There is a lot (!) to consider when travelling, especially for a medical procedure. If you think you may want to consider Kshar Sutra you'll need:
A passport that will be valid for at least 6 months after the date of your arrival
A travel visa - you will be required to have a travel visa in order to enter India. Be careful, there are many sites that claim to submit paperwork for you...for a fee. It was relatively painless for us to get a travel visa after applying on the Indian government site.
Vaccines - we got tetanus, typhoid, malaria and made sure our measles/mumps/rubella shot was up to date. We also got Dukoral to prevent travelers’ diarrhea
Medicines - This is up to you (well, it all is), but we decided to take standard travelling meds (immodium, tums etc)
A reputable doctor
Spending money (we were unable to get Indian Rupees at our banks so have to take Canadian money with us to be exchanged later)
A plane ticket (no brainer)
Leave from work - if you're working, you will need to arrange to have a large chunk of time off work as you will need to be able to visit the doctor once a week. Since I'm Canadian, that means I had to book 6 weeks off of work and stay in India that whole time.
Someone to look after any children or pets
Someone to house sit - luckily my husband's parents agreed to house sit for us while we're away. They'll also look after our cat. You may also want to consider subletting your house or apartment in order to keep things as cost neutral as possible.
Things to consider while abroad:
So far, I've been told the following:
The weather is hot. Much more than I'm used to. Pack light clothing that allows your skin to breathe - for example cotton and linen.
Be careful of which taxi you choose. Some taxis are licensed, some are not. Government licensed taxis are best for tourists
Traffic is crazy. They tend to beep their horns to indicate they want to turn instead of using signal lights. People will bang on the sides and or roofs of cars to let the driver know they are there (and don't get run over) since cars and bikes will squeeze into any available space. Traffic is congested.
When crossing the street, do what the locals do - it will lessen the chance of you getting run over. Don't try to figure out the traffic rules yourself!
Be careful what time of day you go outside / where you are. This applies no matter where you are. Every area has places that are more seedy than others. Always be aware of your surroundings.
Be careful of which ATM machines you use and where they are located.
Lots of people can speak English, but some can't. When choosing a cab driver, keep that in mind.
Be careful of the food. I'd recommend avoiding street venders. The markets are great, but be wary of fruits and veggies and only choose things you can peel or boil. Eat cooked food whenever possible.
Don't drink the water (unless you want a diarrhea vacation). Make sure to drink bottled water and also use that to brush your teeth. Also avoid ice and if you have drinks made, try to make sure they are made with canned juices, not fresh juice.
Of course, at the end of the day, how cautious you want to be (or not) is up to you!
Please note - everything stated is my personal opinion. I am not a medical professional. Kshar Sutra treatment is not approved in Canada or the USA. People choosing to travel to India to undergo Kshar Sutra treatment do so at their own risk.
A passport that will be valid for at least 6 months after the date of your arrival
A travel visa - you will be required to have a travel visa in order to enter India. Be careful, there are many sites that claim to submit paperwork for you...for a fee. It was relatively painless for us to get a travel visa after applying on the Indian government site.
Vaccines - we got tetanus, typhoid, malaria and made sure our measles/mumps/rubella shot was up to date. We also got Dukoral to prevent travelers’ diarrhea
Medicines - This is up to you (well, it all is), but we decided to take standard travelling meds (immodium, tums etc)
A reputable doctor
Spending money (we were unable to get Indian Rupees at our banks so have to take Canadian money with us to be exchanged later)
A plane ticket (no brainer)
Leave from work - if you're working, you will need to arrange to have a large chunk of time off work as you will need to be able to visit the doctor once a week. Since I'm Canadian, that means I had to book 6 weeks off of work and stay in India that whole time.
Someone to look after any children or pets
Someone to house sit - luckily my husband's parents agreed to house sit for us while we're away. They'll also look after our cat. You may also want to consider subletting your house or apartment in order to keep things as cost neutral as possible.
Things to consider while abroad:
So far, I've been told the following:
The weather is hot. Much more than I'm used to. Pack light clothing that allows your skin to breathe - for example cotton and linen.
Be careful of which taxi you choose. Some taxis are licensed, some are not. Government licensed taxis are best for tourists
Traffic is crazy. They tend to beep their horns to indicate they want to turn instead of using signal lights. People will bang on the sides and or roofs of cars to let the driver know they are there (and don't get run over) since cars and bikes will squeeze into any available space. Traffic is congested.
When crossing the street, do what the locals do - it will lessen the chance of you getting run over. Don't try to figure out the traffic rules yourself!
Be careful what time of day you go outside / where you are. This applies no matter where you are. Every area has places that are more seedy than others. Always be aware of your surroundings.
Be careful of which ATM machines you use and where they are located.
Lots of people can speak English, but some can't. When choosing a cab driver, keep that in mind.
Be careful of the food. I'd recommend avoiding street venders. The markets are great, but be wary of fruits and veggies and only choose things you can peel or boil. Eat cooked food whenever possible.
Don't drink the water (unless you want a diarrhea vacation). Make sure to drink bottled water and also use that to brush your teeth. Also avoid ice and if you have drinks made, try to make sure they are made with canned juices, not fresh juice.
Of course, at the end of the day, how cautious you want to be (or not) is up to you!
Please note - everything stated is my personal opinion. I am not a medical professional. Kshar Sutra treatment is not approved in Canada or the USA. People choosing to travel to India to undergo Kshar Sutra treatment do so at their own risk.
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