Getting ready for a month stay in a new country in a monsoon climate with a traditional, patriarchal culture, I've been asking what am I going to wear? Do they do espresso in southern India? How will I get my laundry done so it's dry in time? Is practising yoga in shorts inappropriate for Indian teachers? As India is sounding more traditional in dress code than Thailand, I’ve been asking around how to avoid unnecessary social faux pas and 'fit in'. A big part of getting ready to go practise at the shalt has been my teacher giving me lots of tips and information about the teacher's in India, the unspoken expectations, the major traps newcomers fall into on the mat and also socially. Personally I love this stuff, uncovering what makes a culture tick and knowing it can make the transition a bit smoother.
Probably for the first time I’ve asked for help on things you might have thought I’d know from all the travel I’ve done and written about. But every country is different and it's interesting what other people remember about their Indian experience. It's a different trip as there is no 'itinerary'; it's more like visiting a friend where you settle into a community and neighbourhood. It’s going to be freaking hot, wet and rainy, and a very physical 'holiday'. I’m not planning on moving around much. And I’ve got an apartment to base myself at for the month. So this means I can afford to settle in, like the lotus, get comfortable in muddy water - apt for travelling in the monsoon.
In terms of packing this means taking what I need to get comfortable and maybe of interest to you if you are considering a yoga journey (do it!).
Take
- Roller, hard ball and other physio toys – you can’t get the rollers there, but I’m pretty sure you could buy a cricket ball from somewhere
- Yoga mat - apparently you can’t get good mats there, so take your own. Surprised me!
- Normal yoga clothes. You may think India = home of yoga, there’d be a lot of yoga clothes around but when you think about it, ‘yoga fashion’ is a very western thing. I’ve been told most of what’s on sale is loose cotton shirts, fisherman pants and general clothes that locals wear. So if you are more Lulu Lemon than loose threads, bring your gear from home.
- Movies to watch in the day. If you are not doing chanting, singing, dancing, cooking, language, meditation, chakra blending courses, then maybe you just want to watch Kung Fu Panda while eating smuggled Tim Tams. Txt me.
- A set of light cotton clothes in carry-on luggage to change into at Bangalore airport while waiting for luggage and before doing the 3 hr drive to Mysore - it's muggy at midnight.
- One warm jumper. Sounds contrary to the above but apparently at 4.30 am lining up for class outside the Shala it can be chilly. I’m just gonna take my friend's word for it. 4.30? yikes.
- Your normal clothes you wear at home, (with sleeves and long pants to cover legs and shoulders) on a hot day.
- Alcohol/hand rub - personally I think this is a gimmick. You kill bacteria with hand-washing pressure, not alcohol ....unless they are alcoholic bacteria going through a rougher than usual patch.
- Brolly!
- Heavy duty mosquito repellent – Southern India is mozzie country in June/July and has epic proportions of malaria and dengue fever. Buy coils over there, take tropical strength Rid
- Good health insurance cover – don’t forget to activate it before you go if you have travel insurance via your credit card or bank.
- Coffee - if you love it, they do french press, but not really espresso like we are used to in Australia. So take your coffee already ground over there and probably more than you think you'll need
- Bathers - there's no beach as Mysore is inland, but there's a hotel with pool where yogis hang out ...and presumably swim and look fabulous drinking elaborate mock-tails posing in an assortment of extravagant yoga asanas.
Leave
- Shorts and short skirts – Mysore is a more traditional city and in all pictures you see the men are wearing long sleeved shirts and trousers and women are covered shoulders and legs. Showing belly however, is fine.
- International roaming - Buy a local SIM card when at the airport to stay in touch with new local friends in the community. Internet is a bit sketchy but there are internet cafes for email and Facebook
- Hairdryer - probably leave! But then can be good for drying clothes that stay damp in the humidity.
- Heavy denim, jeans, anything polyester that doesn't breathe.
- Books - opt for the Kindle.
- Ideas about finding butter chicken - that's more central and northern cuisine. Southern dishes are more soupy, wet lentils, vegetables, breads and dairy... yum!
- I'll tell you the rest when I get back!
