Delhi and Rajasthan (16 days, February 1) - Too much, not enough, too touristy?

curioffl · Dec 28th, 2007, 02:39

This will be our first trip to India. I have been lurking here for some time and have been especially inspired by several of the travel journals (most especially Wazen's (Journal of india, starting now!)... though I could never be THAT adventurous and recently Travellerette (http://www.indiamike.com/india/india...-india-t46019/), who mentioned wishing she'd spend more time at each place rather than trying to cover so much).

We have our flights booked now, in and out of Delhi, starting the first of February.

We are unmarried (but together 15 years) and 35 and 34 years old, presently from the US Pacific Northwest. We are planning to travel mostly by rail or by bus (though I have heard good things about hiring a car for one day in Delhi) though if it is more practical and we would get a lot more out of the trip, we could also consider flying back to Delhi from somewhere else at the end (outside of our daily budget). (The idea of an overnight sleeper train or bus taking the place of a travel-day and hotel expense is also appealing.)

We will be spending the first two weeks together, then she's heading back and I'm going off on my own for another two weeks. We are hoping to keep things to about $60 (US) per day all-together (hotel, food, entertainment, trains, etc) while we are together (and about half of that for me alone). I am largely in charge of the planning (although she insists on seeing the Lake Palace at Udaipur) and so I am trying to do kind of a 'best-of' for that first two weeks (16 days actually if you count arriving at 5:00am after almost 24 hours of travel).

I recognize that we ARE tourists, so I am not too offended by "touristy" things. All the same it would be nice to have some aspects be, umm... 'authentic' (if that's the right word) (having grown cynical of touristy things in our own city). Also I am trying to remember to think of this as a vacation and not make it a rapid chain of 1-night stands (till all the forts just become a blurr).

We, generally, are not particularly "nature people" (I can appreciate a beautiful view as much as anyone but I don't think I'd be very interested in a bird sanctuary, for instance). Our lives in the US are basically suburban (even "homebody") but we lived in the city till last year so are probably a little more geared for city-life. We enjoy concerts and movies (especially Bollywood). She has an Anthropology degree so some kind of tribal or village contact would probably be a thrill (though there may be enough culture shock just in Delhi...we really won't know till we get there). I am often impressed by things that are historical or ancient (so forts and ruins and such are appealing to me), and am also interested in some of the religious practices (especially, but not limited to, Hindu temple services and such) that I see in Bollywood movies (I am not a religious person but somehow envy people who are).

As a general sketch, is this too much or too little time anywhere? Does anything leap off the page as "do not miss this if you are going that way" or "you will be bored if you spend too much time there"? I conspicuously skipped right from Agra to Udaipur (without Jaipur or Ajmer) and from Udaipur to Jaisalmer without Jodhpur based on time and maybe based on Travellerette's observation that she didn't get enough time at places.

Day 1 - Arrive 5:00am Delhi after 24 hours of travel, be tired (maybe figure out cell phones)
Day 2 - Delhi - hire car/see the biggies/fight jet lag
Day 3 - Delhi - ?
Day 4 - Agra - (morning train to), maybe Fatehpur Sikri
Day 5 - Agra - sunrise at Taj Mahal, Agra Fort (maybe night train out?)
Day 6 - Udaipur (maybe travel day?), get barings, see town
Day 7 - Udaipur - boat ride, town, splurge on dinner at the Palace
Day 8 - Udaipur - ?
Day 9 - ?
Day 10 - Jaisalmer
Day 11 - Jaisalmer
Day 12 - ?
Day 13 - Bikander - "rat temple" (looks really interesting on TV, but is it? or will it just be tourists like me trying to respectfully hide our cases of the willies?)
Day 14 - Bikander
Day 15 - Delhi
Day 16 - Delhi (flight very early the next morning/I'll save my solo wing for another post/once I've got this more fleshed out)

Honestly besides the Lake Palace and the Taj Mahal I am pretty open. Jaisalmer is on there because I heard from a friend that it was beautiful (that's literally all it took) and this route is based on the Lonely Planet "if you only have 2-weeks" (though it's not as ambitious). Of course I have been going through guidebooks, but everything starts to blend together there. I could probably be convinced that Delhi, Agra, and Udaipur with stiff closer by would be plenty. (Another draft of this had us doing Delhi, Agra, Orchha, Udaipur, Ajmer and back... another had us forgetting Udaipur and heading for Varanasi by way of Orchha, which will probably be the general route of my solo leg unless we decide on that.)

I really felt like I had a better handle on this till I I typed this all out...now I realized I should have posted here long ago.

I guess my questions are: Is this way too touristy/outside my budget/too much travel? Just the opposite? Is it a shame to go to Udaipur (wherever) and not side trip to ??? Or should I be trying to get more in there (will I be bored sitting around Udaipur at whatever hotel I can afford that long)? (Or should I be planning for more "India decides to delay me" time, etc?)

Thanks, and sorry for the long post.

PS - I can't tell if I'm afraid or excited or some mixture of both. I have woken up two hours early every day since we bought our tickets, worrying, fantasizing, trying to juggle details ('must remember to look at indiamike.com for power converters... nah, maybe just leave the ipod at home and buy a cell phone there instead...but won't I go crazy on the plane?')

PPSS - I should probably post this in a different section but if you got this far and know... with the two of us traveling together but unmarried... on a sleeper train do we sleep in the same section or does she go to the 'ladies section'? Also for queues to get into movies or tourist sites I often hear about a ladies queue... does that mean we split up and she goes in one line and I go in another or are we together because we are together? (And if the 'ladies' queue means some really short line for, say, tickets to something, can she buy mine too?)

karuna · Dec 28th, 2007, 03:40

Hello!

Quote:

Also I am trying to remember to think of this as a vacation and not make it a rapid chain of 1-night stands

Yeah, stay out of the "meeting women" thread then....

I think this is great- it's really well-paced. Jaipur has a lot of sights, mind, but also a lot of hassle so unlike others I wouldn't necessarily recommend you re-introduce it. Bikaner is often ignored but I liked it. I loved the rat temple but then I'm a sucker for small furry creatures (apart from tarantulas). Just remember to wear thick socks. Actually all the camel's milk products at the breeding centre turned my stomach more than the rats did!

The most obvious choice for day 9 would, as you mention, be Jodhpur, but if you wanted to be different, you could try Chandelao. I've not been but I'm planning to go- I've read positive traveller reports that say it's pleasant and low key. There seems to be just the one hotel, run by a local prince. The website's here.
Alternatively you could use that extra night in between Agra and Udaipur, at Chittorgarh or Bundi perhaps.

After Jaisalmer you could try a night in the desert, Khuri is where I went but I'm sure Aishah will have more ideas since she's local.

Reading these itineraries makes me break out in a jealous sweat, it's terrible. Have a great time.

Quote:

I can't tell if I'm afraid or excited or some mixture of both. I have woken up two hours early every day since we bought our tickets, worrying, fantasizing, trying to juggle details ('must remember to look at indiamike.com for power converters... nah, maybe just leave the ipod at home and buy a cell phone there instead...but won't I go crazy on the plane?')

I sense a kindred spirit. As long as you're enjoying the worrying, don't...er...worry about it!

paulie90 · Dec 28th, 2007, 04:48

good luck on your upcoming ADVENTURES
do look at some of my recent postings.We are an older couple just returning from 3 weeks in the Raj.
we recommend Mr. Singh at paultours for a car and driver, also spend as little time in Delhi as possible, especially as you have at least 2 visits there.
Jaipur for the Amber Fort is a must.
make sure to see Fatehpur Sikri
in Udaipur the second island palace Jag Mandir is a lot more approachable

machadinha · Dec 28th, 2007, 07:30

I agree, seems like a fine and well-paced itinerary to me. Should you get bored somewhere (not all that likely, but it happens), you can always hop on to the next place or do some sidetrip as you feel like it, this can all be figured out on the ground. Karuna's tips sound fine in that respect, or your guidebook will help you pick something. Make sure you allow for enough time to return for that exit flight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by curioffl

(Another draft of this had us doing Delhi, Agra, Orchha, Udaipur, Ajmer and back... another had us forgetting Udaipur and heading for Varanasi by way of Orchha, which will probably be the general route of my solo leg unless we decide on that.)

Yes, could also be interesting. I don't think one will really prevail over the other. Hey, it's your first trip, just mostly go and enjoy India wherever you find yourself! If the bug bites you, chances are you'll be back.

Quote:

PS - I can't tell if I'm afraid or excited or some mixture of both. I have woken up two hours early every day since we bought our tickets, worrying, fantasizing, trying to juggle details ('must remember to look at indiamike.com for power converters... nah, maybe just leave the ipod at home and buy a cell phone there instead...but won't I go crazy on the plane?')

And agree again, we all have it (well, many of us, anyway). It's just your mind playing tricks on you, don't worry too much about it.

Quote:

with the two of us traveling together but unmarried... on a sleeper train do we sleep in the same section or does she go to the 'ladies section'? Also for queues to get into movies or tourist sites I often hear about a ladies queue... does that mean we split up and she goes in one line and I go in another or are we together because we are together? (And if the 'ladies' queue means some really short line for, say, tickets to something, can she buy mine too?)

I don't think she'll get in a ladies' carriage unless she asks for it. You wouldn't be able to join her there. So you'll be in the regular carriages; the Railways will try to seat you together, but this may not always work out. If not, don't fret; ask the TTE (ticket inspector) if he can arrange something, or simply enquire with your fellow passengers if someone wants to switch berths, this is quite common.

In Sleeper Class, you'll share your compartment with 6 people (and possibly more in the daytime); see also for an idea of arrangements in the various classes (and note that they can all be slept in, "Sleeper" just denotes the second-lowest class, what you'd consider 2nd Class): http://www.seat61.com/India.htm#classes. The number of passengers per compartment goes down as you go up in class.

In queues, if there is a separate ladies' queue, she can use that to get you both your tickets yes. If there isn't and I'm not sure if it still works this way and everywhere, but it used to be she'd have the right to just walk up and be served first. That doesn't mean the ticket seller or the people in line will make you feel that way, so it takes some assertiveness and feeling at home, I wouldn't recommend it for a newcomer. Ticket windows (if it's still like that) can often be something of a mad scramble anyway, with the five or ten or twenty people up front simultaneously sticking their bundle of rupees in the seller's face in the hope to get served first. Just observe how it's done and join in

Likewise, people may not respect the queue and just overtake you; a gentle "cough I was here first" will usually make them step back again.

ps No, you don't have to queue up separately, and she doesn't need to use the ladies' queue. It's just often handy.

Well, have fun. You should be fine

curioffl · Jan 1st, 2008, 03:29

Thanks so much for the feedback. You have given me a lot of help and ideas... but mostly when I read this my "Is it panic or excitement?" turns totally to excitement which is the best thing of all.

I really like the Chandelao idea and have added a driver or even a tour as a possibility. (Formerly I would have thought of such as chickening-out a bit... but this is our first time in India, and the Namaste India's website does make some compelling cases... if only for the first day or two or maybe their short triangle circuit just to help us fight jet lag with someone looking out for us a bit.)

I will have lots more questions and keep you posted as I go.

Thanks again!

Dec 28th, 2007, 02:39	#1
curioffl Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, USA Posts: 6	Delhi and Rajasthan (16 days, February 1) - Too much, not enough, too touristy? This will be our first trip to India. I have been lurking here for some time and have been especially inspired by several of the travel journals (most especially Wazen's (Journal of india, starting now!)... though I could never be THAT adventurous and recently Travellerette (http://www.indiamike.com/india/india...-india-t46019/), who mentioned wishing she'd spend more time at each place rather than trying to cover so much). We have our flights booked now, in and out of Delhi, starting the first of February. We are unmarried (but together 15 years) and 35 and 34 years old, presently from the US Pacific Northwest. We are planning to travel mostly by rail or by bus (though I have heard good things about hiring a car for one day in Delhi) though if it is more practical and we would get a lot more out of the trip, we could also consider flying back to Delhi from somewhere else at the end (outside of our daily budget). (The idea of an overnight sleeper train or bus taking the place of a travel-day and hotel expense is also appealing.) We will be spending the first two weeks together, then she's heading back and I'm going off on my own for another two weeks. We are hoping to keep things to about $60 (US) per day all-together (hotel, food, entertainment, trains, etc) while we are together (and about half of that for me alone). I am largely in charge of the planning (although she insists on seeing the Lake Palace at Udaipur) and so I am trying to do kind of a 'best-of' for that first two weeks (16 days actually if you count arriving at 5:00am after almost 24 hours of travel). I recognize that we ARE tourists, so I am not too offended by "touristy" things. All the same it would be nice to have some aspects be, umm... 'authentic' (if that's the right word) (having grown cynical of touristy things in our own city). Also I am trying to remember to think of this as a vacation and not make it a rapid chain of 1-night stands (till all the forts just become a blurr). We, generally, are not particularly "nature people" (I can appreciate a beautiful view as much as anyone but I don't think I'd be very interested in a bird sanctuary, for instance). Our lives in the US are basically suburban (even "homebody") but we lived in the city till last year so are probably a little more geared for city-life. We enjoy concerts and movies (especially Bollywood). She has an Anthropology degree so some kind of tribal or village contact would probably be a thrill (though there may be enough culture shock just in Delhi...we really won't know till we get there). I am often impressed by things that are historical or ancient (so forts and ruins and such are appealing to me), and am also interested in some of the religious practices (especially, but not limited to, Hindu temple services and such) that I see in Bollywood movies (I am not a religious person but somehow envy people who are). As a general sketch, is this too much or too little time anywhere? Does anything leap off the page as "do not miss this if you are going that way" or "you will be bored if you spend too much time there"? I conspicuously skipped right from Agra to Udaipur (without Jaipur or Ajmer) and from Udaipur to Jaisalmer without Jodhpur based on time and maybe based on Travellerette's observation that she didn't get enough time at places. Day 1 - Arrive 5:00am Delhi after 24 hours of travel, be tired (maybe figure out cell phones) Day 2 - Delhi - hire car/see the biggies/fight jet lag Day 3 - Delhi - ? Day 4 - Agra - (morning train to), maybe Fatehpur Sikri Day 5 - Agra - sunrise at Taj Mahal, Agra Fort (maybe night train out?) Day 6 - Udaipur (maybe travel day?), get barings, see town Day 7 - Udaipur - boat ride, town, splurge on dinner at the Palace Day 8 - Udaipur - ? Day 9 - ? Day 10 - Jaisalmer Day 11 - Jaisalmer Day 12 - ? Day 13 - Bikander - "rat temple" (looks really interesting on TV, but is it? or will it just be tourists like me trying to respectfully hide our cases of the willies?) Day 14 - Bikander Day 15 - Delhi Day 16 - Delhi (flight very early the next morning/I'll save my solo wing for another post/once I've got this more fleshed out) Honestly besides the Lake Palace and the Taj Mahal I am pretty open. Jaisalmer is on there because I heard from a friend that it was beautiful (that's literally all it took) and this route is based on the Lonely Planet "if you only have 2-weeks" (though it's not as ambitious). Of course I have been going through guidebooks, but everything starts to blend together there. I could probably be convinced that Delhi, Agra, and Udaipur with stiff closer by would be plenty. (Another draft of this had us doing Delhi, Agra, Orchha, Udaipur, Ajmer and back... another had us forgetting Udaipur and heading for Varanasi by way of Orchha, which will probably be the general route of my solo leg unless we decide on that.) I really felt like I had a better handle on this till I I typed this all out...now I realized I should have posted here long ago. I guess my questions are: Is this way too touristy/outside my budget/too much travel? Just the opposite? Is it a shame to go to Udaipur (wherever) and not side trip to ??? Or should I be trying to get more in there (will I be bored sitting around Udaipur at whatever hotel I can afford that long)? (Or should I be planning for more "India decides to delay me" time, etc?) Thanks, and sorry for the long post. PS - I can't tell if I'm afraid or excited or some mixture of both. I have woken up two hours early every day since we bought our tickets, worrying, fantasizing, trying to juggle details ('must remember to look at indiamike.com for power converters... nah, maybe just leave the ipod at home and buy a cell phone there instead...but won't I go crazy on the plane?') PPSS - I should probably post this in a different section but if you got this far and know... with the two of us traveling together but unmarried... on a sleeper train do we sleep in the same section or does she go to the 'ladies section'? Also for queues to get into movies or tourist sites I often hear about a ladies queue... does that mean we split up and she goes in one line and I go in another or are we together because we are together? (And if the 'ladies' queue means some really short line for, say, tickets to something, can she buy mine too?) Last edited by machadinha : Dec 28th, 2007 at 07:00. Reason: fixed URL's

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Dec 28th, 2007, 04:48	#3
paulie90 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: BOULDER, CO. Posts: 20	good luck on your upcoming ADVENTURES do look at some of my recent postings.We are an older couple just returning from 3 weeks in the Raj. we recommend Mr. Singh at paultours for a car and driver, also spend as little time in Delhi as possible, especially as you have at least 2 visits there. Jaipur for the Amber Fort is a must. make sure to see Fatehpur Sikri in Udaipur the second island palace Jag Mandir is a lot more approachable

Jan 1st, 2008, 03:29	#5
curioffl Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, USA Posts: 6	Thanks so much for the feedback. You have given me a lot of help and ideas... but mostly when I read this my "Is it panic or excitement?" turns totally to excitement which is the best thing of all. I really like the Chandelao idea and have added a driver or even a tour as a possibility. (Formerly I would have thought of such as chickening-out a bit... but this is our first time in India, and the Namaste India's website does make some compelling cases... if only for the first day or two or maybe their short triangle circuit just to help us fight jet lag with someone looking out for us a bit.) I will have lots more questions and keep you posted as I go. Thanks again!

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