Do Not Forget list

Clothes

· Underwear
· Socks
· Jeans
· Pants
· Indian clothes
· Belt
· Sandals
· Walking shoes
· T-shirts
· Pajamas
· Coat / jacket / sweatshirt
· Sunglasses
· Glasses

Bathroom

· Brush
· Toothbrush
· Toothpaste
· Floss
· Contact lens solution
· Spare pair contacts
· Contacts container
· Shampoo
· Conditioner
· Deodorant/antiperspirant
· Gel/pomade
· Face lotion
· Face soap
· Listerine
· Fluoride rinse
· Makeup

Entertainment

· Books
· Earphones
· DVDs
· Quilting
· Cards
· iPod

Carry-on

· Hand sanitizer
· Snacks
· Travel pillow
· Eye mask
· Camera
· Computer
· Camera battery charger
· Passport
· Money
· Travel insurance paperwork
· Medications (Malarone, Ciprofloxacin)
· Pepto bismol
· Sleep aid (Ambien, benadryl)
· Valuables (jewelry)

Other

· Luggage locks
· Sunscreen
· Bug spray
· Clothing spray

Gifts/Items for Indian folks

· Oatmeal
· Neti pots
· Shoes
· Perfume
· Measurements for Jenny, Jori, Lana

Put Name, Contact info, and Itinerary in EACH suitcase!

My checklist

Here is my checklist for the week before our trip- thought it might be useful to all of you. Not every item will apply to you, and some are optional/if I have time, so use as a guideline. I may add more later, but these are what I've thought of so far:

1. fill prescriptions for malaria med and ciprofloxacin

2. start taking malaria medicine 2 days before trip

3. buy pepto bismol, docusate

4. pre-pay bills: power, phone/cell phone, mortgage, HOA, student loan, credit card, car, equity line, cable/internet

5. notify credit card company of trip to avoid cancellation

6. travel insurance

7. make copies of passport and visa, drivers license, itinerary, tickets, travel insurance paperwork, etc to bring separately from the actual objects in case of loss/theft

8. buy mosquito repellent with DEET

9. buy sunscreen

10. buy extra cat food and cat litter for cat sitters

11. withdraw cash for traveling

12. change some money to rupees

13. make list of how-tos for cat sitters, include vet number

14. buy hair product (shampoo, conditioner, gel) to last through trip

15. buy travel hair products for carry-on in case baggage gets lost

16. make a 'do not forget' list for packing

17. get haircut

18. arrange for mail to be collected/stopped

19. make list of addresses to send post cards

20. make list of people for whom to buy gifts

India: Etiquette and Customs

Greetings/Goodbyes:

Men may shake hands with men, and women with women, but rarely between sexes due to religious beliefs

Hands pressed together in the 'namaste' is also a frequent form of greeting, and acceptable between sexes



Hierarchy is still important in India- when you are meeting a group of people, generally introduce yourself to the eldest person first

When leaving a group, each person should be said goodbye to individually

Formal hello/goodbye = 'namaste' (or namaskar), though most people we will be with will use 'hello'

Food

Food/drink will be offered again and again- saying no the first time is part of the tradition

Eat (whether with hands or utensils) with the right hand rather than the left

Many Indians eat with their fingers

Wait to be told where to sit at the table

When you are finished eating, leave a small amount of food on your plate. An empty plate signals 'give me more'


Visiting someone's home

Take off your shoes. There is usually an area where the shoes are kept



It is not necessary to bring a gift when visiting a person's home, but if you bring one it will not be turned down. Gifts are not opened when received.


General information

Indian's don't like to say no- vague, noncommittal answers probably mean no

Foreigners are expected to be on time, though many Indians are less than punctual



There are many languages in India, several in each region. Most educated Indians will speak English, including hotel staff and many shopkeepers

Yellow, green and red are considered lucky colors

Dress modestly. No need to wear heavy clothes, but women should avoid very low cut shirts, and both sexes should generally stick to longer pants/skirts. Above the knee pants/skirts are VERY uncommon in India



India is 5.5 hours + GMT- this means while we're there we will be 12.5 hours ahead of Colorado, and 13.5 hours ahead of Los Angeles.