Mike Murphy: has travelled the world as a student, a traveller and a working individual. He is young a lad and is still trying to find new places to explore!
 
I spent six months studying in India. During that time, with my limited budget I managed to take some interesting trips. I did, however, come up with some tips for other people who might also be interested to go. Firstly, the best time of the year to travel in India for me was around January. Although a still chilly time of year, you should be able to manage to avoid the hot and/or wet seasons – unless you are planning on staying longer than a short holiday.

I spent six months studying in India. During that time, with my limited budget I managed to take some interesting trips. I did, however, come up with some tips for other people who might also be interested to go. Firstly, the best time of the year to travel in India for me was around January. Although a still chilly time of year, you should be able to manage to avoid the hot and/or wet seasons – unless you are planning on staying longer than a short holiday.
 
Another handy tip is to take a lot of medication with you. Perhaps not so necessary for those staying for a short period of time, I took with me a large number of different types of medication, and at some stage or another managed to use almost all of it. Although it is possible to purchase almost all of the medication you would normally buy at home, the quality or ease of availability may not be there when you need it the most – and so it is always handy to carry it around with you.
 
Culture shock is also something important to take into consideration when travelling for a long time in a country that has a different culture to your own. In my personal experience of India, the first month I spent in bliss in the romantic exoticness of it all. However, after a while, my stay as a holiday began to end, and the reality of living in a third world country kicked in. The culture shock of India can be very well managed I believe depending upon the people around you, and how they influence you perception of your stay. In general however, and a big generalisation, Indian people are very friendly and curious toward tourists.
 
Be aware however of those who a selling items or services to you, as the rates they sometimes charge are not always what they should be! I would recommend India as a tourist destination for those either with a lot of money and want to see India from the luxury of their five-star hotel windows, or for those with a limited budget and are backpacking.
 
Both can offer a rewarding, but completely different experiences. Finally, I must say that India is an extremely large and diverse country that is undergoing large economic changes that are affecting both the political (legal) and social realms of the country. Therefore, expect the unexpected as what you will do, others may not have experienced previously, and will not be able to in the future.