India: Part 8 of 8 - Facts [What is actually useful?] (#490)

Facts about India are plentiful.

Useful facts are earned.

This piece is not about superlatives or trivia.

It is about what makes the difference between merely getting through India and truly experiencing it.

Much of what follows comes from personal experience - mistakes made once, sometimes twice, but never again.

Think of this as practical wisdom.

India Is a Continent Masquerading as a Country

India’s scale defies intuition. Distances are vast. Cultures shift dramatically from region to region. Languages, food, climate, and customs change within hours of travel.

A train ride that looks modest on a map can consume a full day. A short delay can ripple outward indefinitely. This is not inefficiency. It is density.

India rewards those who stop trying to compress it.

What You Should Bring

Some items are not conveniences in India; they are quiet safeguards.

• Travel/health insurance: Not optional. India will surprise you. Insurance absorbs the shock so you don’t have to.

• Water purification backup (SteriPEN or filter): Bottled water is usually available, until it isn’t.

• Charcoal tablets: Astonishingly effective for digestive emergencies. Small, light, invaluable.

• Electrolytes: Hydration is medical here, not recreational.

• A reliable power adapter & surge protection: Power fluctuations destroy electronics.

• Passport pouch worn under clothing: Peace of mind matters.

• Headlamp: Power outages are common. Darkness is sudden.

• Disposable face masks.

• Dust mask or bandana: Pollution in cities is real and cumulative.

• Basic first-aid kit: Minor wounds can escalate quickly without care.

• Earplugs: Noise is constant. Sleep is sacred.

• Camera (but not too much gear): India is visually inexhaustible, but heavy equipment creates distance rather than intimacy.

  
  

India teaches redundancy.

One backup is sensible.

Two is wise.

Toilets, Paper, and Other Unromantic Truths

• Toilet paper is not universal. Squat toilets are common. Facilities vary wildly.

• Carry what you need. Adjust expectations early. This is not a judgment. It is infrastructure shaped by different assumptions.

• India rewards adaptability more than outrage.

Electricity Is a Negotiation

• Power outages happen without warning. Surges happen without apology. Charge devices when you can, not when you intend to.

• A headlamp and patience solve more problems than complaint ever will.

Noise, Heat, and the Body

• India is loud. India is hot. India is crowded.

• Your body will notice before your mind does. Earplugs, hydration, rest, and pacing are not luxuries. They are how you stay generous rather than brittle.

What Not to Bring to India

Many first-time travelers bring too much, and carry anxiety with it.

• Too many clothes

• You can buy inexpensive, appropriate clothing everywhere. Dressing locally makes life easier and cooler.

• Valuables you don’t need

• Jewelry, luxury watches, sentimental items - leave them at home.

• Large amounts of cash

• ATMs are widespread in large cities. Carrying excess cash increases risk, not security.

• Expensive electronics

• Power surges fry devices. Theft happens. If you don’t need it, don’t bring it.

• Bulky toiletries and towels

• Basics are widely available. Space matters more than brands.

• Too many books

• India is not a place for carrying weight. An e-reader suffices.

• Excess gear

• More equipment means more mental load. India favors lightness.

  
  

India teaches subtraction before addition.

Documents - Copy Everything

• Scan or photograph passports, visas, cards, insurance, and licenses.

  
  

• Bring a hard copy with you.

  
  

• Email them to yourself. Cloud access saves hours - or days - when something goes missing.

  
  

Preparedness is quiet confidence.

What These Facts Add Up To

India is not difficult because it is hostile.

It is difficult because it is honest.

It places heat, noise, beauty, contradiction, generosity, and inconvenience directly in your path and asks who you are when comfort is no longer guaranteed.

You do not conquer India with preparation.

But preparation lets you stay long enough to learn.

Bring less.

Expect less.

Notice more.

India is not survived by facts alone, but facts help you remain open long enough to be transformed.

This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch, but is designed to help you handle some of the basics you might otherwise forget!

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