Walk by any little grocery store in India and you see the water, placed right up front so you can easily grab a couple of bottles—20 rupees each for the large size (about 30 U.S. cents.)

Photo credit: Betsy Woodman

You’ll find bottled beverages even at the End of the World—i.e., at the café at Bhagsu Falls, outside Dharamshala.

Photo credit: Betsy Woodman

On my recent trip, I bought my share of the darned things. On the Shatabdi Express train from Dehra Dun to Delhi, a guy came around with a free bottle for each passenger; I didn’t refuse it, even though I’d already brought one aboard.

Photo credit: Betsy Woodman

In the otherwise impeccably kept Lodhi Gardens in Delhi, this one ended up on the ground.

Photo credit: Betsy Woodman

The advice in the guidebooks to travelers in India is to crush empty plastic bottles so they won’t be refilled and passed off as new. So I did that, and tossed the empties in the waste basket, cringing every time. At home in New Hampshire, I recycle the few plastic containers I use. I actually don’t need this reminder from the dump–make that transfer station–in Andover:

Photo credit: Betsy Woodman

When I got back to Boston, I stayed at my nephew’s overnight. He had very thoughtfully prepared the guest room—with two water bottles placed on the pillow of the bed. I didn’t use them; the tap water was great.