Preparation, Currency & Immunizations

Time is flying by at warp speed.  It is hard to believe that I depart for India on Friday!  Being the Type A person that I am, I have been trying to follow – sometimes successfully and other times unsuccessfully – my preparation list.  I would consider myself a fairly experienced traveler for both work & vacation, but travelling overseas requires more planning.  The key items on my planning list have included: my visa (completed in March), immunizations and exchanging for local currency (completed; see below for more details), getting a much-needed haircut (done with quite a bit cut off because of the hot weather), buying gifts for the team there (still to do), picking up snacks (mostly done) and packing (several items have been thrown haphazardly into the suitcase).  I prefer travelling “light” simply because I don’t like lugging a large suitcase around; but logistically I won’t be able to bring a small suitcase since most of it will be filled with snacks and supplies for work.

For my immunizations, I contacted the Travel Advisory Center at Kaiser about a month ago.  The Advice Nurse said that I needed Tetanus/Whooping Cough, Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B – all of which I have had except for Typhoid.   I finally went for my immunizations on Thursday, and the typhoid shot was quite sore afterwards.  I also got a prescription for Azithromycin ($10 for a 30 day supply).  The nurse said that Ciprofloxacin no longer works in India so that is why she gave me Azithromycin instead.  As the pharmacist was describing when to take the Immodium and Azithromycin, I was praying that I won’t have to use it, but it is comforting to know that I have it – just in case.

I've always found it helpful to have currency upon arriving in another country.  I went to Foreign Currency Express at the World Trade Center in Downtown LA.  I decided to give it a try since it had good reviews on yelp. (What did we do before yelp?)  The exchange rate is $1 USD to .0217 India rupees, so 100 rupees is $2.17.  Since I wanted some small bills for tips, I placed an order about a week prior.  I took public transportation since I don’t enjoy navigating the streets of Downtown LA and finding parking, but I was a little worried since I was carrying several hundred dollars worth of cash to exchange for me and my co-worker.  You sometimes hear of stories in the news of people getting robbed of a large amount of cash, and I always wonder, “Why was that person carrying so much cash with them?”  Now I know why.  Perhaps they were trying to exchange currency.

Photos of Bangalore

If you are wondering what Bangalore looks like, here is a preview.  I also plan to post some pictures from my experience once I am there.

Bangalore Palace

Busy Street at Night

Brigade Road

View of the City

Weather & Packing

April is reported to be one of the hottest months in Bangalore.  I just checked the weather today and it is currently 96°F.  Definite packing items are sunscreen, sunglasses, my battery-operated fan with extra batteries, and Summer clothing.  One of the India Expats working at our office recommended that I bring an umbrella to shade myself from the sun.  Right now that is on the “questionable” list because the only time I ever use an umbrella is in the rain and the one I have is black, but I just might regret not bringing one once I am there.

Other important items on my packing list include:

•  Immodium, Sudafed and other medicines
•  Lots of snacks from Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market!
• Gifts for the team
• Mosquito Repellent
• Small calculator that fits in my moneybelt for calculating exchange rates
• Flashlight due to power outages that are quite common in Bangalore and because we will be working from 5:30pm until 2:30am India Standard Time
•  Hand sanitizer and extra toilet paper (which I've been told has to be placed in a designated “receptacle” because it cannot be flushed)

If anyone has other suggestions for useful items to bring, please let me know.

About Bangalore

Bangalore is located in the southern part of the country and is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka.

Here are some other interesting facts about Bangalore, India:

·        Nickname is the “Garden City” because of its beautiful gardens and parks
·        Also known as the “Silicon Valley of India” and is a hub for India’s information technology (IT) sector
·        India’s 3rd most populous city with 8.5 million
·        The most common language in Bangalore is Kannad, and a significant number of people speak English
·        On Forbes magazine’s list of “The Next Decade’s Fastest-Growing Cities”
·        Bangalore has three sister cities: San Francisco, Cleveland & Minsk, Belarus
·        Cricket is the most popular sport in Bangalore

Hello!  Welcome to my first attempt at a blog where I plan to share about my first visit to India... and perhaps beyond during future adventures elsewhere.  I will be blogging about the planning/preparation/packing process, and also share my insight about experiences while there.  India is an interesting country with wonderful people, and I am certain to return with many lasting memories.  Thank you for sharing this journey with me!


When I have told people, “I’m going to India”, the first question most people – including quite interestingly, my optometrist – have asked is, “Are you going there on a missions trip or for vacation?”  A close second is, “When are you going?”  A distant third is, “Where in India are you going?”  Well to answer all three, I am going to Bangalore (Bengaluru) for work on April 20 and will return May 6.  Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has a support team in India, commonly referred to as HSC (Hindustan Service Centre), and three colleagues and I will be going there to gather information about the teams and their processes.

I have to admit that some people I’ve told are actually more excited than I am.  Don’t get me wrong – I am excited about the new experience since I have never been to India and the people there are wonderful and kind.  However, based upon the stories I’ve heard and the experiences of several colleagues who have previously travelled there, the one concern I have is about the food and getting sick.  People have asked me, “Do you have an iron stomach?”  Well, given that I was told by my doctor that I am anemic, I am pretty sure the answer is “no” since I probably don’t have a lot of iron anywhere in my body much less my stomach.  Proactively, I have already begun to take probiotics and I plan to eat a lot of yogurt the week before my departure.  We will find out if it works.

People are definitely eager to offer travel tips based upon their experience of travelling to other countries.  Several interesting - although sometimes conflicting - tips have included:

• “Bring all your own water. You can’t trust their water because they refill bottles from the tap.” 
• “Just bring a water filter.”
• “Don’t bring water.  It’s too heavy so just get it from the hotel.”
• “Remember to brush your teeth with bottled water.”
• “Don’t drink anything with ice since the water could be contaminated.”
• “Don’t eat any fruit or vegetables.” 
• “It’s okay to eat their fruits as long as you peel it.” 
• “Never eat the street food.  There is dirt and bacteria in the air and in the oil they use.”
• “I lived in India for 2 ½ years and I ate street food all the time.  Never once got sick.  You know there is a high turnover and it’s fresh if the line is long and locals are eating there.”

Let's just say that I will be very conscious about what I eat and drink while there, and will leave the rest to the Lord.  I am grateful for those who will be praying for me during my journey.  More to come…