Do NOT Drink The Water

I have learned a lot as I have prepared for this trip to India. In case you are curious below is a list of the lovely things I have had to do.

Hepatitis A shot

Typhoid shot

MMR booster

Polio shot

Malaria pills daily

I have three packed bags total that I am taking with me.

1. My one checked bag is mostly filled with food (power bars, granola bars, crackers, peanut butter, goldfish) in case Indian food does not agree with me or lack of good choices while at the office. For those of you who do not know, Indian water is really bad and full of bacteria that can make you have some serious tummy "issues". This is not a big deal to those living in India as their stomachs have adjusted. For visitors this is a problem. I cannot drink the water, get it in my mouth while showering, put it on my toothbrush or eat anything that could have been washed in the water and not cooked. No fresh fruits and vegetables for this girl!


2. My second bag which I will carry on is full of clothing and medicine. I am not kidding when I say that a third of that bag is taken up by a large blue zip bag we were given full of medicines and first aid supplies. For example, I will take 8 Pepto Bismol Chewables a day as a preventative measure to keep the tummy in check. We were also given thermometers, masks, tylenol, advil, antihistamine, a prescription in case the tummy "issues" arrive, flu drugs and anything else you can think of.


3. My third bag is just a small rolling computer bag that I will have my laptop and other items needed for work and the airplane.