Beth is the author of Wanderlust and Lipstick: For Women Traveling to India. She also blogs about travel on her site. ...India is Beth's second book for women travelers. I talked with her about traveling in India - what's hard, what's not, and what is it about India that's so unforgettable?

Let's cut to the chase. What do you think it is about India that gets under your skin so? I've heard travelers say there's no place that leaves you changed the way India does. What are your thoughts on that?

I think that India gets under a person’s skin because it is the extreme of everything. It’s beautiful, it’s filthy. The people are extremely wealthy and extremely poor. So many Indians are wonderfully friendly while others are so unscrupulous. And it’s all of this all at once. Everyone and everything seems to collide, yet live in (relative) harmony. It’s hard to be confronted with all of this and not be impacted by it.

I didn’t appreciate this during my first trip there as a young backpacker almost 20 years ago. But after returning, as a more seasoned traveler and with a few more rupees in my pocket (so that I wasn’t sleeping in loud hostel-like guesthouses), I thoroughly enjoyed it.

India is a very karmic country. You get back what you give. If you’re patient, situations don’t seem so crazy. If you’re impatient already, everything’s going to get to you. So it demands a lot of personal reflection and that’s why I think it has the ability to so effect a person.

For travelers, India has a reputation of being maddening, crime ridden difficult, unhealthy for travelers, and even dangerous. What do you think we have wrong about India?

India IS maddening! HA HA HA. But in an endearing way, of course.

In truth, India isn’t “crime ridden” in the way most people think of the term. You don’t have to worry about being held at gun or knifepoint like you might in Rome or New York, but thieves are opportunistic. They’ll pick your pocket or daybag if they have the chance. They’ll snatch your bag on a train while you’re sleeping if it isn’t locked down. You do have to be on your guard nearly constantly but that doesn’t mean it’s crime ridden.

And sure, don’t drink the water or eat unpeeled fruit, but you wouldn’t in any other developing part of the world.

India is a challenging country in which to travel, and when you add to that the fact that you might get sick from the water or food or you might have your pocket picked, it magnifies the “bad” experiences and that’s what people talk about when they return home.

Personally, I’ve never had anything stolen from me during three trips to India. It’s true that taxi drivers and other service employees are eager to separate you from your money. However, I’ve also been the recipient of immense hospitality from Indians.

What do you think it is the biggest mistake travelers to India make?

Speaking as an American woman, I think that we don’t dress appropriately and are too nice.

You can’t just dress like you would at home and NOT expect to be hassled, groped or stared at by the local men. India is a very socially conservative country (despite how the Bollywood beauties dress), and as such, a foreign women needs to cover her shoulders and knees unless in a very touristy area.

Secondly, act confidently and don’t put up with obnoxious behavior from men. Of course we want to be respectful to the people at our destination, but we’re conditioned to be nice to everyone. And sometimes this just isn’t appropriate. It’s OK to stand up for yourself and tell someone to bug off if they are annoying you.

Even when we've made up our own minds, our friends and family may think we're nuts for heading off to India. What do you say to those people? A woman traveling alone in India? Really?

There are two parts to this. First, when we are questioned by people we love and respect, we then question ourselves. Secondly, even if we are determined to go to India, we don’t want to dismiss the fears and concerns that others may have about our travels.

If a woman is questioning herself, the first thing she should do is seek out other women who’ve done something similar. Whether it’s someone in their community or someone they’ve met online (there are plenty of websites and social networking sites where these gal wanderlusters can be found), either will be valuable to building confidence. When you connect with these other women, it’s as though it’s giving you permission to do something similar. You gain courage by hearing stories from others.

If others are simply worried about you, I’d suggest asking them specifically what they are concerned about and what proof they have that your travel plans warrant their fears. It’s usually based on hearsay and the often false reputation that you asked about above. It might also help them to read about other women (through blogs, for example) who’ve traveled to India and who lived to tell about it.

I'll never forget the reverse culture shock I experienced when I returned from India. What's your advice for dealing with the contrast?

Yeah, there’s nothing like returning home to clean streets, grocery stores filled with an overabundance of soda and potato chips and no one following you down the road!

When I return, I usually become pretty insular. I spend time at home cooking Indian meals (rice and dahl are easy to cook, as are curries). I also go to Indian grocery stores and restaurants. The proprietors and waiters are usually quite interested in hearing about my adventures and are very happy to know that someone else really enjoys their country.

Fuzzy Travel: Blogger Katie working in an orphanage in Southern India
Guinea Pigs Taste Good!: Marc and Naomi's travels in India
Becky Blab: Becky has been living in India and writing about it since 2006.

Pam blogs about travel and other adventures at Nerd's Eye View.