Travel Tips and Info

The information from this section is excerpted from the guide books, "India" and
Vrindavana and Braja Mandala / A Practical Guide by John Howley.

Getting to Vrindavana     Getting Around Vrindavana     Valuables and Security
Money Matters     Weather     Shopping     Water     Doctors
Cultural and Social Behavior     Temple Etiquette     Begging     Monkeys

Valuables and Security

When you travel there are three things that are very valuable to you – your money, passport and plane ticket. It is best to keep these things with you at all times. Carry your valuables in a money belt, a pouch under your shirt, or a pocket sewn into your clothing, not in your pockets or exposed bags. You should try to never let anyone see your money belt in public. Should not even think of putting any valuables in your check-in baggage on plane flights.

Valuables should not be left in your hotel room if possible, especially in lower class places. You can leave valuables at the front desk of respectable hotels. If you are carrying a lot of money it could be a good idea to carry two money belts. When you go into a crowded area, for example, a railway station, be very conscious of your money belt at all times.

In general it is a good idea not to keep all your money in one place. If you get robbed, what will you do?

Travel bags should be made of strong material so that they can’t be cut open. You should be able to put a lock on them. The external pockets on the bags should not be used to carry valuables. Women should not keep valuables in their pocketbook. They are easily slit with a razor or pickpocketed. Don’t carry valuables in your back pockets or shirt pockets. It is best to keep your valuables in the front part of your body.

You should be careful about leaving your shoes in front of temples. If you have an expensive pair of shoes there is a good chance you will loose them if you leave them unprotected in front of temples. People and monkeys take shoes. A good idea is to get a cheap pair of Indian shoes to wear to the temples and to separate your shoes or hide them. Another good idea is to pay someone a rupee or two to look after your shoes.

Do not leave any items lying around the temple room. I have seen people amazed that someone stole their bag, which included their money and plane ticket.

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