The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

A road trip on your bike can be truly exhilarating. However, you need to make sure you carry everything you require, to ensure that it is hassle free. The challenge, however, is the lack of space, unlike in a car where you can dump a lot of things in the boot. There are ways to get through this hurdle. I use a combination of saddle bags, a tank bag and a custom made luggage carrier to take care of my luggage on my KTM Duke 200.

Custom-made luggage carrier on KTM Duke 200

This article focusses mainly on things that you need to carry to make the road trip on your bike hassle free. I've also taken the liberty to give you the approximate cost as well as the links to buy the products, in case you wish to. (These are links I used when I bought these items and don't earn a commission if you buy)

Chain Lube (INR 450)

In the newer performance bikes, open chains are the norm. This leads to the chain requiring lubrication quite often (between 600-800 km). I personally use the 3M Chain Lube which does the work well. You could also consider the Motul Chain Lube depending on your budget.

3M Chain Lube

You can buy it here 

Chain Cleaner (INR 400)

Before lubricating the chain, it is better to clean the chain to ensure that dust/sand particles present are washed off, as they have a tendency to stick to the chain lube and cause friction while the chain is rotating, which may lead to faster wearing out of the chain and sprocket.

You may either buy a Chain Cleaner here or you could use diesel/petrol which is a cheaper yet effective alternative. At home, I prefer to use diesel but when I'm travelling, I usually carry a bottle of Chain Cleaner as it is much more convenient. 

Face Mask (INR 250)

When on the highways, the dust factor is always high. In a country like India where dust occupies more space in our lives than our girlfriends/boyfriends, a face mask is a life saver. I use a Le Gear Pro Face Mask. It costs about INR 250 and does the job well. If you are riding in a colder environment, consider something a little thicker to protect you from the cold as well.

Le Gear Pro Face Mask

You can buy it here

High Strength Tape (INR 250)

This is to be used only in case of emergencies to temporarily put together plastic/metal parts which are broken (let's say you have a minor fall on your bike). Be careful while using this as it is extremely strong and does its job as advertised.

3M High Strength Bonding Tape

You can buy it here

Insulation Tape

Insulation tape is used to insulate/ tape electrical wires. Although it is not as strong as the High Strength Tape, it has its own use which makes it a useful emergency tool.

Tyre Inflator

Most bikes/cars nowadays come with tubeless tyres which ensure that the tire loses air slowly. So in case you have a puncture or the air in the tyre is very low, you can use this to top it up. But just go a little easy and give a 5-10 minute gap between tyres, as it can get heated up real quick, especially if the tyre is flat.

ResQTech Tyre Inflator

You can buy it here

Puncture repair kit (INR 300)

In case any of your tyres suffers a puncture, don't waste time finding a puncture shop. It takes 5 minutes to do it on your own. Just observe someone repairing punctures or look for some videos online and you should be good to go. Once you fix the puncture, you could use the Tyre Inflator above to top up air. It also comes with a plier and scissors which can be used for other purposes as well.

Puncture Repair Kit to repair punctures in tubeless tyres

You can buy it here

Zip Ties (100 No's INR 100- INR 250)

An invaluable asset to tie loose wires and also keep a couple of parts together in case of breakage/damage. Very light both in terms of weigh and on your wallet.

Zip Ties

Spanner set (INR 450)

It's not just in a workshop that you need these tools. While you are on the road, some nuts/screws may need tightening or you may have to change the engine oil on your bike or adjust the chain slack. So keep them handy. 

Just ensure that you do a quick check on your bike for the sizes of the spanners required before buying them. For instance, on the KTM, sizes 12, 14 and 22 are required for adjusting chain slack. You may not need to carry the entire set, just the sizes which are required for your bike. 

Stanley 12-Piece Combination Spanner Set

You can buy it here

Allen Keys (INR 150)

Some smaller screw heads need to be adjusted with Allen Keys. Just take a look at your bike, especially smaller screws on the number plate/ visor/ front chain sprocket and you will notice the need for these keys. They have the same purpose as the spanner set above. On most modern bikes, you would need to carry both the spanner set and the Allen Keys, each having its own utility. 

Taparia Allen Key Set

You can buy it here

Apart from the above, depending on your bike, you should carry the following. Just make sure you check with the Bike Manual/ Service Center to get the specifications right. You could even buy it from them, like I did.

1. Engine Oil

2. Coolant (if your bike uses it)

3. Air Filter

4. Oil Filter and O-Ring

5. Spark Plug

6. Clutch and Accelerator Cable

7. Clutch and Brake Levers

8. Clutch and Gear Pedals

9. Brake Pads

10. Brake Fluid

If you have any questions, do let me know in the comments below.

68 days in India on a motorbike - A post mortem

Being a Chartered Accountant, it's difficult to stay away from numbers, however hard I try! Over the course of 68 days, I maintained a pretty meticulous record of every rupee I spent and every kilometer I rode. I had two reasons to do this - one, to analyse at a later point in time and see how I fared in terms of spending and planning, and two, to help people who are planning similar journeys.

I've divided this post into 3 parts - The Journey, The Bike and The Money.

Before I dive into the post, I'd like to share a piece someone I follow on Instagram wrote:

Last year I was going through a time where I kept attracting negative energy into my balance, and I was unable to understand why my good intentions of manifestation were not working. 

I knew the issue was something to do with the frequency I was transmitting, and the perceptions I had about who I was as a person. 

So I wrote a list of incorrect beliefs I was holding onto. At first I was struggling to think of what to write, but after the first few lines, I was scribbling so fast my handwriting was almost indecipherable. 

I was shocked to realise I'd written 32 dot points. I wrote things like "I'm not worthy of love", "I will never be successful" "I deserve to be treated badly as karma for my past". The list went on for 2 pages, and a lot of what I'd written were things that had been said to me when i was younger, ugly words I'd carried through into my adult life. 

So I wrote another list of opposite positive affirmations, starting with "I am worthy of love". I burnt both of those pages beneath a new moon. It was strange, because the list of negatives went up in flames instantly and burnt my fingers. The positive list burnt so slowly that I had to keep lighting it, and it felt so symbolic and beautiful that I almost cried. 

My life has not been the same since. I have shed layers of self-hatred, discarded toxic connections with people, and truly started attracting wonderful people into my life. Whenever I revisit an old incorrect idea of myself, I remember the positive affirmation that replaced it.

Never underestimate how much your negative beliefs about yourself can hold you back. Burn the ugly words. Sever the tie to anybody who speaks to you in a way that hurts, even if you think they're your friend. Invite the light back in.

george_bones

These words above truly describe the range of emotions I felt when I was riding on the highways of India. I can't put into words how I found answers (to some) complex questions while riding. As always, one journey cannot answer all your questions. That's why you keep going back.

A. The journey

10,000 kms through the West Coast and North of India! When I set out, I didn't know what to expect. Don't expect much and you will be pleasantly surprised, is my mantra.

The route-map at around 7,500 kms

India on a bike in 68 days -10,000 kms

A break-up of the 10,000 km journey, state-wise

10,000 kms broken up, state-wise

Rajasthan was such a splendid state, that I covered over 37% of my total journey there. Nice roads, combined with even nicer landscapes, ensured that long rides were effortless. The longest I rode in a single day was from Ahmedabad to Jaisalmer which was about 500 km and took 12 hours. Most other journeys were between 250-350 kms and took on an average 6-7 hours. Since I didn't plan my entire trip in advance, I could afford the luxury of going back to places which I loved more than the others. For instance, I went back thrice to Udaipur and twice to Pushkar. Sometimes, the best journeys are pretty badly planned.

Also read: Rajasthan - The untold story

Next on the list with over 2,000 kms, was Maharashtra. I stopped at Maharashtra, both on the onward and the return journey. Starting from the beautiful Malvan coast, known for its amazing food, to Ganpatipule which is a little further up the coast, to Mumbai, the financial capital of India, to Nashik, the Wine Capital of India - Maharashtra ensured that I had an amazing start (and end) to the trip! On the way back, I also stopped at Panchgani, a scenic hill station close to Pune, where I spent 3 days stuffing myself with over 2 kilos of Strawberries apart from a great session of rock climbing and abseiling (rappelling).

My daily quota of strawberries, freshly plucked in the morning

B. The Bike

Let's deviate from numbers here and talk a bit about my ride, the uber reliable KTM Duke 200. During the course of this journey, I've learnt a little more about bikes, more so about mine. Although I can't really do any major repairs on the bike yet, small issues like punctures, regular bike maintenance etc are quite easy to do. If you learn to care for your vehicle on long trips like these, you will have pretty much no issues.

Pro-tip

Ensuring correct tyre pressure, cleaning and lubricating the chain at regular intervals, tightening/loosening the chain according to the slack, periodic checking of nuts/bolts, changing the engine oil/ oil filter/ air filter/ brake pads  are some of the basic maintenance do's which will go a long way in ensuring that your ride is trouble free. 

Over 9,000 kms on the road and still, the bike was trouble free and rev happy

Custom-made luggage carrier on the KTM Duke 200

Also read : The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

C. The Money

Coming back to numbers, I spent a total of INR 1,40,000 (about USD 2,300) over 68 days which effectively works out to INR 2,000 (about USD 33) per day . This included accommodation, food, beer, fuel, bike maintenance and pretty much everything else. Not that expensive, eh?

(I noticed I typed beer before fuel. So much for relative importance. Didn't bother changing it.)

Overall spending pattern (Total expense INR 1,40,000)

Overall spending pattern in India

Pro-tip

1. To search for hostels in India, use the following websites:

hostelworld.com

hostelbookers.com

agoda.com

2. To look for hotels/buses/flights/trains in India, use the following websites:

cleartrip.com

goibibo.com

makemytrip.com

booking.com

redbus.in (for buses)

irctc.co.in (for trains)

Some of the above websites don't take foreign debit/credit cards, so just look out for that.

3. If you love getting opinions of backpackers in India, use the following groups on Facebook to know a little more about the places you are visiting

www.facebook.com/groups/TheHimalayanClub

www.facebook.com/groups/backpackingIndia

If you are driving/riding, this group is amazing for routes and road updates

www.facebook.com/groups/hvkumar

Gujarat turned out to be the most expensive in terms of stay, as I stayed for a night at Dhordo (Rann of Kutch) which costed about INR 6,000 alone! The rest of the days were spent in a hotel which was about INR 800-1,000 per night.

Delhi was the cheapest at only INR 120 a day, because I stayed at a friend's place.

Average Stay Cost per day (in INR)

Average Stay Cost per day in India

Accommodation is quite cheap in India. Expect to spend around INR 500 (USD 9) for hostels/hotels in most places. You can cut this down drastically as well. One way is to volunteer at the hostel in exchange for a bed. The other way is to check if the hostel allows guests to sleep in common areas for a lesser price. The Journey Hostel in Udaipur, for example, charges INR 400 (USD 7) for a dorm and INR 150 (USD 2.5) if you sleep in the common room. If you want to watch the stars, you can even stay on the terrace! That's cutting your stay cost by 60-70% which can go a long way in saving for travelling longer.

Average F&B cost per day (in INR)

Average Food & Beverages cost, state-wise in India

Well, my saving on stay cost in Delhi was made up by going out for food and drinks. On one hand, Delhi can be super cheap (especially its street food), and on the other hand, super expensive if you go out to fancy places. Gujarat made up for its expensive stay cost by being the lightest on the wallet. Can I attribute this to it being a dry state (maybe)?

Notice closely and over half my total expense (about 52%) was on Food and Beverages (the damned beer!). If you are a teetotaller, you could reduce you overall costs by 15-20%. If you don't smoke as well, make that a 25% drop in costs. Typically, you could expect to spend between INR 300-500 for breakfast, lunch and dinner in most parts of India which is roughly USD 5-9 per day for all 3 meals. Anything extra depends on your vices :)

Travelling in India is not very difficult, relatively safe and amazingly cheap. So whether you are travelling alone or in a group, it would be a great experience to see the rural hinterlands of India and feel connected to its people and nature. So what are you waiting for?

Related Articles for you

Rajasthan - A Magical Land

The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

An Indian perspective of travelling in India

White skin fascination

It is amazing and at the same time quite discomforting to see that India attaches so much importance to the colour of a person's skin. On one hand, we accuse the West of being racist and looking down upon us, and on the other hand, our own people practise a brand of racism that even makes white people squirm with discomfort (although they are not at the receiving end). It is not uncommon to find dark-skinned Indians thronging around white people asking for a picture with them. 

Random strangers taking a picture with my fellow travellers from the US

A friend from the US once asked me innocently "Why are Indians so eager to take pictures with us?" She went on to say that, a couple of times, she was asked to take a picture with a baby which was handed over to her by the mother. The weirdest of them all is when the husband asks his wife to stand for a picture with a white guy and the wife radiates a glow her husband hasn't seen in all those years of marriage. Whatever happened to the demure Indian girl who wouldn't dare to look at her husband's face directly and instead cast shy glances!?

As a nation which was under the British rule for over 200 years, we forget the fact that it was the white skinned folks from England who put a board outside a club meant for the elite, which read, "Indians and dogs not allowed". It only gets worse when some of Bollywood's biggest movie stars endorse fairness creams. 

India is opening itself up to solo travellers in a big way

Having backpacked through Western and Central Europe, I experienced the warm embrace of travelling solo. Once you start enjoying travelling alone, it is often very difficult to look back. The kind of people you meet while travelling alone is vastly different from when you travel in a group. It is liberating and at the same time, gives you a perspective of life which is very different from when you are with a group of friends. 

It is heartening to see the ease with which you can travel solo in India today. Of course, as a foreigner, you may face problems on some Indian websites and some e-wallet apps which do not accept International Debit and Credit cards. But that's not a deal breaker. 

The hostel culture is in its nascent stage in India. Hostels help you meet travellers with varied backgrounds and interests which in turn fuel your imagination. Staying in hostels is also a great way to meet people with similar interests. Rajasthan particularly seems to have taken a giant leap and you find amazing hostels at very affordable prices in most places. The South of India is slowly getting there and a hostels are cropping up in places like Kodaikanal and some parts of Kerala. You may expect to pay anywhere between INR 300-500 for a dorm bed in these hostels. 

Pappi Chulo Hostel in Pushkar

Indians hate Indian tourists

Indian tourists, especially the ones heading out on the weekend to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, behave poorly, often getting drunk beyond their capacity and playing loud music on their portable speakers. Well, no one has a problem with music, but if you play 'Kala Chasma' 3 times in a row, and you dance with your belly jiggling, it could be a bit of a problem :p

It has even forced some hostels to have a policy of asking for the passport as an identity proof for all guests, including Indians. They know that an Indian wouldn't carry his/her Passport while travelling in India. So very cleverly, and in the guise of rules, they have managed to find a way to weed the problematic Indian crowd out. 

Sometimes, it's good to have an attitude, not always though

                          

A hostel owner once told me that he doesn't have a problem with Indians, but when the "Delhi Boys" come, it could be a problem for the other guests in the hostel. Such is the reputation of our own people in our own country, which I hope changes soon. 

(During my travels, I have met some of the nicest people from Delhi. This is what the hostel owner said to me, which I particularly don't agree with)

If you are travelling alone, people are much more very welcoming and would go out of their way to help you irrespective of your nationality. So go ahead and travel alone without worries. 

Gujarati's love getting drunk

India's favourite pastime is banning anything which our elected representatives feel is a detriment to the society. While we elect them to govern and take the country forward, some of the bans have helped our country go in the reverse direction. 

Take the alcohol ban in the state of Gujarat for example. Since alcohol is not freely available there (although if you know the right people, you can get anything you want in India), a lot of Gujarati's tend to go the neighbouring states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh etc to quench their thirst. Brilliant idea, except the fact that the whole purpose of the alcohol ban is lost like a needle in a haystack. What is worse if they decide to drive back after consuming irresponsible levels of alcohol and endangering themselves and other people on the road. 

Gujarat is one of the 3 dry states in India, others being Mizoram and Nagaland

Since they want to make the most of the limited time available, they drink like there is no tomorrow, causing havoc and sometimes ruining the weekend for people looking for peace and tranquility. At the hostel where I was staying in Udaipur, a Gujarati couple was asked to leave as they were quite drunk even before 10 PM and started playing loud music on the music system. The wife innocently told me "We are from Gujarat, you know how it is there. That's why we come here to party. Modiji has ruined it for us" when I politely asked them to turn down the volume of the music. It's not Modi who came up with the idea of the alcohol ban, but well, she was too drunk for me correct her. 

A couple of days later, a bunch a Gujarati teens got so drunk that they had a brawl. They were asked to leave too. 

I think India has reached that state where bans must be banned. We could maybe take a leaf out of The Netherlands :p

Note from the author

It is easy to write about the nice things you find when you travel in India, but I thought I should write about a side of India which not too many people write about. You may disagree with some of my views, but the views are mine and mine only. If you still want to rant, please use the comments section below :)

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

8 tips to have a memorable trip abroad

When you travel, it is required that you understand and respect the culture and laws of the people of the country you are visiting. Some may be religious, some may just be for convenience. All the same, an understanding of the same will go a long way in having a memorable trip.

1. First in, First out

On trains, buses, trams or any other mode of transport, let the people who are already inside get down first. When everybody who wants to get off at the stop have got off, you climb. The same thing applies for elevators as well. It is a very important thing you should remember and follow always.

2. Don't waste a driver's time

When you want to travel by bus, tram or train, first check whether you can buy a travel card instead of buying individual journey tickets. It is much cheaper and much more convenient. Don't waste the drivers time on the bus asking him questions, because, in most countries drivers double up as ticket issuers as well. Do your own research before you get on to the bus/tram/train.

3. Stand the 'right' way

When you are going up or down on an escalator, stand to the right, one behind another, even if you are in a group. That way you will leave space on the left for people who are in a rush. Most tourists do not understand this and end up standing in two's and block the way for someone in a hurry. In the UK, the locals hate the tourists for doing this. So a little help from our side when we visit their beautiful country will go a long way.

The perfectly 'wrong' way to stand on an escalator 

Next time, a beautiful girl is looking at you on the escalator, it may be a sign that she wants you to move out of her way.

4. Learn some basic words

While this may not be a necessity, learning a few words in the local language definitely helps you make new friends and get liked by the locals. For example, when I was in Spain for 2 weeks, I learnt to say Hello (Hola), Goodbye (Adios), Salude (Cheers), I could order in a restaurant in Spanish and also ask how much something costs. It's also fun to learn something new, so give it a try.

The only country where I could not learn to say 'Cheers' was in Hungary. I tried for 3 days and gave up as it was too complicated. By the way, try saying Egészségére :)

To make your life easier, use the Google Translate App. It has a super cool camera translation which lets you translate menu cards, signboards and products in a supermarket in real-time. You will have to download the offline language translation if you don't have internet.

Download it here https://goo.gl/c1zaJo

5. Don't hesitate to talk to strangers

In India, we are often told as children not to talk to strangers. It is so deep rooted in us that we forget to smile at the guy who makes way for you at the mall (a Smile with a Thank You is nice) or a kind driver who lets your car pass first in a narrow lane (a simple thumbs up or a wave is awesome).

When I was walking around in Barcelona, I smiled at a guy trying to attract customers to his restaurant. He smiled back and struck a pose. I took a picture of him and asked him for his email so I could send the picture to him. He took me into his restaurant and introduced me to his Manager who offered me a complimentary glass of Cava (Spanish Sparkling Wine). Smiling and talking is free so go ahead and invest in it.

Striking a pose for me in Barcelona

This guy actually tried to type his email address on my phone!

6. Queue up

You do not have the birthright to skip a queue. Yes, even when your bladder is full after 10 beers and your liver and kidneys are overworked. The UK is notorious for its queues, so much so that even if you are the first customer at a shop, you wait for someone so you could form a queue.

7. Sample but buy

You visit a wine stall at the local market and you are unsure about what you like. The kind stall owner offers you a taste of the various wines he has. It's an unspoken rule, but after he has extended the courtesy of offering a sample, please extend the courtesy of buying something from him, however small or inexpensive it is.

8. Tip with a smile

While leaving a tip is a personal choice, I would recommend leaving a tip, however small, to the person who served you at a restaurant or a cafe. If you can afford to go abroad, you can definitely afford to leave a token of gratitude.

If you found the article useful, share the article or comment with your thoughts

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing.

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

5 tips to travel the world on a budget

Want to holiday abroad but can't really afford the hotels and their exorbitant prices? Or you have the freaking money but don't want to spend it on overpriced hotels? Or the main purpose of your travel is to meet like minded people and have some meaningful conversations?

If you can connect with any of the 3 questions above, you need to start backpacking. Hell yeah, don't wait for your friends! Just pack your bags and start travelling. 

Travel the world with your backpack

1. Two is many, Three is too many, Four is not funny

NO! NO! NO!

If you want to backpack, you have to travel light, as light as possible. You don't want to be lugging a huge suitcase(s) around, with 20 shirts, 5 trousers, a running shoe for the morning run, a formal shoe for the evening dinner and a hiking shoe for the hikes! The lighter you travel, the faster it is to pack.

Have you read the family planning message behind Indian trucks - "We one, Ours one"? Adopt that wholeheartedly for your trip (for the bags eh).

YES! YES! YES! 




The Yes! was for the Bag in the background, not for the Beer :)

2. So what does travelling light entail?

Personally, I would recommend that you don't carry extras of anything except shirts and undergarments. When packing, you normally have the urge to pack that extra pair of jeans just in case the one you're wearing gets soiled or that extra sweater which looks awesome on you. I have done that in the past and realised that I never use any of those extras.

So for someone travelling for a month, a perfect bag would include:

1. 3 or 4 shirts (including one you are wearing)

2. 1 pair of jeans

3. 4 undergarments (including one you are wearing)

4. 2 socks (including one you are wearing)

5. Phone + Charger

6. Camera + Charger

7. Laptop + Charger (only if needed)

8. Body/Face Wash re-packed in small containers

9. 1 Towel (carry the most compact one you have)

10. 1 brush + medium tube of toothpaste

Depending on the time of year you are travelling, you may choose to carry a jacket/jumper/sweater, fleece and thermals (if needed). Carrying multiple jackets will take up too much space so take only one which will be perfect for all the places you are planning to visit.

Tip 1: Reversing and wearing your underwear after bath doubles the number of underwear's you are carrying :) So 4 = 8. It's a clever hack while travelling. Screw the critics, you're the one travelling!

Tip 2: However hard it may seem, do not put in things which you think you 'may' use. You can always buy them at the destination country if it's really needed.

Tip 3: If your towel is too bulky, think of buying a travel towel.

Tip 4: Keep some money aside to buy essentials at the destination country in case you forget something (like toothpaste, toothbrush, body wash etc).

Tip 5: Plan to take a 40-60 litre bag and not a big suitcase. That way, you will be forced to carry only things you will definitely need.

Tip 6: Carry only one amazing pair of shoes (waterproof if possible) that will serve you well in all weather conditions and terrains.

Less packing, less worries, more travel, more fun!

3. How to get from one place to another?

In  a nutshell, travel by the cheapest mode of transport. Usually, the cheapest mode would be a bus, but do check for flights as well. Sometimes, flights are much cheaper than trains and buses. It depends on your priorities though. I hate flights as it doesn't let me see the country. Buses and Trains would be my favourite, although in most places, trains can be ridiculously expensive.

The order of priority can be as follows:

1. Cheap

2. Fast (Need not be the fastest)

3. Comfortable

4. Where to stay?

There are tons of options available. Since you are planning to backpack, costs are definitely of paramount importance. Hostels are a great place to meet like-minded travellers. 

If your thinking is similar to mine, the priority would be as follows:

1. Cheap
2. No Curfew

3. Clean Toilets

4. Clean Beds

5. Lockers to keep stuff safe

6. Good atmosphere (Bar, Common Area, friendly staff)

7. WiFi

8. Access to transport

Feel free to re-order your priorities. These are just ideas to help you think. 

5. Start thinking about travelling light :)

Needs no explanation does it?

If you found the article useful, share the article or comment with your thoughts

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

Travelling abroad? The ultimate guide for first timers

Whether you are travelling abroad for the first time on work, or for your honeymoon, these hacks will definitely help you. If you are a seasoned traveller, you probably use many of these that I have listed below, which in my opinion are a 'must-do' before boarding the flight.

Buy a Travel Card

A Travel Card is a pre-paid foreign currency card that makes your foreign trip totally hassle-free and convenient. You can load this pre-paid card with foreign currencies in India by paying in INR. It’s a smart alternative to paper based instruments like Traveller’s cheque or currency notes.

The super cool multi-currency cards

A cool new thing in travel cards is that some banks also offer a multi-currency card. So if you are travelling to let's say Germany (Euros), United Kingdom (Pounds) and the US (US Dollars), a single card works for you and you don't need multiple cards for multiple currencies. Be sure to ask your bank whether they offer this.

Advantage of re-loading

The added advantage is that you can load additional foreign currency onto it even when you are abroad (make sure your bank supports this and you have activated internet banking) and happen to fall short of currency. This has been a boon for someone like me, who travels for a longer duration than most people and estimating exactly how much you need at the start of a trip is a little difficult.

My Tip - Make sure you are aware of the charges for getting the card, ATM withdrawals abroad, reload of currency etc as banks typically do not reveal the same unless you ask for it. For example, ICICI Bank charges 1.5 Euros/USD for every withdrawal from an ATM but does not charge for online payments or payment at point of sale using your card.

Buy foreign currency

This is also needed in addition to the Travel Card. Travel Cards are useful if you are buying flight/train tickets online or booking accommodation online in a foreign country.

However, cash is handy for smaller payments and some outlets may not even accept cards (for example, Amsterdam Coffee Shops accept only cash). So you can split your total foreign currency needs 50:50 or 75:25 between the card and currency or in any other ratio which suits your spending pattern abroad.

Activate International Roaming for your phone

Now, this is something most people ignore as they think they will not make/take calls abroad as the international roaming charges are extremely high (don't even think of using your Indian number abroad for calls or sms)

But let's say that you are trying to make an online payment using your travel card and it's not going through. You want to try making the payment using your Indian Debit/Credit card.

If you do not activate international roaming, you will not receive the One Time Password sent by your bank to pay through your credit/debit card. I had not activated international roaming and my travel card being a debit card was not accepted (the italiarail site accepted only credit cards). So I could not make the payment and finally had to get someone else to do the booking for me.

Carry original driving licence

You will need this if you wish to drive in a foreign country. Remember that copies of it will not be accepted. In addition, keep in mind that in some countries you can drive by just carrying your original Indian Driving License (UK allows you to drive with your Indian License for up to a year from the date of your entry into the country) and in some others, you will also need an International Driving Permit (IDP). 

An IDP is not a license by itself, it is just a translation of your driving license details in a few foreign languages (needed in countries like Spain, Portugal etc which are primarily non-english speaking). So you will need both the Original Driving License as well as the IDP to drive in some countries.

A Driving License also works as an ID proof to get into a Pub (It so happens that they ask for confirmation whether I'm above 25 all the time)

Buy 2-3 padlocks

This is especially useful if you are planning to stay in hostels abroad. While some hostels have a key-card lock mechanism for the lockers, some do not have that and you will need to spend extra to  buy a padlock (could be anywhere between 3 Euros to 6 Euros depending on the country). So it may be wise to just carry a couple of them from India.

Carry your Passport and make sure details on your visa are correct

This is quite obvious but what I wish to highlight here is that you need to make sure that the visa is valid for the entire duration of your stay and possibly for a few days even after your planned return date (in case your flight gets cancelled or you miss the flight etc). You do not want to be stuck in a foreign country with an expired visa.

Carry a copy of your air ticket and preferably check-in online

Some airlines accept an e-ticket on your phone but it is safe to carry a photocopy of the ticket (both to and fro). Stow one copy away in the corner of your carry-on baggage and keep one in your hand while travelling.

Why should you check-in online? 

Checking-in online gives you the advantage of choosing your seat preference. I have noticed that almost everyone checks-in online especially for international flights. So if you want to be spoilt for choices in seating on the flight, make sure you check in as early as possible. If you check-in online, a copy of the confirmation would be sufficient.

Keep a scan/photograph of your most important documents on your phone

This is useful if you happen to lose your passport or wallet and some of your identity documents are in there (Driving License for example). These are the following you should ideally have a back up of (preferably on your phone and email/dropbox/google drive):

1. Passport (Front and Back pages)

2. Visa

3. Driving License

4. Air ticket

5. Booking confirmations for accommodations

6. Contact details of friends/family (if)

Keep details for immigration forms handy

When exiting India and entering another country, you may need to fill up immigration forms as per customs regulations. Avoid removing your passport multiple times during your journey and take your passport out only when absolutely necessary.

So type these out on a word document and print a copy before you leave. You could simply use this to fill out any immigration form. You could also keep a copy on your phone.

1. Name on Passport

2. Date of Birth

3. Address on Passport

4. Passport Number

5. Validity dates (From ____ to _____ )
6. Place of issue

Pack a few sandwiches in a Ziploc

If it's a flight longer than 10-11 hours, you will most probably have a layover in a foreign country. The food in airports are ridiculously expensive, more so abroad, and you wouldn't want to spend your life savings eating a barely enough meal at the airport in Dubai or Paris .

It's good to pack a couple of sandwiches plus an apple which will prevent your tummy from making noises and disturbing your fellow travellers waiting with you at the airport. 

These are what I do every time I travel, so if you do/did anything different, feel free to share.

Plastic Bath Mug

Especially for Indians who hate using toilet paper (for obvious reasons). Take a small one which fits in your bag. I believe in the saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", so I never carry this but if you are particular about washing your ass well, by all means, go ahead and carry your own personal plastic bath mug :)


(Image credits Pixabay)

• Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here