of whatever happens, I'm sure you'll have an incredible experience.
posted by tinymegalo at 11:51 AM on January 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm a Chinese-American whose traveled to India 7 times in the last 5 years, but never to Calcutta, so I'll due my best to answer your questions based on India in-general:
1. Traveling around Calcutta as a woman on my own: I wouldn't personally choose to wander around walking alone, the way one might explore a new city at home. However, if you know where you're going, and have a plan to get there/back that's confirmed by either your host organization or the hotel, you should be fine. But also, my experience has been that Indians love hosting -- unless you're an extreme introvert, it might be fun to invite your new colleagues along and I'd bet that they'd be happy to do it.
2. [Avoid] getting sick? Nth-ing the advice above to avoid food outside reputable restaurants. One thing that was unexpected (and I learned the hard way) is that even in a reputable restaurant, don't assume that the water is ok to drink. The water that is free when you sit down might be tap water, which even upper-class locals don't drink. Always ask for bottled water (sometimes called "Bisleri", which is a domestic brand) and make sure that you watch the unsealing of the bottle. There have been scandals in the past where used bottles are filled with tap water and resold as filtered water. This might sound a little paranoid, but since you'll only be there a couple days, it's probably better to be overly cautious then to lose precious days of research.
3. is it possible to get a SIM card to use there? This used to be very easy--just a quick visit to a street side stand. However a couple years ago, there were a bunch of terrorist bombings where cellphones were used to detonate devices. Since then, India (and China, fwiw) have required that sim cards be connected to gov't ID. I would highly recommend that you ask your host organization to take care of this for you. (Indian citizens are allowed a couple SIMs per person, so it'll be relatively easier for them to get one for you in their name.) If that is really impossible, I'd recommend sucking it up and paying get your American SIM to work in India -- if you're going to be alone for considerable lengths of time, a cellphone with data is vital to getting around. You'll need it to uber and to call the hotel for directions if you get lost.
4. Travelling around: I've used uber and hotel-hosted drivers in Bangalore and Mumbai without too much hassle. (The domestic competitor OLA is also a decent choice.) Sometimes an uber driver will call you and expect you to speak Hindi (or the local language), because they want to verify where you are for pickup, which can get difficult. But, you can always cancel and get another one if you really can't communicate.
5.I should get a guide, right? I can't speak to where you should specifically go sight-seeing, but I do think that if you're the kind of person who would be really disappointed about not getting to everywhere on your list, you should probably ask the hotel to arrange a guided tour. If you're the type of traveler where figuring out the journey is part of the fun, and you don't have any specific goals in mind, you could probably get away with just a driver.
6. I was thinking of not giving out money but giving to a reputable charity -- does that sound like a good plan? Yes. I have seen Indians give money to beggars without too much trouble by strictly instructing the receiver not to bring a crowd. With the language barrier, it'll be hard for you to do this. I would highly recommend against this, although your host organization will know best.
7. clothing advice? I don't think this is silly at all! My first trip to India, I wore 'American' clothes like jeans and t-shirts, but now when I travel I generally wear a Shalwar kameez and a dupatta. You can pick these up for cheap once you get there, but given your limited time, you might also find something American (tunics + loose cloth pants + silky scarf) that is similar. This outfit is partly for modesty, and partly functional since it's comfortable even in extreme heat and the scarf can be used to cover your nose/mouth from traffic fumes, as well as to cover your hair in Hindu temples, if you want. If you can't find anything, enough people (especially the upper class) in India wear western clothing that your regular clothes won't be inappropriate/extra-ordinary. But for me, I find that I 'fit in' better, and get less scammy solicitation when wearing Indian clothes. (Your mileage may vary, depending on your build and skin color. Since Indian skin-tones are very diverse, you might be able to 'blend in' as North Indian by looking the part.)
8. My doctor also didn't seem to want to give me an antibiotic to take with me just in case -- I should push for this, no? Antibiotics are pretty easy to get in India, if you end up needing them there. The medicine that I would bring with me is whatever you'd find comforting if you get diarrhea, and sleep medicine for the jetlag.
9. Am getting a visa-on-arrival tourist visa? I'm pretty sure that you cannot fly to India without a visa already prepared. (Although, you should double check with a travel agent and/or airline since it's always changing.) For your stay, I believe that you can get the e-tourist Visa, which you can apply for up to a month in advance, and no less than 3 days before your flight. Depending on your airline (United is a stickler about this), they might also insist that you have a return flight. Additionally, make sure that you carry a pen and your hotel's address -- you will have to fill out a form on arrival.
Also, you didn't ask about this, but I'd recommend learning a couple words of the local language to prepare for your trip. (Don't assume that the language you should be learning is Hindi, a state-specific dialect might be more prevalent with the population your nonprofit serves.) This isn't because I think that you'll learn enough to really communicate, but because it's generally delightful for your host/local friends to know that you're trying.
I hope that wasn't too much text -- just wanted to give you as much background as possible. I considered myself decently well traveled (including to other developing nations) before going, but India was still pretty overwhelming the first time, and I had extreme culture shock. But I'm also so grateful for having gone and having experienced the culture first-hand. As long as you come prepared, and are willing to go-with-the-flow of whatever happens, I'm sure you'll have an incredible experience.
posted by tinymegalo at 11:51 AM on January 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Nthing culture shock is a thing and not to feel bad if you want to retreat to your hotel to regroup for a bit. I don't know if this as bad in Kolkata but it took me a few days to learn to basically ignore the onslaught of vendors and beggars I came across walking around in some parts of India. As the purpose of your trip is to shadow people who work with the poorer population be prepared to be touched/upset as well.
Even if you drink only bottled water and eat from 'safe' sources you may still suffer digestive problems - there are just so many more and different spices in the food, that simply may overload your system. Having said that - I did not have a single meal in India, that was not delicious, even the food in the canteen in our office was yummy. So don't deprive yourself, just be prepared.
Finally, time is a somewhat more fluid concept in India. Just go with the flow.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:45 PM on January 22, 2017
Even if you drink only bottled water and eat from 'safe' sources you may still suffer digestive problems - there are just so many more and different spices in the food, that simply may overload your system. Having said that - I did not have a single meal in India, that was not delicious, even the food in the canteen in our office was yummy. So don't deprive yourself, just be prepared.
Finally, time is a somewhat more fluid concept in India. Just go with the flow.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:45 PM on January 22, 2017
I did visa-on-arrival two years ago, in Delhi, and it worked fine. The only problem was it was a new process and it was a bit tricky to find the right line / etc.
As peacheater said getting a SIM is tricky because it requires local ID. I had my tour guide / company take care of it for me.
posted by Nelson at 1:34 PM on January 22, 2017
As peacheater said getting a SIM is tricky because it requires local ID. I had my tour guide / company take care of it for me.
posted by Nelson at 1:34 PM on January 22, 2017
Hi there! Actualfax Indian here, single woman who’s travelled quite a bit on her own.
1. I haven’t been to Calcutta, so I can’t tell you specifics, but common sense rules apply. I would ask your local contact where/when you need to be most careful.
2. Seconding previous posters; stay away from street food, drink bottled water, and stick to cooked/hot food if at all you can. There’s McDonalds if you want something reliably American, but they don’t serve beef so I’m not sure how useful that’ll actually be.
3. Cell service shouldn’t be a problem, but you will have a much easier time arranging it through your local contacts. Airtel or Vodafone are the best.
4. Yes, get a driver, arranged by your hotel, it will be easier and safer than Uber or public transportation.
5. Never been to Calcutta so passing on this. Do try the Bengali sweets, though.
6. Do not give money to beggars; it will get overwhelming quick. I’m not sure about Calcutta, but the poverty and inequality in India can be overwhelming to a first-time visitor, and even to a native like me. I recommend seeing Slumdog Millionaire if you haven’t - it’s poverty porn but it should mitigate the culture shock a bit. Speaking of, you WILL have culture shock, don’t be afraid to take time for yourself to recover and regroup.
7. Yes to modest clothing. Jeans/pants are better than skirts, also given that it’s january they’ll probably be more comfortable. Sleeved tops, generally, and sensible shoes. There’s a great chain store called Fabindia that has fair trade Indian clothes if you don’t want to fuss with the markets.
8. Medicines are easy to get in India, but make sure you take a basic first aid kit with you, as the pharmacist may not speak English and you don’t want to be miming the symptoms of diarrhoea at 2 am. Antibiotics are excessive, though; seeing a doctor is easy and cheap compared to the US and they’ll get you sorted with prescriptions. Malaria is not an issue, but food poisoning (“Delhi belly”) likely will be, so take meds for that, and also something to calm you down in case it gets to be a lot.
9. Visa-on-arrival should be fine, I think.
Definitely check about the demonetisation; it’s been throwing all manner of spanners in the works here, and you might want to take traveller’s cheques rather than depend on being able to use your card and/or make ATM withdrawals.
posted by Tamanna at 2:18 PM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
1. I haven’t been to Calcutta, so I can’t tell you specifics, but common sense rules apply. I would ask your local contact where/when you need to be most careful.
2. Seconding previous posters; stay away from street food, drink bottled water, and stick to cooked/hot food if at all you can. There’s McDonalds if you want something reliably American, but they don’t serve beef so I’m not sure how useful that’ll actually be.
3. Cell service shouldn’t be a problem, but you will have a much easier time arranging it through your local contacts. Airtel or Vodafone are the best.
4. Yes, get a driver, arranged by your hotel, it will be easier and safer than Uber or public transportation.
5. Never been to Calcutta so passing on this. Do try the Bengali sweets, though.
6. Do not give money to beggars; it will get overwhelming quick. I’m not sure about Calcutta, but the poverty and inequality in India can be overwhelming to a first-time visitor, and even to a native like me. I recommend seeing Slumdog Millionaire if you haven’t - it’s poverty porn but it should mitigate the culture shock a bit. Speaking of, you WILL have culture shock, don’t be afraid to take time for yourself to recover and regroup.
7. Yes to modest clothing. Jeans/pants are better than skirts, also given that it’s january they’ll probably be more comfortable. Sleeved tops, generally, and sensible shoes. There’s a great chain store called Fabindia that has fair trade Indian clothes if you don’t want to fuss with the markets.
8. Medicines are easy to get in India, but make sure you take a basic first aid kit with you, as the pharmacist may not speak English and you don’t want to be miming the symptoms of diarrhoea at 2 am. Antibiotics are excessive, though; seeing a doctor is easy and cheap compared to the US and they’ll get you sorted with prescriptions. Malaria is not an issue, but food poisoning (“Delhi belly”) likely will be, so take meds for that, and also something to calm you down in case it gets to be a lot.
9. Visa-on-arrival should be fine, I think.
Definitely check about the demonetisation; it’s been throwing all manner of spanners in the works here, and you might want to take traveller’s cheques rather than depend on being able to use your card and/or make ATM withdrawals.
posted by Tamanna at 2:18 PM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
Do not expect any business to be able to make change in a cash transaction, at least not without a contest of wills. And if the business has recently opened for the day, forget it!
In the old currency, in my experience, ATMs in the airports would let you decide how you wanted to receive your cash, but random ones would just give you, e.g., 1000rp notes which were really not ok when you are buying 20rp liter bottles of water. Planning how to break some bills (say at higher end stores or restaurants) can save you some low level drama as the storekeeper needs to rope in a herd of folks to round up enough currency to make change for you.
You are going to be taking your shoes off every few minutes if you are visiting people's homes, or going to any religious institutions. It is totally cool be in sock-feet if you like - I was mostly in (and out of) sandals, my buddy mostly in sneakers, but both of us thoroughly enjoyed returning to our hotel, washing our feet and ankles, and changing to a fresh pair of indoor-only slippers.
Since ice is no go, may I recommend the lime soda as a default restaurant beverage order? It's lime juice (fresh) plus carbonated water (bottled), and you can have it either salty or sweet (salty is awesome, despite being weird for a US palate). I could drink Indian tea until my teeth fall out, but a lime soda is soooo refreshing. I also indulged in a lassi nearly every day as a delicious bacterial prophylactic.
If you must have coffee, consider taking your own instant and making it in your hotel (or so I hear).
Lastly - I would take (or buy there) a few natural fiber handkerchiefs, which you use use to cover your face if you are engulfed in fuel fumes (or other intense odors) as well as mop your sweaty brow and neck. They wash out in a sink and dry very quickly.
posted by janell at 2:51 PM on January 22, 2017
In the old currency, in my experience, ATMs in the airports would let you decide how you wanted to receive your cash, but random ones would just give you, e.g., 1000rp notes which were really not ok when you are buying 20rp liter bottles of water. Planning how to break some bills (say at higher end stores or restaurants) can save you some low level drama as the storekeeper needs to rope in a herd of folks to round up enough currency to make change for you.
You are going to be taking your shoes off every few minutes if you are visiting people's homes, or going to any religious institutions. It is totally cool be in sock-feet if you like - I was mostly in (and out of) sandals, my buddy mostly in sneakers, but both of us thoroughly enjoyed returning to our hotel, washing our feet and ankles, and changing to a fresh pair of indoor-only slippers.
Since ice is no go, may I recommend the lime soda as a default restaurant beverage order? It's lime juice (fresh) plus carbonated water (bottled), and you can have it either salty or sweet (salty is awesome, despite being weird for a US palate). I could drink Indian tea until my teeth fall out, but a lime soda is soooo refreshing. I also indulged in a lassi nearly every day as a delicious bacterial prophylactic.
If you must have coffee, consider taking your own instant and making it in your hotel (or so I hear).
Lastly - I would take (or buy there) a few natural fiber handkerchiefs, which you use use to cover your face if you are engulfed in fuel fumes (or other intense odors) as well as mop your sweaty brow and neck. They wash out in a sink and dry very quickly.
posted by janell at 2:51 PM on January 22, 2017
Oh, really last thing. Capri pants are pretty fantastic - modest, cool, but not so long that you'll be dragging the hems through mud. It's easier to wash your actual ankles and be able to wear the pants again. Capris, tee, dupatta is comfortable and flexible for most settings.
posted by janell at 2:55 PM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by janell at 2:55 PM on January 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
Good advice above- just a couple of points to add.
Get your hepatitis A vaccine if you don't have it already (I'm a microbiologist and this is my standard travel advice)
Don't go out by yourself after dark. Nice hotel restaurants are a safe bet when it comes to food. Stay a lot a nice hotel- they can help you arrange transportation, get laundry done, etc. It's worth spending some extra money to be comfortable on your first trip in a new city. Definitely ask the hotel to ask for an airport transfer - it's usually not that pricey and so handy to have someone to collect you when you arrive.
Don't plan too much for your first day or two- you might be tired or jetlagged. enjoy yourself and good luck with the work!
posted by emd3737 at 5:01 AM on January 23, 2017
Get your hepatitis A vaccine if you don't have it already (I'm a microbiologist and this is my standard travel advice)
Don't go out by yourself after dark. Nice hotel restaurants are a safe bet when it comes to food. Stay a lot a nice hotel- they can help you arrange transportation, get laundry done, etc. It's worth spending some extra money to be comfortable on your first trip in a new city. Definitely ask the hotel to ask for an airport transfer - it's usually not that pricey and so handy to have someone to collect you when you arrive.
Don't plan too much for your first day or two- you might be tired or jetlagged. enjoy yourself and good luck with the work!
posted by emd3737 at 5:01 AM on January 23, 2017
Not a woman, but traveled in Kolkatta with women. The city is a relatively cosmopolitan, and seemed much more culturally progressive than other cities in northern India that we visited. There's a small, very old metro system and street cars, but the city is also relatively walkable. They even have sidewalks -- which was a real thrill. There's also a fleet of Ambassador taxis.
I'd suggest comfortable, modest dress, but I don't think you need to overthink it too much (long sleeve button up, pants/jeans, and a scarf would probably be my uniform were I a female). My girlfriend was the target of some mild harassment -- jeering, remarks clearly about her, and remarks to her [in Bengali/Hindi]. This seemed to be due to her haircut, which at the time was an aggressive undercut with a top-knot, which really made her stand out. I say mild because she didn't feel threatened by any of it -- more like upsetting catcalling. My other friend was totally fine.
Bengali food is awesome, and you should eat it. I really enjoyed Kewpie's, which is a more upscale restaurant. It had a really nice atmosphere and the food was great. I also really enjoyed Prince Restaurant -- which is definitely a bit divey -- but the food was great, cheap, and came with high recommendations from people who have spent a fair amount of time in the city.
Nthing reading up on demonetization. It's making getting cash money really hard for both locals and travelers, so you need to be a bit strategic with getting cash.
posted by voiceofreason at 7:05 AM on January 23, 2017
I'd suggest comfortable, modest dress, but I don't think you need to overthink it too much (long sleeve button up, pants/jeans, and a scarf would probably be my uniform were I a female). My girlfriend was the target of some mild harassment -- jeering, remarks clearly about her, and remarks to her [in Bengali/Hindi]. This seemed to be due to her haircut, which at the time was an aggressive undercut with a top-knot, which really made her stand out. I say mild because she didn't feel threatened by any of it -- more like upsetting catcalling. My other friend was totally fine.
Bengali food is awesome, and you should eat it. I really enjoyed Kewpie's, which is a more upscale restaurant. It had a really nice atmosphere and the food was great. I also really enjoyed Prince Restaurant -- which is definitely a bit divey -- but the food was great, cheap, and came with high recommendations from people who have spent a fair amount of time in the city.
Nthing reading up on demonetization. It's making getting cash money really hard for both locals and travelers, so you need to be a bit strategic with getting cash.
posted by voiceofreason at 7:05 AM on January 23, 2017
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I wouldn't recommend giving out money to beggars, for multiple reasons, including personal safety. If you do choose to donate to a charity, do lots of research on the charity before giving. Corruption is rampant in many poor countries, to the extent that false orphanages are created and children are kidnapped and sometimes physically disfigured to create good sob stories/causes to further milk donations.On top of that, many foreigners' kind-hearted donations are not properly allocated. I'm sure some good charities do exist, but just do your research beforehand.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 8:08 AM on January 22, 2017 [2 favorites]