Hello Everyone,
Yesterday I had a phone call with a participant who asked some good questions, and I wanted to share my responses with you:
Q: are sleeveless shirts appropriate for women? what about the length of skirts?
A: You will see some Indian women wearing sleeveless shirts and blouses - however it is not the norm. It is very rare to see and Indian women in a mini-skirt although in big cities (Bombay) you might see some young women with short skirts. I always advise women to wear more moderate lengths at the knee or mid-calf. It is not appropriate to wear sleeveless shirts or short skirts if you are visiting religious sites. It is also important that your shirts and skirts are not see-through.
Q: should I bring my own cell phone or buy one in India?
A: You need to check with your cell phone provider if your cell phone can be "unlocked" for use in a foreign country. If so, you will be able to purchase a sim card fairly easily. It is possible to buy used cell phones in India - but I am not sure if you will have the time to take care of this as there is a process in enrolling in a plan, etc. All over India you will find "STD/ISD" signs which indicate that the shop/store has a pay phone that you can use to call internationally. This is fairly cheap and easy and these shops/stores are open at all hours of the day and night. You will also have phones in your hotel rooms but do be aware that hotels have a surcharge and will charge a higher fee than the independent shops. What I have advised people in the past is to make a very quick call home from the hotel - and then give the number for your family/friend to call you back (be sure to give them your room number).
Q: are there laundry facilities available in hotels in India?
A: You will be staying in 3-5 star hotels all across India. I can not tell you 100% that all hotels will have laundry facilities - but for sure many will. It is important that you have at least 2-nights in a hotel to use these services as mostly clothes are line-dried. Do be aware that in India anything that you send to the dhobi (laundry person in Hindi) will be ironed. So, do not give anything that should not be ironed. Also, be aware that some dhobis use a "whitening" soultion that sometimes makes whites turn a bit blue.
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Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering about the STD/ISD booths...would I be able to pay in cash in order to make phone calls, or must I use a credit card?
Thanks!
Hi Ms Gibson, I happen to be on the blog so will answer instead of Rachel. You will only be able to use cash in the phone booths - there is an electronic counter and you pay at the end. You can usually see the rate as you talk so you can keep to a budget if you so desire. Credit cards are only accepted in fancier hotels and shops.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to meeting you later this month.
Lalita (Center for South Asia)