DO make sure you give yourself plenty of time to explore as much of India as you possibly can! India is a very large country and each part of the country has so much to offer you in terms of culture, food and its people too. You could spend several months in the country, but if that isn’t an option then make sure you plan out your trip extremely thoroughly so that you don’t miss out on some of the best parts of India as you never know when you may find yourself with an opportunity to travel there again.
DON’T just limit your trip to the major cities such as Delhi and Calcutta. India as we have just mentioned is a very large country and you can find several of the most amazing and unique cultures in some of the smaller, rural areas of the country. You might come from a small rural town yourself so you would know exactly what it means to be ignored or not be visited as much as some of the bigger centres, so remember this when you are planning your visit to the country so that you can really experience the true India and meet some of the most unique people on planet earth.
DO try as many foods as you possibly can and be prepared to have your mind and mouth blown! India has some of the spiciest food on the planet so if you aren’t a fan of spicy food then you should definitely try out some other places that offer a more ‘tame’ choice of food so that you aren’t shocked! You may think you have had some decent Indian food back home but you will have no idea what you are missing out on until you try some of the local cuisine! It certainly is an experience all itself that will have you wanting more and more when you are there!
DON’T leave home without properly teaching and informing your children about the poverty in India and what poverty means. You will find that as a westerner you will be approached numerous times by children and other people with their hands out wanting money, and this can be a very confusing time for a child as they may not know exactly what is going on. They may also find themselves wanting to give money to every child they see and this really isn’t too much of an option while you’re away. Educate them as to exactly what poverty is and why it is in India.
DO bring lots of entertainment items for your children if you are going to be travelling and on the road a lot! A lot of the time it is much cheaper to travel on a train or a bus than it is to fly, and obviously these forms of transport can take some time to reach their destination compared to a plane. Prevent boredom for your child by ensuring you bring with you things such as books, games and other items that will keep your child entertained during the journey.
DON’T travel to areas in which you don’t know too much about or have been advised may be dangerous. There are parts of India that are a risk to travellers and you may be targeted purely on the fact that you are a foreigner and in an area that you probably shouldn’t be. You can always check with advisory websites before you travel to make sure that the areas you are travelling to are safe, or keep an eye on the news as to what is happening in certain parts of the country. You should always keep numbers for your countries embassy with you in case you find yourself in trouble and always make sure that you can avoid places that look likely to have some form of trouble happen if you stay around. Being assertive and open to potential dangers may just save your life.