How to Carry Cash, Credit Cards, etc. in India
 

When I travel, I usually carry a fairly large purse for touring which my daughter affectionately dubs a suitcase. I get the impression that while traveling in India that wouldn't be a good idea. Is that a correct assumption? If so, what is the best way to carry cash, credit cards, etc.? If there's a room safe in the hotel, is that a safe place to leave valuables such as a passport? I think I'd almost rather carry my passport with me somehow. It will be hot when we're there, so there won't be a lot of layers, or they'll be thin.

Thanks!

Ellen

I always wear a money belt, pouch at the back, and not just in India. Hotel safe should be safe, depending on the hotel.

https://lewisnclark.com/waist-stash/

In terms of handbags (i have a huge one as well) I don't carry anything differently in India than elsewhere. ( I am going to Southern Italy later this year, s and am far more concerned about pickpockets there than I've ever been in India.
Use the same precautions you'd take in any big city in Europe, or the USA.

It depends on the hotel. I have stayed in a hotel where the safe was literally not bolted onto anything! It sat on a shelf.

Another hotel had a key operated safe with a flimsy lock.

The former was in Ajmer, the latter in Amritsar.

I suppose that’s not the norm but staying in better hotels should be fine. For example the Marriott in Chandigarh was tip top.

I don't trust hotel safes. I have heard stories about them getting stuck, or perhaps someone at the hotel having a key. I take a suitcase lock, and I put my passport and valuables in the suitcase. However, there is no reason you should be carrying a bunch of cash with you. Get yourself one of many no fee ATM cards, and also a no foreign transaction fee credit card. Then, you can use the ATM's every other day, and use your no foreign transaction fee credit card for hotels and other major purchases. I had no trouble finding ATM's in India both times I was there, the only problem is that they are often out of paper, and don't print out receipts.

I find money belts uncomfortable, and I use one only when I am hiking, and not carrying a purse. I typically take a smaller purse (shoulder bag) with essentials, and then I take a small duffel bag if I have a driver, or a fashionable back pack if I am out for the day on my own. I put my jacket, umbrella, and water in the backpack, and keep the purse where I can see it.

I find India to be pretty safe regarding pickpockets. You may have heard that people will hassle you for money, but it is done directly, so you can just ignore them. Younger people will also ask you for selfies. On my last trip, I said yes at first, and then I was getting annoyed, so I started saying no.

This is all so helpful. CaliforniaLady, we do have those credit cards which are great for traveling, so no worries there. Good to hear that at least several of you find India no worse than other parts of the world. My husband had his cc and cash stolen on a subway in St. Petersburg, so he (we) learned a lot from that, and we've been bothered by Roma many times in Europe. So what I'm hearing is that India is not likely to be worse than anywhere else we've gone.

I've never worn a money belt, but I'm considering it and bookmarked the lewisnclark site. I think my husband will use one. I do have a nice small purse from baggallini which I can wear across my body to carry phone, passport, cc's, etc.

Now onto clothes...

I think you've got lots of good advice, here, so I won't add to the suggestions, but relative to other places, I felt less threatened in terms of petty crime than elsewhere we've traveled. So use your usual caution, but I also wouldn't approach the trip with fear.

A small baggalini purse should be just fine!

I would be less concerned about pickpockets, but the hassle factor, especially in more touristed areas, is much higher. Be prepared to say no, firmly, and just keep walking. It helps to form a policy towards beggars before you go - I give to a charity that educates girls and then ignore all but the worst elderly. Many beggars are brought in from villages specifically for that purpose and are run by the local mafia.

thursdaysd, the hassle factor as you call it is one of the toughest things for me to cope with while traveling. I like your philosophy about donating to a charity.

We were hounded by touts all over Turkey and I hated it, but I imagine that was nothing compared to what we'll have to deal with in India.

Daughter #1's passion is photography (she'll go nuts in India) and I imagine she'll be carrying her camera (as we all will) and at least one additional lens. We'll just have to be vigilant.

I always find that a crossbody bag that's just big enough for my phone and a few essentials is best. I like to have a secondary zippered pocket inside for my credit cards and cash. And I use a carabiner to attach the outside zipper pull to the strap, so it can't be opened without drawing attention. This is my favorite - not expensive, and I have three of them.

https://www.dakine.com/en-us/bags/ba...es/totes/jive/

I've used this system in India, as well as just about anywhere I travel, and so far so good.

And, yes! The people who will want a photo with you are everywhere. Even groups of children on school outings - their teachers wanted photos. At first it was flattering, but pretty soon it felt like the paparazzi were always after us.

What a great idea about the carabiner, scdreamer; I wouldn't have thought of that. I pulled out my baggallini yesterday. It's similar to your cross body bag and I think it will be perfect. Phone, cc's, cash, tissues and dark glasses. All a girl needs, right? :)

Speaking of carrying things, I talked to Daughter #1 last night. She's going for two weeks with only a backpack. An Indian colleague told her to buy light pants when she gets there which are evidently very inexpensive and can be left or discarded when we leave. As a chronic over-packer, this is a foreign and somewhat unsettling concept, but we'll be on and off planes quite a bit and lugging suitcases isn't appealing either. Food for thought...

Yes, I do think when it comes to packing, “less is more.” I’m not always successful with that, though.

ellen - you mentioned the touts in Turkey, and there certainly will be many in India. We stayed in Kolkata for about a week, and found that the vendors and shopkeepers were quite aggressive. Some would accost us on the sidewalk, then wait for us to come back, no matter how much time passed.

I was loathe to even glance at any of their wares, because this brought on even more attention. I tried saying, “I’m just looking,” but that seemed to make things worse. Eventually a shopkeeper in one of the markets told me NOT to say “I’m just looking,” but rather, “l’m just wandering.”

He said “looking” implies one is searching for a specific item and wants to be helped. “Wandering” means one is browsing without any definite intention.

Worked like a charm.

I travel for months at a time with one 22 inch two-wheeler and a day pack. The watchword is "laundry". I do it in the bathroom sink, but there are other options.

Is your daughter traveling alone? Even if not, she needs to dress conservatively, and stay off the streets late in the evening.

thursdaysd, no, both daughters will be with us. You're right about laundry, especially in warm/hot climates. I just need to discipline myself and pack fewer clothes!

scdreamer, good tip about "wandering" rather than "looking"; I never would have thought about that. As much as I love discovering other cultures, that drives me nuts!

I suggest that your daughter buy her lightweight pants before leaving, and not in India. The shop owners will not give you as good a price as locals, and anyway, who wants to take the time to shop for them once you are there?

I suggest having her get some linen pants. I have some in tan, white, and black, and I see them in all sorts of stores, such as Nordstrom and Macy's. They often have a drawstring waist. I wash them in the hotel sink, and they dry very quickly.

I actually prefer wearing skirts, but they are not allowed in many of the temples in India, since one cannot expose any part of one's legs.

Linen? Doesn't it wrinkle?

Hi thursdays, how are you feeling?

To answer your question, yes it does wrinkle a bit, but I typically hang the pants and skirts up after I wash them in the hotel room sink, so they don't look too bad. For me, linen breathes quite easily when it's super hot in India. Also, it doesn't weight down my suitcase, which is always packed with every pharmaceutical known to man, which I rarely use, but continue to haul everywhere in the world.

I do agree that you don't want synthetics when its very hot and humid! And yes, the pharma and electronics weigh a good bit more than my clothes.

Thanks for asking - I came down with a really bad cold as a result of taking a depressed immune system to a matinee of the Nutcracker, which was a fitting end to a bad year. I'm therefore off my arthritis meds right now but need to get back on them. Doesn't look like I'll be on a plane any time soon, alas.

CaliforniaLady, I agree with you in that I don't ever want to waste time shopping for something that I need (as opposed to souvenir-type shopping). I suspect she'll steal away and be successful, though. I just bought some stone-colored pants from Eddie Bauer which seem pretty lightweight and a few breathable t-shirts. I'll bring one more pair of pants/crop pants. I'll bring a lightweight long skirt for a more formal dinner. I foresee a small carryon for me as opposed to a backpack.

I also prefer wearing skirts in hot weather, but I won't be doing that in India of course.

Forget the crop pants. You want coverage, not bare skin.