From Barcelona to India: What you need from the pharmacy

Not only a claim made by us, but the National Geographic also agree that Barcelona is the best beach city in Europe. Although we know we are very blessed to live in a city that has it all, we are not cemented here! As with many of you, our curious minds lead us to wander. And this summer we went wandering in India.

 

From the point of being issued a visa, to the appropriate clothing, and being in the know about what medicine you really will need, preparing for a trip to India is not easy. Since we’ve already done the dog work ourselves, we want to share our learnings with you – landing in India is quite a culture shock if it’s your first time. Not an exhaustive list, these are the basics we recommend you take to make your trip as comfortable as possible.

 

Medicine
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Let’s first address the prime problem of travelling in India…..Delhi belly. Although we can take precautions such as avoiding uncooked food, raw fruit and vegetables and drinking tap water, a bout of stomachache is almost unavoidable. However we can pack sensibly to deal with this very common issue. We advise you to take:

 

– Charcoal tablets 
(For releasing stomach pain)
– Imodium
(To treat and prevent diarrhea)
– Rehydration tablets or saches
(To replace lost fluids and salt in the body)
– Warm nutmeg and salt tea
(An Ayurvedic solution to prevent diarrhea)
– Paracetamol
(It will not relieve diarrhea but it will help with any pain or headache associated with diarrhea)

 

Following Delhi belly, the next culprit to consider is the bug bite. Depending on the region and month you visit India, mosquitos can be harmful.  Always check for peak exposure and places, wear light coloured and loose fitting clothing and take the necessary precautions against being bitten. We suggested you take with you one or more of the following:
Strong insect repellent
(For peak exposure and places)
Malaria tablets
(For high risk malaria zones)
Mustard oil
(The Ayurvedic prevention to bug bites)
Many other problems we face in India could be avoided or lessened by being mindful about packing. Here is a little helping hand:
Water purifying tablets
(Always use them when you don’t know the source of water. And note: never buy mineral water if the seal has been broken – a commonality in India)
Hand sanitiser
(Especially use this to kill the germs on your hands before eating)
Tissues
(I’m afraid to break it to you but many of the public toilets will have no toilet paper – a packet of pocket tissues will be a blessing on more than one occasion)

Wet wipes
(In such a humid country, wet wipes are perfect for a quick refresh during the day or after travelling on public transport)

Antihistamine
(Being exposed to a new diet, you never know if you may have a food intolerance. Take these as a precaution)
Plasters
(Especially useful for foot blisters if you will be trekking in the Himalayas)
Sun cream
(Regardless of the season, keep your skin healthy with a minimum SPF 30)
Tampons/Tampax/DivaCup
(If you travel outside of the cities you may not find any tampons or tampax in the local shops. Always be prepared especially as your period may be out of synch with the new environment)
Travel accessories
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The travel accessory market is huge. Deciding what will and won’t be useful is an overwhelming job. Some of our travel accessories have been true life savers. Here’s what we couldn’t live without:
– Torch
(For use during the many power cuts)
– Rain poncho
(If you travel during the monsoon season you will find this your new best friend)
– Body pouch
(For safety, always keep your valuables such as passport, credit cards and money in your body pouch away from preying eyes)
– Comfort pillow
(This will give you much needed comfort while on the road or if you prefer more than one pillow for sleeping – much of the accommodation is basic in India)
– Shampoo
(Read our earlier blog on all the wonderful uses of shampoo while travelling) ()
– Good quality walking shoes
(For walking around the cities or trekking in the mountains, using your own ‘walked in’ shoes will be a god send in the Indian heat.
– Travel towel
(The list of uses of the travel towel is endless and if cleanliness is a bug bear of yours, you will for sure opt to use this over most hotel towels you see)
– Sheet sleep bag
(Again if you like to sleep clean, you will be incredibly grateful for this small, foldable and light cotton sheet)
– Large padlock
(Unfortunately many of the padlocks on the doors in hotel rooms either don’t work or are so small any bypasses could break in. Take your own sturdy padlock for piece of mind)

 

And please enjoy your incredible India adventure. The energy fields in India are like no other in the world.

Your La Pedrera team.

2 Comments Add yours

  1. Good article! Quite complete!! Congrats…
    I just want to say that sometimes all you need is prevention and good advice from a professional!!!????
    There are things in nature that you couldn’t possibly plan! ???? apothemary.com

    1. Thanks for your comment. We totally agree with you 🙂

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