living in a quiet town near manali

kullukid

No prob's, that's what we are here for. If you need more info just ask. Remember the pic of the guesthouse i posted earlier,well if you decide to stay in Kashol i would highly recommend this one, most others in central Kashol are more expensive, overcrowded & have fleas whereas this one is hidden away but not isolated & very clean & quiet & run by a very nice family, if you decide to try it let me know & i will give you some directions how to find it, its very Shanti! KK

scotsman

Kullukid, I will stay in that guesthouse in kashol as it seems to be one of the first villiages in the kullu valley and I will probably work my way up.
My sister has just got back from a months stay in India herselfe TODAY! She got me a marble chess set she picked up near the taj mahal... I asked for one before she went and I cant believe she got it!
Some interesting things came up.
She says that the South is far more laid back and enjoyable than the north (although she didnt go anywhere near as far north as Im intending) she says.... In delhi and the northern parts people are much poorer than south and generally out to scam you and take as much money from u as possible...

I dont buy all of it as i think she has just gone to the wrong places and been at the predictable places where prices will be higher.... Apparently I should not go North, and if I do, dont get the bus from Delhi to Manali as it travels through dangerous parts and theres lots of kidnappings/castrations/bombings in the regions we travel through, and "up north" its very unstable and dangerous (says the plane is safer). She says if i do what i intend (spend a few months just chilling with tollah and doing some treks) I will not feel relaxed as all the locals about me will hassle me and are so poor without anything to do during the day as theres no work, they could easily mug me etc... I personally think this is total exxageration, and she kept saying how "india is not a relaxing place to go to" the only place she felt relaxed was this place near Kerala which were 3 islands called Kochin (sp?) could be Koshin, where she bathed with some elephants! I am determined to go north to the himalayas to trek smoke and chill basically but shes very adamant its a bad idea because of the "dangers involved". Apparently I wont like it because the indians are so poor here il have more money on me than they will earn in generations and it will mean im likely to get mugged (her words not mine!!!!) this is the general jist of what shes been telling me, and apart from saying directly "i wont like it" ... when i tell her im interested in different things to her, "ive been there" is her answer.

Its "go south, go south, go south and work ur way up"

Also she says the cheapest place she stayed at was £1.30 a night. And the rest of the guesthouses were around £3-4

Has she just been naive and spent too much or is £3-4 for the bottom of the range room normal? I was hoping maybe £2 max for a simple room with running water to wash. And she says... that the peak season is september - march as its not the monsoon season (when Im going) and this means the prices will be much much higher!! negative bitch! its what i think personally.

apparently I wont be finding meals at stalls roadside etc for 20p because theres an "indian price" and a "tourist price" and no matter how much I haggle, I wont be able to buy for the "indian price" and will have to pay much more.... yet I read on here information to counteract her claims on every post....

Apparently my £1200 wont get me as far as i think!

Has she just been naive, gone to predictable places, done the predictable things which puts costs up, or are these prices shes talking about valid?

I mean cause im going in the "peak season" (according to her) when she paid £3-4 a night accomodation, am I going to be paying even more maybe? I budgeted for £2-3 a night accomodation with a half decent room! but according to her il get absolute shit with this

I only spoke to her for half an hour there and shes talking with my grandparents about it all just now but I will hopefully have time to post what she did and prices she paid and see if you guys can advise me a different path (cheaper one!) to the ones she took.....

I cant help thinking though, with her "its very dangerous in the north" "india isnt a relaxing place" (exact words) ... rhetorict coming from her, maybe she is giving me misguided advice or something but I am intruiged to hear more from her.

What do you think about the prices she quoted? was she ripped off or what? is it going to be £5+ per night in a simple guesthouse?

The negativity in this post is not from me! I am still just as excited as I was about going before she came back! and i cant wait to go! ive just typed what she has said and wanted to hear what you guys thought of her "observations" shall we say

thanks as allways
kieran

kullukid

OH MY GOD! It sounds like you're going anyway no matter what your sis says, sounds like certain places freaked her a bit was she travelling alone? Don't you know that it's different for girls? (Sorry IM ladies don't mean you!)India is a very big place which varies enormously from place to place,people will try to scam you when you first arrive in Delhi & especially at the Taj but it's all done in a fairly friendly way no-one is any real threat to you, you will probably get a bit of a shock in Delhi but most people get over it after a day or so.The touts tend to stop bothering you after a day or so, basically they have a day to try & get some money off you before you wise up,they can tell once you've been there a day or 2 & they'll stop hassling you.But you definitely won't get "kidnapped, castrated or bombed" just catching a bus to Kullu valley, she's probably thinking of Kashmir which is a long way from where you're going. You will get no hassle whatsoever from the locals in the kullu area & they are not as poor as your sis says remember this is a main tourist area, so the locals do o.k. from tourists. The place i recommended is Rs70p/n higher up the valley i have stayed in rooms at RS50p/n but the tarrifs are very low in this area in bigger places like Manali & Shimla you will pay RS2-300. The peak season comes to an end at the end of sept in kullu area. You could eat for 20p per meal but i wouldn't recommend it 50-75p would be about right & they do not have higher prices for tourists where you are going.Like i said before my toal bill for all food, drinks, accomodation & laundry for 8 days in Kashol was about £17.
The only time i would recommend real caution is if you do the trek to Malana, if you remember i said try to tag along with someone for this, thye reason is over the last 10yrs or so people have disappeared in this area & 1 or 2 found dead, but the common belief is that they were upto no good & involved in lrge drugs deals, it's big business up there!
Remember your sister as just got back & might be feeling a bit hyper or overwhelmed by her last months experience speak to her tomorrow when she's chilled a bit.I will send you some directions to the guesthouse at Kashol later. I'm sure lots of people on her will back up what i'm saying & give you some support. Shanti KK

Nick-H

It sounds like your sister should be writing for our Why you shouldn't go to India thread!

I've always been told the the South is more easy-going than the North, eg that, so far as cutting ones teeth on big Indian cities is concerned that Chennai is a good place to start. So I came here and got stuck here: haven't made it up North at all ---yet!

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IndiaMike Mod Team (The Grumpy One)

kullukid

Not scared are you Nick?
Come up north!
WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU!

johnrxx99

Well, I fly off tomorrow, will start packing soon.

In general the south is more relaxed than the north imo but different peoples involved. I haven't been far north India yet, I'm talking Ganga north and the plain is more crowded it seems.

When I did my first long trip, I spent the first 4 months in the south and when I started to move north, missed out Delhi and after Varanasi I rush up to Nepal to relax.

Now I can enjoy both and quite look forward to the differences.

KulluK, many thanks for your posts. I'm sure your knowledge and experiences are welcomed by many. John

Nick-H

KK... I'm wondering now if I should abandon the entire subcontinent: fast! . Damn good thing I've got Mrs N. (who agrees with the North/South generalisations) to protect me .

John... have a great trip

Scotsman, I think you are in for a great adventure, and I'm sure you'll love, if not every, then almost every minute of it. I get the feeling that if it was all going to be predictable and like clockwork then you wouldn't be coming!

OtherBeaumont

in my travels the further north with the kashmir exception..the less hassles there are ....i found since the clean up of manali..there was way less touts...i didnt once get asked to buy dope or saffron...10 years back saffron kids where everywhere.... the dangers that you sister went on about is a pure load...i didnt hear of one western women being castrated...i hear down south they still castrate some women but thats so old..and like the caste system istelf..slowely vanishing as the older gens die off
now if she managed to score some real charas not the commercial crap ..maybe she got paranoid and freaked out

one last point..i find the poorer the regions the less hassles...poor village people do not have the time to waste trying to get your western dollar...considering the chances of getting r's is extremly low...so its just a waste of time and energy...

cyberhippie

North india is perfectly safe to travel in and the stories of kidnappings etc have been completely blown out of proportion by whoever told your sister these things!!

The North is no more susceptable to crime than the South and in both ends of the country petty theft is still rare!!

I don't adhere to the idea that the South is friendlier it may well be deemed easier, as Southern folk are a bit more stand offish (in the nicest possible way) than their Northern counterparts. This serves to make travel feel a little safer or easier I suppose, because it's closer to life at home!! I find the people of the mountains to be even more so
Personally I prefer the North for exactly this reason the spontanaity of the smiles, Namastes and conversations with complete strangers. I love the Southies and Mountain folks as well but find I have to try a little harder with them!!

As to your budget well allow for a general budget of 250 rupees a day for a hotel this will get you a room almost anywhere and if your staying long term well you'll be able to get a room for considerably less!!
Food wise you can still eat a filling breakfast for 15 rupees and a filling "Thali" of Rice Dal and veggies for 20-25, all you can eat!! I've seldom come across dual pricing in roadside Dhahabs or restaurants!
If your sister disagrees with any of the above well tell her "I've been there

Styler

This post about the views of the Scotsman's sis is amazing..
I'm a total Desi - Total Indian, born and brought up in Delhi.
I have half my family in US and i do travel to europe and US regularly though.
I'm amused reading the story the scotsman heard from his sister.
Honest to God, but being an Indian when i go to the Hills i think i always pay more than any foreigners (specially Israilie's) for Room etc. No offence meant to the israilis but on the other hand it shows how street smart these guys are in India.
Example - One place where i go regularly is Hotel Bhrighu in Vashist, Manali. As i know the family i make bookings for a lot of friends too. I would normally not evan ask them how much i need to pay and just pay around Rs 400 - Rs 500 per night. If i make a booking for any friend (Indian) i would just tell them to pay min Rs 500 for a room. I do this because i feel this is a very cheap and reasonable price to pay for the room with balconies with views to die for. If we visit Nainital or Ranikhet etc i sometimes end up paying Rs 4000 per night for a room.
But i know and have noticed that the same rooms are let out to Isrialis for as low as Rs 150-200 sometimes, and on an average a Brit would pay Rs 300-400.
So you see being a local i normally pay more than what the foreigners do for the same room. I think this attitude comes from the fact that i have enough, so i should pay a reasonable price. Another reason perrhaps- I'm not a Hippy ...I am an IT professional who earns enough for himself. My Sis whoose an American Capitalist, having been there for the last 18 yrs dosn't understand this attitude. I on the other hand don't understand their attitude. She and her husband earn roughly $ 30,000 a month, drive BMW 7 series Cars but when shopping in India they would try to bargain for every rupee. I tell them you have enough and it won't harm you if you pay the poor craftsman selling his goods at Delhi Haat a few rupees more, but they would still like to bargain.

And as for how poor or rich the locals are....hear this one.
One day i was walking down the mall road in Manali with 2 local friends from the Palchan village. We landed up in the Swatch /Victorinox showroom on the top end of the Mall Road. We walked in and were browsing through expensive Swatch Watches, Victorinox Swiss Knives, and Okley glasses. I found things were pretty expensive for me. Suddenly i saw this local friend taking out a wad of notes and buying a pair of Okley Glasses for Rs 8,000/= . I was zapped. Later on i worked out how much these guys earned. These Guys Own Snow Scooters which Run at Rohtang. They have leased out the Snow Scooters for Rs 10,000/= a day to other locals who in turn make around 15000-20000 per day charging Rs 500 for a 1 min ride from tourists. So these poor loocals from a small village in the Hills make roughly $ 6700 a month in season. Which is from Nov to June (8 Months in a year)
For those people who have been to India, you would know how much this amount of money means in India. I guess how much the scotman's sis makes in the UK

Another thing i would like to add here. After a lot of thinking i have calculated that the Purchasing power of Rs 10 in India is roughly equal to the purchasing power of $ 1 in US. For Ex a loaf of bread would cost Rs 10 in India and $1 in USA.

Nick-H

Very intersting post, styler --- but isn't it the case that, in every community, the rich are a pyramid tip: you were in an expensive shop, you would expect to meet people with money.

I do wonder if Ms Scotswoman actually enjoyed her trip! Perhaps Scotsman should persuade her to take up IM membership

cyberhippie

Now you've let the cat out of the bag Styler. It is indeed true that many Indians tourists will pay more than foreign traveler!! The reason I've heard quoted is the extra levy is for the percieved "hassle factor" that the middle class Indian family carries with them!!
I don't agree with this but there you go!!

being jin

I too need some safety-assuring comments from you guys. Not to mention my sis who's never been (just like me) to India yet saying "you're simply insane.. why india, it's dangerous, what about disease..etc, etc", the people who hear i am going to india alone show great concern and think i need to visit a doctor, not india. i am not sick, however.

Scotsman,
same age here.. however as a girl from faaar east, i do need to see you lionhearted! c'mon, you're a scotsman....! give me some confidence..
but then, i was just bored.
still, budget-wise tips seem really helpful to me as well, i am thinking about going on with about the same budget as yours. approx. 250 USD for 5 or six months. but i don't smoke, therefore i may be able to indulge myself in somethinig else.

good for you, i still have more than 4 months to go. argh.


best luck and have fun.

Cheers,
jin

cyberhippie

Just go is the best advice I can give you!! A potential trip to India raises more "amatuer experts" than you can shake a fist at. Most have ZERO experience to bring to the table, just a load of second hand stories and the rather bleak picture painted by the world's media, about the poverty slums etc etc. India has this of course, to say otherwise would be foolish but it offers so much more! A myriad of landscapes, great food with a cuisine that seems to change every 20 Kilometers, unrivalled hospitality, refreshing honesty and the feeling of being at one with the massive chunk of humanity!!
Wildlife everywhere, smells and colours that will have you aching for more on your return home, lonely deserted forts, wonderfully intricate carvings, festivals................

India is not to be missed, forget what others "THINK" they know, go see for yourself, I promise you won't be sorry!

kullukid

Hi Scotsman, How's your sis? Hope she hasn't scared you! Here's the details on how to find the G/H in Kashol. It's called the Bahadur Family Guest House. I'm presuming you've taken a look at Sabbys thread on how to get a bus from Delhi to Manali, if indeed this is the way you have chosen? If so, you need to get off the bus at Bhuntar, which has a bus station where you will find a bus going to Manikaran,just ask & someone will tell you which is the right bus. As soon as you leave Bhuntar the bus will turn right over a bridge crossing the river. You have now entered the Parvati Valley 1st you will pass through Jari,eventually you will arrive at Kashol, you will see lots of shops & hotels on either side of the road, you need to stay on the bus until you reach the bus stop in the centre of Kashol,the bus will probably stop a bit lower down first near Yerpas Guesthouse (if you are not sure ask the conductor & he will tell you when you are at the Kashol main bus stand). So you've got off the bus, which will go straight on to Manikaran, but there is a street to your right (this is the main street in New Kashol & in fact the only street in Parvati apart from the main road)walk down this street of shops, restaurants & hotels, there is a nice restaurant on your right after the first block of grocery shops, maybe you should go sit in here for 10mins grab a cold drink or bannana lassi & get your bearings. Ok so now you're refreshed come out of the restaurant & turn right continuing up the street on either side of you now there are touristy gift shops selling jewellery.pipes,chillums etc just past these on your right you will see an hotel called Green Palace Hotel, right opposite the sign you will see an alleyway between 2 shops to your left follow the path behind the shops & you will come to a grass bank (At this point you'll think this must be wrong but it's ok keep going) You will see a path going through the grass which leads to the top of an hill, when you get to the top you will see 1 house on its own to your left keep this to your left & walk into the apple orchard in front of you, there you will see a dirt track in front of you follow this to the left passed the big water tank raised up on bricks, keep walking through the orchard & you will pass 2 giant rocks on your right, all you do is follow this path for about 3 mins & you will see 2 houses to your left, keep this to your left & walk behind them probably past 2 (harmless cows!) that are tied up eating fodder this will bring you out onto a path you will see the blue guesthouse to your right which i sent you a pic of in an earlier post & a green house to your left which belongs to the owner who is called Desi, if you can't see anyone just shout hello & someone will appear,tell him Kullukid the handsome English guy who stayed last year as sent you. I hope this is enough detail, it sounds a long way from the bus stop but it's only 10mins Max. Once you are there you will see there is a path at the side of the guesthouse that goes down to the main road this is the other way to Kashol & you will probably need to go this way at night when it's way too dark to traipse through the orchard (snakes!) so if you go back into Kashol try this route while it's light to get your bearings you turn right on the road back to Kashol if you turn left it leads to Manikaran which is a nice walk to do one day (30-45mins).Good luck any more questions just ask! Shambu KK