520

We returned on December 14 from a completely wonderful trip but have had the worst case of jet lag ever. Or maybe it's just been resistance to returning!

Have only had a chance to scan some of Karen and Blip's terrific trip report, covering many of the same places and sights that we saw. Will try to briefly summarize our experiences later this week or next.

I do want to say that Ajay of Yatrik came through terrifically! All the details that make a trip work were taken care of, and we never had to worry that things weren't/wouldn't be under control. He even managed to make sure that we had 17 days of cloudless skies! !! and not one occurrence of Delhi belly! If anything, I don't thnk we've ever been more prepared and ultimately had less to worry about. We didn't ever have to use any of our Cipro, hand sanitizer (he provided some) tube socks for the temples (he provided shoe covers) lomotil, Imodium, Zithro-Max or just about anything else!! I DID have to use a band-aid once when my husband bumped his head and bled slightly. That was, I think, the only mishap! along with an unpleasant cold my DH had for the first week and a half--but we had plenty of tissues AND cough medicine with us--and the cold never interfered with his ability to do everything and relish it.

So many thanks for all the Fodorites who provided so many tips and helpful info.

More to come.

qwovadis

Welcome back sounds like you had a great time.

So identify with the jet lag issues melatonin helps me a lot.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/jet...ative-medicine

But still not much fun,

Nutella

Glad to hear you had a great trip!

And nice to hear of another who didn't get sick - it's a myth that everyone gets ill from the food! And yes, that includes eating adventurously.

There's only one good way to fully recover from the jet lag - return and be on India time again

dgunbug

Looking forward to your report.

520

I've used melatonin AND light exposure on previous trips, but from what a jet lag researcher explained to me, it's essential to do the combination of both, to plot out the time zones one is crossing, what direction, and start the program four days before travelling. He organized them for us on several previous long journeys, but we didn't do it this time--and my husband didn't have nearly the difficulty I did.

I think that Nutella's solution is probably the way to go.

Grassshopper

Interesting to read about your jet lag. I've traveled a LOT this past year on business, mostly to Asia and Australia and mostly going home West to East. No problems with jet lag. I just returned from India with a 5 day stop in Germany and a 4 day stop in Chicago and I absolutely can't catch up with the time zones! It's awful. Two and a half weeks of India and I didn't get sick either.

indianapearl

Melatonin should be used with caution if one has auto-immune disorders. It stimulates the immune system.

Jet lag is always worse going back in time than forward, at least for me.

I'm glad you had a great time and I'm looking forward to your TR.

dogster

Just sit it through, don't make any decisions regarding money, distance or measurement, ignore everybody's advice about cures or prevention and rejoice in the fact that you're a citizen of the world - and even you can't defeat the fact that the world only turns in <i>one</i> direction.

Human beings were never meant to travel more than a day's walk from home. You have subverted the natural order of things. It's all your fault. lol lol lol.

Then write your trip report. I've just been re-reading your planning posts. I'm very interested in the aftermath.

Kathie

The early research on melatonin recommended people start several days before traveling. But more recent research shows it is better to take the melatonin for the first time, the night you are in the new time zone. I've used melatonin for a few nights upon arrival and upon return for a number of years and have very little difficulty with jet lag.

It does work best if you can combine it with early morning light exposure, but in Seattlr in the winter there is no early morning light and the melatonin still works.

Anyway, may you recover from your jetlag soon and write us a report about your trip!

dgunbug

I have little jet lag when I reset my clock to my home time immediately upon embarking on the trip home. I then force myself to sleep when it was appropriate at home. Returning from Asia on two occasions, I made sure I stayed up when it was daytime at home. This worked marvelously, although my husband awakened me for several weeks due to his own jet lag. He slept on and off throughout the flight.

dgunbug

Guess my own method won't help our poster, but perhaps you can write your trip report in the wee hours of the night when you can't sleep!

CaliNurse

520, i am soooo looking forward to your report, recalling some of your questins. SOunds like it worked out well. Welcome to the world of those who love "Incredible India" !!

althom1122

Yes, glad to hear you had a good time! And I'd love a trip report (Blip and I both would). I'd love to see how your experiences compared to ours.

I hear you on the jet lag. I had a terrible time recovering. And although I didn't get Delhi belly either, I did get a cold and haven't been able to get ride of it yet.

Anyway, yes, looking forward to your report!