Guest guest Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Om Namah Sivaya! I have a few travel related questions I was hoping someone may be able to answer. I will be arriving at Trivandrum airport around 4:30am and am wondering if the pre-paid taxi booth will be available at this time and where it is located relative to baggage claim. Is it safe to travel to the ashram before sunrise? Once outside the airport, how easy is it to locate the taxi driver (i.e., will there be more than one driver trying to attract my business or is it pretty straightforward)? I'll be taking naturopathic anti-malarial medication with me, and plan on getting immunized for Hep A and Typhoid before I leave. Do you think this will suffice? Will there be a way to get a booster for Hep A while in India? Would you recommend that I take traditional Malaria Prophylaxis (Malarone) while on the North Indian tour? Has anyone tried using their ATM card or Visa card to get money from an ATM machine in Kerala? I'm wondering if I should bring my debit card with me or instead put most of my money on my credit card and get cash advances at the Amritapuri bank. With love in Amma, Kirsten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Hari OM! Om Amriteswariey Namaha! Blessed Kirsten, Kerala is a safe place to travel, that is why it is called as "GOD's own country". Now,Trivandrum airport info, there should be pre-paid taxi, and if you are going to Amma's place do not worry about anything, just keep full faith on Amma. I know about Cochin Airport, and I never landed at Trivandrum. Please help on Trivandrum airport if anybody knows. All the Hep A and Malarial medicines are available anywhere in India so no need to worry about it. I am a native of Palakkad, Kerala. Yes, during last vacation, I have used my Bank one ATM card and it is working, any of the ATM machines accepts, and you can pay even bills in the hotels. When You meet Amma, Please get a hug for me also, Pray for me also. OM Amriteswariye Namaha! OM Nama Shivaya! With Love & OM! Krishna Prasad Ammachi, <khd5@c...> wrote: > Om Namah Sivaya! > > I have a few travel related questions I was hoping someone may be able to answer. > > I will be arriving at Trivandrum airport around 4:30am and am wondering if the pre-paid taxi booth will be available at this time and where it is located relative to baggage claim. Is it safe to travel to the ashram before sunrise? Once outside the airport, how easy is it to locate the taxi driver (i.e., will there be more than one driver trying to attract my business or is it pretty straightforward)? > > I'll be taking naturopathic anti-malarial medication with me, and plan on getting immunized for Hep A and Typhoid before I leave. Do you think this will suffice? Will there be a way to get a booster for Hep A while in India? Would you recommend that I take traditional Malaria Prophylaxis (Malarone) while on the North Indian tour? > > Has anyone tried using their ATM card or Visa card to get money from an ATM machine in Kerala? I'm wondering if I should bring my debit card with me or instead put most of my money on my credit card and get cash advances at the Amritapuri bank. > > With love in Amma, > > Kirsten > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Om Namah Sivaya! I flew into Trivandrum at about 11pm a year ago August so here is what I know from that experience. > I will be arriving at Trivandrum airport around 4:30am and am wondering if the pre-paid taxi booth will be available at this time and where it is located relative to baggage claim. The airport is laid out so that you go through customs, get your luggage, pass by the money exchange area, then by the prepaid taxi area. It was my experience (coming and going) that all services are open when planes arrive and depart. There are many taxi drivers clustered around the exit, but I think it is safer to deal with the prepaid service. >Is it safe to travel to the ashram before sunrise? I felt safe, though overwhelmed by fatigue, culture shock etc. travelling at night. > Would you recommend that I take traditional Malaria Prophylaxis (Malarone) while on the North Indian tour? I took doxycycline (an effective antibiotic recommended by the CDC) to prevent malaria instead of antimalarials. This was at the recommendation of my M.D. who had travelled in the area and had some very bad (psycho-physical) side effects from malarone. You just have to be very careful to use sunscreen to prevent sunburn. See the CDC website for recommended vaccines. The best prevention is mosquito repellent. > Has anyone tried using their ATM card or Visa card to get money from an ATM machine in Kerala? I took travellers checks (american express) and easily cashed them at Amritapuri bank. Those with credit cards wanting a cash advance had to wait for approval. Things could have changed since then. I agree that the journey to Mother is always in Her hands, and blessed. May your travels be safe and full of Her grace. Jai Ma! Omana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 > > > Would you recommend that I take traditional > Malaria Prophylaxis > (Malarone) while on the North Indian tour? > > I took doxycycline (an effective antibiotic > recommended by the CDC) > to prevent malaria instead of antimalarials. This > was at the > recommendation of my M.D. who had travelled in the > area and had some > very bad (psycho-physical) side effects from > malarone. It's my understanding that a full 20% of the population have psychological problems on this type medicine, primarily depression. A world class traveller, Willie Weir, who bicycled across India, told me this. He became very depressed on it. > > I took travellers checks (american express) and > easily cashed them at > Amritapuri bank. This worked well for me, too. > May your travels be safe and full of Her > grace. Amen! > > Jyotsna > > > New Photos - easier uploading and sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2003 Report Share Posted December 13, 2003 Namah Shivaya, >> Has anyone tried using their ATM card or Visa card to get money > from an ATM machine in Kerala? > I took travellers checks (american express) and easily cashed them at > Amritapuri bank. Those with credit cards wanting a cash advance had > to wait for approval. Things could have changed since then. What a lot of residents do is establish an account at the bank in the ashram (requires 500rupee desposit). It reduces the wait in line considerably. Regarding the room mate situation: you might put out for some roommates who keep your hours through the various bulletin boards, etc. Or even through the net work at the Ashram. People come and go, and you might find some like minded people once you get there who would like a quiet room mate. Amma tends to take care of all these details, down to the minutest aspect, always with our spiritual growth in mind, and despite our own mind's arguments. And for added insurance, take good ear plugs! May she bless you with a peaceful stay! Oh, one other tip: do not, under any circumstances eat any raw food, even if served by the Western kitchen. And, you probably know this from your previous visit, but don't bother to take fancy western style shampoo cuz it won't lather in the hard water. Best to just get India style shampoo at the resident grocery. And to avoid catching bugs on plane, etc: Airbourne is a great product you can get a Walgreens. A bottle of Rosemary essential oil sniffed regularly also helps keep the immune system going. Have a great pilgrimage. In Amma's grace, premarupa Aum Amriteshvaryai Namah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greatly appreciate your generosity in sharing your advice and wisdom with me! Your responses clarified all my questions and enabled me to let go of concerns which had been taking up a lot of my mental and emotional energy and preventing me from fully focusing my attention on Amma. I will be feeling immense gratitude and love for you all as I implement your suggestions throughout the course of my journey. Your aspring servant, Kirsten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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