Recent content by GinaMax

It is strange how my town and India have so much in common. The other day some guy was shooting up heroin, and crashed into a light poll. He took out the power for a two mile stretch. Lots of drivers here don't follow the rules either. Honestly, cars are like giant tanks that we go zooming...

I would choose swimming in the hotel pool over swimming in ponds or lakes. Maybe I would swim in the ocean, but I am of the mind that most of the worlds small water is polluted. I might just be paranoid because I live in Ohio, USA (a place where the coal mining industry of old polluted water to...

I don't want to sound like I am wearing a tin foil hat under my pretty red hat, but I don't think you should drink tap water in most places. Even in the US, they are finding towns with lead in the water as well as other unsafe contaminants. The older the infrastructure of the pipelines, the more...

Why are they phasing out microwaves? I have to say that the microwave is what keeps me alive, and knowing hotels are getting rid of them is quite shocking for me. I guess that just means you have to depend on local restaurants more.

When you travel with valuables use common sense. I travel with a laptop bag and no one has ever tried to mug me for it, and I am a woman. Still, thefts can happen, not just in India, but anywhere. When you are in public with valuables make sure the long strap is secured around your body, not...

I don't eat cow, so I am not really worried about offending any Hindi's that way. I was very young the first time that I heard that Hindi people consider cows to be sacred. I know we don't worship cats and dogs, but I know how horrified I feel when I hear about places where they eat cats and...

Wow, it is beautiful. Now I want to go there, too! I can not help wonder how they keep the monastery in such good condition in such a remote location. You said you have to take a long trek to it. Is there a road to it at all? I would hike, but how do they get all their supplies there?

Yes there are tensions, but most Indians will tell you that they love American tourists, not just American either. They like tourists, it creates a profitable industry for them, so why wouldn't they. Yes tensions between Pakistan and India are high, but you can not let that put too much fear...

In the US, most hotels have a small kitchenette in each room. This is usually a sink, a fridge and a microwave. When I travel, I eat out very rarely to save money. I am a little bit of a health nut, and I am a stickler on food safety. I was just thinking about making my own food in India, and it...

I don't even eat street food in my own country. Just recently 23 people became ill from a local street vendor. I might just be paranoid, it is not like that happens every day. I either want to make my own food, or get it at an indoor restaurant where they have access to sinks.

I have traveled with friends, and while there are times where it is fun, it is exhausting. There is a lot that I want to see and do when I travel, and traveling with a large group makes it difficult to get it all in. When you travel in a group you must make compromises and try to keep the...

I don't know if you heard about the cruise ship that sailed into a bad storm instead of canceling the crew. Now they are under investigation for making that decision. I think that will keep cruise lines aware that there is a time when a cruise might need to be canceled. It is understandable, but...

Sleeping pods at some Indian airports? That is genius, and I don't know why my local airport doesn't do that. I once slept at an airport, and I decided to just be excited about the whole thing. I figured trying to enjoy a strange experience would be better than beating my head against a stone...

I wish that all men were like this. Wait and see if she offers a hand, and then offer one back. I think a head nod will suffice. Most American men will nearly force you to shake there hand. I think that is one way that Indian men are a little more culturally respectful than American men. That is...

The cultural etiquette might be different depending on where you are in India. For example, there are still places in India where a man will shake another mans hand when they meet. However, the man would not offer a handshake to a woman. Honestly, I HATE when people touch me. In the US, people...