Survival Guide - India

Health
Your main concerns when in India would be with mosquitoes, water, and eatables, but you should also mull over access to fine medical care, getting healthy amount of exercise and actions to deal with a new climate. Find a local doctor that you know and trust. Make this connection when you arrive, before you have a need. You can get suggestions from friends or colleagues. Spot a high-quality hospital for emergency treatment as well.

Culture
Give yourself time to get used to the Indian culture. Adjust to new ways of doing things and new perspectives. Stay connected to your old life in whatever ways you can. Email is handy for keeping in touch with friends and family, and much cheaper than the telephone. Blend with the Indians so that you get used to the culture quickly. Plan a frequent tour, for a weekend or longer. India is an amazing country, and well worth seeing.

Money & Banking
It is always safe to keep the rupees in hand. If you need to exchange money, do it at authorized places. International debit/credit cards can be used at restaurants and shopping malls. Indian currency notes circulate stay in circulation for a very long time and the small notes in particular become much worn. You can change old notes for new ones at some banks or save them and use them creatively as tips. Hand them back and you'll usually be given a note slightly higher up the acceptability scale. Try to have smaller denomination notes as there is a perpetual shortage of small change.

Eating Out
When it comes to eating out options, you will be spoilt for choice. Ranging from small streetside eateries, you can also find the top end restaurants boasting cuisines around the world. Until and unless your digestive system is immune to the local conditions, do not venture out to eat in roadside eateries.

Transportation
It is possible to rent a car or two wheeler to get around in India. Public transportation such as autorickshaw, buses and taxis are available at low costs. Also, some cities, like Hyderabad and Chennai have a suburban train system. Trains and car rental are perfect for traveling around India.