Health
The entire Indian sub continent has the same health hazards so one line of defence should cover you on all territories. The major risks to your health from the armies of mosquitoes are malaria, encephalitis, kala azar and dengue. Cover your arms and legs; be liberal with the repellent and in problem areas sleep under a mosquito net. Traveller's diarrhoea is another running problem and year after year traveller after traveller gets the ‘loosies'. Ensure it's nothing nastier by avoiding green salads, uncooked food, and water that you haven't sanitised by dropping an iodine pill into. Slightly more serious is the risk of contacting AIDS, Hepatitis B and other sexually transmitted diseases. For your sake and the sake of the people you're visiting always use a condom. Have safe responsible sex. Also carry sunscreen with minimum SPF 20 to escape sunburn. The quality of health services is fairly adequate in Surat with well-equipped hospitals, 24-hour chemists shops, competent doctors and adequate medical services. Medicines are fairly cheap and though chemist shops in the cities are well stocked, it is always a good idea to take along prescription drugs. Travellers from yellow fever areas are required to have an inoculation certificate . Prior inoculation for poliomyelitis is recommended.

Safety
Gujarat is a safe destination for travellers who follow the rules and play safe. One of the things that protect travellers to India is the vast crowd in most places. The multitudes however, disappear into their homes at night, and you go from having a huge thick safety quilt to a flimsy sheet! Political disturbances and riots are usually localised and everyone's aware well in advance of potentially troubled days ahead. Cases of mugging, theft and worse aren't completely unheard of but by and large serious crimes against travellers are few and far between.

Basic precautions
Keep your money and travel documents close to your body (perhaps in a pouch slung around your neck, tucked out of sight under your shirt), Keep several photocopies of your passport, insurance, travellers' cheques etc. scattered through your luggage, Do not use a waist pouch, it may as well be a transparent plastic bag: it's that fragile and that obvious! Do not put all your money in one place, Many women travellers wear the long tunic and loose pyjama dress of Indian women called the salwar-kameez and find that it substantially dissuades unwanted male attention. If you are travelling alone, do not advertise it. If you lose your passport lodge a First Information Report at the local police station and contact your embassy.

What to bring
Light cotton clothes for the summer months and a warmer sweater or jacket for the cooler winter evenings, a first aid kit containing essential medicines, insect and mosquito repellents, sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat, if you plan to sightsee on a hot summer day. Most standard brands of toiletries, cosmetics and medicines are easily available; fancier or more exclusive brands will most definitely not be available. Extra camera films, walking shoes/sandals and cotton socks and a spare pair of prescription glasses should complete the list, though all of the last mentioned items can be easily acquired in Surat .

                         It's hopefully been a great tour of town .