The first and most important step is to apply for your Indian Visa

If you live in one of the following cities, you can apply in person:

Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, Toronto, Ottowa or Vancouver

Otherwise you’ll need to file by mail

Information Needed

*Name and address of references in India

1. Likir House, A-30 Lajpat Nagar-II, New Delhi 110024, tel # 29832141

2. Hotel Tokyo Vihar, Opposite to Japanese Temple, Bodhgaya, Dist, Gaya, Bihar 824231

*Name and address of reference in Applicant’s country

In the USA you can use me, Laura Durand PO Box 123 Boulder, Co 80306

Please follow this link to apply for your India Tourist Visa

The second step is to Call your doctor or find a travel medicine clinic near you

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentTravelClinics.aspx

Please make an appointment (at least two months in advance of your trip) to receive the Hepatitis A and other routine immunizations such as typhoid, adult polio booster and re-vaccination of tetanus-diphtheria (recommended every 10 years)

The third step is to become a member of the Kagyu Monlam

*Only if you will be participating in one of our Monlam trips

Recommended things to bring:

Kagyu Monlam prayer book (order on-line or available at the event)* Only necessary if attending Kagyu Monlam

FM radio with earphones *needed to tune it to English translation at the Kagyu Monlam (you can turn your ipod into a fm receiver with iFM or a number of devices sold on ebay. Your mobile phone might have a radio program, so check that before purchasing something)

Camera

Extra batteries for your things that require batteries or rechargeable batteries and a charger

Plug adaptor if you are bringing electronics, battery chargers, etc…The plug system for India: is 230-240V 50Hz. If you are bringing a computer, I would invest in a travel surge protector.

Travel alarm clock

Small notebook for teachings

Pens/pencils

Small bag/day pack to bring to the events each day

Waist pack or similar to keep passport on you and secure

You can make inexpensive calls from India at telephone stands, but if you want, bring a Telephone card to make calls from your hotel.

Masks for dust and pollution

Hand sanitizer bring a few 4 oz bottles as well as a few travel packs of Hand wipes.

Packs of pocket tissues (for toilet paper etc.. )

Women: Tampons or Pads (you will not be able to buy there)

Your regular toiletries (remember to include body lotion) plus a small first aid kit that includes Ibuprofen or other pain relief medicine, Tylenol sinus (you will glad you did), Neosporin, Mosquito repellent (with DEET), anti-diarrhea/Imodium, Anti-motion sickness pills, band-aids, earplugs, eye mask…. You can buy most anything in India, and we will be beginning our trip in a city.

Sufficient supplies of any of your medications plus bring the prescription just in case.

Anti-Malaria Medicine (if you decide, although the chances of contracting it are slim)

Immune support I recommend Yin Chiao every three hours when I fly as well as 3X day 2 days before and after. You know what works best for your body, so bring what you like to take when you feel like you are coming down with something.  I also swear by Kick Ass Immune by Wish Garden herbs and of course NutriBiotic (grapefruit seed extract).

Vitamins and medications (Vitamin C and B complex are good for travel as well as a multi)

Alternative medicine: If you don’t take Western Medicine, it is good to be prepared with alternative remedies. You will most likely experience stomach upset, constipation and/or diarrhea and assuredly some sort of sinus/lung congestion due to the dirt and pollution.

I am a big believer in Chinese medicine and have experienced it to work much better and faster than most. I can recommend the following staples that I bring to India. But only as a friend and not in any official capacity:

Gan Mao Ling (Its extraordinary effectiveness makes this Traditional Chinese Cold Formula extremely popular. You can use it to prevent a cold when you’ve been exposed to someone with a cold or to clear a cold or flu when it has already taken hold. In many cases, a few doses of Gan Mao Ling at the first sign of symptoms , will completely alleviate all symptoms, but it is also frequently all that is needed to relieve full-blown cold symptoms. It is an excellent base formula since it is effective in both cold and heat illnesses. If symptoms include nasal and sinus congestion, the formula can be taken with Bi Yan Pian.

Bi Yan Pian is one of the more popular over-the-counter medicines. It is highly effective for nasal or sinus congestion as in the common cold, allergies and sinusitis. It can be used for sinus infections, but when treating an infection, it is best to be as aggressive as possible, since it can quickly progress to a more serious condition. For this reason, this formula is often combined with one that focuses more on clearing infections such as Chuan Xin Lian

Chuan Xin Lian is a powerful antibacterial and antiviral formula

Other formulas I like are Belamcanda 15 (Respiratory Infection, expels phlegm, stops cough) and Ilex 15 (taken at first sign of symptoms such as scratchy throat or sniffles. superior for viral infection.), both by Seven Forests

There is a Tibetan Medical clinic in Bodhgaya (Tibetan Medicine). The times are limited and you may end up waiting for hours, so I suggest just being prepared. If you don’t want to carry an abundance of remedies, then just know that there is access to a very good India Homeopathic Doctor and 2 Tibetan Doctors that come to Bodhgaya for the Monlam and set up shop.

Sugar Substitutes: If you use any alternative sweeteners, such as Agave, Stevia, or Splenda, you should bring it with you. You can buy honey and our hotel in Bodhgaya will have it. It isn’t nearly as good as the stuff we’re used to, so if you are a honey person, bring it for your first cup of tea in the am, then it can remain in the hotel and not be such a burden. (Just be sure to put it in a ziplock  bag or two)

No Jet Lag for assisting with long plane trips and adjusting to new time zones. This is a homeopathic remedy that is now widely available at most drug stores

Laundry soap for hand washing (you can buy something in India but the detergents are harsh) and I always bring a pair of dish gloves to do my laundry

Comfortable shoes that slip on and off (Bodhgaya is dusty, so I bring crocks so I can wash them each day)

Foot Care: Pumice stone, foot soak

Sun protection: hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen)

If you wear glasses, pack an extra pair in case your are lost/broken

A Yoga Mat is nice to have, but difficult to pack

Ziploc bags in various sizes (You will be amazed how you will find various uses for these amazing bags)

Small flashlight and headlamp

Small/travel binoculars (not necessary, but many people enjoy having them.)

Food Bars: A MUST: cliff bars/power bars/lara bars etc…an assortment of protein and fruit/nut bars…(I always pack a few bags of nuts as well)

Electrolyte replenishing powder like electro mix/ultima replenisher/cliff shot/nuun tablets (my favorite)

Tea and Coffee If you drink coffee, bring ground coffee and a travel press. (Last year a few people brought the new instant coffee from Starbucks that comes in single packets. It is really good. Comes in Regular and Decaf) All you will find outside of Delhi is Nescafe. And no decaf.

If you drink herbal tea, bring plenty, (stomach soothers and digestive aid teas will come in handy) as it is difficult to find outside of the major cities and impossible to find decaffeinated tea of any kind in Bodhgaya). A small non-dairy creamer if you don’t drink milk. You can find coffee mate in Delhi.

Thermos for hot water/tea (served during Monlam)

If you like to read, bring more than a few English books with you or a Kindle. Perhaps some of you on the trip can exchange paperbacks. English books in India are very expensive.

Make copies of your passport and Indian visa to leave at home and to keep separate from the originals while traveling.

Bring a copy of the heart sutra to read on our day trip to Vulture Peak.

Chocolate is a must! It hard to find good dark chocolate in India, so is sugarless chewing gum

CUSHIONS:

You will be able to purchase a cushion in Bodhgaya.

They are much harder than we are used to, but unless you have some back problems, so far, everyone on my trips have been fine.

Some people have brought inflatable cushions or portable camping type chairs.

CLOTHES

This year the trip is Dec-Jan, when the weather is temperate to chilly to cold.

Bring lightweight, loose fitting, cotton or natural fiber clothes that you can layer. Smart wool is a good brand for lightweight wool undershirts. Pants or long skirts with draw string or elastic waists are easy to wear. A lightweight down jacket or vest, fleece, warm (wool) socks, winter type hat, gloves, scarf /wrap.

Everyone always asks what I bring, so I’ll tell you here. I bring a down vest, a few hoodie sweatshirts,some lightweight smart wool undershirts, a wool/cashmere/pashmina wrap, jeans, yoga type pants made of cotton lycra and various other shirts and blouses that don’t need to be ironed.

I always bring one set of nice clothes for audiences with Rinpoche’s. ( For women, it is nice to have a pair of earrings and a necklace. For men, no ties, but a nice dress shirt and pair of khaki’s). You can always have the clothes ironed by the hotel once and then re-wear them.  On trips where there will be holidays such as Christmas and New Years Eve, I bring something festive.