California Journeywoman, Carolyn Masler is a fifty-nine year old psychotherapist who has trekked successfully in India enough times to be able to offer her advice. Caroline writes...

I'm sending along some of the practical and the philosophical ideas that continue to work for me when I travel to India. Perhaps they will work for other journey women as well.

Next step is the bargaining process. Before you settle on a price, it is very important to insist that the porters and guides be precise as to exactly what they will do and how much each of these jobs will cost. If they can read, I make out some sort of a contract. If they can't, I take along and use a small recorder so that, after the trek, I can play back to them exactly what our agreement was. I've found that this kind of precision is very important because otherwise there can be disputes about what is owed.

The Philosophical

Don't take yourself too seriously. Remember, nobody cares who you are or what you are. Seriousness turns people off. It's important to be able to laugh at yourself and to laugh at the absurdities of life. Laughter lightens the burden and relieves the stress of traveling--especially in India.

Be flexible; let go of old rules. There will be many times when you are helpless. Treasure those times, they teach you about your real place in the world.

There are times when it is important to be cautious. Traveling can be dangerous, but I think that most new travelers err on the side of being overly cautious. Their suspicion overwhelms the experience and the wonder of the moment is lost.

Don't expect your journey to go smoothly. There is always a problem of one kind or another to deal with. It is all part of the experience and the challenge.