Chennai (Madras) What to Pack

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Many brands available in the west are available here under other names. One thing NOT available is Pepto Bismol. (Gelusil is similar, but not as good.) For the most part, you will be able to find what you need, although not always where you expect to find it. If you find something you recognize, buy it - you might not find it again.

Some notes:

Local medications can be very strong, and can make you drowsy and/or nauseated.

It’s hard to get anything that doesn’t have perfume or dye in it (soap, washing powder, etc), so if you’re sensitive, best to bring those things with you.

You can find most contact lens supplies, but they tend to be harsher than what you get in the west. Stores where you buy glasses often have contact lens supplies. Plain saline can be hard to come by.

Not much is stocked for fair-skinned people, including makeup, hair dyes, etc; although you can find reasonably good sun screens (it's desireable to be fair here, so no one wants to be darkened by the sun).

Luggage and bags: 1. Backpack

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: 1. Sandals.
2. Sunglasses
3. Cap
4. Shorts
5. Light cotton T-shirts

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: 1. Shaving Kit

Photo Equipment: 1. Camera
2. Camcorder
3. Additional discs, tapes, films

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: 1. Bottled water
2. Mosquito repellant
3. Sunscreen lotion

Miscellaneous: 1. Avoid full-sleeve shirts during summer.
2. Shoes would feel rough on the feet during summer heat.

Luggage and bags: Well locked, protected.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: light clothing.dont bother with whites as the dust will turn them a different colour in no time.
Sunglasses to protect eyes from flying dust.
Sandals, flip-flops, sneakers if you dont want to get your feet dirty.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Get wet ones to carry in your bag, for occasions when the dust is caked on your face, your hands are dirty but the toilets stink...etc.
Vicks to rub under your nostrils and deter unpleasant smells as well as repel mosquitos.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: Indians don't use bathing suits at the beac, swimming fully clothed or with sarongs on...

Luggage and bags: Light as you will probably have to walk a bit

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Comfy shoes, the roads are dusty and crowded

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Any toiletry you can think of. I was creative in buying a lot of micro size bottles. Unless you are lucky, a close-by convenient store won't be easy to find or reach without taking a cab

Photo Equipment: A must, but be careful to put your batteries in your check in luggage, they could confiscate your lithium battery ($$$) at the airport/

Miscellaneous: Very light clothes as it easily reach 40 Celcius there in the summer.

Luggage and bags: try to avoid the huge back-packs common in Europe. Thing is Madras is very Humid. it makes life miserable with heavy loads. carry a small ruck-sack or something just enough for your water bottles, change of t-shirts and other necessities.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Cotton, Baumwolle, coton...i don't know the word cotton in other languages. the weather makes it absolutely necessary for you to wear cotton. also, avoid stuffy shoes. best for the weather, indian chappals or sandals. carry an umbrella/hat for the sun.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: sun lotion, medicines for diarhhoea, dysentry and fever.

Photo Equipment: take your own camera. you can buy film rolls (Kodak and Fuji) cheap in madras itself. develop your photos here as it is much cheaper than germany (my only comparator)

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: mahabalipuram is one endless stretch of beach. thoug if you want provacy, go to a resort. india is still conservative and madras more so. so wear some appropriate beach clothes

Miscellaneous: I have added a TRAVELOGUE on how MADRAS was in its younger days...have a look,im sure u would enjoy it... :-)

Luggage and bags: http://www.chennaibest.com/discoverchennai/sightseeing/tipsvisit/tipsvist.asp

Miscellaneous: the pic u see next is the Ripon Building...the architectural masterpiece housing the CORPORATION OF MADRAS...