Help Plan My 11 Day Trip! Thanks!

KrauseXian · Jul 7th, 2005, 02:38

Hey Everyone!

This is my first post. I am a 24 year old American guy living in Taipei, Taiwan. I'm going to visit India with my Taiwanese female friend for 11 days this month.
We're landing in Dehli at 3:30am July 26th. We're leaving Dehli around 4:30am on Aug 4th.

We want to see Dehli, Agra, Jaipur, and Jodhpur. We're bringing backpacks (no suitcases) but we'll be staying in the 100-500 r style hotels. I was thinking that on the first day we'd take a train to Agra and we'd arive after breakfast, then spend a few days in each city and travel by train (I get car sick.) How much time do you think I should spend in each place considering my time? Should I buy train tickets ahead of time or keep my options flexable. Also, should I use Namaste pick up and pre-book all my hotels or just show up? There probably won't be many tourists now, so I think it would be OK. We're trying to keep this low as we're paying for this trip with Taiwanese money and not US dollars. Prices in India seem almost the same as that in Taiwan. For example, a nice dinner here in Taiwan can be had for $150 Taiwan Dollars. Also, should we try and take some kind of "day tour" or get around ourselves? Take taxi's or just rent a car for a day? We want to have lots of fun, see everything and have many cultural experiences on a low budget while not cheating any Indians. $500 r for a Namaste pick up seems a LITTLE expensive seeing as how a hotel room costs $200 r. Also, with $500 r here in Taiwan, we could eat for a week if we went to a cheaper resturant. $70 r per meal at a normal local place. Is it really worth it? I'm open to any advice people could give! Thanks a lot!
-Jonathan

iyou · Jul 7th, 2005, 02:55

I think it's just about doable, although you may look back at the trip and regret spending so much time inside trains; they're often very slow compared to the trains in more advanced nations. I agree that having a pickup from the airport is perhaps expensive, but considering that A) you're splashing out several hundred bucks for the plane ticket and B) you're in India for slightly longer than a heartbeat, it might be worth it, just to keep your life simple. If you're feeling adventurous you can get a prepaid taxi from the airport for less. Good luck, and have a great time!

machadinha · Jul 7th, 2005, 02:58

Well you only have less than three days per place, not counting your being in Delhi twice. I'd try and divide it up evenly between the four of them; most people seem to find a day in Agra with seeing the sights more than enough since it appears to be a hassle kind of place in terms of touting and so, I couldn't tell you as I haven't been but you could add the extra days to the rest.

I'd go for arranging your rides yourself but others may advise differently. What you could do is arrange all your onward train rides from Delhi, it would mean you'd be stuck to those dates but you won't have a lot of leeway anyway. On the other hand you could book tickets as you go (always do so as soon as you know you want to move on, i.e. well ahead of time, a day or two is normally enough though). None of the distances you have to cover are very great so if all else fails you'll just have to try your luck in unreserved class which should be doable, can be jam-packed, can be empty, and how you find a spot to stand on one leg if it's full is entirely up to you. There probably won't be many western tourists around no but from what I hear for some reason there seem to be a lot of Indians moving about this time of year so I really don't know what to tell you to expect. Anyway instead of spending what might be four afternoons booking the next ticket the comfort of having it all arranged (yourself, from Delhi I mean) for such a short trip might be really worth it.

Most of these cities you can easily explore on your own (just grab a cab from here to there, or hire one for the day if it's more convenient, probably not the more economical option unless you want to do massive sightseeing over an extended area) but if you're pressed for time an organized tour can be good value, it depends per place and company.

I wouldn't bet on finding too many 100 Rs. places for a double these days esp. since these are all more expensive cities but who knows. Upwards towards 500 or at least half of that for a remotely decent place is probably more realistic.

machadinha · Jul 7th, 2005, 03:08

nb Like Iyou indicated and esp. in this area and if you're pressed for time, you may find the buses far more convenient. They're much easier to book, often practically on the spot although I'd try to do it in time anyway (plus there'll be a travel agent around every corner arranging them, as opposed to you having to trundle down to the railway station), and generally faster, and again you won't be covering great distances anyway -- that is if you can get accustomed to the Indian 6-hour ride being a piece of cake & hardly worth the bat of an eyelid.

Oh but you get carsick you said. Stick to the trains

Should be OK, look for nighttrains which are often your best bet anyway & will save you losing out on your days.

cyberhippie · Jul 7th, 2005, 03:11

I agree with all of the above but can I just add you may want to book all your train tickets up front. This can be easily done in the tourist cell at New Delhi Station on such a short trip you don't want to spend too much time at the train station booking onward tickets and run the risk of being delayed somewhere.

Happy Traveling!!

bijapuri · Jul 7th, 2005, 05:19

the hotels in the lower end of your price range will be hard to come by and harder still to endure! A little more money will get you an AC, which is really nice after a long day- especially if it isn't raining that day and the temps/smog are way high!

indiawise · Jul 7th, 2005, 07:33

its probably going to be hot hot. And if not that its going to be wet wet . End jul to early august around delhi and rajasthan. In this context bijapuri has a valid point and no fun trudging around indian railway stations in the rainy season. Rest..Rajasthan is a good idea in these months...and using a taxi off and on is a good idea for such a short visit

Jul 7th, 2005, 02:38	#1
KrauseXian Taiwanese White Man Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Taiwan and USA Posts: 10	Help Plan My 11 Day Trip! Thanks! Hey Everyone! This is my first post. I am a 24 year old American guy living in Taipei, Taiwan. I'm going to visit India with my Taiwanese female friend for 11 days this month. We're landing in Dehli at 3:30am July 26th. We're leaving Dehli around 4:30am on Aug 4th. We want to see Dehli, Agra, Jaipur, and Jodhpur. We're bringing backpacks (no suitcases) but we'll be staying in the 100-500 r style hotels. I was thinking that on the first day we'd take a train to Agra and we'd arive after breakfast, then spend a few days in each city and travel by train (I get car sick.) How much time do you think I should spend in each place considering my time? Should I buy train tickets ahead of time or keep my options flexable. Also, should I use Namaste pick up and pre-book all my hotels or just show up? There probably won't be many tourists now, so I think it would be OK. We're trying to keep this low as we're paying for this trip with Taiwanese money and not US dollars. Prices in India seem almost the same as that in Taiwan. For example, a nice dinner here in Taiwan can be had for $150 Taiwan Dollars. Also, should we try and take some kind of "day tour" or get around ourselves? Take taxi's or just rent a car for a day? We want to have lots of fun, see everything and have many cultural experiences on a low budget while not cheating any Indians. $500 r for a Namaste pick up seems a LITTLE expensive seeing as how a hotel room costs $200 r. Also, with $500 r here in Taiwan, we could eat for a week if we went to a cheaper resturant. $70 r per meal at a normal local place. Is it really worth it? I'm open to any advice people could give! Thanks a lot! -Jonathan

Jul 7th, 2005, 02:55	#2
iyou Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 502	I think it's just about doable, although you may look back at the trip and regret spending so much time inside trains; they're often very slow compared to the trains in more advanced nations. I agree that having a pickup from the airport is perhaps expensive, but considering that A) you're splashing out several hundred bucks for the plane ticket and B) you're in India for slightly longer than a heartbeat, it might be worth it, just to keep your life simple. If you're feeling adventurous you can get a prepaid taxi from the airport for less. Good luck, and have a great time! __________________ . . . --May a moody baby doom a yam.

Jul 7th, 2005, 02:58	#3
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,505	Well you only have less than three days per place, not counting your being in Delhi twice. I'd try and divide it up evenly between the four of them; most people seem to find a day in Agra with seeing the sights more than enough since it appears to be a hassle kind of place in terms of touting and so, I couldn't tell you as I haven't been but you could add the extra days to the rest. I'd go for arranging your rides yourself but others may advise differently. What you could do is arrange all your onward train rides from Delhi, it would mean you'd be stuck to those dates but you won't have a lot of leeway anyway. On the other hand you could book tickets as you go (always do so as soon as you know you want to move on, i.e. well ahead of time, a day or two is normally enough though). None of the distances you have to cover are very great so if all else fails you'll just have to try your luck in unreserved class which should be doable, can be jam-packed, can be empty, and how you find a spot to stand on one leg if it's full is entirely up to you. There probably won't be many western tourists around no but from what I hear for some reason there seem to be a lot of Indians moving about this time of year so I really don't know what to tell you to expect. Anyway instead of spending what might be four afternoons booking the next ticket the comfort of having it all arranged (yourself, from Delhi I mean) for such a short trip might be really worth it. Most of these cities you can easily explore on your own (just grab a cab from here to there, or hire one for the day if it's more convenient, probably not the more economical option unless you want to do massive sightseeing over an extended area) but if you're pressed for time an organized tour can be good value, it depends per place and company. I wouldn't bet on finding too many 100 Rs. places for a double these days esp. since these are all more expensive cities but who knows. Upwards towards 500 or at least half of that for a remotely decent place is probably more realistic. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jul 7th, 2005, 05:19	#6
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,599	the hotels in the lower end of your price range will be hard to come by and harder still to endure! A little more money will get you an AC, which is really nice after a long day- especially if it isn't raining that day and the temps/smog are way high! __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

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Jul 7th, 2005, 03:08	#4
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,505	nb Like Iyou indicated and esp. in this area and if you're pressed for time, you may find the buses far more convenient. They're much easier to book, often practically on the spot although I'd try to do it in time anyway (plus there'll be a travel agent around every corner arranging them, as opposed to you having to trundle down to the railway station), and generally faster, and again you won't be covering great distances anyway -- that is if you can get accustomed to the Indian 6-hour ride being a piece of cake & hardly worth the bat of an eyelid. Oh but you get carsick you said. Stick to the trains Should be OK, look for nighttrains which are often your best bet anyway & will save you losing out on your days.

Jul 7th, 2005, 03:11	#5
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	I agree with all of the above but can I just add you may want to book all your train tickets up front. This can be easily done in the tourist cell at New Delhi Station on such a short trip you don't want to spend too much time at the train station booking onward tickets and run the risk of being delayed somewhere. Happy Traveling!!

Jul 7th, 2005, 07:33	#7
indiawise Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: india Posts: 267	its probably going to be hot hot. And if not that its going to be wet wet . End jul to early august around delhi and rajasthan. In this context bijapuri has a valid point and no fun trudging around indian railway stations in the rainy season. Rest..Rajasthan is a good idea in these months...and using a taxi off and on is a good idea for such a short visit

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