I am excited to announce my new India travel guide book. After the success of my other guide books on India, I thought another one was due. It is now finally available on Amazon both in the kindle and paperback format. The book is called, “Essential India Travel Guide: Travel Tips And Practical Information”. Obviously, for the kindle format you will need a kindle reader. Currently, the “Kindle Paperwhite“, is the most popular while the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″ Tablet is latest one and selling like hot cakes on Amazon. Just take a look at the number of reviews it has.
So what is this book about? Well, the book covers everything a traveler to India would want to know from what to wear to what foods to avoid. I have covered everything. For instance, walking around the historical monuments of Delhi, I see lots of foreign tourists inappropriately dressed for India. Some tourists wear very heavy clothing and in a climate like that of India’s, it’s just not a good idea at all. I have included two chapters on clothing both for men and women.
Another issue that I often see with foreign tourists is that they get very upset and simply do not know what to do when they encounter beggars. This is understandable. Nowhere in the world have I seen beggars in such larger numbers and in such deplorable situation. Beggars are a fact of life in India and we as Indians are pretty much shameless and pretend that they don’t exist. However, in the last decade, large numbers of people have been lifted out of poverty thanks to the decent rate of development. Beggars do exist but many of them are in fact opportunists and not therefore genuine beggars. Many beggars are aware that foreign tourists will most likely dish good amount of money and therefore are most active at tourist locations. I have included a chapter on how to deal with them.
Food is another cause for concern for tourists. Most tourists have no idea if they should be trying street food or not. I have a chapter on street food. There is no doubt that travelling to India is very much about trying various varieties of food India has to offer. In fact, most Indian food available in so-called Indian restaurants in Europe and USA are Bangladeshi and Pakistani curry outlets and do not even cover a fraction of Indian food. In fact, they don’t even sell genuine Indian food. There is more to Indian food than just about eating curry chicken and tikka masala. When tourists do some, they don’t know what’s best for them. Sadly, they succumb to a phenomenon called “Delhi Belly” (traveler’s diarrhea) which simply means upset stomach after eating unhygienic food. I have included several food related chapters particularly on street food and foods to avoid when in India.
Many tourists end up paying unfairly huge amounts of tariff to taxis and auto-rickshaws. I have included a couple of chapters on transport, one of which is about Indian taxis. Another chapter which I think will be useful to a traveler is how to book trains tickets in India. Booking train tickets is very confusing and most tourists have no idea how do it. This chapter shows how to do just that. I have also included how to secure luggage and general safety on Indian trains.
I have also a chapter on what to bring to India. Although one can buy everything in India, there are some things a traveler should bring their own to make life easier. They can find out what those items are this in chapter.
I have also included a few chapters on travel safety. These include safety on trains, safety at hotels, safety for women, health related issues and how to choose drinking water in India.
In addition, there’s a chapter on how to keep money and passport safe. Money and passport are the two are the most important things a traveler must take care off. Loose any of them then they are stranded hence it is extremely important to look after them. I have gone through some interesting tips from my own person experience.
Travel touts are a menace in India. They won’t leave you alone. No matter where you go and what you do, you will find them everywhere from monuments to taxi stands. I have incorporated a chapter on how to avoid and deal with these travel touts and save the traveler money.
India is shopping paradise. I have been to many countries around the world and no where I have enjoyed shopping then in my own country. In India, we have all sorts of shops to cater for all depths of pockets. I have shopped in all sort of places – from expensive malls and bought cheap clothes from the road side vendor. It’s amazing what you can buy in India. There are a couple of chapters on where to shop and how to bargain like the locals. I have also included some words, phrases and sentences that a shopper can use to communicate with vendors.
I have also included common Hindi words and phrases a traveler might need in India. But for a more comprehensive this traveler’s Hindi book would be ideal.
All of these have been compiled from my own personal experience, travelling in and out of India and meeting lots of foreign tourist on the way. In addition, this is perhaps one of the most comprehensive of all travel guide books to India. Many of the travel books do not even cover the surface of what I have covered in the book. This is certainly not a gloss-over like some of the other India travel guide books. I think this is perhaps the best travel book on India one can buy. I hope would-be travelers would find this book useful.
Here’s the list of things that’s covered in the India travel guide:
1. Introduction to India
2. Best time to visit India
3. Geography of India
4. Places to visit in Eastern India
5. Places to visit in Northern India
6. Places to visit in Southern India
7. Places to visit in Western India
8. Culture of India
9. Things you should bring to India
10. Vaccinations for India
11. How to deal with the heat?
12. Guide to drinking water
13. Avoiding water borne diseases
14. How to keep off mosquitoes?
15. Foods to avoid
16. Is meat and fish safe in India?
17. Guide to Indian street food
18. Travelling in India during the monsoons
19. Types of transport in India
20. How to book train tickets in India?
21. How to hire a taxi and auto-rickshaw?
22. Guide to prepaid taxis
23. Safety on Indian trains
24. Dealing with beggars
25. How to deal with touts?
26. How to be safe at the hotel?
27. How to be safe in Indian crowds?
28. How to keep your money and passport safe?
29. Safety tips for women
30. Travelling with kids in India
31. Types of places to shop
32. How to bargain?
33. What should women wear?
34. What should men wear?
35. Say no to bhang and other drugs
36. Common Hindi words and phrases
37. Message from the author
“Essential India Travel Guide: Travel Tips And Practical Information” is available in all Amazon stores. I have priced the book moderately cheap to differentiate them other overly priced Indian travel guide books available on the market.