To get inside the airport, you may have to show your ticket, so have it in a place where you can easily grab it if needed. The next step will be having your checked bag x-rayed, and possibly banded. Then you'll grab all your stuff and proceed to check-in for your flight, where you'll need to produce your ticket and passport in order to complete the formalities. Don't forget to pick up paper tags for each piece of hand luggage when you check in.

Note: No photography is allowed at any time in or near Indian airports. Keep your camera stowed in a safe place, or risk having your film confiscated.

Unless your flight is imminent, you will probably have a while to sit in the outer waiting room before proceeding through security. Check the departing flights board to determine the status of your flight: check-in, security, or boarding. The board will also tell you a corrected departure time if your flight is going to be late. You are not allowed to proceed to security check until they call your flight for security, so there's no point in trying to get ahead of the game.

Most airports will have a small snack stand in the outer waiting room where you can buy water, cold soda, candy bars, biscuits and potato chips. (Skip the sandwiches and other items like samosas, since you don't know where they were prepared or how long they've been there). There is usually a tea stall as well, where you can buy tiny cups of delicious sweet, milky tea or instant coffee. There won't be any food available in the inner waiting area, so get a snack now if you're hungry. If you see a tap labeled "drinking water" in an airport, ignore it, and stick to your bottled water. If you need one, buy an extra bottle before you proceed through security, to ensure that you won't run dry.

There are decent bathrooms in both the outer and inner waiting rooms in all Indian airports. These days, you will find at least one western toilet in any airport bathroom, and toilet paper (stamped "Air Port" -- a great souvenir) is usually available as well. Of course, as with any Indian bathroom, it never hurts to have a pack of Kleenex at the ready just in case.

The bathrooms are staffed by attendants who keep them clean, attend to your needs, and who may eat and sleep there when not on duty. If you arrive in the middle of the night, you may have to step around a snoring body on the ground to get to your stall. However, there will always be one or two who are awake and who will give you soap and a wad of toilet paper to dry your hands on after you wash them. You can decline the assistance if you want to, and dry your hands on one of the hankies you have brought with you. However, if you accept the assistance it is customary to offer a tip of Rs.2 or Rs.5, depending on the coins you have handy. If there are two of you, you could offer a Rs.10 bill instead.

You may notice a strong smell of disinfectant ("Dettol") in most Indian airports. This is used to keep things sanitary, albeit in a smelly way. The bathrooms will also smell of mothballs, since these are placed in the drains to keep the creepy-crawlies away.

The security process in Indian airports has already been described. Once you get to the inner waiting room, there may be a tea stall or a cold drink stand, but you shouldn't count on it. In a big airport, passengers from several flights may be in the inner waiting room together. Be alert for announcements about identifying your baggage or boarding your flight. There are no gates per se, but when your flight is called you will be asked to exit via a particular door. After being frisked one more time, you will either walk to your plane, or take a bus (with a couple of high steps) to where your plane is parked. To get on the plane, you will have to walk up the stairs.

Once on board, you will find your seat and settle down until take-off. Most planes are relatively small (737s are common) with tiny galleys and bathrooms fore and aft. Sometimes, the condition of the plane's interior may be a little rough (bent tray-tables, tattered seats) but the pilots are excellent and you can rest assured that the engine and hydraulics have been very carefully serviced to ensure the safety and longevity of the plane.

Before take-off, the sari-clad flight attendants will pass out hard candies and juice (typically mango) in aseptic boxes. These are perfectly safe for foreign travelers. You may notice that many Indian travelers will put cotton in their ears when they fly. Many Indians erroneously believe that this helps keep the ears from popping during the flight. If you want some, cotton is usually available on the same tray used to offer the hard candies. Do be prepared for your ears to pop quite a lot on older aircraft; unfortunately, these seem not to be pressurized quite as effectively as the newer ones we are used to.

Takeoffs and landings in India may be a bit more precipitous than you are used to due to shorter runways. If you are prone to motion sickness, do bring acupressure wristbands to help you cope. These are available from Travelsmith, Magellan's and other sources, and they really work. (You may also need them to avoid nausea when traveling by road in India).

On any domestic flight inside India, you will be served a light meal or snack. Again, you will probably be asked if you want "veg" or "non-veg". If the meal is breakfast, "veg" will be Indian-style, with bread, curried vegetables and yogurt. The "non-veg" breakfast will certainly include a roll and an omelet. If the meal is lunch, you'll probably get a sandwich with either a "veg" or "non-veg" filling, plus some fruit or a salad, and a sweet. If the meal is dinner, you'll get an Indian-style meal of rice plus several accompaniments, either "veg" or "non-veg".

As always, skip all fresh fruits and vegetables, and approach other foods cautiously. The safest foods are usually yogurt, bread and sweets. Wave away water unless it's in a sealed cup, even if the flight attendant poured it from a bottle (the bottle may have been refilled at some point). Carbonated beverages (if available), aseptic juices and hot tea are usually safe. Remember, no ice! In any case, airline food in India is much like airline food in America. None of it tastes very good, though it can help to keep you going when you are in transit.

One last piece of advice about Indian airports. If someone in official garb asks you to do something, do it quickly and politely. Do not argue or question his authority.

Money Matters

You should bring most of your money in American Express Traveler's Checks when traveling to India. Other types of traveler's checks may be accepted in some places, but American Express is the only type accepted everywhere. Make sure to record your check numbers and the phone number to call for replacement checks on index cards to place at the bottom of each of your bags.

More and more places are taking credit cards these days, so if you have a Visa or MasterCard, it makes sense to bring them along as well. They will probably be most useful in settling hotel bills and paying for major purchases when shopping. For most other things, cash is best.

Note: If you use your credit card frequently during your trip, you may find your credit cut off unexpectedly. The credit card companies have extremely sensitive fraud detection criteria built into their systems, and if they see a series of charges in a faraway place, they may conclude that your card has been stolen. It never hurts to call your credit card company in advance to let them know that you will be traveling overseas and plan to use your card.

ATMs are increasingly evident all over India, and may be helpful to you in an emergency, but you shouldn't count on finding one that works without searching for a while. Before leaving home, check to see whether your major credit cards have cash advance privileges. If they do, you will need to establish a PIN number before you can use them abroad. Make sure to record you PIN number in several places to ensure that you have it when needed.

The best place to change money in India is at the international airport when you arrive, since the rates are good and the location is extremely convenient. Major hotels and some shops can change money, but you won't get a very good rate that way. Indian banks are open limited hours, typically closing during the heat of the afternoon. At a bank, you will have to stand in three different queues to get through the money-changing process, and this could take quite a while.

To change traveler's checks at the aiport, you'll have to show your passport and endorse each of the checks with your signature and the date. If the person inside the booth asks for additional information, give it pleasantly. When the transaction is complete, you'll probably be handed several wads of cash, plus a few loose bills and coins to make up the total. You'll also get an official receipt, which should be kept, in a safe place until departure from India. If you have rupees left over and want to change them back to dollars as you leave India, you'll need to show this receipt.

After receiving your cash, immediately stow it in the safest place you can find in a piece of baggage that is worn on your person -- either your backpack or your fanny pack/shoulder bag. Don't make a commotion about it, and don't stop to look at it or count it. The people in the money-changing booth will have counted it twice, so you can be sure it is the correct amount. Although the airports are very secure, you don't want to draw attention to the fact that you are carrying quite a lot of cash if you don't have to. As you leave the airport, make sure to keep the bag with your cash in it on your person at all times. If possible, turn the bag so any zippers are facing your body to ward off pickpockets.

The only irritating thing about changing money at the airport is that you will typically have to remove several large, heavy staples in order to separate the wads. This is easier said than done, and may require 20-30 minutes of your time and the services of your trusty Swiss army knife. It's probably a good idea to deal with your money as soon as possible after arriving at your first resting-place. It won't hurt to have a nap and a shower first, but then you need to sort out your cash, putting some in a place where you can get at it easily and putting the rest in the safest place possible. Remember to lock your bags and secure them to a heavy piece of furniture before leaving your hotel room. If you do this, your extra cash and return tickets will always be safe.

If you are planning to give any cash donations to charity while you are in India, count out the amounts you are planning to give and place them in ziploc bags when you are sorting out your money. These will then be ready when the time comes to hand them over.

It's not difficult to safeguard your cash and valuables in India as long as you pay attention. Remember, to most Indian people you are incredibly wealthy. If you give someone an easy opportunity to take something, you may be sorry. When moving about, keep your fanny pack or shoulder bag well secured to your body. Keep track of your backpack and any other items you have with you. Try to have money for small purchases or tips in a place where you can grab it easily, without showing a lot of additional cash. But don't be paranoid, just be careful. Most Indian people are honest to a fault.

Coping with the Environment

Unless you live in the American Sunbelt, the Indian sun is hotter and more direct than the sun you are used to. If you burn easily, bring a small tube of sunscreen or a sunscreen stick and use it frequently on exposed surfaces. You may also want to bring a hat that you can smoosh up in your luggage, to keep the sun off your face. Insect repellent may be needed if you are out and about in the evening (see section below on Staying Healthy for more details). Another useful item is a small, lightweight folding umbrella, which can be used to ward off either the sun or the rain.

There's no getting around it, India is dirty. In particular, your feet will be dirty a lot of the time, and you may get pretty grimy in between showers. Try not to let this bother you too much, because there's nothing you can do about it. The same goes for smells, as India is a lot smellier than you may be used to. The "India smell" that will become familiar to you during your trip is made up of equal parts of wood smoke, flowers, incense, mildew, jungle rot and diesel exhaust. You may not like it at first, but you'll get used to it quickly, and may even come to love it by the time you leave India.

Indian cities tend to be extremely polluted, because pollution controls cost money that businesses can ill-afford to pay. The worst of the pollution comes from motor vehicles (especially buses) that belch huge clouds of smoke in complete violation of the seldom-enforced laws. Many conveyances (like motorcycles, scooters and autorikshaws) have two-stroke engines that burn a mixture of gas and oil. This adds to the pollution. Don't be surprised when you blow your nose or wipe your eyes and find black gook all over your tissue; it's par for the course in Indian urban areas. If you have sensitive lungs, make sure to bring and regularly use any medication that helps you breathe more easily.

In the countryside, the air is typically fresher and more pleasant, although most people still use twigs and dung cakes as fuel for their smoky cooking fires. In extremely dry places like Rajasthan, you may find yourself coughing a good deal due to the dry air. In the rest of India, dryness is typically not a problem.

One thing you'll definitely notice upon leaving the U.S.A. is that people in other parts of the world smoke a lot. You'll notice it during your brief stop in Europe on your way to India, and you'll certainly notice it in India, where there are rarely "smoking" and "non-smoking" sections in restaurants, although most domestic flights are completely "non-smoking". People who can afford western-style cigarettes will definitely smoke them (a status symbol). Others will smoke pungent Indian bidis ("beedies") which are basically hand-rolled cigarettes.

If you are traveling during the monsoon, an umbrella will be a necessity at all times. It probably won't rain all the time, but it may rain steadily for several hours or off and on all day, so you need to be prepared. There is no point in bringing a poncho or raincoat unless you are in the very far north, because you will swelter inside. Bringing clothes that dry out quickly is a better bet (see section below on Clothing to Pack for more details).

Most of India is hot year-round, and that means that you can expect to sweat a lot while you are there. Just get used to being sweaty all the time, and keep your hankie handy for mopping your face and neck from time to time, as many Indians do. If you are sweating, you need to force yourself to drink constantly to avoid dehydration. Mild dehydration will give you a headache, but more severe dehydration can make you faint and nauseous. Don't let it happen to you!

Air conditioning is more and more available all over India, but you should assume that you will not be in air conditioning most of the time when you are traveling. If you are someone who has trouble handling heat and high humidity, prepare your wardrobe carefully, and pace yourself to avoid heat exhaustion. Better to spend a hot afternoon resting in your hotel than to overextend yourself and end up sick.

Due to the poor infrastructure, there are frequent power outages in India. If this happens on a hot day, you won't be able to enjoy air conditioning or even a fan. If it happens at night, you'll need a small flashlight (called a "torch" in India) to enable you to get around safely. These days, most outages are brief, and most hotels and restaurants will have noisy generators to provide power during longer outages. Just don't take electric current for granted, because you may not be able to depend on it all the time in India.

Occasionally, a political action called a "bandh" ("bund" with a short "u" as in "puff") will take place when you are in India. A bandh is the same as a general strike, and it's enacted to draw attention to a political cause or protest of some kind. During a bandh, you will have to stay in your hotel room or on the grounds of your hotel, as you may be harassed if you leave, and nothing will be open anyway. Typically a bandh lasts only one day, and ends around 6 in the evening, enabling you to enjoy some evening shopping and a nice dinner afterwards.

Usually you will receive at least a day's notice of an upcoming bandh. If you can't think of anything to do at your hotel, you can ask the hotel manager for advice. It may be possible to arrange a massage, a private yoga class, or bring a lady in to apply mehendi designs to your hands. Sometimes a bandh will be announced a day or two in advance but won't materialize on the chosen day. In any case, you'll have to "hang loose" as the Indians do, because there is a great deal that will be outside your control when you are in India.

Clothing for Comfort and Modesty

You may wish to invest in some new clothing for your trip to India, which will be useful afterwards during the summer at home. You will need no more than 5 complete outfits for your trip, but the items you bring should be selected carefully. Because of the heat, humidity and grime, you should plan on wearing each outfit only once before washing it. Most hotels offer inexpensive 24-hour laundry service, but your clothing will probably be washed by hand, wrung out, and hung to dry. Therefore, you need to select items that will stand up to this kind of treatment without falling apart or going out of shape.

Although girls under 9 or 10 and boys up to 16 or 17 can wear shorts without drawing undue attention, denim shorts are problematical because of the heavy seams and pockets. The same goes for denim jeans: once they are washed, they will probably stay damp for the rest of the trip. Also, denim tends to stretch a lot when worn, and since your items will not be tumbled in a hot dryer, they will not shrink back into shape when they are washed. Better fabrics to bring are lightweight cotton or cotton blends, although you may want to test items by handwashing them at home to ensure that they don't turn into a wrinkled mess. If something needs ironing to look decent, leave it at home.

Adult men should wear long pants in India, of the lightest weight fabric available (look for seersucker, madras, or tropical weight cotton). Synthetics specially designed for hot-weather travel are fine too, as these will "breathe" and help keep you cool. Although adult women can wear pants if they choose to, these are a real problem when the time comes to use an Indian squat toilet, or to squat in the "bush". Aside from having to drop your drawers and expose yourself to prying eyes, you will find it very difficult to avoid peeing on your bunched-up pants. It is much, much easier to bring long skirts in cotton, cotton blends or synthetics designed to "breathe". Skirts (or long, loose dresses) are also more dignified and in keeping with traditional Indian dress.

If you are a woman, you may wish to purchase a salwaar kameez or two to wear during the trip. If you are between 5' and 5'10" tall and weigh between 100 and 160 pounds, you will probably find something to fit you. If you don't fall in this category, you could have something made for you, but you'd need to be in once place for several days for this to work out. Don't count on it.

Again, you need to think carefully about your toilet needs before adopting Indian dress, since you will have to manage your dupatta (long scarf), kameez (long tunic) as well as your salwaars (pants) when you sit or squat. Most salwaars sold ready-made come with a drawstring. Aside from being uncomfortable, this takes a lot of extra time when using the toilet. A better idea is bringing a couple of pieces of waistband elastic and safety pins to secure them, which can be inserted in your hotel room before wearing your outfit for the first time.

Men may be tempted to purchase kurta-pyjama sets (long tunic and baggy pants) to wear while they are traveling in India. There would be no harm in doing this, but you won't find other men dressed like this except in extremely rural areas, so you would definitely stand out in the crowd. Better to bring these items home to wear them at Indian cultural events instead.