Layover in New Dehli with 3 yo

Hi,

We are planning a trip to Bhutan this fall with our 3 1/2 yo daughter. The most direct route for us (from NJ) seems to be via New Dehli. We will need to spend at least one night there, maybe more (it seems Druk Air, which flies from New Dehli into Bhutan, is rather known for delayed/cancelled/overbooked flights)

I admit, travelling to India in any capacity with a small child makes me nervous for health reasons. Am I being a worry-wart or is there cause for concern? And are there vaccines she should have (other than what she would need for Bhutan)?

And what sort of accomodations would we find near the airport in New Dehli? I don't mind splurging.

THANKS.

Heidi

Dear Heide,
I wouldn't worry too much if you are only going to stay in New Dehli for a night or so. The thing to watch most would be Hepatitis and I would check that these injections are given. If you are happy to splurg on accom you are bound to find a 4 star hotel fine. Just watch that your daughter doesn't drink the water that includes no salads, bottled water for tooth brushing, no ice in drinks and no opening mouth in the shower/bath etc. Just use universal precautions and all will be fine. Oh, at 3 1/2 watch out the daughter doesn't touch cats/dogs etc. I always have to remind my daughter as she loves animals. Mosquito repelant is always good to use anywhere in Asia.
Have a good time.

THANKS! Much appreciated. I wouldn't have though about not opening her mouth in the shower, great tip.

There is an excellent mozzie repellent available in India called Odomos. It's fine for even babies to use and works a treat.
I think I'd be more concerned about taking a wee one to Bhutan. How's the medical care there?
See the cdc site for info about innoculations.

cheers from Ruth

Dear Heide
My husband Dale already replied to you about your trip but I thought that I'd add my two cents worth. Re staying one night in New Delhi: airports in India have 'retiring rooms' (hotel rooms) actually inside the airport for people who are continuing travel within the next 24 hours. You just ask for the airport manager--all the staff are friendly and will point you in the right direction. The rooms are fine and not too expensive, but an airport is not necessarily the most fun place to spend a lot of time hanging around. If you're arriving late afternoon and leaving early morning they're fine, but if it's any longer then do find a proper hotel nearby--definitely nearby! You have no idea how dense the Indian traffic is and how long it will take to drive somewhere! Don't even bother losing sleep over things such as child carseats and seat belts, either. They don't exist at all and actually the taxi drivers etc are much safer than you expect. The only thing to do is relax and enjoy the chaos. Stressing about it will not help you enjoy your holiday!

Bhutan is a wonderful country but do make sure that your car trips are never longer than a few hours. It is very hilly and so all the roads are very winding and usually only one lane wide--lots of wide spaces for overtaking, though, and all the traffic is very cooperative and safe. Very different from India! It does mean, though, that the usual average speed is 30 kmh (18 mph) so a trip of 150 km that might only take two hours at home will take 5 hours in Bhutan. Not joking: it is rare to find a straight stretch of road longer than a hundred yards. Does your daughter get carsick?

Bhutanese breakfasts include porridge/eggs/cornflakes/toast so your daughter should start the day happy, but do make it clear that 'no spice' in other meals means YOUR idea of no spice, ie not even a little bit. Doesn't hurt to carry your own biscuits etc (available everywhere) in case of hunger pangs. You will have enormous meals but often kids don't eat when you want them to, then get hungry later on. Jam is also available, of course, and we took a small plastic box containing a 250g block of cheddar cheese so the kids could snack on that too--or mix it through rice at lunchtime. In Australia this cheese is kept unrefrigerated on supermarket shelves and it lasts well without going off even after being opened. No need for refrigeration. India has cheese slices, too. Milk, yoghurt and icecream are all fine in both India and Bhutan; the milk is pasteurised.

They're lovely people and will adore your daughter. Plenty of western tourists go there but not many western kids so she'll get plenty of attention. We explained to our 4 yo that everyone would want to be her friend because they will think she's special (blonde hair/creamy skin/blue eyes compared to their brown skin/black hair). So she was ready for it to some extent. They will also want photos of themselves with your daughter so it would be a good idea to tell her that too.

Take some little presents with you that represent your country, for instance if you visit a school they might like a flag/stickpins/badges etc, plus something for the headmaster would be nice. We gave him a coffee mug with kangaroos on it. Also a nice gift for your driver and guide. Nobody will open a gift in front of you; that is not their culture. They do it later, in private, so if anyone gives you a gift it's a good idea to just thank them and not open it in front of them unless they really really seem to want you to.

Our driver and guide were wonderful at helping with the children. They held their hands, lifted them in and out of the car and even carried them for long distances if they thought the children were getting tired from walking. They helped enormously and seemed endlessly willing even though carrying kids isn't part of their normal duties. A generous tip (in an envelope of course) at the end of your trip will be much appreciated; they don't get much of the enormous daily fees we pay. Don't take a stroller at all. There are almost no footpaths in India or Bhutan, the sides of the roads are often broken and rocky, and when crossing roads in India you will probably carry your daughter--much safer than having her sticking miles in front of you in a stroller and presenting a much bigger target for the traffic to hit. There are plenty of taxis, cheap (but bargain a bit!), to get you anywhere if you get tired. But do get your daughter used to long walks; it will make your life so much easier and ours managed fine, with stops for drinks/icecream/sightseeing. Many days they walked 10 km without even noticing, over the course of the day not all at once.

We don't regret for a moment all that money we spent going to Bhutan. We loved every moment of it and hope you do too.