Why so few articles on IndiaMike ?

Hi all,

This is a forum visited by people who love to travel.

And, i am sure all of you have travelled some time or the other to lots of interesting places.

Why don't you write a small travelogue giving info on the places u have visited, location, how to get there, where to stay, what to do etc....it will help loads of others who want to travel.

The Indiamike members article section can become a great resource...of information....on places to go to. Interested people can read.

Currently there are about 40 articles, and they are not necessarily about 40 places....

So, i think all of you must post ur travel experiences....as articles...even short ones of 250 words will be great.

I suppose someone can scour the web a post links to varoius websites that already have these travelogues?

It brought back wonderful memories typing the following, but I only did it to show that there is nothing other tourists would find useful.


Day 1 - Arrived in Delhi, took 44-hour train journey to Guwahati (Assam), Drunk a bottle of Tequila and a bottle of Johnny Walker with a couple of Indian Soldiers and an Assamese man, great fun.

Day 3 - 6 - had 3 and a half days in Guwahati, stayed at an OK hotel, never went to see any tourist attractions, just walked around all day, met some lovely people, played pool for a few hours every night.

Day 7 - Took train to Lumding, The Chai place outside the station had just closed, I asked where I could find another, so they opened up again, took about 10 minutes to make me a Red chai (they had no milk), they charged me Rs1 for the chai, it was nice, sweet and had a bite to it, I think the bite was chilli powder, had another red chai, security warnings I had received seemed strange, I had my own private army, chatted with about 30 soldiers for a few hours, took overnight train to Silchar.

Day 8 - 9 - stayed in a basic, cheap (great VFM Rs170), place, though I could have done a wildlife programme about the occupants of the bathroom, I never went to see any of the tourist attractions, spent most of my time talking to truckers from various parts of the North-East, also met a group of locals and played pool whilst discussing the poor relations between Assamese people and the large number of Bengali's living in Assam. (I have details of the hotel)

Day 10 - Took the daytime train to Lumding, very scenic journey through the North Cachar hills, took the opportunity to ride on the roof for large parts of the journey, arrived at Lumding, went for a red chai, then went for a meal with a group of policemen, later I got talking to a train examiner, he has his own carriage with beds, a living room, cooking facilities and a bathroom, he asked me to join him on his next trip, (Guwahati - Jodhpur - Guwahati), nearly 6 days, I was tempted, but said no, took the overnight train to Margherita. (Upper Assam)

Day 11 - 12 - Disappointed that I couldn't have a Margarita in Margherita, I found a bus to Tipong Colliery, (that well known tourist attraction ), found it to be a very picturesque place, stayed in the guest house, had a good evening, in the morning I got to meet the Colliery manager, got permission for the photos I wanted to take, and was shown around the place by a very nice man from Delhi,(I have his details) he organises trips to see the working steam engines in the Colliery, though that wasn't the reason I was there.

I then went to Ledo to find out some information far an Indian rail map that a friend is making, then went to Digboi (got its name when the British oil bosses used to shout "DIG BOY to the local workers), got overcharged by the government hotel "because you tourist", and very pissed of that it always seemed to be raining (in March)

Day 13 - 15 - Took the train to Dibrugarh, Stayed in an awful hotel, by now I had give up on the possibility of the rain stopping and was absolutely sick of constantly walking on soft mud, walked 2 kms to find a place to book a plane to Calcutta, had to go back to my hotel before I could get the bookings BECAUSE I couldn't remember the name of my hotel for their paperwork ....AAGGHHHH.

In the 2 days I had to wait for the flight it stopped raining, I moved to a great hotel (details available), met a good cycle rickshaw wallah, found a great restaurant, met a great group of men, watched India beat Pakistan at cricket and wondered why I was leaving Assam, never went to see any tourist attractions.

Day 16 - 19 - Flew to Calcutta, booked into the Fairlawn Hotel, absolutely awesome place, stayed a few days, met a few great people, went on a narrow gauge train trip in west Bengal (remind me to add a link to a write-up about it), went to see Eden Gardens cricket ground, Howrah bridge and Howrah train station, bought a couple of CD's by Bhumi, was glad that the people of Calcutta were as friendly as their reputation.

Day 20 - Took overnight train to Jabalpur, had a very quick stop-over as I was intending to get to another place, stayed at ok hotel, didn't look for any tourist attractions.

Day 21 - Had a great breakfast, a haircut, a little look around, then took overnight train to Nadiad (Gujarat).

Day 22 - 28 - Arrived Nadiad with 2 hours to wait before my next train, so had breakfast, then give a hotel man Rs100 to let me shower and change my clothes, then took narrow gauge train to Pij, the village where a friend in London was from, (I had intended on spending all my time in Assam, it's only when I booked the plane ticket for Calcutta that I decided to go to Gujarat, so nobody, not even my friend knew I would be in Gujarat, when I looked at the dates I knew I had to go to Pij).

I knew that he lived by the water tank, so after a group of kids (met them on the train) had shown me around there school, I went and found the water tank, some people asked me why I was in Pij, I said I had come to meet my friend (I give them his name and they all knew him), they said "he is in London", I said "no, he is meeting me at 12 next to the water tank".

About 5 minutes later my friends father arrived, he was confused and telephoned my friend in London, it was about 05:00 in London when my friend answered the telephone, his father talked to him then passed the phone to me, all I could say was "April fool", it was April 1st., we all had a good laugh about it and I ended up staying in the village for a week, it was as if I'd found a new India, it was the most 'eye-opening' experience of my life, a week I will never ever forget.

Day 29 - Went to meet another friend’s family in Ahmedabad, and then took the overnight train to Jaipur.

Day 30 - 31 - Stayed at the awesome Jasvilas, had a couple of days in Jaipur then took the overnight train to Agra.

Day 32 - lasted 45 minutes in Agra before I decided to head for Delhi.

Day 33 - 34 - A couple of days in Delhi, then I flew home.

Hey Steven

I liked reading your travel "article". You did some interesting things, went to places many of us will not likely see, and you write well.

Your point is well taken though. Similarly, some people post pictures that are pretty ho-hum. I had fun posting my rat temple picture, despite the fact there are about 15 other pictures of the same thing! At least I didn't throw up pictures of Ed and I waving at the camera from the top of the tourist elephant in Jaipur!

It was extremely interesting reading the stuff u put....and how can u assume it is not useful.

this whole site is one humgous Indiablog, IMHO

or maybe lack of ideas?!?! shall we start a thread on "Indian Idol" ??....lol