Travel

Hotel

Taj Krishna, Hyderabad

This is where we'll have the Sanchak Mehendi ceremony. It's also very close to my house in Hyderabad where we'll have other dinners and the mehendi (henna) artists on Wednesday for the guests!

Flight

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

This is where you'll fly in to Hyderabad. The airport is approximately an hour away from the hotel, but is connected via highway, which will allow you to bypass some of traffic you get in inner city roads.

Travel Note

Cab Information

When you arrive at the the airport, there are kiosks that provide cabs to the city. These are reliable cabs and will cost approximately $50 on the higher end (depending on the size of the car). DO NOT accept rides from people who come up to you and offer "better prices." Stick to the official kiosks at the airport. You can usually pay using your international credit card, with the addition of a fee (depending on your card). I'll be reachable via phone and text, in case you run into any issues.

Rental Car

Rental Car

I do not recommend driving in India or renting a car. India drives on the other side of the road, and has very idiosyncratic traffic rules.

Travel Note

Car for Innercity Travel

We will have cars available for use with a driver at your disposal at the hotel. I'll provide additional details closer to the date. Uber also works in India, although service time is not as fast as in the US due to traffic. Auto riskshaws are also a great and cheap way to get around for short distances, but do require some knowledge of local languages (either Urdu or Telugu).

Travel Note

Food

Hyderabad is known for its cuisine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyderabadi_cuisine) (see things to do page for restaurant recommendations), and while all the food is delicious, we suggest general cautionary measures so that you can enjoy your trip without any stomach mishaps. The food at the hotel (Taj Krishna) is geared towards foreign travelers, so is generally mild and cooked in sanitary conditions. For food outside the hotel, keep an eye out for the conditions in which the food is prepared. For example, I do not recommend eating at mall food courts in India, as the high concentration of food in one place results in unsanitary conditions. Generally avoid anything that is not hot/freshly cooked. This includes deserts or cold appetizers, including raw fruit and vegetables. Eat only small amounts, and never a full stomach. If there is something in your food that causes a reaction, then it'll pass through faster and affect you less. Carry Pepto-Bismol. I'd recommend a tab of pepto-bismol every morning as a cautionary measure. (https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/nutrition/traveler-s-diarrhea-diet#:~:text=Taking%202%20tablets%20of%20Pepto,to%20prevent%20diarrhea%20while%20traveling.) Do not eat street food, no matter how tempting it is. Avoid foods that are left uncovered. While there aren't many flies in December/January, they are still around and can carry a host of diseases.

Travel Note

Drinks

Local water in India is not safe for consumption. ONLY drink bottled water, even at restaurants. Bottled water is fairly cheap and will help you avoid any water based parasites. DO NOT consume ice. This is made with local water, and will cause stomach issues. Always let your waiters know that you want no ice with drinks, water, etc. At nicer establishments, you can confirm with the servers whether the ice is made using bottled water. Sodas are safe to consume. Juices may or may not be. I would avoid freshly squeezed juices as they can be mixed with local water or I would confirm with your server that no water has been added to the mix. Hot drinks like chai and filter coffee are fine to consume. Lassi/cold yogurt drinks, while delicious, are not safe to consume.