Hello/Namaste!

NirmalaMaya

Hi,
I am brand new to the forums. I am a 20 year old female living in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
I would LOVE just LOVE to go to India. But I havent the faintest idea what steps I need to take?
Where are the best places to stay? I would prefer to visit Bombay/Mumbai on my first visit.
About how much money would I need for a three week stay in India?
I wouldnt be traveling alone..but it seems like there is so much to do.
Figure out a hotel you could stay at, figure out how to get around places. Im a small girl in a big world and I need some tips!

Thanks in advance, guys!!

drzog

my best advice is just go! but spend a few weeks browsing this amazing forum, and perhaps a guidebook (eww),

then you cant go wrong...

good luck

Dr Z, Udaipur

__________________
my favourite spice is Coriander seed

Tapestry

You should definitely spend a lot more time reading through threads on this site, as well as a guidebook, to give you some ideas. You can start the thought process by asking yourself what you want to see - cities, mountains, coast, beach, nature, temples, historical monuments, etc. Then based on your answers you can look up various destinations, e.g. Himachal, Leh, Sikkim, Varanasi, Goa, Taj Mahal, Rajasthan, Kerala, Mumbai, etc. There's bound to be someplace (or a few) that really draws you in. Then you can embark on figuring out the details from there. No one else can really tell you where to go until you have a clearer idea of what you are looking for.

Good luck.

NirmalaMaya

I want to go to Mumbai.

wp7713

Staying 3 weeks in Mumbai could be expensive.

Research the threads here.

Then book an air ticket and arrange a visa.

Then Go!

Nick-H

Imagine someone asking you, "I want to go to USA"!

Sure, you could spend three weeks in once city, though most people wouldn't want to...

Start with picture books, and see what takes your fancy...

wp7713

Why Mumbai and nowhere else?

Palexurdy

I was about to ask the same question, wp. Mumbai is a city in India, Nirmala.

NirmalaMaya

I am totally aware that Mumbai is a city in India. Believe it or not, I even know that Mumbai is located in Maharashtra!
Mumbai is the city name I threw out there. For my first trip to India, I would like to see that city. The city of Mumbai that is in Maharashtra, India.
I do not know if I would spend a whole three weeks there. "Three weeks" and "Mumbai" were basically thrown in for the sake of conversation.

I dont believe I ever said I didnt want to visit any other place in India.

Ideally, I would like to see MANY parts of India. If I had my way I would start off in New Delhi and work my way down, I would catch the hustle and bustle of Bombay, the holy city of Benares (Kashi, Varanasi, which is in Uttar Pradesh), and eventually get to Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu. Basically..I want to see ALL of India.

But for someone like me, who leads a very normal American life, who works 6 days a week and pays rent every month, I cannot DO this on ONE trip to India. Money IS an option and I would imagine it to be very expensive to just go all over India whenever I so pleased.

So, would it make more sense now, why I would like to perhaps just visit one city on my first trip there?

Such prompt responses on this board. I am amazed.

Palexurdy

First, as others have said, get a guidebook & have a look around in here. What kind of stuff do you think you might like? How do you imagine India to be? You have Mumbai as a starting point, at least.

nayan

I think people are surprised that you said Mumbai of all places. Its India's commercial capital but not a city with a lot of tourist attractions. Usually a person who knows very little about Indian tourist places will say they want to see the Taj or they want to go to beaches in Goa.

If you want to see cities then Delhi, Jaipur(or other cities/towns in Rajasthan), kochi etc are much better options from a touristic point of view.

you can look into the government of India, tourism website or any big tour company website to get an overview (with pictures) of what are broadly the options. After you have shortlisted some options you can ask more specifics/opinions in Indiamike.

NirmalaMaya

Well. To be completely honest...I dont know how I imagine India, haha.
I would expect a LOT of culture shock despite the fact that I have been a practicing Hindu for the last 5 years.
I threw out the city of Mumbai because it seems sort Western, yet still Indian so perhaps I could get the feel of being in India while still being in some of the comforts of the Western lifestyle..I also have a friend in Mumbai and he is part of the ever growing middle class there. I could be totally wrong about what Mumbai would be like, I dont know. I talk to friends at the temple about it, who are Indian (mostly South Indian) and they just seem happy that I want to go to India and tell me to "GO GO GO!" Hah.

I really would have NO idea what to expect.

Thanks, Nayan! Rajasthan has always been a point of interest for me, ive never been too interested in Goa though, dont know why. If I had my way id just take a year off and travel around the whole country..but, alas, I cant do that.

Nick-H

I was always told I'd find South India a gentler introduction, so I started with Chennai and Kerala.

That was ten years ago --- I guess I'll explore some other place sometime!

Mumbai (I've never been there) seems to be a place people love or hate.

wp7713

Given your latest info, there are a number of interesting temples in Mumbai.

Also, take the ferry out to Elephanta. Don't miss that.

I've never stayed more than a few nights at a time in Mumbai. Though I have had the most wonderful experiences there while staying with/visiting friends there.

Tapestry

Based on your time and financial constraints, you should probably make an itinerary either based on Mumbai & North or Mumbai & South, but not both. Put the other itinerary into the "Next time" column. The two trips would be different, but equally great.