A Simpleton Abroad

RTodor · May 11th, 2002, 19:37

Thank you all for the ideas. However, planning my trip remains a very difficult task as it will be my one and only trip to India - don't think I'll be able to afford a second one.
Meanwhile you've turned my thread into a librarian conference :-) and I have to ask you to add to it (at least as a PS) the places you think are a must.

Annie_T · May 12th, 2002, 07:20

Good list Archits - some extra personal favourites of mine would be Vikram Chndra "Red earth and pouring rain", anything by Sasha Despande or Anita Desai, Salman Rushdie "The moor's last sigh", Jhumpa Lahiri "Interpreter of maladies", Raj Kamal Jha "The blue bedspread". Also William Dalrymple "The age of Kali"

Also "A passage to India" is well worth a read and I think too.The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott. I think the attitudes and behaviour of many travellers to India might benefit from a bit of reflection on some of the issues raised in these books.

Sadhu · Jun 2nd, 2002, 20:02

Back to the topic, as was mentioned you'll have plenty of time to see a great deal of the country. I am more familiar with the north, but would recomend a good exploration of Rajasthan, up to the Punjab to see Amritsar and the Golden Temple, then on to AP and Dharamsala. From there you should hit the major Ganges cities: Hardwar, Rishikesh, Varanasi etc.. I would also spend some time in Calcutta were I you. That's a rough outline, for you to fill in with little unusual stops along the way. Have fun!

RTodor · Jun 3rd, 2002, 00:23

Thank you Sadhu
And now to all of you - I have just heard the news on TV and felt a great concern for India/Pakistan conflict - the news just announced a travel advice against any visits to both countries - I know that the USA, Australia, UK have issued such warning but in case our Foreign Affairs Ministry has considered it necessary to do so it's really amazing... and most troubling. I live in Bulgaria and have never heard such a statement before which makes me really nervous.
Is any of you in India now? If so, pls, let us know what's the Indians perspective on the issue.

tracyprier · Jun 4th, 2002, 03:56

My first comment on this is...DON'T PANIC!.

My personal view on this whole thing is that as soon as any non-western country starts getting grumpy with it's neighbour then the western world (the media anyway) thinks this means that the world will end because (in their view) "you just can't trust these Asian types can you...they're so volatile!"

And as for the much-publisized threat of nuclear war... get real! Neither Musharraf nor Vajpayee are that stupid even if they ARE politicians!!

I also believe that they both know that neither of their countries could afford any kind of all-out war, conventional or otherwise.

I think this whole thing will eventually simmer down although it isn't going to go away completely just yet, hell they've been arguing about Kashmir since '47!!

My wife and I are going to north India in October and our planning/preparation is going ahead on track.

RTodor · Jun 4th, 2002, 04:54

Thank you Tracyprier, a very reassuring reply.
However, I lived for 4 months in Lahore (Pak) and I know what a croud of fanatic muslims look and behave like. Indeed their politicians are not alike, but one never knows what they'd consider proper particularly in a case of emergency. Besides we have had the example of Ben Laden's deeds recently.
Hey Rossy! there's no need of political discourses here

May 11th, 2002, 19:37	#16
RTodor Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 119	Thank you all for the ideas. However, planning my trip remains a very difficult task as it will be my one and only trip to India - don't think I'll be able to afford a second one. Meanwhile you've turned my thread into a librarian conference :-) and I have to ask you to add to it (at least as a PS) the places you think are a must. __________________ rossy

Jun 2nd, 2002, 20:02	#18
Sadhu The Baron Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: ABQ, NM Posts: 218	Back to the topic, as was mentioned you'll have plenty of time to see a great deal of the country. I am more familiar with the north, but would recomend a good exploration of Rajasthan, up to the Punjab to see Amritsar and the Golden Temple, then on to AP and Dharamsala. From there you should hit the major Ganges cities: Hardwar, Rishikesh, Varanasi etc.. I would also spend some time in Calcutta were I you. That's a rough outline, for you to fill in with little unusual stops along the way. Have fun! __________________ 'Walk the Earth, Have Adventures'

Jun 4th, 2002, 03:56	#20
tracyprier "Hello-Kitty" must die! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New Zealand Posts: 60	My first comment on this is...DON'T PANIC!. My personal view on this whole thing is that as soon as any non-western country starts getting grumpy with it's neighbour then the western world (the media anyway) thinks this means that the world will end because (in their view) "you just can't trust these Asian types can you...they're so volatile!" And as for the much-publisized threat of nuclear war... get real! Neither Musharraf nor Vajpayee are that stupid even if they ARE politicians!! I also believe that they both know that neither of their countries could afford any kind of all-out war, conventional or otherwise. I think this whole thing will eventually simmer down although it isn't going to go away completely just yet, hell they've been arguing about Kashmir since '47!! My wife and I are going to north India in October and our planning/preparation is going ahead on track. __________________ India...Wild At Heart

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May 12th, 2002, 07:20	#17
Annie_T Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 61	Good list Archits - some extra personal favourites of mine would be Vikram Chndra "Red earth and pouring rain", anything by Sasha Despande or Anita Desai, Salman Rushdie "The moor's last sigh", Jhumpa Lahiri "Interpreter of maladies", Raj Kamal Jha "The blue bedspread". Also William Dalrymple "The age of Kali" Also "A passage to India" is well worth a read and I think too.The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott. I think the attitudes and behaviour of many travellers to India might benefit from a bit of reflection on some of the issues raised in these books.

Jun 3rd, 2002, 00:23	#19
RTodor Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 119	Thank you Sadhu And now to all of you - I have just heard the news on TV and felt a great concern for India/Pakistan conflict - the news just announced a travel advice against any visits to both countries - I know that the USA, Australia, UK have issued such warning but in case our Foreign Affairs Ministry has considered it necessary to do so it's really amazing... and most troubling. I live in Bulgaria and have never heard such a statement before which makes me really nervous. Is any of you in India now? If so, pls, let us know what's the Indians perspective on the issue.

Jun 4th, 2002, 04:54	#21
RTodor Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 119	Thank you Tracyprier, a very reassuring reply. However, I lived for 4 months in Lahore (Pak) and I know what a croud of fanatic muslims look and behave like. Indeed their politicians are not alike, but one never knows what they'd consider proper particularly in a case of emergency. Besides we have had the example of Ben Laden's deeds recently. Hey Rossy! there's no need of political discourses here