Packing for Monsoon in Mumbai/Bangalore

clen3k

I've read through all the monsoon/footwear topics here, but I still have some very specific questions, because while I realise what rain is like, I doubt I have any real idea what a monsoon feels like.

We will fly to Mumbai at the end of July and on to Bangalore the next day and stay there for two weeks. 'We' is four women ages between 20-50.

What on Earth should we pack?

Footwear, would fabric Converse be too humid? I'd planned on throwing them away at the end of the trip. (We're budget travellers, so expensive stuff's out of the question)

What to wear? Do long pants get too muddy and would capris be ok then? Do we need jackets as well besides cotton t-shirts (basically, how hot/could is it)?

And last but not least: how do you guys protect your stuff from getting dripping wet? I'm especially concerned about a pretty expensive camera I'm bringing.

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We're probably not going to book a hotel in Bangalore in advance, or should we? And flights from Mumabai to Bangalore and back we're not going to book in advance either... or should we?

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What about travelling around Bangalore and the towns nearby? We were planning on renting bikes, but is this a ridiculous idea with the monsoon?

capt_mahajan

Mumbai monsoons: think of a shower on full, slush and sometimes more than ankle deep water on the streets (and, err, much higher if it floods), passing vehicles splashing more on you...

Unless you are being driven around, any fabric shoes -or even leather ones- will get ruined or waterlogged quite quickly. Many locals wear plastic or rubber shoes for the monsoons, and/or often roll up their trousers.

It is not cold at all. No jackets required. Raincoats, yes, unless, like me, you don't like them.

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Outside the machine

Schmile

Oh I want to know about this too. I am going to be in Bangalore for all of August and the shoe dilemma is really confusing me.
I have some plastic converse would these be ok? I am guessing now that actual canvas converse would be a bad idea.

mitzijanell

Tevas are good for walking around in general. I am very picky about not wanting to put my feet in the flood waters here so even if there is just a couple of inches of water, I wear rubber boots (galoshes). But, if you are okay with your feet in the flood waters, I see many people walk around in rubber slippers during monsoon.

heyhay

So is it perhaps worth buying some shoes locally to wear when out and about in the monsoon?
Must admit i don't fancy plastic shoes much but am sure they are the best option if that's what the experts do!

Kayde

Get the Rain boots before coming. You will be glad you did!!! Monsoon is nasty!