India

[Ernest Purdum]

Is anyone here in, or familiar with, northern India? I am expecting to go there for about five weeks in October.

[Sanjay Sen]

Hi Ernest,

What kind of information are you looking for, and what are the locations you plan to travel to? I may be able to help you - depending on where you plan to visit.


Best wishes,
Sanjay

[John Kasaian]

Ernest,
I was there briefly in the 1980's so any details I'd remember are very dated, but what stands out in my mind most is the wonderful hospitality of the people. That, and never, ever, order corn flakes for breakfast or drink the domestic beer (especially the brew with a picture of Tom Selleck on the label)---trust me.

[Ted Harris]

Ernest, I've spent a lot of time there ... usuall for one or two week stints. Some of it in the '70's (totally outdated in many ways for many places) and the rest in the late '90's). Give me some more specifics on where ....

[Ernest Purdum]

Thanks for the responses.

My itinerary is still quite open. So far, the certain destinations are only Delhi (probably both entry and departure), Agra, Darjeeling and the areas near there, including perhaps a little of Bhutan.

Other areas I'm strongly considering are Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Varanasi. I'm thinking of staying about five weeks. I realize that isn't much time for such a big country, so am trying to stay within a relatively compact itinerary.

These days I strongly dislike airports. I'd drive there if only it were possible. Within India I'd like to travel by train as much as feasible. There will be a (also elderly) couple with me.

[Ron Marshall]

I highly recommend Varanasi. Very picturesque. When I was there I met an expat American who had lived there for many years. He took aside and wispered confidentially to me: be careful here, of people come here to die and so you will encounter lots of exotic diseases.

I managed to get away unscathed, with lots of interesting transparencies, unfortunately they were 35mm not 4x5. Hopefully I'll get back someday with a 4x5. Beautiful sunrise shots across the mist shrouded Ganges to the Ghats.

I bought a one month train pass, and did many overnight train journeys in the sleepers. The trains are slow but a pleasant way to travel. The busses are miserable: Bollywood films constantly blaring at maximum volume.

If you plan well you can see most of the interesting sites in 5 weeks.

Get a good guidebook.

At many of the sites it is best to hire a "guide". Get someone who is older and big, even if he knows nothing about the site, you will only have to pay him the equivalent of a dollar or so, but it is well worth it because otherwise at many sites you will have people constantly pestering you to buy something during your visit. The guide will keep them away.

I did mostly handheld, and had no tripod problems. Check on the situation for tripod permits.

[N Dhananjay]

I've travelled a fair bit in India and still get back every so often. If you are not used to the heat, the summer can be exhausting. October should be cooler, especially towards the north, although still warm by North American/North European standards. Travel can still be tiring and long, especially once you head into the mountains. Trains are one of the nicest ways to travel, although they will take longer than flights. Also keep in mind that some of the areas you are looking at towards Rajasthan are desert country and day/night temperatures can be extreme. You are best advised to carry all your sheet film in since it is, for all practical purposes impossible to find.

Photography around national monuments has become something requiring more planning of late, especially with tripods. With a handheld camera you can buy a pass at the gates most of the time. But with larger cameras, you are best advised to write to the Archeological Survey of India and obtain permission. The letter of permission that you will get and carry with you will save you a lot of hassle.

Let me know if you want more specific information. Cheers, DJ

[N Dhananjay]

Forgot to add. Don't overestimate how much you think you can cover in the time you have. Between the heat, distances, slow travel and IST (Indian Standard Time that is wryly refer to as Indian Stretchable Time), delays are not only possible, but likely. People like to chat, which can drive you to distraction, if you are on a schedule or not used to it. India is best enjoyed with a somewhat "Let's see what the day brings" attitude. Cheers, DJ

[Ted Harris]

I'll underscore the travel situation. I have little experience on Indian passenger trains but can tell you that many of the roads, especially out of metro areas are far more difficult than you can imagine. As an example, in 1995 we were doing some work at an industrial site about 100km from Varanasi (Benares) and we grossly underestimated the lengthof time it would take to get there .... figured 4 hours at the worst and it took 12.

One of the parts of India I particularly like for vacation and photography is Rajasthan. You will be too early for the camel races but still worth considering.

As you continue your planning feel free to send me an email.

Another point, if you are not used to accommodations that are onthe order of a rudimentary Days Inn or less then be very sure of where you are booking. You may not be comfortable in the "Indian Businessman's Hotels." Any of the Taj chain or the equivelant will be excellent and are the top-of-the-line. As you journey into rural India you must be prepared to make some concession to accommodations however.

[B.S.Kumar]

Ernest,
The places you mentioned are now all well connected by air/rail. But book early, and preferably before you leave,through your travel agent. The holiday season starts in October, and you might find it difficult to get reservations. All these places have excellent hotels, including the Taj, Welcomgroup and Oberoi chains. The Ritz Carlton in Boston, Campton Place in San Francisco and The Pierre in New York are all Taj properties. Also look at the palace hotels in Rajasthan - some of them are managed by these three chains. The Umaid Bhavan Palace hotel in Jodhpur was one of the best places I've ever stayed in. You might want to check out the Palace on Wheels for the Rajasthan part of your trip http://www.palaceonwheels.net/
Roads have improved substantially in the last few years, so short day trips are pretty easy. Hire a car with an English speaking driver, and you're set.
Kumar

[Ernest Purdum]

My thanks to all who provided information. I have forwarded it to my friends and it will be very helpful in our planning.

[Doug Dolde]

I hear the bathrooms are everywhere :)

[Rakesh Malik]

Thanks for the responses.

My itinerary is still quite open. So far, the certain destinations are only Delhi (probably both entry and departure), Agra, Darjeeling and the areas near there, including perhaps a little of Bhutan.



A note about Agra -- you CAN arrange to be at the Taj Mahal at dawn, and it's worth it... but they don't allow tripods, so be prepared for that. The Agra Fort is also a good place to visit.

And never drink the water, even if it's boiled. Stick to imported water. :)

[John Kasaian]

Ernest,
One more thing I remembered about India---this probabaly applies to the big cities more than the tourist destinations---is that your choice of accomodations can have a major impact on your trip. When I was in Calcutta I was booked at really fancy hotel---I don't remember the name but the famous Raffles bar was located there--veddy British---but once I left the lobby I recall being mobbed by street urchins who would chase me down the street (apparently outside the hotel was lucerative grounds for them!) A savvy traveller directed me to nice, but more modest accomodations which were far nicer because it allowed me to explore the nieghborhood without being 'ambushed.' Also I met a Sikh (sp?) cabbie who took it upon himself to be my guide, mentor, and protector for the remainder of my stay. Zipping through Calcutta in a vintage bull-nosed Morris (was it a diesel or were the rings just shot?) with a bearded, turbaned Sikh behind the wheel admonishing me in his thick accent about which quarters I had to avoid is one of the memories I'll cherish (this was back in the 80's so take it for what its worth!)
Have fun!

[Ron Marshall]

Ernest,
One more thing I remembered about India---this probabaly applies to the big cities more than the tourist destinations---is that your choice of accomodations can have a major impact on your trip. When I was in Calcutta I was booked at really fancy hotel---I don't remember the name but the famous Raffles bar was located there--veddy British---but once I left the lobby I recall being mobbed by street urchins who would chase me down the street (apparently outside the hotel was lucerative grounds for them!) A savvy traveller directed me to nice, but more modest accomodations which were far nicer because it allowed me to explore the nieghborhood without being 'ambushed.' Also I met a Sikh (sp?) cabbie who took it upon himself to be my guide, mentor, and protector for the remainder of my stay. Zipping through Calcutta in a vintage bull-nosed Morris (was it a diesel or were the rings just shot?) with a bearded, turbaned Sikh behind the wheel admonishing me in his thick accent about which quarters I had to avoid is one of the memories I'll cherish (this was back in the 80's so take it for what its worth!)
Have fun!

I agree completely. Also, Sikhs are reputed to be the most honest cab drivers. Easy to spot since they wear turbans.

[John Kasaian]

One more thought--Some of the places I visited in India were active with malaria and it was suggested that I take malaria tablets. Of course you can't really get that stuff in California. A pharmacist told me to wait until landing in asia and starting the malaria regimen with tablets there as the locally produced drugs were effective against the currently active malarial strains in the area and not use any tablets I might find in the US since they wouldn't be effective on the malarial strains I'd likely encounter.