Need a little advice for traveling to Mumbai.

[Faith-manor]

Okay, world traveling Hivers, our son, 24 and has never been more international than fishing in Canada and a stop off at Niagara Falls, is headed to Mumbai March 25-April 15 with his engineering team for work. Only 1 engineer on the team is at all forthcoming with information. Hr says, "Modern Hotel, drink only filtered water, and dress code is business casual." So far I have had him ask about vaccinations and whether or they recommend malaria medicine. They said no to both.

I think it might be wise to get the covid booster. He has been busy and hasn't had it yet. His DTP was updated in 2018 so it isn't up for booster yet. He had an MMR booster at that time as well.

I am thinking short sleeve cotton shirts and his usual chinos, khakis  will work. Do you have other recommendations?

I have never been to the region. He is adventurous with food, and vegetarian works for sure for him, but is there anything else he should know?

We have an rfid  scan blocking personal fanny pack type thing. Very thin. We wore them in Iceland under our clothes. We kept our ID, cash, and credit cards in them. So we will give him one to use.

Since he will be gone 3 weeks, he obviously needs to do laundry or have it done. Any idea what it costs per load to have laundry done at the hotel and delivered back to his room? Appropriate tip size for housekeeping and laundry? Should he expect his employer to reimburse him for this? Mark had never traveled more than 8 days for work, so we are nor sure how to advise him.

 

[MEmama]

DS has a really good friend from Delhi. I can ask him for any advice.

I know DS has been advised by a Filipino friend with whom he's going to the Philippines to plan on having GI/stomach issues for a few days. Apparently the different microbes take some getting used to. I imagine it might be similar in India? 

[prairiewindmomma]

Recommended vaccines: hepatitis (a&b),  typhoid, japanese encephalitis if he plans on going into the countryside on a side journey

bottled water, peelable fruit, etc. Avoid street food and raw things generally. 
 

The main issue he is likely to deal with is air pollution. 
 

Etiquette generally: right hand for passing things, shake (right) hands with your own gender only, address the seniormost person in the room first, be prepared for face saving answers (which might be straight up lies)

Laundry services certainly exist, but prices very so much by location he just needs to check. 200INR per item (per shirt or trousers) is probably in line with Mumbai. Honestly, we travel with detergent sheets (Earth Breeze is the brand) and wash our own underthings and own quick dry items and let them air dry. Dh has a mix of synthetic golf polos and merino wool shirts in his work wardrobe for this reason. For a 24 year old, cotton is fine, but I would be sure to have the shirts pressed. 

[wathe]

49 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

 Hr says, "Modern Hotel, drink only filtered water, and dress code is business casual." So far I have had him ask about vaccinations and whether or they recommend malaria medicine. They said no to both.

I haven't been to India, but have traveled elsewhere in the tropics.  

I would strongly recommend a travel medicine clinic consult.  Getting travel health advice from HR seems unwise, especially since the advice you've quoted contradicts the CDC:

• Vaccinations: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/india.  (For me, personally, up-to-date standard childhood vaccinations including polio, up-to-date tetanus/diphtheria, fresh covid and flu boosters, and Hep A/B vaccination would be a bare minimum.)
• Malaria:  From CDC Yellow Book: 
  • "Transmission area: Throughout the country, including the cities of Bombay (Mumbai) and New Delhi (the capital).  No malaria transmission in areas >2,000 m (≈6,500 ft) elevation in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, or Sikkim"

Travel advisories: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/india-travel-advisory.html#:~:text=Exercise increased caution in India,the potential for armed conflict. 

Travel advice (Government of Canada - comprehensive, well formatted, easy to read, good law and culture section) https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/india#health

I would want one of these for purifying water.

Edited February 15 by wathe

[MEmama]

So far, be up to date on all hepatitis vaccinations.

Will be treated well as a white dude but might get "weird" attention for it

Take constipation/other GI meds with him

Be prepared for poverty on a whole new level. But also know that poverty doesn't indicated danger

Ill add more in a bit...

[MEmama]

For crossing g streets, apparently you just have to go for it with confidence (I imagine that's easier said than done for the initiated)

Mumbai has the largest wealth and QOL disparities in the world. He'll go from nice to slum very quickly

[Faith-manor]

Wow! I knew the hive would have good advice. He is getting his covid and flu shot Friday night at the pharmacy so he has time for his arm to get over it before work on Monday. Just in case. He doesn't react to vaxes like I do. I wonder if he can schedule a Hep  at the pharmacy or if that will have to be at the county health department.

Their day trips to the industrial plant will be just that. They go, they come back. No stay overs. I have told him NOT to eat street foods, only filtered water from reliable source. I will send GI meds just in case.

Typhoid vax is very hard to get in Michigan. Limited number of health departments carry it, and only when someone makes an appointment 3 months in advance. So that ship sailed. 

The industrial plant is modern. Air conditioned, etc. They are installing some robotic battery thingie (really not sure what it is) and then training the team there on how to use it. My guess is maybe a work cafeteria for lunches? Hopefully he can find out. I could have him pack some nuts, granola, and energy bars to take each day just in case.

Would polo shirts be better since they usually do not need to be ironed?

[MEmama]

Although treated well, apparently no matter how many white people are in a group, ALWAYS have at least one Indian colleague with you. Don't leave the hotel alone.

You will be scammed so be on the lookout and do NOT give in

NO DRINKING THE WATER and NO STREET FOOD. A huge bummer but Friend says it's dirty and since we don't get the same vaccinations here it could be very dangerous (though delicious)

A shopping mall is the only place to be alone, or at the hotel.

Button up shirt and pants= business casual. No need for a tie unless hotel requests

Tipping is usually a flat rate no matter what was ordered. Never tip more than 2-10 US$, even at a 5 star restaurant. $1 tip for delivery

Never EVER give money to beggars. EVER

"Being white is the same as wearing 10 KGs of Gold chains"

Never pet the street dogs. They are "walking rabies factories" and if you get bit, you get 13 injections

In addition to hepatitis vax, also get TB and tetanus. Apparently it's so dusty a single scratch is likely to get infected. He might want a Very Good mask to breathe. When Friend was here last summer he showed us photos of the Delhi air quality and giggled that I had an air purifier in his room

Also, know the price of things, or you'll be scammed

But finally, he says just don't be stupid and it'll be fine. It's not a jungle, lol. Worst case is he loses some money and gets food poisoning

[Faith-manor]

10 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Although treated well, apparently no matter how many white people are in a group, ALWAYS have at least one Indian colleague with you. Don't leave the hotel alone.

You will be scammed so be on the lookout and do NOT give in

NO DRINKING THE WATER and NO STREET FOOD. A huge bummer but Friend says it's dirty and since we don't get the same vaccinations here it could be very dangerous (though delicious)

A shopping mall is the only place to be alone, or at the hotel.

Button up shirt and pants= business casual. No need for a tie unless hotel requests

Tipping is usually a flat rate no matter what was ordered. Never tip more than 2-10 US$, even at a 5 star restaurant. $1 tip for delivery

Never EVER give money to beggars. EVER

"Being white is the same as wearing 10 KGs of Gold chains"

Never pet the street dogs. They are "walking rabies factories" and if you get bit, you get 13 injections

In addition to hepatitis vax, also get TB and tetanus. Apparently it's so dusty a single scratch is likely to get infected. He might want a Very Good mask to breathe. When Friend was here last summer he showed us photos of the Delhi air quality and giggled that I had an air purifier in his room

Also, know the price of things, or you'll be scammed

But finally, he says just don't be stupid and it'll be fine. It's not a jungle, lol. Worst case is he loses some money and gets food poisoning

Thanks. I am going to copy and paste this content and send him an email. He is frustrated with HR. They just do not answer questions and act like Mumbai is the same as going to England! 😬

They aren't going sight seeing. So he figures he will spend evenings and weekends in the hotel since he has no intention of going out alone. I feel sad about that. Seems like it would be nice to see something. But if no one else wants to, going out alone is not an option.

Edited February 15 by Faith-manor

[prairiewindmomma]

You are getting good advice from ME’s son’s friend.

Dh wears Nike Dri-Fit polos. Accept that you are going to sweat no matter what you wear but the polos dry quickly and dont show sweat stains or grime. Speaking of which—grime. Sweat + pollution = gross. 

Edited February 15 by prairiewindmomma

[MEmama]

Haldirams is a good Indian food chain

[prairiewindmomma]

Oh—on head wobbles:

The chin waggle left right movement can sometimes be read as a no answer by Americans but it means “I am actively listening” (and may or may not agree with you) or harmony. So, if you get the chin waggle on “will this be done by Friday?” Like…maybe? They will attempt but if something happens, then no, but dont stress about it. 

[knitgrl]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

 

bottled water, peelable fruit, etc. Avoid street food and raw things generally. 
 

The main issue he is likely to deal with is air pollution. 
 

We have friends who just got back from India a few weeks ago. They mentioned these things as well. Also, our friends said food is super spicy, even the "less spicy" things they make for Americans.

[Faith-manor]

20 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Haldirams is a good Indian food chain

Thanks!

[Faith-manor]

So I think what it sounds like is that he should have enough of everything to just not need to leave the hotel to buy anything, and have his breakfast and dinner at the hotel restaurant, take snack items and water with him to the manufacturing plant.

I will make up a care pack for him of N95s, hand sanitizer and wipes, all of his personal care items (one quart baggie of 3 oz. bottles for his carryon, and then a larger amount for his checked bag, plus GI meds and standard first aid type things like Advil and bandaids, triple antibiotic ointment.

Thankfully, this boy loves very spicy, heat foods. I will tell him to order it "American" or mild which should make it okay to eat. He loves veggies and rice, so my guess is even if it is 3 weeks of boring, same old same old, he should be okay. Sounds like I should send those detergent sheets in case he needs to wash clothes in his bathroom sink.

He does like soda pop once in a while. Will a Coke or Pepsi be okay in country, or is there a chance that it was made there without filtered water? I did tell him that the big climate and food change would put his body under stress and make it easier to become dehydrated so he should mostly drink water. (We had a dear friend die in Nicaragua while helping to build a medical clinic. He drank nothing but diet coke the whole time he was there, and then went into cardiac arrest from dehydration. They were too far from a medical team to get him help. That has stuck with me ever since it happened.)

[MEmama]

10 minutes ago, knitgrl said:

We have friends who just got back from India a few weeks ago. They mentioned these things as well. Also, our friends said food is super spicy, even the "less spicy" things they make for Americans.

The very best and spiciest food I've ever eaten was made by a boyfriend's Indian grandmother some 30+ years ago. I paid for it for days, lol, but it was so so so very delicious. Nothings ever come close to being so incredible.

[bibiche]

@Faith-manor re typhoid vax, I’m pretty sure you can get it at CVS or Walgreens. There are also typhoid pills if the shot is hard to come by. It’s definitely something I would look into.
Does his company not have a travel doctor ?

[QueenCat]

His company should reimburse for expenses such as laundry. Have him find out how to expense those type of items. If he carries a company credit card, that will be easier. 

If he wants to see things on his time off, have him ask the hotel concierge to arrange tours. It's possible the hotel already does that & can get him in on one that is already planned.

[prairiewindmomma]

They use tap water which they put through reverse osmosis. Should be safe. (There was a whole pesticides and plastics controvery like 15(?) years ago. Remember, no ice, and where possible I choose glass bottles or aluminum > plastic bottled.

[Faith-manor]

12 minutes ago, bibiche said:

@Faith-manor re typhoid vax, I’m pretty sure you can get it at CVS or Walgreens. There are also typhoid pills if the shot is hard to come by. It’s definitely something I would look into.
Does his company not have a travel doctor ?

LOL, no. Single family owned, do business in 80 countries, and they farm out this aspect (when they offer anything) to a local clinic where the clinic doctor is not exactly up on foreign travel. They each have an annual physical and bloodwork (heavy metals, particularly lead testing) to make sure their PPE and precautions are working. Ds is an electrical engineer. Their "travel agent" is the office manager. So primitive. On the other hand, he is paid well, treated well, and has very nice benefits. That is worth a lot these days.

[Faith-manor]

14 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

They use tap water which they put through reverse osmosis. Should be safe. (There was a whole pesticides and plastics controvery like 15(?) years ago. Remember, no ice, and where possible I choose glass bottles or aluminum > plastic bottled.

Oh yes. NO ICE! This one I learned the hard way when I was 17 and traveling with a group through the heart of Jamaica. We encountered a wealthier Jamaican who had an actual freezer and offered us ice with our bottled pepsi. We hadn't seen ice since leaving home 3 weeks before, and were most appreciative. Well. Appreciative for a few hours and the WHAMMMO. Whole group laid waste for two days while waiting for the GI meds to really kick it.

LOL, I would probably say no to ice I'm Canada because of that experience! 😂

[YaelAldrich]

My DH was there for over a month many years ago and survived with nary a stomach cramp but he brought all his food except fruits and veggies he could peel himself or the Chabad House made.  It made for a much more sad time food wise but a lot less toilety one if you know what I mean.

The Indian co workers might want to take him out and he should go with them and have fun and travel a little.  The amount of poverty is staggering.

I'm hoping I will merit to go now that our kids are all grown up.

[bibiche]

39 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

LOL, no. Single family owned, do business in 80 countries, and they farm out this aspect (when they offer anything) to a local clinic where the clinic doctor is not exactly up on foreign travel. …

Yeah, I get it. FWIW, I always have to tell my big city travel doctors what I need because I’m more familiar with where I’m going than they are. What usually happens is that I tell them, they don’t believe me, and then they come back after doing a bit of research and acknowledge that I was correct. 😆 

[Faith-manor]

Score! I found a pharmacy that has typhoid vaccine/pills that is a reasonable drive for him. It was a needle in a haystack kind of thing. I called many CVS and Walgreens in his city (and there are a LOT of them) plus Rite Aids, Meijer Pharmacy, and some independents, and found the one and only Walgreen that had them. Since his city does not have an international airport, and apparently doesn't get enough requests for it, most of them do not stock the med. But yeah, we have that option now.

They can also do a Hep A/B as well as covid, but not the same day. That fine. He doesn't need a shot up arm on Monday at work. So two weekends in a row works.

I also found out that CVS has a travelers medical clinic thing where he can meet with a physician's assistant or something, discuss travel, get recommendations, and even be prescribed GI meds to take with him. Since he doesn't have a primary care physician, I think this might be the way to do it. He is one of these uber healthy young adults who saw the doc on his college campus exactly once in four years, and since then, the annual physical with the hospital clinic that his employer uses. He doesn't have a doctor where he has a relationship. I had been thinking about trying out the Amazon clinic thing. Just so he could maybe get some metronidazole. But, this seems like a better idea.

[Faith-manor]

Just now, bibiche said:

Yeah, I get it. FWIW, I always have to tell my big city travel doctors what I need because I’m more familiar with where I’m going than they are. What usually happens is that I tell them, they don’t believe me, and then they come back after doing a bit of research and acknowledge that I was correct. 😆 

US docs seem to be pretty under-informed on things like "diseases you get when not going to Canada or Western Europe".

[prairiewindmomma]

8 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

US docs seem to be pretty under-informed on things like "diseases you get when not going to Canada or Western Europe".

This is totally location dependent. Half my neighborhood is southeast Asian and the tech companies here all have counterpart teams abroad with travel for work and/or family back and forth. 
 

Likewise, when we lived in south Texas, same story, different nations going back and forth. 
 

We are always asked “have you traveled abroad in the last 30 days” at any dr appointment checkin—and were asked this before covid—for this reason.

[SKL]

Tell him to keep his pockets filled with tissue / TP and hand sanitizer.  There are super nice hotels, but outside of the hotels, the bathrooms are not great.  They generally don't provide paper, or if they do, it's 2 squares in exchange for a tip.  😛  Just come prepared.  Might want to practice squats just in case.

Drink only actual sealed bottled water, forget filtered.  Filtered water is for people whose stomachs are used to that.  Don't risk it.  It's not worth it.

Don't go for a walk alone, especially at night.  Let the company locals take you around / recommend a reputable guide, or just stay in your hotel.

Expect people to have less "personal space" than you're used to.  Expect hawkers and beggars to have practically no boundaries.  DON'T donate or buy on the streets.  That just encourages the people who enslave children and disabled people.  Ask the local company people the best way to help those in need.

Don't eat in front of people who aren't also eating.

India is probably my favorite place.  I hope he has a great time!

Edited February 16 by SKL

[SKL]

Oh, and if he does get sick upon returning, look for a doctor who has experience with tropical diseases.  They'll diagnose and treat much more effectively.

[Faith-manor]

2 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

This is totally location dependent. Half my neighborhood is southeast Asian and the tech companies here all have counterpart teams abroad with travel for work and/or family back and forth. 
 

Likewise, when we lived in south Texas, same story, different nations going back and forth. 
 

We are always asked “have you traveled abroad in the last 30 days” at any dr appointment checkin—and were asked this before covid—for this reason.

Wow! This is is so foreign for us. Dh went to Egypt without me (his conscience 😁) in 2019, ate some street food, and was sick by the tike he got home. Sick for six months. Lost so much weight it was actually scary. Saw 1 NP, 2 physician's assistants, and  3 MD's all of whom claimed it could not be parasites even though every one of them had been told he had been to North Africa, and had eaten street vendor food. They decided he had cancer, and ordered a colonscopy which was of course clean, then if was "you need to see the GI doc, and the first appointment available is 3 months away or you can go to U of Mi, Ann Abor, walk into the ER, and get seen right away." I was so mad I just about swore a blue streak at the doc. We went home, and I did the thing so never do...call our dear friend in Doctors Without Borders for help. (not always an easy person to reach given some of the locations he serves). He swore. Called in a prescription to our pharmacy, and bam. Cured. This is the kind of thing that keeps me up. Ds is super smart with a lot of common sense, but he is not a self advocate. I normally do not worry about him at all, but something like this for sure. I hate feeling like a mother hen. He isn't like his next oldest brother who is more of the, "Get off your ass and help me now" kind of person in the face of being shrugged off.

[Faith-manor]

9 minutes ago, SKL said:

Tell him to keep his pockets filled with tissue / TP and hand sanitizer.  There are super nice hotels, but outside of the hotels, the bathrooms are not great.  They generally don't provide paper, or if they do, it's 2 squares in exchange for a tip.  😛  Just come prepared.  Might want to practice squats just in case.

Drink only actual sealed bottled water, forget filtered.  Filtered water is for people whose stomachs are used to that.  Don't risk it.  It's not worth it.

Don't go for a walk alone, especially at night.  Let the company locals take you around / recommend a reputable guide, or just stay in your hotel.

Expect people to have less "personal space" than you're used to.  Expect hawkers and beggers to have practically no boundaries.  DON'T donate or buy on the streets.  That just encourages the people who enslave children and disabled people.  Ask the local company people the best way to help those in need.

Don't eat in front of people who aren't also eating.

India is probably my favorite place.  I hope he has a great time!

Thank you! I am copy and pasting your advice to a document for him. I really appreciate all the help here. The hive wins again.

[Faith-manor]

1 hour ago, SKL said:

Tell him to keep his pockets filled with tissue / TP and hand sanitizer.  There are super nice hotels, but outside of the hotels, the bathrooms are not great.  They generally don't provide paper, or if they do, it's 2 squares in exchange for a tip.  😛  Just come prepared.  Might want to practice squats just in case.

 

This might be one of those rare times when his roughing it, primitive camping experiences come in handy.

[regentrude]

3 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

Typhoid vax is very hard to get in Michigan. Limited number of health departments carry it, and only when someone makes an appointment 3 months in advance. So that ship sailed. 

Try getting it at a pharmacy; they can order it with doctor's prescription.
There is an oral and an injectable version.

[regentrude]

If he is out and about and not in a Western hotel: anticipate squat toilet without toilet paper. Be prepared to use the sprayer to clean yourself, or a bucket with a pitcher. 
And if he carries toilet paper as pp suggested: dispose of it in the trash, not in the hole; the toilet is not equipped to flush the TP.

Edited February 15 by regentrude

[mominco]

Faith I have family in Mumbai and if you can find out the hotel he is staying at (PM me) I will get you all the information you would need. Everywhere he goes he needs to get bottled BUT Sealed bottled water(Ask for Bisleri brand). Juhu beach has the most street food stalls.. IF he eats there it has to be piping hot and no chutneys.(Pav Bhaji without yogurt or any chutneys) will be a good option and NO raw vegetables or fruits (cooked is best)He will also find the usual American fare and many popular brands form here are there so he can always eat there BUT same rules apply.No ice no icecream/popsicles/lassi's.

It will be easy for him to go to a super market and buy TP for himself,lots of hotels do have them.Ask him to stay in a Marriott or Sheraton hotels.Give him pepcid,pepto and look for overseas travel clinic for required vaccinations and malaria medications. Take masks, Antibiotics,all  other meds. Mumbai in general tends to be on the muggier side and April it will get to the 90's.There are some beautiful old churches and its a city that does not sleep,has issues like most big cities in the world and then there is a focus on showcasing poverty.

I have a busy few days but if you need any specific information please pm me.Send an empty suitcase so he can shop for you  ;))

[MEmama]

41 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

This might be one of those rare times when his roughing it, primitive camping experiences come in handy.

I've used a hole in the floor "toilet" in Italy back in the early 80's. Young me was not impressed, but it was nbd.
 

Very recently I was in a public washroom in Czechia (IIRC, maybe Poland) where the attendant handed over a giant roll of toilet paper when I paid my euro (or whatever it was) and expected me to rip off however much I might need. There was no paper in the stall, that was the only opportunity lol. That was a first for me!

Good idea for him to be prepared with his own!

[Faith-manor]

12 minutes ago, mominco said:

Faith I have family in Mumbai and if you can find out the hotel he is staying at (PM me) I will get you all the information you would need. Everywhere he goes he needs to get bottled BUT Sealed bottled water(Ask for Bisleri brand). Juhu beach has the most street food stalls.. IF he eats there it has to be piping hot and no chutneys.(Pav Bhaji without yogurt or any chutneys) will be a good option and NO raw vegetables or fruits (cooked is best)He will also find the usual American fare and many popular brands form here are there so he can always eat there BUT same rules apply.No ice no icecream/popsicles/lassi's.

It will be easy for him to go to a super market and buy TP for himself,lots of hotels do have them.Ask him to stay in a Marriott or Sheraton hotels.Give him pepcid,pepto and look for overseas travel clinic for required vaccinations and malaria medications. Take masks, Antibiotics,all  other meds. Mumbai in general tends to be on the muggier side and April it will get to the 90's.There are some beautiful old churches and its a city that does not sleep,has issues like most big cities in the world and then there is a focus on showcasing poverty.

I have a busy few days but if you need any specific information please pm me.Send an empty suitcase so he can shop for you  ;))

Thank you. I will get the info to you as soon as he knows. It is a work trip, and the office manager books everything. He does not have a choice of where to stay. He is getting typhoid pills this weekend, plus covid booster, and Hep A/B next weekend. I am making a big kit of meds and first aid stuff, plus I will be sending him those little Kleenex packs. It isn't cost effective, but it is efficient because he can just grab a pack and keep it in his pocket. I will send a couple of rolls of t.p. in his checked bag in case they stay somewhere that does not provide it, and lots of hand sanitizer. We are working on getting an appointment at a CVS with a travel clinic so he can talk to someone about getting GI meds.

Thank you!

[catz]

I haven't read all the responses but my spouse regularly travels to India for work.  We've also travelled to this part of the world as a couple. How exciting!  I hope he has some time to explore a little.

My husband has found that these professional businesses that regularly host Westerners treat them well, take them to good restaurants, etc.  He's never even got a cold or a foodborne blip on any of his work travels.  He is up to date on regular vaccines but hasn't gone out of his way to get anything special.  Though he did ask his doctor about this the first time.  Big cities will have good western style medical care available.  

Stuff will likely be cheap and easy - like I'd be surprised if a hotel wouldn't arrange to have laundry done for very little.  All business casual for my husband too.  He took like khakis and polos, that kind of thing.  The regular hotels were nicer and had more service amenities available than ones we stay at in the states for sure.  They often had english style breakfast too.

The biggest thing is it's just a very different culture.  I wouldn't be worried about safety - people are usually SO friendly.  Just have good travel protocols with wallets and other valuables like any other overseas travel.  Huge wealth disaparity, it's a bit of a culture shock the first time visiting an Asian country.  Also - be very careful crossing the streets because the traffic and people - it's bonkers!

If he has an assigned host in his office or is invited to eat in anyone's home, he may want to bring a small gift with him.  A few tokens from his part of the world would probably be well recieved.  

[Faith-manor]

11 minutes ago, catz said:

I haven't read all the responses but my spouse regularly travels to India for work.  We've also travelled to this part of the world as a couple. How exciting!  I hope he has some time to explore a little.

My husband has found that these professional businesses that regularly host Westerners treat them well, take them to good restaurants, etc.  He's never even got a cold or a foodborne blip on any of his work travels.  He is up to date on regular vaccines but hasn't gone out of his way to get anything special.  Though he did ask his doctor about this the first time.  Big cities will have good western style medical care available.  

Stuff will likely be cheap and easy - like I'd be surprised if a hotel wouldn't arrange to have laundry done for very little.  All business casual for my husband too.  He took like khakis and polos, that kind of thing.  The regular hotels were nicer and had more service amenities available than ones we stay at in the states for sure.  They often had english style breakfast too.

The biggest thing is it's just a very different culture.  I wouldn't be worried about safety - people are usually SO friendly.  Just have good travel protocols with wallets and other valuables like any other overseas travel.  Huge wealth disaparity, it's a bit of a culture shock the first time visiting an Asian country.  Also - be very careful crossing the streets because the traffic and people - it's bonkers!

If he has an assigned host in his office or is invited to eat in anyone's home, he may want to bring a small gift with him.  A few tokens from his part of the world would probably be well recieved.  

I am so glad to hear this. I really hope his company is on top of things.

We never considered the possibility of having a few small gifts just in case. We will think about that, and do a little research to see what might be nice. I wonder if some Made in Michigan, non food items might work. There are some unique items that aren't  expensive like polished petoskey stones that are readily available.

[catz]

2 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

I am so glad to hear this. I really hope his company is on top of things.

We never considered the possibility of having a few small gifts just in case. We will think about that, and do a little research to see what might be nice. I wonder if some Made in Michigan, non food items might work. There are some unique items that aren't  expensive like polished petoskey stones that are readily available.

Yes totally!  Any small token with some local flair has been very well recieved.  Or swag from your local universities/colleges is fun too.  My husband has gotten some really cool gifts back from India too!  ❤️  I hope he has a great trip - so exciting!  I'd love to hear how it goes for him!  I have a young adult kid who got a plane for work for the first time this week.  I hope he has the opportunity to go somewhere more exciting than Indiana sometime!  (no offense Indiana, you're a lovely state!  🙂  

[Faith-manor]

47 minutes ago, catz said:

Yes totally!  Any small token with some local flair has been very well recieved.  Or swag from your local universities/colleges is fun too.  My husband has gotten some really cool gifts back from India too!  ❤️  I hope he has a great trip - so exciting!  I'd love to hear how it goes for him!  I have a young adult kid who got a plane for work for the first time this week.  I hope he has the opportunity to go somewhere more exciting than Indiana sometime!  (no offense Indiana, you're a lovely state!  🙂  

When he gets back, recovers from jet lag, and fills us in, I will post an update.

[Princess5]

I am from India originally and the above is sound advice.  Mumbai is a very big modern city and as long as you use common precautions you will be fine.  Don't overthink and have lots of fun.  I am linking a video here, this guy Max Chernov YouTube channel is good to have a glimpse to several people from other countries who made India home ( some of these videos are of Mumbai).  His channel also features other Asian countries.  If you have time maybe you will feel more comfortable when your ds is there 

 

 

Edited February 16 by Princess5

[Princess5]

Sorry I think the link was not what I wanted to share and could not change it, here is the correct one--

 

 

[gstharr]

13 hours ago, catz said:

Yes totally!  Any small token with some local flair has been very well recieved.  Or swag from your local universities/colleges is fun too.  My husband has gotten some really cool gifts back from India too!  ❤️  I hope he has a great trip - so exciting!  I'd love to hear how it goes for him!  I have a young adult kid who got a plane for work for the first time this week.  I hope he has the opportunity to go somewhere more exciting than Indiana sometime!  (no offense Indiana, you're a lovely state!  🙂  

It has been a while since my last trip to Asia. I would always take a couple of cartons of Marlboros with me.  Asian friend  had told me a pack or two will be a much appreciated gift/tip.  Looking at the price of cigarettes now, I am not sure this would still be considered an inexpensive token.

[Kalmia]

We live in Bangaluru (Bangalore), India for 6 months on business. This is in the south, and less populated than Mumbai. But we traveled a lot and had great many great experiences. It is a beautiful country and developing fast, the cities aren't that different from what we have here in terms of commerce and entertainment.

The driving (or riding with your driver) is not for the faint of heart. Everyone and everything is in the road: cars, busses, motorbikes carrying impossible loads (large panes of glass, rods laden with hanging dead chickens, ladders, are some of the things I saw carried on motorbikes), Vespas, oxcarts, horses, pedestrians, dogs, cows, chickens, etc. At first, I just had to shut my eyes when riding, but soon, I observed kind of a intricate dance, punctuated with horns sounded like sonar pulses, in which everyone weaves together and almost misses each other by centimeters, but the mostly miss each other! To cross the road, you just have to be bold and be ready to walk in a non-straight line. They will miss you, as I said, by centimeters, but you also have to dance, missing them.

If the company is paying for a five star hotel, your traveler will have the finest experience. The food is often prepared by renowned chefs who can also cook to order dishes from many countries. He should be able to eat anything prepared in the hotel safely. We were unable to eat raw vegetables even after six months of being there, our gut bacteria had not adjusted. It is possible to get apples and other produce from New Zeland in India and we were able to eat those. One of the more international grocery stores is Foodhall. In terms of the hotel, staff will be able to book tours of local attractions. 

If your traveler is white, there will be some curiosity, but probably less in Mumbai than in the countryside. When visiting historical monuments and heritage sites in the countryside, we would often be asked to take pictures with people, and my daughter who is very pale would often be surrounded by school children also on the tour, some of whom would pinch her to see if she was real! We didn't mind the curiosity and we developed some compassion for of how hard going out in public must be for movie stars. But we did draw the line at pinching, and nowadays with what can be done with digital imaging we would probably decline photos as well. 

He will want to see Elephanta Caves, a World Heritage site which is close to Mumbai. There are many more heritage sites to see further out depending on his free time. Tigers Zone National Park is in the region, also the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. If he likes wildlife these are incomparable opportunities. The hotel will know which one is best. We very much enjoyed our jeep/bus wildlife tours, saw elephants, water buffalo, birds, and yes, sometimes people see tigers (not us, but other people).

Random things: men hold hands in India but married couples or men/women don't. The areas around ATMs attract petty theft. There are many small jobs around business and tourist areas that don't exist in the US, like "umbrella carrier" who will hold your umbrella for you while you walk into the hotel and there are staff to carry your bags. We always tried to carry our own bags, but that just ended in confusion. Tip well.

In terms of small gifts: Our drivers loved the NYC baseball hats we gave them. Children in some regions asked for American quarters, but that might have been some kids interested in coin collecting as they lived in a tourist area.

Unlikely he'd go to a movie while there, but I was surprised to find out that the movies have intermissions. If traveling in the countryside, bring some sanitary supplies: toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes. Bathrooms like we are used to are few and far between in some areas. Oh! Also wear sturdy sneakers or shoes and bring an extra pair. We were always teased for our hiking sneakers by our friends from my husband's work who wore sandals everywhere, but I was fully prepared to die on that hill rather than fit in. The germ-load, animal excrement, trash piles, and stormwater pooling was just too much for me to risk my feet in the areas I frequented. 

India is a wonderland of a country. I can't wait to go back after all my kids are launched.

 

Edited February 16 by Kalmia

[bibiche]

Oh, and let him know that the cabin of his plane will likely be sprayed. A small thing, but it can be freaky if you’re not prepared for it.

[aaplank]

Make sure to tell him to brush his teeth with bottled water as well.

[Faith-manor]

48 minutes ago, aaplank said:

Make sure to tell him to brush his teeth with bottled water as well.

Thanked for reminding me!

[MEmama]

3 hours ago, Kalmia said:

We live in Bangaluru (Bangalore), India for 6 months on business. This is in the south, and less populated than Mumbai. But we traveled a lot and had great many great experiences. It is a beautiful country and developing fast, the cities aren't that different from what we have here in terms of commerce and entertainment.

The driving (or riding with your driver) is not for the faint of heart. Everyone and everything is in the road: cars, busses, motorbikes carrying impossible loads (large panes of glass, rods laden with hanging dead chickens, ladders, are some of the things I saw carried on motorbikes), Vespas, oxcarts, horses, pedestrians, dogs, cows, chickens, etc. At first, I just had to shut my eyes when riding, but soon, I observed kind of a intricate dance, punctuated with horns sounded like sonar pulses, in which everyone weaves together and almost misses each other by centimeters, but the mostly miss each other! To cross the road, you just have to be bold and be ready to walk in a non-straight line. They will miss you, as I said, by centimeters, but you also have to dance, missing them.

If the company is paying for a five star hotel, your traveler will have the finest experience. The food is often prepared by renowned chefs who can also cook to order dishes from many countries. He should be able to eat anything prepared in the hotel safely. We were unable to eat raw vegetables even after six months of being there, our gut bacteria had not adjusted. It is possible to get apples and other produce from New Zeland in India and we were able to eat those. One of the more international grocery stores is Foodhall. In terms of the hotel, staff will be able to book tours of local attractions. 

If your traveler is white, there will be some curiosity, but probably less in Mumbai than in the countryside. When visiting historical monuments and heritage sites in the countryside, we would often be asked to take pictures with people, and my daughter who is very pale would often be surrounded by school children also on the tour, some of whom would pinch her to see if she was real! We didn't mind the curiosity and we developed some compassion for of how hard going out in public must be for movie stars. But we did draw the line at pinching, and nowadays with what can be done with digital imaging we would probably decline photos as well. 

He will want to see Elephanta Caves, a World Heritage site which is close to Mumbai. There are many more heritage sites to see further out depending on his free time. Tigers Zone National Park is in the region, also the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. If he likes wildlife these are incomparable opportunities. The hotel will know which one is best. We very much enjoyed our jeep/bus wildlife tours, saw elephants, water buffalo, birds, and yes, sometimes people see tigers (not us, but other people).

Random things: men hold hands in India but married couples or men/women don't. The areas around ATMs attract petty theft. There are many small jobs around business and tourist areas that don't exist in the US, like "umbrella carrier" who will hold your umbrella for you while you walk into the hotel and there are staff to carry your bags. We always tried to carry our own bags, but that just ended in confusion. Tip well.

In terms of small gifts: Our drivers loved the NYC baseball hats we gave them. Children in some regions asked for American quarters, but that might have been some kids interested in coin collecting as they lived in a tourist area.

Unlikely he'd go to a movie while there, but I was surprised to find out that the movies have intermissions. If traveling in the countryside, bring some sanitary supplies: toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes. Bathrooms like we are used to are few and far between in some areas. Oh! Also wear sturdy sneakers or shoes and bring an extra pair. We were always teased for our hiking sneakers by our friends from my husband's work who wore sandals everywhere, but I was fully prepared to die on that hill rather than fit in. The germ-load, animal excrement, trash piles, and stormwater pooling was just too much for me to risk my feet in the areas I frequented. 

India is a wonderland of a country. I can't wait to go back after all my kids are launched.

 

Sounds like an amazing experience! I'm hoping to go one day and meet up with DS's friend and his family. I would love to get to see it with a local, especially. 

[Faith-manor]

3 hours ago, Kalmia said:

We live in Bangaluru (Bangalore), India for 6 months on business. This is in the south, and less populated than Mumbai. But we traveled a lot and had great many great experiences. It is a beautiful country and developing fast, the cities aren't that different from what we have here in terms of commerce and entertainment.

The driving (or riding with your driver) is not for the faint of heart. Everyone and everything is in the road: cars, busses, motorbikes carrying impossible loads (large panes of glass, rods laden with hanging dead chickens, ladders, are some of the things I saw carried on motorbikes), Vespas, oxcarts, horses, pedestrians, dogs, cows, chickens, etc. At first, I just had to shut my eyes when riding, but soon, I observed kind of a intricate dance, punctuated with horns sounded like sonar pulses, in which everyone weaves together and almost misses each other by centimeters, but the mostly miss each other! To cross the road, you just have to be bold and be ready to walk in a non-straight line. They will miss you, as I said, by centimeters, but you also have to dance, missing them.

If the company is paying for a five star hotel, your traveler will have the finest experience. The food is often prepared by renowned chefs who can also cook to order dishes from many countries. He should be able to eat anything prepared in the hotel safely. We were unable to eat raw vegetables even after six months of being there, our gut bacteria had not adjusted. It is possible to get apples and other produce from New Zeland in India and we were able to eat those. One of the more international grocery stores is Foodhall. In terms of the hotel, staff will be able to book tours of local attractions. 

If your traveler is white, there will be some curiosity, but probably less in Mumbai than in the countryside. When visiting historical monuments and heritage sites in the countryside, we would often be asked to take pictures with people, and my daughter who is very pale would often be surrounded by school children also on the tour, some of whom would pinch her to see if she was real! We didn't mind the curiosity and we developed some compassion for of how hard going out in public must be for movie stars. But we did draw the line at pinching, and nowadays with what can be done with digital imaging we would probably decline photos as well. 

He will want to see Elephanta Caves, a World Heritage site which is close to Mumbai. There are many more heritage sites to see further out depending on his free time. Tigers Zone National Park is in the region, also the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. If he likes wildlife these are incomparable opportunities. The hotel will know which one is best. We very much enjoyed our jeep/bus wildlife tours, saw elephants, water buffalo, birds, and yes, sometimes people see tigers (not us, but other people).

Random things: men hold hands in India but married couples or men/women don't. The areas around ATMs attract petty theft. There are many small jobs around business and tourist areas that don't exist in the US, like "umbrella carrier" who will hold your umbrella for you while you walk into the hotel and there are staff to carry your bags. We always tried to carry our own bags, but that just ended in confusion. Tip well.

In terms of small gifts: Our drivers loved the NYC baseball hats we gave them. Children in some regions asked for American quarters, but that might have been some kids interested in coin collecting as they lived in a tourist area.

Unlikely he'd go to a movie while there, but I was surprised to find out that the movies have intermissions. If traveling in the countryside, bring some sanitary supplies: toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes. Bathrooms like we are used to are few and far between in some areas. Oh! Also wear sturdy sneakers or shoes and bring an extra pair. We were always teased for our hiking sneakers by our friends from my husband's work who wore sandals everywhere, but I was fully prepared to die on that hill rather than fit in. The germ-load, animal excrement, trash piles, and stormwater pooling was just too much for me to risk my feet in the areas I frequented. 

India is a wonderland of a country. I can't wait to go back after all my kids are launched.

 

From what we understand, there will be no sight seeing. It is a three week work trip, and they are expected to be working long days. There might be some down time on weekends IF everything goes smoothly. But, the employer is not providing transportation or any funds for anything beyond hotel and three meals a day plus transport to and from the manufacturing plant. He doesn't have much money for paying for a bunch of seeing anything. He is the junior member of the team, and if the other choose to do something, he may or may not (may not being the most likely) be invited. If invited, he would need to pay his share. He is thinking that he will not be invited. The other team members are nice, very professional, but they are a clique, very exclusive. Since we advised him not to go out on his own, he figures there is very little chance he is doing anything but work, and hanging out inside the hotel. I feel bad about that. However, it is a work trip paid for by his company. There is no obligation on their part to give him a nice experience.

[Ottakee]

I am not sure if it would work on the water issues there or not but we backpack with a sawyer squeeze which is very small and portable and could be used to filter water as needed.