[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Flying Coach To India... (Page 1 of 4)
Posted: 5/11/2014 10:05:31 PM EDT
| I'll be flying sometime in June to Mumbai and then spend a week in Vadodara on business. What can I expect? Also, what vaccines should I get? First time international traveler... |
|
Quoted:
Expect horrible smells. Like, invest in several pocket sized containers of Vicks horrible smells. And see if there's any way you could get upgraded to business class. Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. |
|
Quoted:
Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. Quoted:
Quoted:
Expect horrible smells. Like, invest in several pocket sized containers of Vicks horrible smells. And see if there's any way you could get upgraded to business class. Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. He will upgrade his return ticket to business while you and the others curse his name on the flight home. |
|
Some places in India are really really nice...most places are not.
From Wikitravel.org Recently the city has been attracting many International IT Companies to invest in the area to set up operational hubs, including L&T, Collabera, and TCS. Many people from IT centers in India like Bangalore prefer working here because of the simple life, but with all resources like schools, water and electricity. Resources like water and electricity? That really tells me all that I need to know 
|
|
Quoted:
Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. Quoted:
Quoted:
Expect horrible smells. Like, invest in several pocket sized containers of Vicks horrible smells. And see if there's any way you could get upgraded to business class. Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. That should make it easy to pelt him with peanuts and spill drinks on him "accidentally". As for shots: Typhoid MMR Polio diptheria pertussis flu chicken pox Probably a couple others. |
|
Quoted:
That should make it easy to pelt him with peanuts and spill drinks on him "accidentally". As for shots: Typhoid MMR Polio diptheria pertussis flu chicken pox Probably a couple others. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Expect horrible smells. Like, invest in several pocket sized containers of Vicks horrible smells. And see if there's any way you could get upgraded to business class. Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. That should make it easy to pelt him with peanuts and spill drinks on him "accidentally". As for shots: Typhoid MMR Polio diptheria pertussis flu chicken pox Probably a couple others. Good stuff here. I think I have MMR, Flu and Chicken Pox covered. I'll have to wiki the other four and quiz the travel nurse some (appointment on Wednesday). The CDC also suggests Hep A/B too. |
|
Quoted:
Good stuff here. I think I have MMR, Flu and Chicken Pox covered. I'll have to wiki the other four and quiz the travel nurse some (appointment on Wednesday). The CDC also suggests Hep A/B too. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Expect horrible smells. Like, invest in several pocket sized containers of Vicks horrible smells. And see if there's any way you could get upgraded to business class. Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. That should make it easy to pelt him with peanuts and spill drinks on him "accidentally". As for shots: Typhoid MMR Polio diptheria pertussis flu chicken pox Probably a couple others. Good stuff here. I think I have MMR, Flu and Chicken Pox covered. I'll have to wiki the other four and quiz the travel nurse some (appointment on Wednesday). The CDC also suggests Hep A/B too. Tetanus too!! That's a big one. |
|
Quoted:
That should make it easy to pelt him with peanuts and spill drinks on him "accidentally". As for shots: Typhoid MMR Polio diptheria pertussis flu chicken pox Probably a couple others. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Expect horrible smells. Like, invest in several pocket sized containers of Vicks horrible smells. And see if there's any way you could get upgraded to business class. Yeah, well business class won't happen. The company CEO balked at the $10k tickets and is sending all of us coach... at least he's taking coach too. That should make it easy to pelt him with peanuts and spill drinks on him "accidentally". As for shots: Typhoid MMR Polio diptheria pertussis flu chicken pox Probably a couple others. Hepatitis. A through Z. |
|
Start drinking the Dannon DanActive probiotic stuff 2 times a day to get the good bacteria up in your intestine to
help fight off any crap you will encounter there. ETA: This is what i drank 1-2 months everyday twice before going to Mexico etc. I have yet to get the shits while out of the country. |
|
HYDRATE. Long flights will suck the moisture out of you. Neglect it, and you will land with the worst headache. Also start taking Airborne or emergen-c about a week before your trip and keep taking it every morning you are there. Getting a little immune system boost early may keep some sickness crap away.
what airline are you flying? I assume your layover will be in newark. A few things to keep in mind while in India: -It always smells. No, you don't get used to it. Its like having a diaper thrown in your face every 5 minutes. Mind you, a diaper quite literally loaded with indian food. I carry a mask for when I'm not in meetings, and it seems to help some. -at the airport keep a grip on all your luggage and do not let anyone take it even if it seems like they just want to place it in the car. luggage walks away all the time there. -mind your wallet. Many pickpockets in India are better than in the movies. I usually put it deep inside my backpack or somewhere where it is not visible. A wallet in your pocket is basically a stolen wallet. A few must haves for the plane and for your trip: - proper meds: **CIPRO** This is a must-have for overseas travel. Tell your doctor you are traveling overseas, particularly to India, and they will prescribe it to you immediately. My passport and bottle of cipro are the the first things I pack when I travel, so that should tell you something. Gas x for the plane for you or anyone around you that might try to make the flight more miserable. Very low dose zanax (.5mg) is a great option for relaxing and falling asleep on long flights. Ask your doctor and they will prescribe it for flight anxiety. I don't have flight anxiety, I just like taking it WAY better than ambien. - bring some wet ones wipes and a toothbrush/paste with your carry-on. On a 15 hour flight, you'll thank me. - bring some comfort snacks in your carry-on. Plane food in coach is total garbage. You will have 3 options every time : yellow goop (chicken), red goop (beef), and green goop (vegetarian). Feel free to try one if you'd like but make sure you bring the gas x that I mentioned earlier. As an alternative, I usually grab something to eat during the layover. It will be the last good food you have for a long while, so enjoy it, but dont gorge yourself before the next crazy long flight unless you want to spend alot of your flight in the bathroom. I usually grab a few pre-made sandwiches to take on the plane or maybe a few burgers from one of the airport restaurants. It may be a good idea to throw some comfort food in with your luggage too. You have no idea how amazing strawberry poptarts, beef jerky, or granola bars can taste after 4 or 5 days of lentil sludge. - some really good noise canceling or isolating headphones are perfect for watching movies or tuning out the baby next to you that cries for 10 hours straight. (Comply brand eartips are a really good and cheap option if you already have some compatible in-ear headphones) - an ipad or similar tablet loaded with movies and tv shows can really help pass the time on long flights. - a decent inflatable neck pillow can definitely help. i got one off of amazon for about 25 bucks and it does wonders. - Try your best to pick your seat before the flight. No one wants to sit bitch for 15 hours. I prefer the window so that I can lean toward the window and have a lot more space. Also, I hate trying to watch a movie while the moron in the window seat is asleep but wont shut the window shade, so there's that. - some comfortable compression socks will go along way as well. I bought some Dahlgren alpaca compression socks for about $20 years ago and they work wonders. - If you are sharing a hotel room with anyone, some cheap earplugs come in handy. Im sure im forgetting some stuff, but these will go along way to making your trip suck MUCH less. I fly a little over 150k miles a year, so packing for these trips now is basically muscle memory.  A decent sized suitcase for your clothes checked on the plane and a backpack for carry on works really well.
Quick edit: As I'm sure you've heard, in Indian culture, they wipe with their left hand and eat with their right. Use that information wisely 
|
|
I have rode on the tops of trains in India  MUCH safer and more pleasant than riding inside the railcars. The "toilets" are simply a hole in the floor of the car. So the tracks are littered with human waste (as is most of the country  ).
|
|
Damn............they better pray they dont have a derail
|
|
India is a horrible place to be, only 1% of it is nice and modern/westernized. Good luck in coach, the smell...I did business and can still smell the weird BO/curry flowing from the cattle car at the back.  Makes me hungry for some good Shrimp Saag and Garlic Naan now
 |
|
Quoted:
The first time you're flying internationally is to India? Wow, sucks to be you. At least flying in coach will prepare you for the smells you're going to encounter. Came here to post this^^^^ Also as far as immunizations go, most have already been covered above but I would also get the Plague series as well. Other than that, go with an open mind and try to enjoy the experience. |
|
All Fantastic points. Might I add a little bit to the Xanax. My doctor told me that I could take one and have a beer or two so I did and should have stopped at 2. The third glass of wine made me feel like the entire plane was in a tailspin. But dmhays has basically hit the nail on the head here. I hate flying coach b/c I'm 6'5" and they make the coach seats to cram a person that is 6'2" into them. If I am unable to get Plus or Business beforehand I always try to play a sympathy card with the airline people when checking in. Most of them will get me into a bulkhead or exit isle at a minimum.
One other thing to remember is that in the bulkhead seats on international flights is where they stick families. They will also hang a bassinet on the wall for infants to sleep in so steer clear of those seats if you can. Quoted:
HYDRATE. Long flights will suck the moisture out of you. Neglect it, and you will land with the worst headache. Also start taking Airborne or emergen-c about a week before your trip and keep taking it every morning you are there. Getting a little immune system boost early may keep some sickness crap away. what airline are you flying? I assume your layover will be in newark. A few things to keep in mind while in India: -It always smells. No, you don't get used to it. Its like having a diaper thrown in your face every 5 minutes. Mind you, a diaper quite literally loaded with indian food. I carry a mask for when I'm not in meetings, and it seems to help some. -at the airport keep a grip on all your luggage and do not let anyone take it even if it seems like they just want to place it in the car. luggage walks away all the time there. -mind your wallet. Many pickpockets in India are better than in the movies. I usually put it deep inside my backpack or somewhere where it is not visible. A wallet in your pocket is basically a stolen wallet. A few must haves for the plane and for your trip: - proper meds: **CIPRO** This is a must-have for overseas travel. Tell your doctor you are traveling overseas, particularly to India, and they will prescribe it to you immediately. My passport and bottle of cipro are the the first things I pack when I travel, so that should tell you something. Gas x for the plane for you or anyone around you that might try to make the flight more miserable. Very low dose zanax (.5mg) is a great option for relaxing and falling asleep on long flights. Ask your doctor and they will prescribe it for flight anxiety. I don't have flight anxiety, I just like taking it WAY better than ambien. - bring some wet ones wipes and a toothbrush/paste with your carry-on. On a 15 hour flight, you'll thank me. - bring some comfort snacks in your carry-on. Plane food in coach is total garbage. You will have 3 options every time : yellow goop (chicken), red goop (beef), and green goop (vegetarian). Feel free to try one if you'd like but make sure you bring the gas x that I mentioned earlier. As an alternative, I usually grab something to eat during the layover. It will be the last good food you have for a long while, so enjoy it, but dont gorge yourself before the next crazy long flight unless you want to spend alot of your flight in the bathroom. I usually grab a few pre-made sandwiches to take on the plane or maybe a few burgers from one of the airport restaurants. It may be a good idea to throw some comfort food in with your luggage too. You have no idea how amazing strawberry poptarts, beef jerky, or granola bars can taste after 4 or 5 days of lentil sludge. - some really good noise canceling or isolating headphones are perfect for watching movies or tuning out the baby next to you that cries for 10 hours straight. (Comply brand eartips are a really good and cheap option if you already have some compatible in-ear headphones) - an ipad or similar tablet loaded with movies and tv shows can really help pass the time on long flights. - a decent inflatable neck pillow can definitely help. i got one off of amazon for about 25 bucks and it does wonders. - Try your best to pick your seat before the flight. No one wants to sit bitch for 15 hours. I prefer the window so that I can lean toward the window and have a lot more space. Also, I hate trying to watch a movie while the moron in the window seat is asleep but wont shut the window shade, so there's that. - some comfortable compression socks will go along way as well. I bought some Dahlgren alpaca compression socks for about $20 years ago and they work wonders. - If you are sharing a hotel room with anyone, some cheap earplugs come in handy. Im sure im forgetting some stuff, but these will go along way to making your trip suck MUCH less. I fly a little over 150k miles a year, so packing for these trips now is basically muscle memory. A decent sized suitcase for your clothes checked on the plane and a backpack for carry on works really well.
Quick edit: As I'm sure you've heard, in Indian culture, they wipe with their left hand and eat with their right. Use that information wisely
|
|
Quoted:
I'd pay the difference to upgrade. I wish... the cheapo coach seats are like $2k. Business was like $10k. I don't have that kind of change floating around for two days of creature comforts. Sometimes it really sucks working for a small company. My previous employer would have paid for Business/FC no questions asked. |
|
Quoted: I'll be flying sometime in June to Mumbai and then spend a week in Vadodara on business. What can I expect? Also, what vaccines should I get? First time international traveler... I went to Pune India a few years ago. Went to a doc and gave a series of vaccines (can't remember which ones) Don't drink water that isn't bottled. Don't eat anything from street venders. Don't eat the fruit of vegetables grown locally. Other than that you'll be fine |
|
Quoted: Vaccines As for flying that long in coach... http://m.quickmeme.com/img/3b/3b85baae38ce269ff0e18e65c34077760f521209cafd08531ddcd9f3b64c7200.jpg notsureifserious.jpg  No, it's for the destination. |
|
Having worked in Bangalore and Chennai, and taken more flights to Asia than I ever wanted to, the main part to know is that the flight is going to suck. Do drink a ton of water on the flight, try and avoid alcohol. Med protips in this thread already are good ideas, especially the probiotics, which I will look into myself. A doctor visit as soon as you can gives you times for immunizations to be all done, and for you to have your emergency Cipro stash. The culture is very different in general, not bad, but different. They are pretty forgiving of social miscues, as long as you are not going out of your way to be a jerk. Yes, there will be smells, a few of them good, most of them not so good. It is worthwhile to pack a few boxes of cereal bars, or whatever else will keep you fed if your options seem a little low some days. Cereal bar > fly covered fruit thing. I also take a water treating camping bottle, but have rarely felt the need to use it, as I have been easily able to get bottled water or soda. If you are not flying direct to your destination city, you'll get to ride the train, which will make you desperately miss the comfort, pleasant odors, and personal space that you had on the plane. :) Do have a good time, there is a lot of history, decent people, and new things to try. If you are working IT, you will have a lot of fun working with guys that are just like you, but really different in lifestyle. Enjoy this awesome opportunity. |
|
I have done it a dozen or more times. Here's my list of things to do:
- Try to connect anyplace but Paris. Charles DeGaulle is the shittiest airport on the planet for business travelers. - A comfortable pair of socks is good to have. For 8+ hour long flight legs, you want to take your shoes off wiggle toes and flex calves ever hour or so. - Noise cancelling headphones are a must. Find a pair you can wear all day. - Personal entertainment is great - I carried a PSP with me so I could play games and watch videos etc...iPad would be good - charging station or extra batteries is a must. - Bring snacks/food in your bag. Meals on the trip aren't the worst, but they are spaced out and may not align to your hunger schedule. - Stay awake as much as you can on the first leg, so you can sleep the later legs. My trips always arrived in India about 2-3 AM. India isn't as bad as some would have you believe, but you have to spend at least 5-6 weeks there to really get a feel for it. Most who travel there only see it for 1-2 weeks at a time and don't actually get to experience it for what it really is. I lived and commuted there for the better part of a year, at one point in my life. |
