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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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 Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:45 pm Post subject: Going to India |
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For a few weeks in Feb. and March.
Starting in Delhi.
Where would you go? What is grand, and what should be avoided? |
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mnhnhyouh
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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I hated Delhi when I first got there, it was 40C and very polluted. I ran away to the countryside. Two months later, I was back there before heading home, it had rained, and the air was clean and cool. I wished I had stayed there longer!!
h |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| mnhnhyouh wrote: |
I hated Delhi when I first got there, it was 40C and very polluted. I ran away to the countryside. Two months later, I was back there before heading home, it had rained, and the air was clean and cool. I wished I had stayed there longer!!
h |
Yeah, I am hoping that mid Feb. won't be too bad there, but I don't want to spend much time in the city. Where did you go in the countryside?[/i] |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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...the Taj Mahal OF COURSE !
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mnhnhyouh
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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Actually I didnt go to the Taj, I went to Dharamsala, then into Kashmir, via Manali. The road from Manali to Leh is something to behold. may 4000 m plus passes, and one at 5600m. But it is too early for the road there to be open yet.
Dharamsala and Manali are fun towns though.
I have also spent a month in the south, just in Kerala, very beautiful.
Delhi should be cleaner as they have now banned diesel vechiles, I think.
h |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Where you want to go depends on what you want to do and see. Most people choose either a route around the north or the south instead of trying to do both in one trip. Do you want to see temples, mountains, tropical jungles, deserts? Camel treks, elephant treks, hiking treks, tiger safaris? |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:20 am Post subject: |
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mnhnhyouh, how did you like Kashmir?
Did you just stay in Leh or did you make it to Srinigar and the Kashmir Valley?
Was safety a concern? Did you travel by yourself?
The Manali - Leh road must of been something else! What time of year does the road open?
I'm hoping in the future to travel India for about 5-6 months beginning in Kerela and ending in Kashmir (Kerela (via Sri Lanka) - Tamil Nadu - Madras - Kolkota - Katmandu - Varanasi - Agra - Rajistan (including Amritsar) - Delhi - Rishikesh - Dharamsala - Shimla - Manali - Leh - Srinigar - Mumbai - then off to the Arabian Pennensula).
Any tips would be of great help. Thanks! |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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We will be sticking to the north. The plan is now to go west from Agra to Rajastan. My friend wants to see the Taj. I couldn't be bothered, but when you travel with others, you compromise.
Anyone know someplace interesting and off the regular track in that area? |
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mnhnhyouh
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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I was only in Leh, and felt safe most of the time. However I was walking along the street one afternoon, talking to a friend. All of a sudden I realised that there was something in front of me and I stopped.
I had just about run into the back of a soldier (there are many there) and his AK barrel was almost picking my nose for me!!
I think the road opened in March. The jeep trip was one of the best things I have ever done!! Slow, cramped, but spectacular.
h |
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the saint
Joined: 09 Dec 2003
Location: not there yet...
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| desultude wrote: |
We will be sticking to the north. The plan is now to go west from Agra to Rajastan. My friend wants to see the Taj. I couldn't be bothered, but when you travel with others, you compromise.
Anyone know someplace interesting and off the regular track in that area? |
Jaiselmer definitely if you are in Rajasthan. The Taj is fabulous - seen it twice now. You can do it in a long day trip from Delhi if you don't want to stay over but you will have to visit some emporium or other - no avoiding this.
If you head into the Himalayas, it will be bl**dy freezing at that time of year. Even Delhi will be cold then. Rajasthan would be warmer of course. |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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| the saint wrote: |
| desultude wrote: |
We will be sticking to the north. The plan is now to go west from Agra to Rajastan. My friend wants to see the Taj. I couldn't be bothered, but when you travel with others, you compromise.
Anyone know someplace interesting and off the regular track in that area? |
Jaiselmer definitely if you are in Rajasthan. The Taj is fabulous - seen it twice now. You can do it in a long day trip from Delhi if you don't want to stay over but you will have to visit some emporium or other - no avoiding this.
If you head into the Himalayas, it will be bl**dy freezing at that time of year. Even Delhi will be cold then. Rajasthan would be warmer of course. |
Thanks for the tip. A friend who has been several times told me not to miss Jaiselmer. About the Taj- I am not hot on packed day trips. I think it will be at least overnight in Agra, and then on to, maybe, Jaipur.
How are the trains? Any advice on what trains to take, which to avoid, and what class to travel? I love trains, but would really rather avoid the milk run, while sitting on wood planks amidst the company of chickens and screaming kids.   |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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Asa! What a helpful site.
A thousand thank-yous! |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Np. Just remember to never, ever accept food from someone on a train, no matter how yummy and home-cooked it seems, or how innocent the person looks who is offering it to you. |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| ella wrote: |
| Np. Just remember to never, ever accept food from someone on a train, no matter how yummy and home-cooked it seems, or how innocent the person looks who is offering it to you. |
Again, good advice.
This is just the sort of trap I would fall into! (Of course, not an intentional trap!) I take carbon pills, and a back-up of a full course of cipro, when I travel. My sister says I am an 'extreme eater"- but I got food poisoning a few weeks ago from hard parmesan cheese, here in the U.S. Don't know if it is my stomach, or luck, but either way I try to go prepared, and be careful. But someone's homemade chickpeas on a train would probably get me in trouble!
Fasting for a few weeks may be an option. . . And maybe culturally appropriate. |
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