Passports and Visas and Packing, Oh My!

     Prepping for India has been a pretty harrowing experience, to say the least.  The past few  months have flown by while I scrambled to  move out of my apartment in the Bronx, renew my passport, apply for a visa, get my shots, make Target trips, pack my clothes, and the list goes on and on.  January third really sneaked up on me and it hasn't been until the last few days that India has actually become a reality rather than just an endless series of forms and to-do lists.  Now that I have actually had a moment to breath and think about the fact that I am traveling half way around the world in two days I am getting more and more excited to go, with a little more than a hint of nerves.  I spent New Years saying good bye to my friends at home and plan to spend the rest of the weekend with my family and tying up the last of my loose ends.  At the end of my prep process I have gained a few tips for anyone going to India, or abroad in general.

1. Apply early, for everything.  I got very backed up on paperwork and as a result I spent two hours in New York's blistering cold waiting outside the India Visa Center.  If you do not want to feel like you have been constantly scrambling then get your ducks in a row early.

2. Make lists.  When I relied on mental to-do lists, things fell through the cracks.  When I wrote down my to-do list the length of it did seem daunting but I could cross things off and nothing was forgotten.

3.  Pack Light.  I have read that the rule of thumb when it comes to packing is that if you cannot make it up a flight of stairs unassisted with all of your bags then you have packed too much.

4. Arrive with an open mind.  Telling people that I have decided to go to India has resulted in a range of responses.  While some of the people I have told about my plans are very supportive and excited for me, many people have responded with shock and words of warning.  I have done my best not to let these reactions bother me or affect my expectations, but I think the best remedy for this is to have no expectations.  I'm sure I will have more to say on this topic once I actually get there.

With these tips in mind and January 3rd around the corner I am nearly ready to go.  Bon voyage! (I wish I knew how to say that in Hindi).