Sapphire

What might the weather be like in the latter half of October? I will be attending a conference (with people primarily from India) and wonder whether I should be trying to bring skirts that are longer than mid-calf or whether that is long enough?

Also, I have trouble with spicy foods - including most curries - and would welcome tips on what I could/should order in our hotel.

Thanks in advance!

qwovadis

www.weather2travel.com climate guides tail end of monsoon...

Err on the formal side with locals used to the heat dress proper

mdtravelhealth.com India

I am always VERY careful with food water my rule of thumb

Bake it Peel It Boil It or LEAVE it.

Bottled water only careful to be sure it is not "re-sealed"

Always carry some Pepto Imodium and Cipro in my med kit

just in case SUPER easy to get "Delhi Belly"

insuremytrip.com always wise.

Happy Travels!

jellys_wondermum

Carry an umbrella and an overcoat for the rainy weather(not many locals wear one, so you might stand out if you choose to bring along a trench coat) - it will be monsoon season - Kerala has 2 monsoon seasons - southwest Monsoon from 1 June to 30 September & Northeast Monsoon from 1 October to 31 December.

Though raining it will be warm and humid, so cotton clothes for indoors and outdoors should be enough. Skirts the length of mid-calf should do. Alternatively formal trousers and shirts are a good alternative too.

As qwovadis mentions - bottled water and hot food is a must. It is a beautiful place and full of greenery so enjoy your time there.

CaliNurse

HI Sapphire. YOu dont say which hotel or city...but know that many of the more "upscale" and/or business -oriented hotels will make food for "Western" stomachs, if you ask
. Also, drink lassi--yogurt drink. Very soothing to the tummy. LIke qwovadis, i carry pepto-bismo and also take probiotic capsules every day, starting before the trip. I dont know if they "really" help prepare my gut, or it's just luck...but i've never had gi upset in three trips to india.

The last driver we had swore by "lime soda and ginger"--fresh bits of ginger cut up in the drink. Also good with hot tea and honey . Yummyyy

CaliNurse

--apologies--just noticed you will be in Cochin. Same advice though.And mid calf would be long enough anywhere. P.S. ..i am envious!!!

Amresh

yeah!! in the mid of oct that India weather is high cold but little bit cold and you can also enjoy here lots of spicy indian food but u take of food with good restaurant . So hopefully u enjoy here much more and also know the indian culture . Happy Journey.

Sapphire

Just checked back on this thread as I prepare for our trip - leaving in a week. Thank you all for your helpful comments! Bought more pepto-bismo tablets today...

dogster

And remember Raita - that will help you big time if you get a curry that's too extreme.

Sapphire

What is Raita? I have a medical condition that prevents me from eating anything spicy, unfortunately.

Also, will I be allowed to bring any food into the country? Like some power bars? I found out that the place we were going to be staying is inaccessible just now. The rains washed out the road. So someone who went earlier has booked rooms for us at a small hotel where he has stayed before. I hear that the food is good but I may have less choice with a midday meal at the conference as I think they are preparing one meal for everyone.

Thank you all for the great help!

Sapphire

OK, I looked up Raita and can see why you are recommending it. Will give it a try! Thanks.

kmkrnn

You can always stick to rice. Not a very balanced diet, but for a short time you will survive. Try a little of the spicy food on the rice. You may be able to tolerate it that way. It is such a part of India. As the dog said Raita also helps.

Sapphire

@kmkrnn I hope to sample lots of foods while I am there. I mentioned the power bars because I usually pack some when I travel to parts of Africa.

joannay

You can certainly bring food, power bars into the country with you.

I'm not generally an alarmist and have traveled in India for months at a time and love it. Last trip was time spent in S. India including Ft. Cochin and environs. It was also the time when I've been the sickest and the first time I've sought medical help. The words of wisdom I was given by the doctor was "avoid dairy in S. India". It was most likely lassi gone bad that had made me most sick. Ordinarily the advice given above is solid but if you are prone to digestive upsets I advise you to take the doctor's advice.

Sapphire

Had a great trip to Cochin area. Our time was spent mostly at the conference at a retreat center but we spent one afternoon in Ft. Cochin and were invited into two homes for meals. We ate breakfast and dinner at our hotel - Heritage Methanam - and lunches at the retreat center most days. I was able to find good food that wasn't spicy and am happy to say that we stayed healthy. Look forward to visiting India again to see our new friends and explore more of Kerala.