This time tomorrow I’ll be in India, where I’ll be spending the next three months doing another yoga teacher training, accredited with the Yoga Alliance. It all feels a bit surreal right now but as I sit and write this I feel like I’m exactly where I want to be. Now it’s only a day away, I’m really excited and am going to approach this course with an open mind.
As I wait for my connecting flight, here’s my checklist for travelling to India and arriving in monsoon season. I thought I’d share some of the things that I found useful as I was planning my trip. Equally, if you’ve got any advice or tips for other people about to travel to India, please feel free to share your thoughts in a comment below.
Getting an Indian visa
I went through Rapid Visas for my Indian tourist visa, which allows me multiple entries into the country for six months. I could have paid a bit less, but doing it this way meant that I didn’t have to wait around in the embassy for my visa. This company also check all your documents before they get sent off and the visa itself arrived incredibly quickly — hence the name. I figured that I saved money with my flight, so I could afford to spend a bit more on the visa.
Who I booked my flights with
For this trip, I booked my flights in less than 15 minutes through Sky Scanner. You can search loads of airlines at once and see all the prices for the whole calendar month. I ended up getting a return flight for £471 which I was really pleased about. And there were no extra costs — not to get all salesy on you. If you’re travelling in Monsoon season, the flights are pretty cheap anyway, so if you book in advance, you could get a return flight for as little as £350. For inbound India flights, I used indigo this time and have done so in the past.
Travel insurance
I checked a whole list of insurance providers using Money Supermarket and found the best deal for my trip was with Go Walkabout.
Injections for India
It’s best to check with a travel clinic to see which injections you’ll need. However, I spent a month in southern India about five years ago and got the Japanese Encephalitis jab only to find out afterwards that it’s incredibly rare. According to the NHS website “less than one in a million traveIlers develop Japanese Encephalitis in any given year”. I didn’t actually meet anyone else who’d got it as it as it’s a pricey jab, but perhaps it’s better to be on the safe side. It’s your call.
What I packed
I’m not going to bore you with a really long list, but these things were probably top on my list — along with insect repellant, a journal and my tarot cards.
Tea tree oil and Electrolyte powder
Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic so perfect if you get a cut or sting. It also smells really good.
The last time I went to India, I did get sick for a few days, but I think it was because I ate a Greek salad (I had a real craving for it) in Hampi. My blackcurrant electrolyte sachets really sorted me out. Salads and ice cubes are a definite no.
Unattractive velcro walking sandals
These might have to be one of my best ever purchases. They may look ugly but they’re so comfy and you can walk for miles in them without your feet feeling hot and claustrophobic.
One word of warning though — the last time I visited India in the Monsoon, I went on a walk through the jungle in these, looked down and found my feet covered in blood. Leeches had taken my feet hostage. I then did the worst possible thing and tried to pull them off. Don’t do this as it’ll make the bleeding worse. Wear walking boots if in doubt.
I have flip flops too, but my trusty velcro sandals grip way better on the ground, which is what you need when there’s a lot of rain.
Loose airy cotton clothes
The rain is heavy in monsoon season, but it’s still extremely hot, so bring loose, airy clothes made from cotton. In many parts of India, you have to make sure you’re covered well, so bring along a few nice shawls or lightweight long sleeved tops. I also recommend lightweight sports bras which will feel so much better on your skin.
An open mind ready for adventure
During this trip, I’m not going to be hopping from place to place, but in the past, I realised that India is a country where you just have to go with the flow and not have resistance. I’ve barely seen any of India, but it’s a country that fascinates me and a place I can’t wait to experience more of.
And on that note, have an amazing time in India if you’re also travelling there or doing your yoga teacher training there too.
And to finish, here are some window shots of my journey as I approach Helsinki.
