Indian Sub-Cont. From Kathmandu to Colombo, and Islamabad to Dakha, one billion smiles, treck in the Himalayas, bathe in the Ganga, dance to Hindi pop ! Namaste ! |
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09-15-2008, 02:58 AM
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#1
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T-PUNK SPECIAL FORCES
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Manchester, UK
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India for 4 weeks in October
Hi all, I will be going to India Flying into Bangalore and out of Delhi in October, the flights are booked, I'm picking my Visa up next week all I need now are my vaccinations.
My plan is:
Bangalore
Goa (arriving in Vasco da Gama by train)
Mumbai
Pushkar
Jaipur
Delhi
Agra
Delhi
I am having difficulty finding where all the backpackers go in Goa, I have heard that Baga and Calangute are the main package holiday places which I'm staying away from. Im after a relaxed, social area where I can chill & party if I want with other backpackers for a few days. Can anyone give me any advice?
Also if there's anywhere else I must see that isnt on my list please let me know.. cheers
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Dance like no-one's watching
Sing like no-one's listening
Love like you've never been hurt
And eat chocolate like it won't make you fat
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09-15-2008, 09:19 AM
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#2
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Yoda
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Hell
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Most of them go to Palolem and Anjuna beach. And there are TONS of places that "should" be on your list, but I think for 4 weeks you're doing pretty good with what you've got. I've been to all the places on your list except for Pushkar and you'll have a good time. Beware the touts in Jaipur, Delhi and Agra; besides Goa and Bombay these are far and away the most heavily touristed areas in the country and it shows. Especially the little boys named "Johnny" that will try to get you to buy shit like cheap snowglobes as you're walking to or from the Taj Mahal.
When you're in Agra, do yourself a HUGE favor and try as hard as you can to get to Fatehpur Sikri (about 15 miles outside of town and about a 45-minute car ride). The Agra Fort is another highly recommended sight that gets skipped when people are only in town for a few hours to get a glimpse of the Taj (other than those places and Akbar's mausoleum at Sikandra there isn't really much else to recommend Agra).
Oh, and edited again to add: Just so you know, the train rides you're looking at are going to be LONG!! Bring a book. Bangalore to Madgaon JN in Goa is about 19 hours, and then more or less that much up to Bombay, etc. The train system is wonderful but fast it ain't.
Another tip: If you have rupees left over when you're flying out of the country, try to get them exchanged for other currency BEFORE you get to the airport-- or leave plenty of time to go downstairs to the arrivals hall. The departures area upstairs doesn't have a currency counter that I've ever found on three separate trips.
Last edited by space virgin; 09-15-2008 at 09:49 AM.
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09-24-2008, 04:20 AM
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#3
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T-PUNK SPECIAL FORCES
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Manchester, UK
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Thanks for the tips!!
I have my route up to Mumbai pretty much organised, from Mumbai where do you recommend visiting, and in what order? I am hoping to stick to the trains but I am awareI will have to take a bus from Ajmer to get to Pushkar.
I want to go on a Camel Safari too I hear you can do this from Pushkar, has anyone done a camel safari? :D
__________________
Dance like no-one's watching
Sing like no-one's listening
Love like you've never been hurt
And eat chocolate like it won't make you fat
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09-24-2008, 09:58 PM
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#4
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Yoda
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Most "real" camel safaris are done from Jaisalmer, which is hell and gone from just about anywhere in Rajasthan but still a must-visit. There are also apparently 2 or 3-day camel safaris from Bikaner but I don't know if you're going that route. I think there are camel rides available in Pushkar but the Thar Desert (Jaisalmer) is supposed to be better. I didn't have time to do that on my last trip there.
From Mumbai I would go directly to Udaipur to feel as though you've been plopped into the middle of a fairytale. From there depending on how much time you have you could do something like this (all easy on trains or buses):
Udaipur to Jodhpur (the Blue City, try a makhania [sp varies] lassi while you're there-- sooooo yummy, and Mehrangarh Fort is spectacular)
Jodhpur to Jaisalmer (the Golden City, so named because it's in the middle of the desert... they have a spectacular fort too)
Jaisalmer to Ajmer
Ajmer to Pushkar (beware the fake sadhus and self-righteous "India is so, like, spiritual, man" hippies)
Pushkar to Jaipur (the Pink City... and Amber Fort is, well, spectacular too)
Jaipur to Agra
*side trip if you have time: Agra to Varanasi, potentially the oldest continually habited city on earth (and it looks it), and the holiest hindu city*
Agra to Delhi
... that's the route that would make the most sense (to me anyway) with little backtracking, but it's entirely up to you.
Last edited by space virgin; 09-24-2008 at 10:01 PM.
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11-11-2008, 11:13 AM
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#5
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Members
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thanks for the Jaisalmer tip, camel safari is something i really want to do when I go to India. I fly to Pakistan next Wednesday and after 10 days with family I have 3 and half weeks sprinting across india, it would have been longer but a family bereavement coupled with problems getting my Indian visa (which i still havent got ) have meant that I have had to shorten my trip.
I'm really excited as I have never been travelling and have been waiting for this since forever.
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11-11-2008, 12:43 PM
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#6
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french touch
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Québec
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Please do come back on the boards to tell us everything about your journey in Pakistan and India ! We'll be looking forward your stories and tips.
Bon voyage !
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