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Please
note that engINdia does not condone the
implementation of a solution to a Design
Challenge without the express consent of
and collaboration with the population of
Pabal, namely the management team at Vigyan
Ashram.
Any technology that is to be implemented
in Pabal must be producible using locally
available labor and materials and its impact
on the village and surrounding area must
be considered.
engINdia
also does not possess funds at this time
to pay for student travel or research project
implementation costs.
Congratulations,
you've completed your solution to a Design
Challenge! You've spent time researching,
collaborating with villagers in Pabal to
ensure that you've taken as many constraints
as possible into consideration. You've considered
what the impact of your project on a village
such as Pabal and the surrounding area might
be. And you've accrued the funds you need
to travel to India and test out your project
in a real environment instead of just in
a lab. Here is some information that will
come in handy as you plan your trip.
Travel
- Where and When
The
closest major airport to Pabal is in Mumbai:
Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
From Mumbai, we recommend that you take
a Volvo bus (as opposed to a public bus,
which can be quite difficult to handle if
you don't speak Hindi) to Pune, the closest
major city to Pabal. The bus ride will take
about two hours and take you through the
beautiful landscape of the Sahyadri mountain
range. From Pune, the best way to travel
to Pabal is by rented Jeep. You can find
these Jeep rental facilities all over the
city, and for a modest fee (around Rs. 800,
or US$20) a driver will drive you to Pabal,
about an hour away.
The
best time of year to visit Pabal is between
October and January. From February to May,
Pabal is drought-stricken, temperatures
hover around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and
power outages are more frequent than during
the rest of the year. June, July, August
and September bring the monsoon rains, the
severity of which varies from year to year.
If you visit during the monsoons, be aware
that your travel plans into and out of the
village may change at the last minute due
to flooding in the region. Also, temperatures
change radically during monsoon season;
though the temperature will generally be
around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, it's a good
idea to bring some warm clothes and extra
blankets.
Health
and Safety
Consult
your doctor to determine what vaccinations
you will need, as these may change based
on the time of year that you will be visiting
Pabal and the activities that you will be
doing while you are there. You may want
to ask your doctor about the following immunizations:
hepatitis A and B, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis,
malaria and rabies. Another good resource
is the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
website: http://www.cdc.gov/.
Be
sure that you only drink water that is either
boiled for several minutes or bottled. Even
bottled waters are sometimes tainted, so
be careful of what brand you choose; in
Pabal, Oxyrich or Bisleri is available,
and both are usually safe.
Essentials
to Pack
Even
if you are a seasoned traveler to India,
this list might remind you to pack some
of the handiest items in your bag!
- mosquito
net to sleep under
- insect
repellant
- LED
head
lamps / flashlights and/or
lanterns for power outages
- sleeping
bag liner (as a convenient substitute
for sheets)
- portable
clothes line or rope
- extra
rope
- comfortable,
waterproof sandals that you can slip on
and off easily
Tourism
Don't
forget to work in some sightseeing during
your stay in India!
Things
to Do In / Around Bombay
- do
some posh shopping on Bulabhai Desai Road
/ Nappeansea Road
- walk
on Chowpatty Beach
- see
Marine Drive and the Queen's Necklace
at night
- visit
the Gateway of India and the Taj Hotel
- take
a boat trip to Elephanta Island
- stroll
through the Hanging Gardens on Malabar
Hill
- haggle
with street vendors on Colaba Causeway
or in Gandhi Market
Useful
Tourism Websites
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