Advice appreciated on itinerary - North India 20 Oct - 8 Nov

labrol

Thanks Yarita and Delhiwalla, for the nice words.

Yarita, if you research the threads for each city in the respective state or city forums, you will find very useful feedback from travellers. At most of the places advance reservation, though desirable, is not absolutely necessary. But search carefully and make reservations for delhi and Agra.
In Delhi look for places in or near connaught place. Most backpackers stay at Paharganj. YWCA in CP is nicely located. Metropolis in Paharganj has good roof top food. You will find many more in the forums. Both places are convenient to reach any railway station. Check whether your train is from New Delhi or Delhi. It would take a minute but I am in a hurry at the moment.

__________________
Alone I walked. Strangers joined in. We became a caravan.

Yarita

On the 21st Oct, to Jaisalmer from Delhi (DLI).
On the 5th Nov, from Varanasi to New Delhi (NDLS).

I'm checking now the hotels forums. But I must say I find a bit difficult to focus on the specific threads that I have to check. My atention always gets diverted to some other interesting threads that have nothing to do with my research.... but I enjoy too much reading them

labrol

Be very very careful. Many people have been known to have got hopelessly addicted!

I am travelling to Coorg for next three days. I am sure you would have made your way through the cobwebs by the time I get net worthy again.

At most places, it is OK to book places on arrival. In Delhi and Agra, you want to avoid the touts who are going to surround you and push you to do as they wish. You can read the scams and annoyances forum. These are harmless once you are aware and move away firmly. It is ok to say no to them with or without a smile.
Fellow passengers with confirmed reservations on trains will befriend you and will be very helpful if you choose to establish talking rapport with them. On trains to and from Varanasi it pays to be careful about unreserved people coming around you with a purpose. Here again, those with reserved berths around you will be helpful.

Yarita

Labrol, hope you are enjoying Coorg. I have taken a quick look at some pics in Google and it seems a gorgeous place.

This forum is really helpful for us newbies and provides great advice...
These are being stressful days for me as I can't dedicate as much time as I'd like to prepare this trip Unfortunately, with such a tight schedule I prefer to book all the hotels. I don't want to take chances and waste time on-site looking for a hotel.

So far I've confirmed Col Lamba (Agra) and Scindhia (Varanasi - I filled in the online form for reservation and sent three emails... no response... then I had to call several times and finally I spoke with the manager, a very gentle man who confirmed our reservation).
I'm dealing with the Cottage Yes Please and the Cottage Crown (Delhi) and with the Fifu (Jaisalmer). Hopefully I'll get to arrange this tomorrow!
Still have to find something for Khajurajo. I have had no reply from any of the hotels I asked for information.

I have left Jaipur and Jodhpur to my friend... I just don't have time for everything!

labrol

I am back. At this time, just after the rains, the streams and waterfalls are extra beautiful and the forests are very green. This was one of my dozen trips in last four years, yet I was trekking areas that I haven't been to, before. You can put this on your list for the future, when you visit South India. The south of India is exquisite in beauty, simplicty of the people and traditions and dances from times immemorial. I am a North Indian, by the way.

At Khajuraho, I stayed last year at Zen at Rs.1200 a night. Tele:0091 7686 274228 or 0091 7686 272408. www.hotelzenkhajuraho.co.in. There are more than a dozen of these low cost hotels in a row just opposite the temple complex.We went without reservation in peak season, last week of december.

Yarita

Hi all,

just a quick update, just in case it might be useful to any other newbie searching for information.
As well as what I posted above, for Khajuraho I am waiting for the Zen to confirm that they can accomodate us (thanks a lot for the advice, Labrol, I emailed them yesterday and they replied to me very quickly).
In Jodhpur we should be staying at the Govind Hotel.
And in Delhi, since I'm having some issues to get hold of the Cottage Yes Please and the Cottage Crown, I'm dealing now with the Hotel Hare Krishna.
My friend is looking for some place to stay in Jaipur.

I hope we can get everything confirmed by tomorrow.

I will share our reviews on all the hotels once we are back. I have found the Hotels forum very useful so I'll be happy if I can contribute a little bit myself.

Yarita

I'm leaving tomorrow.

I just wanted to say thanks again to you all for your help

Catch you up in three weeks!