mmm... india this summer hopefully!

i'm bringing my records... the bass will be dropping in mumbai soon manish...

beautiful pictures!

I will also be in India this summer.. interning in Delhi for just about 3 (of the hottest) months.

Got any travel advice? 'Must see's that not enough people see? Perhaps an ancient temple complete with a 20 foot shiva lingum? (thats what i wanna see!)

In addition to weekend visits to Taj Mahal, Red Fort, etc., this is what I have planned:

trip 1: delhi--varanasi--kathmandu, nepal--kolkata--darjeeling?
trip 2: kashmir--punjab--goa--mumbai
trip 3: hyderabad? tamil nadu? bangalore?

possible?

I will be in India this summer, too! How bout an SM meetup in Delhi! Now that would be interesting! :)

Loving the photos, manish..keep 'em coming!

This is a typical "mumbai" picnic spot on sundays. There is another side to Juhu beach which is as dirty but much peaceful.

ooh! Fantastic! yeah, please...keep 'em coming!

will be in SL this summer. Maybe we could meetup in the Palk Straight ;)

brought back great memories...

hmmm...kalakhatta...hmmmm....

Great pics Manish .. is it like this on Juhu beach every weekend?

No camels, how come?

love how the air rifles are shooting balloons that spell L-O-V-E...it's ironic since bollywood is so romance filled.. i guess some aggravation relief for scorned lovers ;)...safer then ehem... running around the crowded beach doing an angry bhangra which might cause some injuries to those in the near vicinity....happy monday y'all ;)...

1) Monkey kites are cool. You should bring back a bunch and sell them to the hipsters in Brooklyn (or Berkeley) for $200 a pop. (Tell people you made them yourself: they are "conceptual art")

2) I'm not so into the Kala Khatta. I never had it on the street in India, but I tried it once at the Galaxie in Edison, New Jersey, and found it really... yukky? A bit of syrup and a LOT of black pepper in your water isn't my idea of a tasty drink.

Give me Thandai any day.

thanks, Manish! hey, that kalakhatta wallah could be a movie star...

Lovely photos! I want me some monkey kites!

trip 1: delhi--varanasi--kathmandu, nepal--kolkata--darjeeling? trip 2: kashmir--punjab--goa--mumbai trip 3: hyderabad? tamil nadu? bangalore?

. i'm proud to say I've been from...

Cool pics thanx for sharing :-)

Oooh! Delhi meetup!
Can we do it right at the end of July? I know a few people who might be there (*ahem* Propamcgandhi). Milli, espressa (anyone else who's delhi-bound - email me, please?

bikhini@yahoo.ca

dhaavak -- yeah, i knew i was overreaching.... it will be my first time in India but I spent last summer in Bangladesh.. similar weather, yes? Also, if i can train myself to say 'sari' instead of 'shari' and 'chai' instead of 'cha' --- i should be ok, sorta?

brownfrown -- i'm totally on board for a Delhi meetup. End of July is great.. I'll be there from May 25th to Aug 10th minus all the traveling

dhaavak -- yeah, i knew i was overreaching.... it will be my first time in India but I spent last summer in Bangladesh.. similar weather, yes? Also, if i can train myself to say 'sari' instead of 'shari' and 'chai' instead of 'cha' --- i should be ok, sorta?

yes.. i'm bangla.. no i don't know people there... except friends of parents, cousins of friends, colleagues of professors.. and sepia mutineers =)

I'll mostly be in the south but will be in Delhi for about two days. I'll email! :)

awesome pix. i can't wait till i get over there!

running around the crowded beach doing an angry bhangra

sounds fun, actually...

1) Monkey kites are cool. You should bring back a bunch and sell them to the hipsters in Brooklyn (or Berkeley) for $200 a pop. (Tell people you made them yourself: they are "conceptual art")

lol.....or the teeny boppers....they're into monkeys and whatnot now too.

Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Udaipur-Bikaner-Delhi

I would recommend this to Espressa too (and also add Jodhpur and Jaisalmer to the list), but the heat and sun will kill her if she goes there during the summer.

The best time to visit this region, in my opinion, is late autumn {I believe you yankees call it "fall" ;) } until early spring.

Again, stay the hell away from there during the summer if you're not used that kind of climate and value your health.

These photos are so fun. Thank you!

Count me in for the Delhi Meetup...

OoOOh! Yay!
So far here's a headcount for the end-July Delhi meet: Espressa, Millivanilli (if she's in town - please be in town!), Propamcgandhi, Madurai Vivekan, Masale.Wallah, brownfrown...
there's got to be more mutineers in India's capital, sweating it out in the monsoons - we want to see you there!

The tentative plan is that I'll be in Delhi 'round July 15 and again around the 24th. I'll keep you (brownfrown) updated via email and hopefully those of you that will actually be in Delhi for an extended period of time can work with my less flexible schedule :) I'll be travelling with a couple other cool desi chicas as well.

So, advice need from Northies and/or well-seasoned travellers, please. I'm travelling to North India for the very first time ever; have been alllll over the south and am finally getting a chance to explore other parts of the country! It was an amazing hassle to get my family (immediate and extended) to even agree to let me do this -- you might imagine the arguments I had over safety, co-ed travel party, etc etc. I know that we will be going to Delhi and Agra for sure; Jaipur is also on the list, and I've been itching to go to Ladakh as well. More than advice on what cities/towns are interesting to visit, I'd love an insider's perspective on what I can expect, realistically, in terms of culture, weather, and most importantly, safety. I hear so many wonderful idealistic stories about how friendly all of India is, how random white tourists get invited to a huge dosa dinner at the locals' house, etc. but I've also started hearing whispers of "what the hell are you thinking?" I *absolutely am terrified* of mountain driving; even driving up/down the hill at Tirupati gives me the willies. Worst case scenario is that it will be me and one other girl; best case is that we'd have a group of 4 or 5 (which may include my dear mother, who is one of the most scaredy cat anxious people I know).

Your thoughts, please? :)

So, advice need from Northies and/or well-seasoned travellers, please

Millivanilli,

Sepia Mutiny has around 20% hits of ~10,000 unique hits from India/ everyday (if you look @ country statistics for SM late in the evening when it is day in India) - they can give you hell of lot of insider tips. They will really help you.

I am a Northerner and I average India visit every 1-1.5 years for a long time. I have also travelled South India. As a general rule, in South India, things are less chaotic and more stable. Like in Hyderabad, I thought foriegners are hassled a little less (I was with lot of them in my last 2 visits). People like me for advise can be very misleading since I have an intuitive feel for the place and may fail to understand the concerns of a new traveler - even for new places to me, like Hyderabad. For starters, in north India, Rajasthan is an excellent place to start.

The bottom line how much money are you willing to spend - if you are travelling with Abercrombie and Kent, then you will be treated like a Maharani. I am sure you will have "student type" SMers from India give you some heartfelt clues if that is you route.

I will be in India in June but will be travelling quite a bit, even Andaman Islands (possibly).

PS: I never get invited to dosa dinners, neither would I accept an invitation.

Food-I kept a pack of Chlorine dioxide water purifier with me to wash fresh fruit where i went. most places you can get bottled water. Most roadside eateries are safe and i've eaten cooked veggies without mishaps. I stuck to aloo parathas wherever i went but skipped the yoghurt. If in Punjab do try their makki (corn) rotis and sarson sag (and freezepack some for me please if you can).

Safety- it is not safe for single women traveling alone. Dress modestly and avoid midriff baring or sleeveless dresses. Travel in groups, especially if you do not speak or understand hindi. In fact, I would strongly recommend you avoid backpacking and go with a guided tour. It comes at a price - but you will be much at ease.

Health- if you go in the monsoon, you might need to take that hallucinogenic anti-malarial medicine. It's pretty sick stuff - but those who've tried it, swear by it. Hepatitis shots, tetanus booster are recommended. Public W.C. facilities are poor. If planning to rough it "How to sh*t in the woods" is recommended reading.

Typical essentials for roughing it - waterproof matches, TP, flashlight, thin blankie, first aid kit, anti-diarrhoeal, water purifier.

Money - The 8-day trip I described earlier was done in $60 CAD (including travel, food, lodging) and some shopping. It is phenomenally cheap - but I was roughing it. Your mileage may vary.

(for some reason, having trouble posting)...

Travel-Air travel is amazingly affordable these days in India, but non-indians pay more (up to 3-5 times more). They serve generous meals on flights which I found quite refreshing (compared to pretzels and a half-can of juice). Downside is the food is quite spicy and the early morning flights have an unsettling odor to them.

I would recommend you avoid Rajasthan in the summer months. If you look over the temperature guides in a Lonely Planet or Footprint, you'll see that temp can hit 50 C - and you'll be risking a sunstroke. If however you do go into Rajasthan - the best place to go to is Udaipur. Jodhpur and Jaisalmer are more exotic but Udaipur is the cleanest and seems to have its act together.

If coming to north india for frst time, you'll probably spend some time trying out the sights in delhi. The Qutb Minar is a must-see - i'm not into clubbing, but the scene is well-developed in delhi except it's frequented by the robber-barons of delhi - hotel claridges and siddharth have developed nightlife i believe.

Well you have to go to Agra (of course) and you might like to try the moonlight visit - but as i sugested to espresso above, you can try chandigarh which is at a higher altitude and greener and cooler and closer to the hills.

I havent been to ladakh, but know there are regular flights to Leh. You may have to book in advance.

dhavaak on the mark.

Travel safely and in groups. For example, in Delhi, you can stay @ Nirula Hotel (for slightly cheaper) or cut sweet deals with places like Hotel Siddhartha (if you are travelling in a group).

Book in advance. Packaged tours (if booked in advance through decent agencies) are safer bet.

dhavaak, the reason I recommended Rajasthan since they have their act together better than most of the places for tourists.

that hallucinogenic anti-malarial medicine. It's pretty sick stuff - but those who've tried it, swear by it

I did it in Africa but would not do it again (it can make you really sick), unless I am really in a malaria-infested place. I am not the person to advise, so ask your physician.

I think monsoons of South Asia are incredibly exhilirating.

What is this Lonely Planet business? If you're interning, I'm imagining you're not making too much money. Get yourself a Let's Go :)

If you go to Kolkata, the attraction is really the people, so wander around (be careful, obviously). I wandered around North Cal and ran into what appeared to be the wholesale market for oranges (it's awesome to be walking around dirt and then suddenly come across an enormous orange spectacle). I think Nakhoda Masjid is really interesting too, but that's just me. I liked the museum inside the Victoria Memorial (which is an architectural Frankenstein) also. The art museum next to the Maidan (I forget exactly what it's called) changed some of the preconceptions I had about sexual repression among Bengalis :) You might also want to check out some of the newere developments for wealthy people--like the big mall near Park St? It's an interesting commentary on the social transformation happening there.

If you're in Bombay, make sure you go to the Hajji-Ali-Masjid. It's beautiful, especially near sunset and people have a lot of fun and joy there. Well, some people are. I also liked partying.

Personally, I'm inclined (or was, in 2004 when I last visited) to enjoy romanticized notions of history more than 300 year old bustling metropolises or slacker towns like Cal :), so I liked Delhi. It's nice that you trip over a thousand year old monument every five minutes. There's too many to list, but I like Humayan's Tomb.

Great advice!!!! Thanks so much! especially Jai, dhaavak and someoneelse (you need a less nihilistic tagname!)

I've never been to the region during the cooler months (except when i was a baby). I hear its beautiful... but the two weeks off during winter break just don't feel like enough and that one week vacation i had when working was DEFinitely not enough.

I can take the heat though (maybe)... I almost enjoy it (unless memory is playing tricks on me).

and i'll have *some* money -- my school is covering baisc expenses and paying a stipend and i've got student loans saved up. how much do you think i'd need for about 3 months? I've been looking at train schedules and stuff but I'd prefer wisdome of your experiences... =)

how much do you think i'd need for about 3 months?

my point above is that I would be very secure taking $400 (based on 12 weekend trips of $20 each) - but my needs are very basic - and i assumed your internship covers lodgings - if you do a lot og guided trips and posh dining and clubbing - you can blow it up - but your needs might be different.

good luck on your trip espressa and I hope you have a fantastic time. Final word - travel in india (do read Tully's no full stops in india if you get the chance) is a joy if the traveller values the experience over the means or the goals. it is the hindu way of looking at things and at least i appreciate it immensely.

my point above is that I would be very secure taking $400 (based on 12 weekend trips of $20 each)

That's about right but you know know your place around, and have street sense. For someone green, I would budget $50/ day (if one is taking taking of lodging on their own) and $ 30 (if someone is else taking care of your lodging).

There are hotels in Delhi (Nirulas), Jaipur, Hyderabad (Hotel Basera) that are in US $30-40 range/ night, and for most part quite decent and safe. In a proposal, I think I had budgetted US $60/ day for Rann of Kachchh (Gujarat). If you know someone with connections, you can find a place @ JNU (Jawarhlal Nehru University) or IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) hostel for maybe $2/ day for summer (as they are not in full occupany).

But then you can very easily blow off US $300.00/ day in Delhi and Mumbai, if you want party hardy.

I think best way to travel India is wander around - from a dhaba to dhaba.

Expressa, do some flying (Jet Airways), and for railways, book ticket in advance (online). I love railways.

Thanks for the advice, all. So I should have perhaps given a bit more background on my travel experience in India. I've been to the south several times and my family is very conservative, so trust me, I will not be in inappropriate clothes. I guess one thing I was wondering was if the north is less conservative than the south. I hear all these stories about women in Delhi wearing western clothes ... I see so many pics of North Indians in the US wearing midriff bearing outfits and tank top style tops -- something which would NOT be OK with my family. Are those things acceptable in North India, or have I been given the wrong impression? I'll be doing my best to blend in and not stick out as a tourist/American/non-Northie. Also, how odd would it be for 2, 3 or 4 women to go to a bar or club without a male? I have never once been to a bar or club in the south -- well once, but with my 35 yr. old male cousin in B'lore.

I am pretty sure that we will be booking a packaged tour with a driver ... should I be any more scared of the driving than I normally am? How much will language be an issue? Should I be learning some key Hindi phrases now (i.e. "WTF are you staring at?" j/k) When we travel, is it best to avoid taking backpacker-style backpacks, even if we will be travelling by car (and sometimes train?)

I realize my questions sound pretty lame; if I was sticking to the south, I wouldn't really be wondering about all this stuff. For some reason, the North seems like this daunting alien place to me -- probably because I don't speak the language. Can it really be THAT different??

Milli,
As someone who's almost always exlcusively in the south or Bengal, I was afraid of my first trip (and by myself) to Delhi too. You know how we desis LOVE the stereotypes about each other? Delhi was "It's SO UNSAFE!!! you're going to be murdered.... or WORSE!"
It wasn't at all bad and in fact, it was a lot of fun. Less people speak English than in the South - and I speak no Hindi but somehow we did fine. Just don't let those autowallahs convince you that their meters don't work. They worked just fine until my white friend showed up - then they all collectively broke down accross the city apparently.

Anyway, don't travel alone or with anything flashy at night - I really didn't feel very comfortable about that (it could have something to do with the lovely stories everyone kept telling me before I left). I think you'd be fine in a bar with a bunch of women. We went to a few and they were amazing - the music was better than anything back home, they were swanky, the mohitos were delish... and people were totally chill.
As for the clothes - I think you'll be fine. I always dress like a nun when I'm in India but people around me were in tank tops - there are so many tourists, I don't think it's all that big a deal.
The one thing you'll probably notice is the lack of beggers. I think they actually round them up and ship them out of sight every night. And the phrase you'll probably want to learn is "No. I don't want it - go away" because like any hotspot, you're going to get swarmed by peacock-feather wallas, miniature chess set wallahs, mirrored cushioned wallas and people who want to sell you pictures of yourself they took moments before.
You're going to have a blast - hope we get to meet!

travel in india..is a joy if the traveller values the experience over the means or the goals. it is the hindu way of looking at things and at least i appreciate it immensely.

I don't know it's the hindu way of looking at things, but i agree :) of coures, i also enjoyed, in another sense, argument on the side of the road with many onlookers with a taxi driver who refused to go all the way to the destination AND wanted to overcharge an obscene amount. Were it not the end of my trip, I would have been more neurotically accommodating rather than spoiled brat ABCD. As it was, I made a scene. it is the desi way of doing things :)

There is nothing like taking public transportation once you get home from India :)

Can it really be THAT different??

Not, really, just some subtle differences. My take, others will have different view:

1) Sure, in Delhi people wear very westernized clothes, and even in Chandigarh, Dehra Dun and all. I think what Dhavaak meant is that until you feel that you have figured out the place (North India), it is not too bad to be cautious. I do not think being non-Northie is any problem, being identified as an American does attracts scammers, that's all. Dollar is a magnet.

2) In Delhi, a place like Nirulas, Hotel Siddhartha - you can walk into bars without male company. In neighbrohoods near JNU, IIT, you could easily. However, India is not North America or Europe, therefore, one should be careful and keep eye open. Unesorted females do get unnecesary attention, and one has to be little careful.

In 2004, in a meeting in Hyderabad, they were lot of international graduate students, who partying and running around 1 in the morning, trying to get on Durga floats during Dashera. However, women always had an Indian or Ruski or German men around. I was suddenly chaperoening women for scooter-rickshaw, taxi rides. It always help to have a local cousin or friend - India can be chaotic, north India, a little more. I felt OK in Hyderabad but would not in Delhi, 1 in the morning.

3) With all this said, places like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Himalayas has lot to offer. There is no place on earth like Himalayas. Rishikesh/ Haridwar are amazing, a little higher altitude in Himalayas, you will find valley of flowers. Mussouri (north of New Delhi) has an old world charm. Delhi has thousands of years of history,

PS: My only advise is to plan from here using an operator that has an American counterpart (so that you know it is legit and has some quality control). You may also find a place to stay in Delhi as a house guest for cheap fee, if you asked your north Indian friends from here. Ask around. They can even act as unoffical consultants.

Kush (#41)

No mention of Lucknow, I am dejected ;-)
(Yeah yeah it is a filthy North Indian, please do not rub it in, spoils the nostalgia)

Regards

I mean Filthy North Indian City*

No mention of Lucknow, I am dejected ;-)

Gaurav,

Ok, ok Lucknow too. Tell me how would a tourist amuse themselves in Lucknow - zoo and daryaganj (?)

A place like Mussouri or Haridwar or Rishikesh or Gangotri or Chandigarh has more panache. Delhi has theater and everything. You can spend days in Chandini Chowk. New Delhi, alone a week.

I still think Rajasthan is the safest bet for starters.

Personally, I would do middle Himalayas (I do not have stamina for Higher Himalayas yet), and would like to make a trail from Ladakh to Nepal via places like Simla.

Kush (#44),

I was just kidding.

While it will be difficult to find a hill there, it is possible to visit Imambara, Residency, Chowk and such places.

If you are a history buff then Lucknow has an interesting history.
Ofcourse you can try Awadhi cuisine and Chicken(embroidery), not to mention the real language.

Not much I am afraid.

Daryaganj ? I think you meant HazratGanj, DaryaGanj is somewhere in delhi.

Regards

When we travel, is it best to avoid taking backpacker-style backpacks, even if we will be travelling by car (and sometimes train?)

backpack is OK. I carry all the time. In my last visit to India, I also had a laptop that I carried all the time.

Gaurav, I meant Hazratganj.

mili said

something which would NOT be OK with my family. Are those things acceptable in North India, or have I been given the wrong impression? I'll be doing my best to blend in and not stick out as a tourist/American/non-Northie. Also, how odd would it be for 2, 3 or 4 women to go to a bar or club without a male?... I am pretty sure that we will be booking a packaged tour with a driver ... should I be any more scared of the driving than I normally am? How much will language be an issue? Should I be learning some key Hindi phrases now (i.e. "WTF are you staring at?" j/k) When we travel, is it best to avoid taking backpacker-style backpacks, even if we will be travelling by car (and sometimes train?)

You know how we desis LOVE the stereotypes about each other?

I second the travel tab. I think for a lot of us (and mabye especially for those of us who are women?), no matter how often we've been to South Asia, we know very little about it experientially other than our grandparent's homes and neighbourhoods and family trips. Now that a lot of us are starting or have been travelling on our own, it would be great to have a forum to swap tips, stories, recommendations etc. from people who are in the same age bracket and have a similar outlook about and relationship to the region.

oh... just popped in my mind, thought i'd suggest it. this is an esential - money xchangers abound in delhi - but the rates they offer vary dramatically even within a radius of a few hundred feet - just go around the block and ask for rates - and dont be shy about telling them that the man above Gupta Sari store, next to the juice stand is giving you 48.34 instead of 48.29 - the amount to be exchanged has a lot to do with it and those little pennies add up - if you dont care, there's an ATM in every corner - but they charge 5% overhead rather than flat fee.

I lived in Delhi for 13 years. In the middle of it somewhere I spent 4 months in Bombay. The difference is remarkable. You definitely get whistled and stared at in Delhi much, much more. But you can go to bars all you want. No problems with that.

According to most people I've spoken with, it's cheapest to use ATM's as you don't pay for the exchange rate.

Some helpful words to know in the North are Bhaiyya (brother) and Behenji (sister). This is the normal way to address taxi wallahs, shopkeepers and other strangers.

If $15 is not too much, it's best to rent an all day taxi in Delhi which you can keep for 8 hours (and 80 kms.) and there's a very minimal charge for extra hours and mileage.

well thank you for this nice pictures
i really love this place
i will be there in a few days again
this is my favorite place to go
mumbai is just fantastic iwill
stay in krishna temple in juhu
i will stay for 3 weeks
if you have any sugggestions to make me
please feel free to do it
you can email me before i leave
email rafaele@bluewin.ch

thank you..!

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