Very blank canvas! what to do in 24 days...Fly in/out of Delhi, Aug 11 - Sept 4

ljdj

Hello everybody,

I couldn't find an 'introduce yourself' section so I thought i'd combine a 'hello' with a 'help please!'.

I travelled for most of last year around SE Asia, Australasia etc and got back in Feb to the UK. Ever since I landed back on home soil I have been wanting to escape again and I began looking into India as my next possible destination (unfortunately not for an extended holiday as since I got back I have started a nursing course and can't really swan off for months!). Me being me I went straight online and started my bargain hunting and emerged a while later with some nice cheap flights into Delhi on Aug 11 and returning from Delhi on Sept 4 2008 (cheap obviously due to being monsoon but hey, we can work round that!). This is basically as far as i've got. This is part of the excitement for me - turning up and going with the flow, but what I don't want to do is miss stuff. I've been used to wandering around place to place with no time constraints whereas this time we have just over 3 weeks so a bit more planning may be in order in to get the most of the experience??

I have a few ideas but any suggestions of awesome, fun, weird, wacky, vital, life changing, spiritual or untouched places would be great. Or at least point us in some sort of direction and let us wander from there?

basically, if you had to babysit an India travel virgin for 3 weeks, flying into and out of Delhi, where would you take them? what would you show them? not just places and sights, but experiences too. Train/bus travel is preferable to flights and we don't really do hiking (after a bad experience in the rice paddies of the Philippines!)

any info or suggestions would be great on this Sunday afternoon.

Thanks in advance and hello again!

Laura

dhans

Hi Laura,

Welcome to IM. First I would advise to do a bit more of browsing. Most answers are here already. But for three weeks from Delhi I would advise Rajasthan and Agra.

Hans

__________________

Tips for trips to India with (young) children: India with kids
Stories about our travels in India: Journal

ljdj

thanks!

I have done lots of browsing/reading etc not only on here but other places too. But I think i've gone from not knowing anything to having too much information and lots of conflicting ideas! I have a bad habit of trying to cram too much in as I want to see the whole world! this thread was really to see how many of the same places cropped up so I can narrow down a big list that I have already started compiling!

L

Tarsh

Hi Laura
Sounds like you are experiencing the same problems as me!!! I am also travelling to India for the first time 31st July- 30th August. Am going to be in Kerala from 1st-11/12th August, then planning a trip from Delhi around Rajasthan till end of my trip. Have also gone from having no knowledge to a bit of overload in the last few weeks!!! But so far have mapped out a trip which involves Delhi-Bikaner-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Udaipur-Chittaurgarh?-Bundi?-Jaipur-Agra. But still undecided, as want to be flexible on days and don't want to be rushing around like a loony!
Let me know if you would be keen meeting up and travelling together for a bit? A bit about me- I also live in UK (London),am originally from NZ. Am looking to travel using local transport, budget-mid range and am keen to meet other like minded travellers!!
Good luck with your plans!
Tarsh

ljdj

Sounds good. My problem is that the more i read the more places I want to go to! I need to start narrowing it down and getting some detail about a few specific places! Originally I was trying to rush through the North and South and cover everywhere but i've decided that just over three weeks is definately not enough to do the whole of India so therefore I know I will return one day so I can afford to do it in little bits!

I'll be travelling with my b/f. We're both happy go lucky early 20's and like I said, travelled for the majority of last year (inc. NZ which is gorgeous btw - where abouts are you from there?). We're also looking to go by local transport and basically have some great experiences! Would love to meet up with other likeminded people so if we're in the same area (which it sounds like we will be) then we should def meet up. We can explore together!

L

raj_s

Hi Laura,
Welcome to IM
You have a reason to feel excited about this trip but rushing through the North and South
and cover everywhere is certainly not possible in such a short time.
In North India, dharamshala , manali etc are popular destinations.
Going South, Rajasthan (agra, jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur..) depends on how far you want to travel.
Then Varanasi is also popular destination.
Goa have beaches.
As you are travelling with your b/f, I am sure you will enjoy together whatever places you visit.
Read about these places and then plan itinerary according to your preferences and budget.
Share and get suggestions

ljdj

thanks. this is good - it's supporting the ideas i've already had so it's nice to have this confirmed! I have just under a month to go so i will stick around on here, carry on reading my LP and abuse Google too!

and yes, i'm very excited! initially I was a bit daunted by going to India - not sure why. I even spent a week looking for connecting flights on to BK. I think i've made the right decision to stick in India though and am getting excited about it now! Hopefully it will be a great experience and i count bad experiences as experiences none the less! it's all about the travel!

all i'm trying to do now is avoid after the 3 weeks thinking "I should have just gone back to Thailand!!". Hopefully you can all point me in the right direction. I have to say from Google there are a lot of negative reports about India which is a shame but I like to make my own mind up!

Again, thanks for the tips!

L

raj_s

It all depends how you look at things.
My first visit to agra, jaipur was with a group of school friends and all we did was just have fun.
Although we had read about these places in history , what we saw were buildings , heard some stories and saw funny people.
Next visit was with some friends from USA and we discussed and pondered about things there.
Then what we saw were forts, the lifestyles and the customs.

Mickey S

And, with a month to go, you should by now be thinking about booking train tickets on key parts of your itinerary.

kullukid

That's the same day I fly from Manchester. It's tempting to try & fit too much in the first time, work out roughly where you'd like to see but don't tie yourself to an absolute fixed itinerary. In my experience India tends to take you where She wants you to go, so try & be flexible & open to change.
I'm obsessed with the Himalaya's so id suggest something like Rishikesh/Hardwar- Shimla - Mandi/Rewalsar Lake - D'sala - Amritsar (Golden Temple) -Delhi then maybe a few days in R'sthan. KK
P.S. Daunted yet excited is perfectly normal before leaving for India!