I did it! I booked my trip to India. Can't believe it. I'm actually going!! I fly out from Baltimore on Dec. 1 - going on British Air with just one stop in London. Now I'll have a ton of questions.

What do I wear? Which shoes to take? Do I need an umbrella? (I think it's dry by then, so probably not.) I'll have many questions, I'm sure, but right now I'm just basking in the moment.

I did book a tour - with Intrepid the one I mentioned before. So... yay!

Yeah!!! Congratulations!

Take the umbrella anyway - a pale one - you can use it as a sunshade.

Congrats!!

The first week of December is usually not rainy in the northern parts of the country so the umbrella is your choice. However you may experience showers in the south-western part of the country including Kerala.

Expect temperatures to reach about 5-8 degree Celsius in the northern parts though it has been getting warmer. Get atleast two pairs of warm sweaters and a jacket if possible.

Shoes - hmmm, if you're planning a formal visit to someplace get a pair of black shoes that go with everything. If you're more into just roaming around, a good pair of sports shoes (preferably running/jogging) would be good enough. If you're going with Intrepid and if I get their philosophy correctly, you'll be walking around a lot so I would highly suggest excellent shoes.

Yes, bask in the moment for awhile. Wonderful--you are in for the time of your life!

karen, you could not pick a better time to go... take an extra suitcase...

has your travel room-mate been to india?

Bob - I'm going on my own - no travel roommate (which is why I decided to do a tour). I booked the single option with Intrepid so I'd have my own room. Even though I want the companionship for meals and such, I prefer some privacy.

And yes, I'm still basking! You'll see i just posted a question about passport renewal and obtaining a visa - yikes.

Galacus - yes, I think their travel philosophy will involve quite a bit of walking. It's a very grassroots kind of company. I can't wait! I believe you're given a lot of free time, so even though I'll be with a group, I think there's quite a bit of independence, which will be perfect for me.

Have a fantastic trip! A friend of mine just did an Intrepid trip in central America & has done one in China. She does not liek to travel alone & she had fantastic trips. You can officially start counting down the days!!