"necessities" for India

Old Dec 7th, 2016, 12:07 PM
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"necessities" for India

My husband has an upcoming business trip to Bangalore, India for 2 weeks. He is NOT excited, partly because he is not looking forward to the traffic, the noise, the poverty, and yes -- the food. Don't get me wrong -- he loves Indian food, but he has a very delicate stomach and is convinced (like everyone he knows) that he'll spend much of the time feeling terrible.

So. . . I'm putting together a sort of "bon voyage" health and happiness kit for him as a Christmas gift. What over the counter medicines or what items can you think of that I should include?
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 12:44 PM
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The UK Fit for travel website offers some useful guidelines for such items

http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advic...diarrhoea.aspx

If he has a delicate stomach I would think that the daily Pepto-bismol suggestion might be well worth following as it seems to have a sound clinical evidence based. Having said that we did not bother with a regular dose on our recent India trip and for over two weeks ate all sorts in many different places with no ill effects at all.

We did find it helpful to have some familiar snacks with us [in our case boiled sweets, cheese straws and apricot/almond breakfast bars] so that we had a quick fall back position when we felt we had eaten rather too much rich food.

Plenty of nice lemony smelling hand wipes came in handy as well.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 12:47 PM
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Consider sending along the makings of meals to have in his room if/when he doesn't want to face going out or needs something gentle. Wherever I travel I carry an immersion heater (an electric coil that heats water in a mug) and a mug, in this case it would need to be rated for dual voltage (120/240 V + plug adaptor). They're small & lightweight, available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...mersion+heater

He can make himself drinks and soups and anything that just takes boiling water (oatmeal?). I frequently like to stay in evenings when I travel, India & elsewhere, and it makes it easy to have appealing supplies so not to go hungry.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 03:09 PM
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Besides OTC meds has he talked to an MD in a travel clinic about prescription medication to take with him and have on hand?
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 05:18 PM
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Working all day everyday, I suspect he'll stay in most of the time. At a JW Marriott with club level food available all the time. And three or four in house restaurants.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 08:13 PM
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I would advise him to eat vegetarian while there. That's what we did, and we didn't get sick at all. A substantial part of the Indian population is vegetarian, so there all all kinds of fun, healthy foods that he can eat. One word of caution: Don't eat "paneer"--it is cheese. It's quite delicious, but I eat it in Los Angeles, and I would never eat it in India. We did eat cooked eggs at the Sheraton, but that's the only dairy product I would eat in India.

I always take a bunch of OTC stuff for the stomach, and an antibiotic, but I have never had to use them. Also, have him take one of those cheap thermometers. If he does get sick, he can see if he has a fever. Oh, and don't forgot to give him a huge vat of hand sanitizer.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 10:55 PM
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What a sweet, thoughtful idea!

Add a bottle or box of probiotic tablets. Culturelle is one brand...one of the most tested for efficacy. That kind, and most others, do not require refrigeration.
If time allows and it's not too close to his departure date after gift opening, start the probiotics a week before he leaves.
Thus far in 6 trips to India, I've not had stomach upset (but am tempting fate as trip #7 is in two months). Do the probiotics help? Probably--but even if not, they sure don't hurt.

Maybe make a list of rules /"gentle reminder" Christmas card. For example, no tooth-brushing using tap water. (While the JWM, like many modern hotels, will surely have water filtration, I never trusted that and used only bottled water, which they'll also have.)
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 04:25 AM
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Just realized that there will be no "big vats of hand sanitizer" (actually that was my first idea) or even a bottle of pepto bismal. He'll want to do carry on only, so liquids are a problem.

Thanks for the probiotic idea, CaliNurse.

By the way, I'm assuming Marriott will provide plenty of bottled water? Funny thing, even when we travel in the US, Peter refuses to drink tap water from any hotel -- but always uses bottled water to brush his teeth. We always end up buying lots of bottled water as we travel even in the US.

Interestingly, his business class ticket on United/Lufthansa was going to be over $12,000, so he has booked with Emirates instead -- $4880 round trip -- even though the company was OK with the original price. Emirates has better connections plus the free limo to and from all airports. He'll be able to leave his car at his office in NJ and a limo will take him to and from JFK.
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 05:15 AM
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Pepto-bismol can be bought in tablet form !

The JW Marriott we stayed at in Delhi had loads of bottled water provided in the room and there is no problem in getting it anywhere you needed it when out and about in India as it is sold cheaply on every street stall. JW Marriott in Delhi was absolutely squeaky clean everywhere and totally and utterly insulated from traffic, noise and poverty so I am sure all be well for your husband !
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 05:50 AM
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"Pepto-bismol can be bought in tablet form !"

Wow, who knew. Amazing what has happened in the 40 years or so since I took the stuff. LOL
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 06:33 AM
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He'll want to do carry on only, so liquids are a problem.>>

but if he's worried about the 100ml rule [does that apply outside the UK?] he can buy the hand sanitiser from the airside chemist - they are bound to have some. or take anti-bacterial hand wipes - they come in handy-sized packets.

The best thing we took to Cuba was immodium - I don't know what the US equivalent is but it was a life-saver. I would take 2x as much as he would think he'd need - after all it doesn't weigh much and it doesn't go off.
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 06:41 AM
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Yes, the liquid rule applies in the US, so he can't board with anything but very small liquids or gels.

Yea, I'd be surprised if he couldn't get almost all that stuff right at his hotel in fact. Certainly hand sanitisers and wipes.

And yes Immodium is a life saver! We have it in the US.
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 08:54 AM
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It would be better for him to have all the stuff before he boards, so he doesn't have to deal with it later. Get him a couple of three ounce bottles of hand sanitizer, and get the Imodium and Pepto Bismol in tablet-sheet form, and then take them out of the box, and put them in a sandwich size Zip Loc bag.

If your husband is travelling on business, then he can have room service bring him bottled water, since he won't have to pay the high price himself. They typically put two free bottles in each room each night. I also like to take some small Dixie cups with me for brushing my teeth, and again, I put them in sandwich size Zip Loc bags.

Maybe also give him a Chapstick with SPF?
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 01:49 PM
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I'm sure the Marriott will provide him with plenty of bottled water. Remind him to use bottled water to brush his teeth as well as for drinking.

And remind him to have a good time. Get a recommendation or two for good restaurants in his area. I'm sure the JW has good restaurants, but he'll want to try a good local place as well.

PS. We did not get sick in India. We also didn't eat vegetarian.
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 10:20 PM
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I've been to JW in Bangalore and wouldn't worry myself sick,considering the 'sanitized' environment and their quality standards.Little chances of anything going amiss.So please do ask him to relax.

In the process I hope he wouldn't miss out on some good dining experience,especially the UB City,Bangalore's 'luxury' mall, houses stores with upmarket brands,Spas, night Clubs, Pubs and a choice of restaurants. One particularly nice experience was at Farzi, a chic bistro.

http://www.ubcitybangalore.in/


A little down the road is the Biere Club.Known for its finely crafted house beers

http://www.thebiereclub.com/

Beside it is SodaBottleOpenerwala,

https://www.facebook.com/SBOWIndia/

Sunny's

Smoke House Deli

Glass House

Glen's Bake House

Caperberry a dine out specializing in dishes using molecular gastronomy ( whatever that means, I love Indian cuisine )

Well, there is little time to fall sick.Don't see a necessity to arm yourself to the teeth if staying put in one place.All the above advise is absolutely valid if on the move.

If in case....JW ,I'm sure would have a doctor on call.
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 10:22 PM
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BTW UB City is at the doorsteps of JW.
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Old Dec 9th, 2016, 01:22 AM
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A pleasant Christmas surprise would be a reservation @ Le' Jardin at the Oberoi for lunch - Roast Turkey with Cranberry sauce,roasted suckling pig, lamb goulash, traditional pudding and mulled wine and assorted sparkling wine, which I remember 2 years ago,the traditional menu may not have changed much.
Its a short taxi ride away.
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Old Dec 9th, 2016, 06:03 AM
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Over the course of three trips we have spent four months in India. On each of those three long six week trips we each got sick with diarrhea once. I think all of you are over-reacting way too much, especially when he is going to be spending his entire trip in a deluxe hotel in one of India's most developed cities. You do realize that this is a hotel with a totally westernized menu options, don't you?

As far as things to bring, I'd suggest Imodium (and do not take double as someone above suggested; a friend refers to this as cement in a pill), an antibiotic prescription from the travel doctor, and a 6 pack of granola bars because that is a snack food that will be impossible to find.
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Old Dec 9th, 2016, 06:40 AM
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As far as things to bring, I'd suggest Imodium (and do not take double as someone above suggested; a friend refers to this as cement in a pill),>>

In case you're referring to what I wrote Julies, I meant that he should take 2x as much Imodium with him as he thinks he'll need, not to take 2x the dose. I think that is obvious from what I wrote but of course I would not advocate taking more than the recommended dose.
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Old Dec 9th, 2016, 11:40 AM
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Of course Imodium and bottled water is a given. I'd also have a prescription filled for an antibiotic in the even if stomach issues. Normally two days worth is good. I second the granola type bars. Incidentally, the spinach paneer was my favorite food and I did not get sick from it.
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