1. Keep Your Shoe Safe
If you're visiting Kapaleeshwarar Temple,
you'll see most of the Indian visitors just
leaving their shoes and sandals by the
entrance gate. I would advise that you do NOT follow their example, as our shoes were stolen from there. A little way down from the gate there actually is a booth where you can leave your shoes to be guarded, for a very small fee.
Compared to the hassle of having to find new shoes when you're in bare feet, it's well worth it (luckily there were stalls selling flip-flops for about 200INR just round the corner!)
2. Chennai Drinking Water
Please never ever drink water from tap in
Chennai. Even the locals buy water in pet jars or in pouches, they come cheap. The ground water of Chennai is salty. The Chennai corporation has not been able to provide potent drinking water to their citizen. The local brands are also process water with reverse osmosis technology, they are safe enough.
P/S: I only drink Kinley processed water (Product of Coca Cola)
3. Beggars
There's plenty in Chennai. It's really sad
when children too come up to you for money. When I was here, a child who looked barely 7 came up to me and said, "10 Rupees, sir, 10 Rupees, Ma'am..." she was tugging at my shirt. You just have to ignore them and move on, lest a whole swarmful will come up to youonce they see you giving money.
4. Motor Vehicle Accident and Chennai's Road
Look both ways when you cross the street. And then look again. Not only is the trafficextremely disorganized, as a foreigner you're bound to get stared at by motorists which can itself lead to accidents.
5. Leptospirosis, Malaria and Thypoid
Don't step barefoot into puddles which can harbor leptosporosis. Better yet, take
Doxycycline as your anti-malarial because it will take care of lepto as well as malaria. Drink only bottled water and don't drink beverages that are served with ice.
