Anyone been to India?

[Rossco]

Going on Thursday for a week to Bangalore. Kinda work related, long story. Any last minute tips or hints for going from anyone that is familiar? Aside from all the usual guff you read on the internet.

[Sketcz]

Yes, try to find a copy of Clayfighter Extreme for the PS1, it's normally labelled as being Tekken 5.

http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5027

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/GOTW/India/INDimages.html

It's worth a small fortune to bounty hunters in the unreleased collectors underground.

OK, technically we don't have the EGM scan anymore. It was in our image archive, but now it's not. It was taken from the ASSEMblergames forum, where one forumite was looking for people who lived in India, since an old issue of EGM reported that one of its staff visited India on holiday and found a bootleg of Tekken 5 for the PS1 which, when played, actually turned out to be Clayfighter Extreme. Of course, this game was never officially released, and so the underground had been searching for beta copies.

[Rossco]

Haha awesome. I shall keep my eyes peeled for that.

[Mr Ono]

I would say go and experience it. When I went a couple of years ago for work, apart from when I was in the hotel, I insisted on eating whatever the locals ate and the way they ate it. Managed to get some of the most delicious food I have tasted that way and no food poisoning

[CMcK]

India is an amazing place to visit, so different from the UK in many respects but crucially the people there are very welcoming and helpful.

Try to harden yourself to the beggars ASAP. It is some sight but a lot of them are not genuine. If you really must give them something stuff like fresh fruit, cans of juice, pens and pencils are appreciated by those who are genuine. And don't make any attempts to do that kind of thing in a busy public place. You'll be mobbed in seconds.

Don't be scared to try the food but do avoid bottled water unless it is fizzy or from your hotel.

Don't try to understand or copy the head wobble you see people doing. It has to be one of the most complex pieces of body language in the world. You may find yourself subconsciously trying to do it but it will be a poor imitation.

You will find that locals look at you a lot almost as if they have never seen a white person before. You'll get used to it.

Try going for breakfast in your hotel on your own. It doesn't happen in every hotel but you are likely to find yourself with a breakfast companion to keep you company!

Buy some of the traditional dress. It keeps you cool in the heat and a good set of sandals are a wise purchase as well.

Keep a couple of bottles of iced water in the office or in a rucksack. Slowly melts through the day and gives you something cold to drink.

Bribe tuk-tuk drivers to race each other if there is a few of you heading somewhere.

Oh and if you ask someone where they are from they will probably tell you where their family is from in a weird kind of ancestral way.

OK, I'm going to shut up now as I feel a holiday booking coming on. Enjoy yourself in India and let us all know how you get on.

[charlesr]

Don't bother asking anyone for directions. If they don't know, they'll just make up the answer to avoid losing face. Funny.

[Rossco]

Bribe tuk-tuk drivers to race each other if there is a few of you heading somewhere.

Thanks guys, that made me laugh CMcK. I will report back next week with how it went and of course with some pictures too.

[Charlie]

My advice is try and prepare your senses for a complete overload. The colours, the sounds, the smells, it's a complete assault on the senses. There's really nothing quite like India. Also be prepared to see the most beautiful and most heartbreaking things you've ever seen, often within moments/metres of eachother. Don't eat the meat, don't drink the water unless it's from a sealed bottle, and remember that means no ice in your drinks. Finally, try and get out into the country if you can because the cities are disgusting but the rural countryside will have your soul singing.

Oh, and ignore all yoga gurus trying to talk you into transferring all your money into their care.

[abigsmurf]

I always laughed at the "Don't drink the water" stuff. Then I worked in an tour company's health and safety department...

Seriously, don't drink the water.

[Sketcz]

I always laughed at the "Don't drink the water" stuff. Then I worked in an tour company's health and safety department...

Seriously, don't drink the water.

You've hooked me now. Tell us more.

[koopatroopa90]

I've been to Sri Lanka and saw a bloke with one of his arms coming out of the middle of his back.

[CMcK]

Some of the deformed beggars are quite horrendous. Polio is still rife and some of the deformities you see are deliberately induced by parents to increase the success rate when begging. Which is downright sick. The scale of the slums in Mumbai was utterly staggering. So many people living in poverty and the massive class divide makes you stop and think.

[abigsmurf]

You've hooked me now. Tell us more.

2-3 Days of stomach cramps and projectile vomiting.

All safe in the knowledge that the type of food poisoning you contracted is a type of parasite that only occurs in water contaminated with sewage.

Also, don't go into swimming pools used by locals or familes with non-waterproof nappy wearing babies. They crap in the pool and chlorine does next to nothing to parasites, in order to make the water safe again, the pool needs to be completely drained in most cases to clean it.

[Abhisara]

Bangalore is probably the most Westernised city in India. It has a lot of migrants from other Indian states meaning that English (rather than the local language Kannada) is the primary language in many parts of the city, so you should find it fairly easy to get by.

The climate is pleasant and not humid (like say Mumbai or Chennai) - probably equivalent to an extremely good summer's day over here.

Buy some mosquito repellent cream. "Odomos" is probably the best Indian brand and cheaper than anything from your local chemist (though the Boots stuff does work well too).

You'll need a plug adaptor to use the mains. European 2-pin adaptors are advertised as being suitable for India, but in reality they only barely fit in the sockets and feel like they could fall out at any second. It's a decent temporary solution, but if you want something more stable then get a 3-pin adaptor from a local shop in India.

Also bring a few toilet rolls!

If you want to do a bit of shopping, Commercial St is the main area for clothing shops. Brigade Rd and MG Road are tourist hotspots and have a variety of shops from clothes to books to traditional arts and crafts. For a more sanitised experience try Mantri Square Mall in Malleshwaram. You might get invited to check out UB City - it has some nice non-Indian restaurants, but is full of ridiculously expensive high-end Western designer stores. You'll also find that shop staff are extremely polite and helpful, but have an annoying habit of following you around the store even when you don't need any help (I like to see how far around the store I can lead them until they get bored and find someone else to tail ).

Food-wise (apart from the obvious avoid street food/drink bottled water) try some traditional South Indian food. Personally, I like masala dosa or idli with sambar.

The traffic is an absolute nightmare (even more so at the moment while the metro is being built). Auto-rickshaws (or "autos" for short - no one calls them tuk-tuks there) are useful for getting around the city. Ask an Indian colleague to help to make sure you are not being overcharged. An alternative is to hire out a car and driver for the day.

Bangalore doesn't have that much traditional Indian touristy stuff to do. If you can, take a trip out to Mysore and the surrounding areas. There are a number of palaces and nature parks to visit.

Beggars aren't as big a problem in Bangalore as other Indian cities. However, watch out for eunuchs. Traditionally people gave money to them to ward off bad luck. Now some have spun the belief around and use it as a means of aggressive begging to the point that it feels like a protection racket. I don't think they target Westerners, but if you see what looks like a bloke in a sari, try and steer clear!

[monel]

Tip that might come in handy (for any travelling abroad perhaps)- get the multiple packs of pocket Kleenex places like Poundland sell, and carry at least 2 packets on any outing. That can be life saving when you inevitably end up in a toilet with no toilet paper.