Any advice on my travel plans?

hannu · Oct 3rd, 2003, 04:10

Hi, this is my first post. Any comments on my travel plan would be very welcome.

It will be the second time in India for me in December. The first visit was a one-week tour about six years years ago, in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, and then one week in Calangute, Goa. My wife has not been in India before. However, we have travelled in Cambodia and Egypt together (but we are not very brave travellers).

The plan below is the result of a few e-mails between me and an Indian travel company. They will take care of tickets and tours and will also pick us from railway stations.

Goa-Delhi flight would be great but it is too expensive (250 USD per person and direction) so I guess air-conditioned train would be the best and only option?

I worry a bit about two nights in a train in a row, but mostly I'm afraid that the new year in a train will be miserable compared to new year in Goa. But, at least we would see many nice monumets which we would miss otherwise. What would you do?

Our flight back home begins January the 2nd early morning. Is it possible that the train would be delayed enough for us to miss the flight?

Thanks for your opinions.

---
25 Dec Overnight train from Goa to Bombay (1800/0500 hrs +1)

26 Dec Arrive Bombay. Our representative would pick you up and perhaps take you to one of the hotels where you can have an early breakfast and then do a sightseeing tour of Bombay before returning to the railway stations in time for your overnight train to Delhi. (1655/0955 hrs +1)

27 Dec Arrive Delhi. Pick up from railstation and transfer to the
hotel. Later sightseeing tour of Delhi. Overnight at hotel in Delhi.

28 Dec Fly Delhi-Khajuraho (9W 333 - 1040/1300 hrs). Afternoon
sightseeing in Khajuraho. Overnight in Khajuraho.

29 Dec Morning sightseeing in Khajuraho. Afternoon fly Khajurhao-Agra (IC 7408 - 1705/1745 hrs). Overnight in Agra.

30 Dec Sightseeing tour of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri followed by drop to railstation for train Agra-Goa (1740/0630 hrs + 2). THE TRAIN WILL ARRIVE GOA AT 0630 HRS ON THE 01ST OF JANUARY.

wonderwomanusa · Oct 3rd, 2003, 04:37

Some of my favorite New Year's Eves were spent with strangers -- whoever happened to be around.

One was in a freezing campground at Big Bend National Park in Texas, where 8 of us celebrated with a tape of Billie Holliday's singing, a couple of bottles of booze and a couple of hours' conversation. By then (probably about 9:30) we were all so cold that we went to our tents and to sleep!

New Year's Eve on a train will be "different" and you might have a very good time with the families around you. Take whatever "treats" you can find -- sweets, cookies, fruit and be prepared to tell folks what you would be doing that night "back home."

Yatri · Oct 4th, 2003, 19:48

why do u fly out from Goa at all? Many airlines allow flying out from another place...

hannu · Oct 7th, 2003, 02:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Yatri
why do u fly out from Goa at all? Many airlines allow flying out from another place...

It is a charter flight so it is not possible.
Anyway the trip from Goa to Delhi turned out to be quite expensive even in (air conditioned) night train and our vacation is rather short. Maybe we should just have some rest in Goa and make a few shorter trips.

wonderwomanusa · Oct 7th, 2003, 06:41

From Mumbai you could take a train to Aurangabad and spend a couple of days exploring Ajanta and Ellora. If you have more time, Hyderabad isn't far from there and is a little-visited city with an all-time wonderful bazaar.

-m2- · Oct 7th, 2003, 07:00

Just a quick comment, but this appears to be an awful way to spend a week in India. You are starting in the south, why not relax a bit and look for a couple of interesting side-trips from Goa?

vinayverma · Oct 7th, 2003, 11:11

Agree with WW and -M2-,
Try not cover too much of India in short span of time, you end up tired, jet lagged, confused and spend more $$$.
There are many nice places to see around Goa.
1. Elora and Ajanta caves,
2. halebid, belur in western karnataka near Hassan. Mainly temples and huge monolith of Mahavir
3. hampi...would be just overnite journey from vasco
4. Manglore- infact you can take the road from Goa to Kerala.most of it runs along the sea.
5. Kerala
6. Coorg- very quite, and small hill station. with mainly coffee and tea plantations.

you can always come back for the north of India.

india-welcomes.com · Oct 7th, 2003, 17:31

absolutely ...

do not try to cover various part of india in a one go...as india offer various destinations...we would rather advise you to experience south india...have some backwater rides, experience some of ayurvedic massages there ...enjoy the leisure of the beaches..etc. ...your are coming for a holiday ...make it short and simple... enjoy at leisure... there always a next time to explore a new side ...

at present look of your tour program ...you are spending alot on travelling...

with wishes

hannu · Oct 7th, 2003, 21:09

Thanks for your comments. I think you're all quite right, so we will relax, have some Kingfisher beer and make some shorter trips in Goa.
regards, Hannu

mountaingirl · Oct 8th, 2003, 15:16

Please note few things:

There is a superfast express from Delhi to Goa (Madgoan) that runs twice a week Sundays and Tuesdays only and takes ONLY Twenty-five (25) hours (Departs Delhi at 1100 hours and arrives Mumbai at 1230 hours). This could be an option for you. Please take a look at the train schedule that has been painstakingly put up by Steve (please search this website for the same).

Another option is to take the superfast express train to Mumbai (Departure 1600 hours – arrives Mumbai at 0835 hours the FOLLOWING morning) and fly between Mumbai – Goa sector. Or, take train one way and fly the other.

Also have few questions: Why Mumbai and Khajuhrao? Khajuraho is pretty badly located. I would choose Varanasi and Agra. Though Varanasi is a bit far off and requires you to travel too far by train/ road or, choose an expensive option of flying. The flights between Khajuraho and Agra are not that dependable (flight cancellations/ delays are a pain in the winters), so keep an extra day in hand to make amendments in your program.

My personal opinion: Your itinerary is too fast paced. I guess that you are heading up North mainly to see the Taj Mahal, isn’t it? Since you do not have much time in hand, I would suggest you to visit only three places: Goa – Delhi and Agra. It will give you time to relax – remember that your wife is a 1st time traveller to this strange land – give her time to take in the cultural shock and everything that comes with it. The idea is to enjoy the places isn’t it?

Whatever you do – ENJOY your stay in our lovely land!

Oct 3rd, 2003, 04:10	#1
hannu Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Finland Posts: 3	Any advice on my travel plans? Hi, this is my first post. Any comments on my travel plan would be very welcome. It will be the second time in India for me in December. The first visit was a one-week tour about six years years ago, in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, and then one week in Calangute, Goa. My wife has not been in India before. However, we have travelled in Cambodia and Egypt together (but we are not very brave travellers). The plan below is the result of a few e-mails between me and an Indian travel company. They will take care of tickets and tours and will also pick us from railway stations. Goa-Delhi flight would be great but it is too expensive (250 USD per person and direction) so I guess air-conditioned train would be the best and only option? I worry a bit about two nights in a train in a row, but mostly I'm afraid that the new year in a train will be miserable compared to new year in Goa. But, at least we would see many nice monumets which we would miss otherwise. What would you do? Our flight back home begins January the 2nd early morning. Is it possible that the train would be delayed enough for us to miss the flight? Thanks for your opinions. --- 25 Dec Overnight train from Goa to Bombay (1800/0500 hrs +1) 26 Dec Arrive Bombay. Our representative would pick you up and perhaps take you to one of the hotels where you can have an early breakfast and then do a sightseeing tour of Bombay before returning to the railway stations in time for your overnight train to Delhi. (1655/0955 hrs +1) 27 Dec Arrive Delhi. Pick up from railstation and transfer to the hotel. Later sightseeing tour of Delhi. Overnight at hotel in Delhi. 28 Dec Fly Delhi-Khajuraho (9W 333 - 1040/1300 hrs). Afternoon sightseeing in Khajuraho. Overnight in Khajuraho. 29 Dec Morning sightseeing in Khajuraho. Afternoon fly Khajurhao-Agra (IC 7408 - 1705/1745 hrs). Overnight in Agra. 30 Dec Sightseeing tour of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri followed by drop to railstation for train Agra-Goa (1740/0630 hrs + 2). THE TRAIN WILL ARRIVE GOA AT 0630 HRS ON THE 01ST OF JANUARY.

Oct 3rd, 2003, 04:37	#2
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Dhaka Posts: 3,571	Some of my favorite New Year's Eves were spent with strangers -- whoever happened to be around. One was in a freezing campground at Big Bend National Park in Texas, where 8 of us celebrated with a tape of Billie Holliday's singing, a couple of bottles of booze and a couple of hours' conversation. By then (probably about 9:30) we were all so cold that we went to our tents and to sleep! New Year's Eve on a train will be "different" and you might have a very good time with the families around you. Take whatever "treats" you can find -- sweets, cookies, fruit and be prepared to tell folks what you would be doing that night "back home." __________________ The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

Oct 7th, 2003, 11:11	#7
vinayverma Maha Infrequent Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 1,302	Agree with WW and -M2-, Try not cover too much of India in short span of time, you end up tired, jet lagged, confused and spend more $$$. There are many nice places to see around Goa. 1. Elora and Ajanta caves, 2. halebid, belur in western karnataka near Hassan. Mainly temples and huge monolith of Mahavir 3. hampi...would be just overnite journey from vasco 4. Manglore- infact you can take the road from Goa to Kerala.most of it runs along the sea. 5. Kerala 6. Coorg- very quite, and small hill station. with mainly coffee and tea plantations. you can always come back for the north of India. __________________ If Life is a journey....travel on...and on..on..on.....

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Yatri Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bangalore Posts: 62	why do u fly out from Goa at all? Many airlines allow flying out from another place...

Oct 7th, 2003, 06:41	#5
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Dhaka Posts: 3,571	From Mumbai you could take a train to Aurangabad and spend a couple of days exploring Ajanta and Ellora. If you have more time, Hyderabad isn't far from there and is a little-visited city with an all-time wonderful bazaar.

Oct 7th, 2003, 07:00	#6
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,577	Just a quick comment, but this appears to be an awful way to spend a week in India. You are starting in the south, why not relax a bit and look for a couple of interesting side-trips from Goa?

Oct 7th, 2003, 17:31	#8
india-welcomes.com Account Closed Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: INDIA Posts: 99	absolutely ... do not try to cover various part of india in a one go...as india offer various destinations...we would rather advise you to experience south india...have some backwater rides, experience some of ayurvedic massages there ...enjoy the leisure of the beaches..etc. ...your are coming for a holiday ...make it short and simple... enjoy at leisure... there always a next time to explore a new side ... at present look of your tour program ...you are spending alot on travelling... with wishes

Oct 7th, 2003, 21:09	#9
hannu Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Finland Posts: 3	Thanks for your comments. I think you're all quite right, so we will relax, have some Kingfisher beer and make some shorter trips in Goa. regards, Hannu

Oct 8th, 2003, 15:16	#10
mountaingirl Mother Goose Join Date: May 2003 Location: underground Posts: 426	Please note few things: There is a superfast express from Delhi to Goa (Madgoan) that runs twice a week Sundays and Tuesdays only and takes ONLY Twenty-five (25) hours (Departs Delhi at 1100 hours and arrives Mumbai at 1230 hours). This could be an option for you. Please take a look at the train schedule that has been painstakingly put up by Steve (please search this website for the same). Another option is to take the superfast express train to Mumbai (Departure 1600 hours – arrives Mumbai at 0835 hours the FOLLOWING morning) and fly between Mumbai – Goa sector. Or, take train one way and fly the other. Also have few questions: Why Mumbai and Khajuhrao? Khajuraho is pretty badly located. I would choose Varanasi and Agra. Though Varanasi is a bit far off and requires you to travel too far by train/ road or, choose an expensive option of flying. The flights between Khajuraho and Agra are not that dependable (flight cancellations/ delays are a pain in the winters), so keep an extra day in hand to make amendments in your program. My personal opinion: Your itinerary is too fast paced. I guess that you are heading up North mainly to see the Taj Mahal, isn’t it? Since you do not have much time in hand, I would suggest you to visit only three places: Goa – Delhi and Agra. It will give you time to relax – remember that your wife is a 1st time traveller to this strange land – give her time to take in the cultural shock and everything that comes with it. The idea is to enjoy the places isn’t it? Whatever you do – ENJOY your stay in our lovely land!

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