North or South India??

Laurendo · Nov 6th, 2009, 04:51

Hi there,

I am heading to India on 25th November, for 3-4 months. I am flying to Delhi with a friend. The original plan was that we are travelling together, however, my friend no longer wants to do this and is leaving on the 21st December, from Goa airport. She wants to essentially stay in Goa the whole time. As a result we are heading south pretty quickly, seeing the Taj Mahal and Ellora caves on the way.

Basically, after she leaves, I have until 2nd February on my own to do as I please. In February I will be heading to an orphange in Tamil Nadu to volunteer for about a month. I want to know what Indiamikers think - should I spend January in north or south india?

The original idea was to spend it in the south, as 1) Goa is fairly south, 2) I have already journeyed from the North, and 3) I need to be in central Tamil Nadu in February. However, there are a lot of places in the North I would like to see - one of the tiger parks, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodphur... maybe Varanasi. I'd also love to see Kolkata... if I had the original 3 months doing whatever, I could see these things... I will admit I feel a bit resentful that my friend is kind of making me miss them... but when she first told me she wanted to stay less time I agreed to head to Goa with her, without really thinking... I might be a bad friend to leave her alone after all.

So what should I do? Is it ridiculous to head back up north for 5 weeks, is that too little time? I feel like I would like to do this though, as I will spend a month in the south, when volunteering (albeit in one place, but this might well mean I experience more, anyway).

What can people recommend in the south? I will spend almost 3 weeks in Goa, so not massively into doing beachey stuff. I'm thinking more wildlife, ruins/temples and mountains...

Thanks in advance!

P.S. A little part of me wants to tell my friend that these are the things I want to do, and she can come or not... originally I was doing the whole trip alone, so she kind of tagged along, which I didn't mind as we are close. But now everything I was going to do has had to change since she met her boyfriend (the reason she is leaving early), which annoys me

(especially as I am leaving my long term boy at home the whole time!) Oh gawd. What should I do?? It'd be so much easier to not head to Goa. I've been before and want so badly to see other places.

fatkat · Nov 6th, 2009, 05:37

Work out what you want to do and then tell your friend they're your plans.

It sounds like you want to cover a large amount of the country and by going down to Goa at the beginning and then back up north will take up lots of time you could spend doing other things. The novelty of your first 13 hour train trip is fun, the second less so...

And this is why I prefer to travel alone.

hash666 · Nov 6th, 2009, 08:02

I think you should try central India..

Laurendo · Nov 7th, 2009, 06:03

Thanks fatkat. I have just had a big discussion with my mum (yes I'm a total mummy's girl lol) and you are right, it was my trip originally so it's not out of order to just do what I want.

It's kind of ironic because I have always always said I want to travel alone, and a lot of people have seemed to think that was dangerous or whatever...but here I am on my first big trip, I haven't even left yet, and I'm already looking forward to being on my own! I want to noodle about and do what I want!

wonderwomanusa · Nov 7th, 2009, 14:24

You'll be fine, travelling alone. Have a look at some of our many discussions about women travelling in India ...

trooooon · Nov 7th, 2009, 14:35

Winter is the time to be going too . . . and getting around in India is really quite easy, cheap domestic flights are really a boon, and the trains are pretty good too

So you could easily just go with the flow . . . South India is really beautiful, I'm a mountain person other wise i would pic the south over the north any day!

vikramkyy · Nov 7th, 2009, 14:40

hi how are you.
i think first you should start with south like goa and kerla because dec. is a good time to travel south... after that you may see some more places in south..
and after that you can come to north for visit jaipur,, udaipur because jan is good time to travel north and there are so much places to visit ...like haridwar ,,rishikesh,,,amritsar,,
agra,, chandigarh,,,varanasi,,and so much places in himachal and uttarakhand

Nov 6th, 2009, 04:51	#1
Laurendo Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norwich Posts: 52	North or South India?? Hi there, I am heading to India on 25th November, for 3-4 months. I am flying to Delhi with a friend. The original plan was that we are travelling together, however, my friend no longer wants to do this and is leaving on the 21st December, from Goa airport. She wants to essentially stay in Goa the whole time. As a result we are heading south pretty quickly, seeing the Taj Mahal and Ellora caves on the way. Basically, after she leaves, I have until 2nd February on my own to do as I please. In February I will be heading to an orphange in Tamil Nadu to volunteer for about a month. I want to know what Indiamikers think - should I spend January in north or south india? The original idea was to spend it in the south, as 1) Goa is fairly south, 2) I have already journeyed from the North, and 3) I need to be in central Tamil Nadu in February. However, there are a lot of places in the North I would like to see - one of the tiger parks, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodphur... maybe Varanasi. I'd also love to see Kolkata... if I had the original 3 months doing whatever, I could see these things... I will admit I feel a bit resentful that my friend is kind of making me miss them... but when she first told me she wanted to stay less time I agreed to head to Goa with her, without really thinking... I might be a bad friend to leave her alone after all. So what should I do? Is it ridiculous to head back up north for 5 weeks, is that too little time? I feel like I would like to do this though, as I will spend a month in the south, when volunteering (albeit in one place, but this might well mean I experience more, anyway). What can people recommend in the south? I will spend almost 3 weeks in Goa, so not massively into doing beachey stuff. I'm thinking more wildlife, ruins/temples and mountains... Thanks in advance! P.S. A little part of me wants to tell my friend that these are the things I want to do, and she can come or not... originally I was doing the whole trip alone, so she kind of tagged along, which I didn't mind as we are close. But now everything I was going to do has had to change since she met her boyfriend (the reason she is leaving early), which annoys me (especially as I am leaving my long term boy at home the whole time!) Oh gawd. What should I do?? It'd be so much easier to not head to Goa. I've been before and want so badly to see other places.

Nov 7th, 2009, 14:24	#5
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 4,261	You'll be fine, travelling alone. Have a look at some of our many discussions about women travelling in India ... __________________ The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

Nov 7th, 2009, 14:35	#6
trooooon tj Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Posts: 845	Winter is the time to be going too . . . and getting around in India is really quite easy, cheap domestic flights are really a boon, and the trains are pretty good too So you could easily just go with the flow . . . South India is really beautiful, I'm a mountain person other wise i would pic the south over the north any day! __________________ what if . . . maybe . . . say . . . suppose!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Around India in 7 weeks north and south?	Tess	India Travel Itinerary Advice	14	Dec 19th, 2007 05:21
First trip to India - more North or South too?	shothyme	Chai and Chat	7	Jul 21st, 2006 15:05
North or South India in july ?	wbervoets	India Travel Itinerary Advice	11	Jun 29th, 2006 21:14
South to North India on bikes	nagakrishna_s	Chai and Chat	5	May 29th, 2006 14:18
One week in India - go North or South?	edaly	India Travel Itinerary Advice	4	Nov 21st, 2005 12:35

Nov 6th, 2009, 05:37	#2
fatkat Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sydney Posts: 32	Work out what you want to do and then tell your friend they're your plans. It sounds like you want to cover a large amount of the country and by going down to Goa at the beginning and then back up north will take up lots of time you could spend doing other things. The novelty of your first 13 hour train trip is fun, the second less so... And this is why I prefer to travel alone.

Nov 6th, 2009, 08:02	#3
hash666 Lord of the Flames Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Land of the Free Posts: 370	I think you should try central India..

Nov 7th, 2009, 06:03	#4
Laurendo Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norwich Posts: 52	Thanks fatkat. I have just had a big discussion with my mum (yes I'm a total mummy's girl lol) and you are right, it was my trip originally so it's not out of order to just do what I want. It's kind of ironic because I have always always said I want to travel alone, and a lot of people have seemed to think that was dangerous or whatever...but here I am on my first big trip, I haven't even left yet, and I'm already looking forward to being on my own! I want to noodle about and do what I want!

Nov 7th, 2009, 14:40	#7
vikramkyy Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: dehradun Posts: 210	hi how are you. i think first you should start with south like goa and kerla because dec. is a good time to travel south... after that you may see some more places in south.. and after that you can come to north for visit jaipur,, udaipur because jan is good time to travel north and there are so much places to visit ...like haridwar ,,rishikesh,,,amritsar,, agra,, chandigarh,,,varanasi,,and so much places in himachal and uttarakhand