Varanasi or not?

crackawacka

I'm sure you've had this question many times, so please feel free to redirect to appropriate threads.....


Looking to fly to Mumbai late October 08. We have around 2.5 weeks. Have travelled extensively through asia for a year, though not India, so am happy going overground and doing a bit of traveling between cities.

Basically looking to make an 17/18 itinerary, from Mumbai, into the Golden Triangle and Varanasi, but have come to the conclusion that I may have to miss Varanasi on this trip as the traveling increases a lot to go there.

Will be looking at Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer etc and all around.

So could do with advice on whether to miss Varanasi. And where is good to be for Diwali?

Also, any other budget/mid range accomadation jems in that area would be helpful.

Train all the way as well?

Thanks

machadinha

Indeed. There is a Varanasi sub-forum, or just search around the site some, opinions will have been given in other forums too.

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karuna

With the proviso that I am abnormally drunk right now:

2.5 weeks? From Mumbai to Varanasi via practically all of Rajasthan? You're avin a laugh, mate. Ok, you could fly Mumbai - Delhi and do Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Varanasi by train/car and then fly back- fitting in Ranthambhore or some other stop might be OK too. More than that and you're really pushing it.

I'm going to stop now because you don't know how long it's taken me to type all this taking out all the speeling mishtakes. Here's a rule of thumb: take what you want to do and shave off about a quarter to one third. This is what is possible. Good luckjs.

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Khak

you are not enough drunk yet........all your sentences can be correctly understood.........

once my friend was drowned in whisky and was doing all sorts of antics on road........when a known shopkeeper said " i am seeing a real drunkard after a long long time"

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karuna

Not normally a drinker, me, but sometimes when you're in a good conversation the hours fly by and suddenly you're weaving and wobbling down the road back home singing along to the iPod and apologising to your partner for making a horrendous amount of noise coming in and stamping round the house.

I've been sensibly drinking water and it's wearing off now. My fingers are hitting approximately the right keys and the room isn't lurching quite so much as it was.

Khak

oh no.........you are returning to your senses

i was thinking of getting a noisy post from you.......


btw I'm on my third can of budweiser

machadinha

As ye good olde Dean Martin observed, "You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." (Where's that favorite quotes thread?)

Khak

finished by 3rd budweiser and started 4th.......

i checked and I can lie down without any help.......... so still not drunk

Brisso

Varanasi - India at its grimy best. Wonderful for a first time experience, but the gloss quickly wore off on subsequent visits.

machadinha

That's a good observation. I can see how that would happen yes.

Well, I dread to think what I'll make of India next time anyway. May well return to tell you all it really sux I guess.

Khak

on my 6th budweiser for the evening...........still able to tyoe without any typo

machadinha

Keep going at it, son

Khak

8 cans if budweiser and "the motorcycle diaries" on netflx, i;m still strong enough to type

ananda2193

Ditch Jaipur and substitute Varanasi for it! And Agra can be done on a day trip from Delhi.

crackawacka

Thanks for the advice Ananda and Co. Not so many thanks for thread hijacking, but there you go.

Trying to stay on the ground, so flying is out. Really want to see Udaipur and Jaisalmer so have conceded that Varanasi is out unless I really want to spend a lot of time on trains.

Thanks all.