Food:

• We love street food, but we dislike being poisoned! We recommend always eating where you see a long line of locals, as that food tends to sell out daily instead of being stored improperly. Also, keep a lookout for basic hygiene practices of the sellers. If it checks those two boxes, enjoy!
  Remember: Join the queue, dodge the loo.
• Always assume it will be spicy. Little spicy means spicy, very spicy means very very spicy. No chili will be some key word if you want a milder dining experience. However, there is a good chance that your request will be blissfully ignored.
• You don’t have to know what it is, for it to be delicious. Be adventurous! (Taking previous suggestions into consideration.)
• A green dot in a white square on products in the supermarket means the products are vegetarian!
• Outside Kerala, you likely won’t encounter beef. If you do, best not to eat it. It is likely frozen, old, and sold just to foreign visitors.

Safety:

• Vehicles are everywhere and unpredictable, especially motorbikes. Be cautious walking on roadways, and assume vehicles will take right of way.
• Crossing streets is a delicate dance, and to succeed you must lead. Make eye contact with drivers and push your way through. If you wait for traffic to stop for you, you will not cross the street.
• Zebra crossings are often lies, and provide no protection.
• Cows have no rules, and always have right of way. You can only spray them with water to get them to move, but sometimes they just like it. They are also stronger than they look, and stronger than they know.
• Get your travel insurance! In case you get sick or go head to head with a moped (or bullied by a cow).
• Always wear a helmet on a motorcycle! It makes you look cool.
• Also, India does require an international drivers license to drive mopeds. They might have checkpoints, and the “fine” for not having it must be paid in cash that very moment.
• Don’t wear fancy watches or jewelry. You’ll already get enough attention, you won’t want more.
• Your phone should be in your hand or in your pocket (or bag). Think Italian Plaza rules.

Shopping:

• Haggling is the name of the game. You will be told a much higher price than they will accept. If you’re taking it as a challenge, you can likely get whatever it is for 30-35% of the asking price. But to be honest, before asking the price of something, think what it would be worth to you. If both you and the seller are happy, it was a great transaction.
• Reward honest sellers by not haggling (much). Sometimes a good price is a good price.
• The price will likely lower if you start to walk away.
• Taxi apps are great for avoiding negotiation or getting a baseline price for how much a journey should cost.
• Always take and pay with cash. Cards are rarely accepted. The smaller bills the better, in case they don’t have change. Be sure you get the correct change, you can insist if you don’t.
• If strangers approach you on the street trying to start a conversation, they either want to sell you something, marry you, or just want a selfie. Sometimes a selfie is 10 selfies and an Instagram video. Sometimes they are also just curious and wanna talk to foreigners.

Cultural Customs:

• Toilet paper is not a given! Embrace the bum guns where offered, and it’s a good idea to carry a roll of toilet paper with you in your day bag.
• Always assume you can’t flush toilet paper, and throw it in the bins next to the toilet. It will clog up the pipes. Like, immediately.
• Shake hands with the right hand, and eat with the right hand. Left hands are considered unhygienic.
• Learn to eat with your hand, too! It’s a lot of fun, and there are always handwashing sinks available. Watch how locals do it to master the technique.
• Honking is an unofficial language of India. It is used to communicate everything from “I am here” to “I am going there” to “I am cutting into the wrong lane around a blind corner.” If someone honks at you, they are (probably) not hitting on you. They are telling you to move or stay where you are. Or they are a taxi or tuktuk looking for a fare.
• Cows are holy in India. Don’t be mean to cows. You know this already.
• Punctuality is flexible in India. Again, think Italian-style. (Pre-organised taxis, however, seem to understand the importance of punctuality, especially with international flights).
• Selfies! An unavoidable cultural phenomenon. Understand that some people you encounter have never met a foreigner and want proof for their friends and family of your new and unique, albeit short, friendship. It is kind to be in selfies, especially with those who ask politely. It is also acceptable to say no thanks and sorry if a queue begins to form, or if people begin to get pushy.
• Embrace your inner celebrity. Staring is common in India, and is often not intended to be rude. They are just curious and don’t have the same cultural sensitivity to it.
• The head-wobble means everything and nothing. It can mean no, yes, maybe, go away, and I appreciate you. If you weren’t raised around this, you will never understand it fully. Just don’t assume this means “deal” when negotiating for prices, and make sure you get a verbal confirmation
• Shorts are for beaches, not temples. Always have your knees and shoulders covered in temples – this applies to men and women. Also, you are supposed to step over the entrance of a temple with your right foot first.
• Unless you’re into extra stares and attention, embrace the temple clothing rules also for everyday life, especially for women, especially in non-touristy places.