Travel Tip Number 1 - Start Walking

It has been said that the Pilgrimage to India begins when you decide to do it. Well, this can mean a lot of different things to each person, but to me it means that now is the time to make the most of your decision to travel half way around the world to visit this very exotic culture. Now is the time to study the culture and read tour books. Now is the time to start getting in shape. Now is the time to start saving money. The more we learn now, the more comfortable the trip will be. When we already have a bit of basic understanding of this culture, we can truly appreciate what it can mean for us personally.

Travel Tip #1

Start getting in shape. I am going to pass on the advice of Dr. Roizen of "Real Age" fame. (also on "Oprah") Go for a walk for half an hour every day. You don't have to walk fast. You don't have to measure miles -- just measure time. It is unbelievable what this can do for you.

I started doing this myself in April 2006 after returning from my 4th trip to India. I thought I was in good shape, except that I caught the flu about a month after returning. Well, it was a cold and rainy day and I felt miserable, but it sounded like a good idea. So I started walking around inside my house, barefoot, and with the intention to look only at the clock and not the piles of unfinished work lying around. I have not missed a day since. Honestly. I don't know what it is about walking around first thing in the morning, barefoot, no hurry, no worries (yet), only the clock to satisfy. But this works for me.

You might already be on a more aggressive training program. But in case you are not. Try this one. If it is nice outside (you decide the definition of "nice"), walk for half an hour or more outside. If it is not nice outside, walk inside. You can walk more than half an hour, but do not walk less. Walk as fast or as slow as you feel like, but do it every day.

Barefoot is a separate issue. Of course good walking shoes are essential for any kind of endurance workout. But in India, we will be visiting Holy temples and shrines where we will be leaving our shoes outside in the specially tended "shoe stall" and we will be walking around barefooted inside. If you have practiced walking barefooted, even a little bit, this will feel like a beautiful and natural experience. You will be meeting India on a very personal level through your feet. More on this later when we talk about shoes.