A Beginner's Guide to India - Reflections on my Trip

I've never paid anything other than the local rate for meals all around Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle,....unless I chose to eat in restaurants catering for foreign tourists.

Kiodhi there are tons of cheap eateries around the western gate to the Taj Mahal in Agra..If you are on a budget then I recommend staying Hotel Siddhartha near to the gate. The restaurant here was doing mains for about 100 - 120 Rp
Around the corner there's a place called Joney's Place, little restaurant that is popular with tourists that also does main course for around the same price and they're very tasty too. Further there are lots of meals/thali places that do simple food for 60-100 rupees, simple spicey and filling. For packed lunches there are many samosas/kachori wallahs but try and only visit when they are fresh cooked and preferably if they are busy places...

It's been a few years since I was in Rajasthan, but I guess you can pay anywhere from Rs50-120 for the average meal. More if you're in a touristy place. And a beer or two can double the price. The Golden Triangle isn't the cheapest of India by any means, but as Klompen says, if you avoid the tourist hang-outs you can keep your budget to a reasonable level. Depending on accommodations your biggest single expense might be the admission to the Taj!

Thanks guys for the info, that helps alot!

I am so looking forward to tasting real Indian food, we South Africans cook very differently to our fellow Indians in India.

I have worked out the entry fee to the Taj Mahal to be around 750INR, the most expensive as expected.

Is it advisable to carry around USD or INR, or both and in what denominations? I have also heard of travelers cheques, but is not entirely sure as to how that works.

Please advise!

I use the ATMs to get Rupees and carry a few large US bills for emergencies.
Travelers cheques aren't used much.