FAQs

Question

How can I procure Indian clothes if I don't have them?

Answer

The answer to this is the capitalist version of Beg, Borrow, Steal i.e. Buy, Borrow, Rent. 1) Buy: You could pick up something online, or even once you get to India. FabIndia is a good store to look at - reasonably priced, with a versatile selection (https://www.fabindia.com/). Another easy option is Indian Amazon (https://www.amazon.in/). If you're feeling really lazy, you could consider ordering something to the hotel! 2) Borrow - leech off your friends. If you don't have friends with Indian clothes, find someone with Indian clothes and pretend like you're BFFs until they lend you clothes 3) Rent - There are a few websites that'll let you rent clothes for the weekend (think Rent the Runway). Flyrobe (https://flyrobe.com/) and Stage3 (https://www.stage3.co/) are good places to start, but we'd recommend jumping on this train early because their inventory may dry up closer to date. Feel free to treat Nishtha (+1 773 980 0543) and Nivedita (+1 773 431 2425) as fashion consultants.

Question

How can I get around in Delhi?

Answer

1) Ubers (or the local version - Ola) are usually abundant, so that's always a good option. We'd recommend taking Uber Premium/Black (and avoid Uber Gos) - the price difference is marginal, the cars are nicer, and the drivers are usually better. Uber drivers may not always speak English though, so you may need someone from local to coordinate with them. Also, we'd recommend avoiding taking an Uber if you're alone at night. 2) The Delhi Metro has good connectivity across the city. Trains are crowded (please take care of your belongings!) , so pro tip is to move towards the cars at either end (FYI the first car of the metro is reserved for ladies only) 3) The hotels concierge can arrange cars for you too, but those may be more expensive. 4) We're trying to arrange group transport for the wedding events - will update you! 5) Please avoid buses altogether, and avoid walking alone at night. In general, walking is not a common way to get from one place to another in Delhi.

Question

What is this I hear about Indian weddings and plates? Are these plates of the dental or tectonic persuasion?

Answer

Sooooo this is an awkward question, but essentially your teeth are fine, and earthquakes are as unlikely as the rest of the world (which means less likely than California). Basically, the concept is that the food is buffet style (rather than sit down, so you can get food whenever you'd like!), and the way caterers keep count is on a per plate basis. Therefore, it's completely acceptable (and standard practice) to use the same plate and go get seconds, thirds, or even 50th helpings of that dish that you know you'll regret eating tomorrow. Also, just so that you prepare your appetites, in addition to the buffet, there's also a constant stream of heavy appetizers and dessert, so make sure you catch 'em all!

Question

Where can I get a phone SIM?

Answer

If you have an international pack, you should be all set. However, local SIMs are usually pretty cheap and available at the airport (get one of Vodafone, Airtel, or Jio). Just keep in mind that if you have a fancy iPhone, you may need to unlock it before installing a new SIM. Also check out Trabug (trabug.com). Full disclosure: we haven't used it, but it sounds like it could be useful!

Question

What's the weather like in Delhi in December?

Answer

Think Chicago fall, minus the wind. It's pretty foggy in the mornings, but should warm up during the day before getting cold again at night. One thing to note is that the Delhi smog (smoke + fog) gets bad during December, so maybe carry a mask/anti-allergy meds if you'd like

Question

What are some things to carry?

Answer

1) Passport 2) Cash - Most Indian stores do take cards, but it's always better to have cash (aka Indian Rupees) to avoid annoying situations 3) Passport pictures - might need them for a SIM card 4) Keep copies of your passport/visa 4) Anti-allergy meds 5) Travel adapter for your electronics 6) Sunblock 7) Offline Google Maps of Delhi and Gurugram 8) Enthusiasm

Question

What is the USD Rupees exchange rate?

Answer

You should get ~Rs. 70 for every $. FYI The Indian currency looks like monopoly money.