My trip report (India 2007)

boefje12 · Aug 7th, 2007, 19:36

Hi all,

Almost at the end of my trip (5 weeks in India). It has been really tiring but a very nice trip. My hubby has gone back to NL after 4 weeks with a friend of ours who travelled with us the whole way. We knew that it was not a good time to travel to India - monsoons and heat - a lethal combination!!! But we have had several good days and once I get the hang of it, I'll post some pics.

Start - Delhi
Stayed at Lutyens Guest house (very nice location, clean roads but too expensive for what was offered). Basic rooms with breakfast for Rs. 4,500 double. Not very clean.

Agra & Rajasthan:
Took the Shatabdi to Agra (highly recommended) - very clean and comfortable (we travelled 2AC). Hired a driver, Vinod Bharadwaj from Gunjan Travels - very highly recommended. Will post his name and add at the end. Vinod arranged our itinerary based on our needs and time (we had just 7 days to spare). Hotels gave us more than 25% discount - we didn't book anything in advance. We stayed at palaces, slept on the desert dunes (mind you not easy with a seven yr old girl). Vinod was very considerate never compelling us to do anything, always asked us to look out for cheats and touts especially around Pushkar area. If interested, I can post the names of the hotels.

Darjeeling and Sikkim:
Stayed at the Cedar Inn Hotel (away from the city center but they offer complimentary car service to &fro). Good service and good food. We would have had a Kanchenjunga view was it not clouded and rainy. We organized our Sikkim tour through Nature Beyond Travels - very reliable. They booked and paid for our train tickets and air travel without getting any money in advance (we travelled with Rajdhani from Delhi to NJP en route to Darjeeling, I wouldn't recommend that to the faint hearted ... it is a 21-hour journey and took Air Sahara from Bagdogra to Chennai). We didn't have much luck with the weather but escaped the flooded waters of Sikkim.

Chennai & Mahabalipuram:
We stayed at the Deccan Inn Hotel in Royapettah. A fairly new hotel (reasonable rates) I guess around 2-3 years. They couldn't find our booking resulting in us being conned into an executive suite. At this point we couldn't be bothered having travelled around extensively thus used this room. We used the Ideal Beach Resort at Mahabalipuram - very highly recommended. Beautiful surroundings, good food with a pool and beach at 5 mins walking distance. Housekeeping was lousy but the rest of the service was good.

Am now staying with my family but am dying to get away from the heat, dust and smog. Not having lived in India for more than 30 years, I think this is really heavy. But being with the family compensates it all. Plus I can't believe how Chennai has changed ... for the better naturally. It is doing it utmost to improve and to sum up my trip - I am returning home to Holland, a proud Indian. With all its shortcomings, I realized how much I still love India. Thanx for reading thru...

edwardseco · Aug 8th, 2007, 04:34

Thanks for posting, very interesting..

mk26in · Aug 9th, 2007, 16:00

Nice to know you've enjoyed India through monsoon

.

Nick-H · Aug 9th, 2007, 16:14

Its interesting to know that you find Chennai changed for the better. I'm afraid I find it changing for the worse in very recent years.

Thanks for the report of this and other places.

Yes, I remember the Deccan Inn being built in 2004. I do think it is best to catch these hotels when young, or just after a recent refurb!

boefje12 · Aug 12th, 2007, 21:38

Hi Nick,

Sorry couldn't reply earlier ... had no access to a computer. I was born and brought up in Chennai. Our days were different but I saw deterioration and hated coming over to India (after moving to the Middle East). Since I live in NL almost 8 years now, I long to go back home I guess coz there aren't many Indians around here (not many I know). But this trip I did notice improvement in the sense cleaner main streets, more buildings and roads, traffic remains horrendous and is only getting worse. People seem to have money which in my days was a rarity. Buying has increased be it gold, clothes or electronics. I dealt with better salespeople instead of smothering my frustration. I can't stand bad salesmanship or service. Of course the auto strike ruined one precious day in Chennai having to sit at home (my mum's house is very small) with no electricity!!! Like I said, I was glad to be there and now am glad to back in NL. Couldn't take the noise anymore...traffic, religious music et al.

Aug 7th, 2007, 19:36	#1
boefje12 The Gypsy Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 39	My trip report (India 2007) Hi all, Almost at the end of my trip (5 weeks in India). It has been really tiring but a very nice trip. My hubby has gone back to NL after 4 weeks with a friend of ours who travelled with us the whole way. We knew that it was not a good time to travel to India - monsoons and heat - a lethal combination!!! But we have had several good days and once I get the hang of it, I'll post some pics. Start - Delhi Stayed at Lutyens Guest house (very nice location, clean roads but too expensive for what was offered). Basic rooms with breakfast for Rs. 4,500 double. Not very clean. Agra & Rajasthan: Took the Shatabdi to Agra (highly recommended) - very clean and comfortable (we travelled 2AC). Hired a driver, Vinod Bharadwaj from Gunjan Travels - very highly recommended. Will post his name and add at the end. Vinod arranged our itinerary based on our needs and time (we had just 7 days to spare). Hotels gave us more than 25% discount - we didn't book anything in advance. We stayed at palaces, slept on the desert dunes (mind you not easy with a seven yr old girl). Vinod was very considerate never compelling us to do anything, always asked us to look out for cheats and touts especially around Pushkar area. If interested, I can post the names of the hotels. Darjeeling and Sikkim: Stayed at the Cedar Inn Hotel (away from the city center but they offer complimentary car service to &fro). Good service and good food. We would have had a Kanchenjunga view was it not clouded and rainy. We organized our Sikkim tour through Nature Beyond Travels - very reliable. They booked and paid for our train tickets and air travel without getting any money in advance (we travelled with Rajdhani from Delhi to NJP en route to Darjeeling, I wouldn't recommend that to the faint hearted ... it is a 21-hour journey and took Air Sahara from Bagdogra to Chennai). We didn't have much luck with the weather but escaped the flooded waters of Sikkim. Chennai & Mahabalipuram: We stayed at the Deccan Inn Hotel in Royapettah. A fairly new hotel (reasonable rates) I guess around 2-3 years. They couldn't find our booking resulting in us being conned into an executive suite. At this point we couldn't be bothered having travelled around extensively thus used this room. We used the Ideal Beach Resort at Mahabalipuram - very highly recommended. Beautiful surroundings, good food with a pool and beach at 5 mins walking distance. Housekeeping was lousy but the rest of the service was good. Am now staying with my family but am dying to get away from the heat, dust and smog. Not having lived in India for more than 30 years, I think this is really heavy. But being with the family compensates it all. Plus I can't believe how Chennai has changed ... for the better naturally. It is doing it utmost to improve and to sum up my trip - I am returning home to Holland, a proud Indian. With all its shortcomings, I realized how much I still love India. Thanx for reading thru...

Aug 9th, 2007, 16:00	#3
mk26in _______________ Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 219	Nice to know you've enjoyed India through monsoon . __________________ Himachal Pics My Pictures

Aug 9th, 2007, 16:14	#4
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,766	Its interesting to know that you find Chennai changed for the better. I'm afraid I find it changing for the worse in very recent years. Thanks for the report of this and other places. Yes, I remember the Deccan Inn being built in 2004. I do think it is best to catch these hotels when young, or just after a recent refurb! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

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Aug 8th, 2007, 04:34	#2
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,777	Thanks for posting, very interesting..

Aug 12th, 2007, 21:38	#5
boefje12 The Gypsy Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 39	Hi Nick, Sorry couldn't reply earlier ... had no access to a computer. I was born and brought up in Chennai. Our days were different but I saw deterioration and hated coming over to India (after moving to the Middle East). Since I live in NL almost 8 years now, I long to go back home I guess coz there aren't many Indians around here (not many I know). But this trip I did notice improvement in the sense cleaner main streets, more buildings and roads, traffic remains horrendous and is only getting worse. People seem to have money which in my days was a rarity. Buying has increased be it gold, clothes or electronics. I dealt with better salespeople instead of smothering my frustration. I can't stand bad salesmanship or service. Of course the auto strike ruined one precious day in Chennai having to sit at home (my mum's house is very small) with no electricity!!! Like I said, I was glad to be there and now am glad to back in NL. Couldn't take the noise anymore...traffic, religious music et al.

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