Eight years ago I left India and swore I’d never go back. The hassle. The beggars. The children, constantly tugging at your shirt as you walk down the street. The steadfast staring. The need to always be vigilant for potential scams.

India is a tough place to travel.

But due to a combination of free flights (using credit card miles) and a long desire to get back to the Himalayas, I booked a trip to Delhi, against my better judgment. I am here now, writing this from Indira Gandhi International Airport. There are four men staring at me, somewhat creepily, from the opposite row of benches. A Buddhist monk just walked by, wearing an orange North Face fleece jacket over his saffron robes and slippers. Crowds of confused foreigners gather at the overpriced coffee shop, commiserating about their missed airport pick-ups. Two young Indian men stroll past, holding hands; I am momentarily startled by their open display of homosexuality until I remember that here, male hand-holding is a sign of friendship.

India.

For my inaugural posts on Vagablogging I’ve decided to do a month-long series on pre-trip planning. There’s a lot of planning that goes into any trip, and while it can be stressful, the excitement of travel starts when you begin imagining your upcoming adventure. Several weeks before my trip, I was already picturing myself snowboarding in thick powder, being swept away by the awesome Annapurna views, and digging into a yak steak after a long day of trekking.

Each of us differ in the way we plan, and I hope that in the comments after each of these posts, you’ll weigh in with your own tips. In my first post, I’m going to cover flights and pre-trip research. In the second I’ll cover insurance, in the third I’ll discuss travel gear, and in the fourth, the way that technology over the last decade has changed the way I travel.

As for me, I’m about to step outside into the raging mob of touts waiting for me outside the glass. After all the pre-trip planning, my journey finally begins.