Wear on the plane:

• Long crinkle-cotton skirt (make yourself or buy from travel catalog)
• (Comfy cotton pants would be OK too) -- avoid jeans, TOO BULKY
• T-shirt (Woven shirt is fine too, and possibly cooler)
• Very lightweight jacket (to stay warm on plane and in AC)
• Comfortable sandals with black socks (to keep feet warm on plane)
  (Make sure the sandals can survive getting wet and dirty)
• Underwear and bra

Bring in fanny pack on the plane:

• Comb
• Small packet(s) of kleenex
• Handful of antiseptic wipes
• 2 cotton hankies
• Small tube of moisturizer
• Tube of chapstick
• Prescription medications (if any)
• Assortment of analgesic tablets
• Couple of favorite cold tables
• Melatonin, if you are using it to minimize jet lag
• A small amount of U.S. cash in a safe place
• One credit card (Visa or Mastercard)
• Traveler's checks
• Passport
• Airline tickets
• Pen and small spiral notebook
• Small swiss army knife
• Any other essentials (tampax, cough drops, gum, nail clipper ...)
(Note on melatonin: Start taking on the plane at the destination's bedtime. Keep on taking at bedtime everynight, and 3 nights after return to the U.S. REALLY helps with jet lag! Also, try to get morning sun soon after arrival in India, and try to get late afternoon sun soon after arrival back in the U.S.)

Bring in backpack on the plane:

• Inflatable neck pillow for comfortable sleeping
• Toothbrush and travel-size toothpaste
• Small ziploc with 1 pair clean underwear
• Camera and film
• Extra camera battery and small screwdriver for changing battery
• Thick book to read
• Travel journal
• Deck of cards for solitaire (or other "light" amusements)

(Note on travel journal: My journal includes flight details, other travel information, copies of any confirmations, important addresses and phone numbers, small maps, etc. I copy some pages from guidebooks and reduce the print, then glue them in to avoid carrying the whole book).

(Note on amusements: When traveling in 1996 with my 6-year-old daughter Annie, our journals and amusements fit in a single 1-gallon ziploc bag, and included colored pencils and a sharpener, a small ziploc bag to hold pencil shavings, a small deck of cards, and a set of mini-dominos in a case. We wrote and drew in our journals a lot, and Annie was content to draw for hours while I read).

(Note on packing: Many of the small items listed above and below were packaged together in labeled gallon-size ziploc bags. For instance, amusements were in one bag, medications in another, misc. items in another, toiletries in another).

Clothes to pack:

• 2 more crinkle-cotton skirts (twist and roll, secure with rubber bands)
• 4 more shirts to mix and match
• 1 more pair of dark socks
• 4 more underwear
• spare bra
• 1 pair lightweight shorts (private indoor use only)
• PJ shirt
• cotton hat

(Note on traveling in cool weather: Bring undershirts/leggings for extra warmth in cool locations. The key here is to bring clothes that will dry overnight on a line in your bathroom, and still look good when you put them back on. If you need more warm, pack more light layers).

Comfort, hygiene, medical and misc. items to pack:

• Vitamins for daily use (in ziploc bag)
• 1 course of broad-spectrum antibiotics (need RX from your doctor)
• 1 course of anti-parasite medication (need RX from your doctor)
• 1 course of yeast infection treatment (can get 1-day type over-the-counter)
• Motion sickness medication OR sea bands for nausea
• Chewable Pepto Bismol (for minor gripes)
• Chewable antacid/antigas tablets (a hit of simethicone is great for gas cramps)
• Immodium AD tablets (for serious diarrhea)
• Oral rehydration powder (homemade in ziploc bag, or commercial packets)
  (Home recipe is 1 tsp. sugar + pinch of salt per 8 oz. water)
• Cold tablets
• Analgesics
• Small tube of antibiotic cream
• Small tube of anti-itch cream
• Misc. bandaids
• Thermometer
• Needle for splinter removal
• Small tube of sunscreen
• Small bottle or tube of insect repellent
• Lots of antiseptic wipes
• Lots of small Kleenex packets (for use as toilet paper)
• Spare chapstick
• Nail clipper
• 20 ft. of narrow cord clothesline
• Dozen small clothespins
• 2 more cotton hankies (to dry hands when no towel is available)
• Small flashlight
• Small travel alarm
• Lightweight folding umbrella (for rain or sun)
• Misc. plastic bags (bring all sizes, especially ziplocs)
• Misc. safety pins
• 2 waist-size elastics for new Indian clothing
• Tubes of moisturizer
• Deodorant
• More toothpaste (2 travel-size tubes should be plenty)
• Bar of Ivory soap in plastic container (for washing clothes)
• Pillowcase (to cover one in your guestroom if necessary)
• Thin cotton towel (tea-towel weight, to dry easily)
• Tampax if needed
• Extra comb
• Travel-size shampoo
• Disposable razor
• Any other necessities you may have

(Note on precautions: If you are careful, you can travel in India without getting sick. Always drink and brush teeth with bottled water. Pass up the lovely fruits and vegetables unless you can wash and peel them yourself. Eat food that is well-cooked. Try to eat the local yogurt at every meal as a great preventative). (Note on medications: For OTC medications you are bringing, cut the dosage instructions off the box and place inside a sandwich-size ziploc bag with the tablets. This packs very small).

Food to bring in case of illness:

• Lifesavers and gum
• Plastic knife, fork and spoon in ziploc bag
• Premade packets of cheese & crackers and/or PB & crackers
• Fruit rollups (could also bring trail mix)
• Cup-a-Soup
• Instant oatmeal
• Hot cocoa mix