Senior Female...Alone in Amritsar

Barbara43

Hello everyone...

I'm absolutely besotted with all things India and would like to plan a trip to Amritsar for Nov. & Dec. 2010.

I know that sounds like a long way off, but I know nothing of how or where to begin planning this 'once in my lifetime' trip and I need help from all seasoned traveller's. I've read so many of your wonderful travel stories on here...I envy your courage to travel to distant places, so far from your home comforts...I want to feel that excitement too, even if it's just once.

First of all, I will be 67yrs old by then and I've chosen Amritsar for a few reasons...I want to be in the north of India...for the cooler climate (I'm asthmatic) and especially the food, and I'm hoping that it's slower-paced than say, Delhi.

I've read about 'Mrs. Bhandari's Guesthouse', saw some photo's and thought it might be a great place to stay for the 2 months and use it as my home base. Her guesthouse is a short taxi ride outside of Amritsar, in the quiet countryside.

I'm quite content with her 'old furnishings from the 1930's' ...my only prerequisite is that it absolutely must be clean, bug free and have hot running water, which I think her guesthouse has.

I have a ton of questions...am I safe travelling alone at 67yrs?

What about the money I'll need...how would I manage that?

Do I need to get medical shots before I go?

I don't even know what questions to ask you...can you tell I've never travelled out of my country (Canada) except to do some cross-border shopping in the USA. ...I'm hoping that with your experiences, you will tell me what I need to know or direct me accordingly.

I'm also new to IM and forums, postings, etc. I barely know the difference between my elbow and what I'm sitting on, so I hope you will help me.

From my heart...thanks kindly.
Barbara

hst

In november, december it will be very cold and foggy everyday in Punjab. There really isnt much sightseeing in Amritsar except the Golden Temple and the Waga Border.
However if you want to go to relax and see what life in Punjab is like go ahead. You will enjoy it 2 months is a long time to stay just in Amritsar, you should check out Anandpur Sahib and I highly recommend getting on a Volvo Bus to Manali and deffinetly check out Manikaran!
Travel shots I guess are reccomended at your age. I found that Punjab isn't really catered towards Western tourists as much as other places in India but that is also a good thing. At your age I assume you want to take it easy and if your not prepared it can be very hectic and tough, if you can you should find a travel partner!
Just research on the forums using the search button
feel free to ask me more, I just spent 3 months in India, mostly in Punjab

Barbara43

To hst...

Thank you so much for responding.

I will make a note of the places you suggested...are they day trips, or would I be staying for a few days in each place, then moving on?

I don't care for the food from the south...or anything that might have coconut in it. I love the food of north India, which is why I chose Amritsar as the place to visit. I just want to take it easy...take daily trips to town to shop, mingle with the people etc, then return to the quiet countryside guesthouse in the evening.

I realize I should have planned this trip 30yrs ago when I was much younger, but my love for India hadn't developed back then, and any thoughts that I might travel to this exotic place, just came to me recently...30yrs ago I would have chosen Delhi and jumped right into the mix...time has changed all that, which is why I have now chosen a quiet countryside guesthouse.

When you were there, did you have a 'home base' or did you just roam from place to place at your own pace...are reservations necessary or can you just walk-in off the street to get a room.

If I'm not being too personal, do you mind me asking the total cost for airfare, to live, eat and travel there for 3 months?
I have limited funds...I don't require, nor do I want 5 star accomodations...I only ask that it be clean, bug free and with hot water, which is why I chose a guesthouse instead of a hotel.
Mrs. Bhandari's Guesthouse is charging 1400Rp a night for a single room which will no doubt increase by 2010...are these prices negotiable or would I be insulting them to ask for a reduction as a long term guest?

Thank you hst, for your kind offer to answer my questions.

Regards,
Barbara

capt_mahajan

I don't know this place, but it would be foolish not to negotiate. Long term charges are invariably (and considerably and then some) lower. I can't say how much in Amritsar, but I would not be happy unless it was at least 25 percent, or even 40. (Have stayed 'at half price' more than once for shorter durations in Punjab)

__________________
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Outside the machine

harjeev

Hi
I just noticed that you are planning a long trip to india and if you plan to stay for a long time at any guest, then I think that 1400 is way too much. You should definitely negotiate with the owner.
Also dont worry about negotiations when in India. It is totally acceptable and understood. No one takes any offense to it

Hot water is standard anyways at even the most basic of the places.

If you dont mind send me the address of the Mrs. Bhandari guest house and I might take photos and upload them here. We keep going to Amritsar 3-4 times a year, so it wont be that much of a problem.

Also I agree with hst, it would be very cold in Amritsar at that time of the year, but if you are already in Canada it wont be that difficult for you. But at the same time keep in mind that houses in the west are constructed keeping in mind the heating and insulation, but here in india they are of concrete, which means no insulation.

Barbara43

capt mahajan...

Thank you kindly...that certainly makes me feel better...the charges as is + her cost of food, breakfast 250Rp .. dinner 500Rp for 50 - 60 days is enormous. It's beyond me how people can afford to stay there for up to 6 months..perhaps they would adopt me. lol

nayan

Rs250 breakfast and Rs500 dinner is very high price for what I think is a homestay/(non-high end)guesthouse.

A substantial breakfast at a midrange hotel should not cost more than Rs150. The same breakfast can be had(with less ambience) at a budget local eatery for rs50 or less.

rs 500 will be the price of a full course dinner for 1 person in a higher than midrange place. From the looks of the place(i just checked a few pictures on the net) dinner there should not cost more than Rs 150 to 200.

Barbara43

harjeev...

Thank you for your information and generous offer.

As a Canadian with asthma, I prefer the temperatures of Spring and Fall, so I thought Nov - Dec would be a good time to travel there, although I just read the following about her guesthouse... "Open from late March to November for Residents Only" .. what exactly does that mean...is a resident a 'guest' or someone that lives there on a permanent basis. Perhaps my intended travel times have to be changed.

Her website for info is bhandari_guesthouse.tripod.com

Her address is No.10 Cantonment
Amritsar, Punjab, India
+91 (0) 183 2 222390
2 228509

Her email is bgha10@gmail.com

Thanks again harjeev

Barbara43

nayan...

I've only found about 3 pictures of her place...2 of the outside and one of the bedroom. I'm quite content with the lack of amenities, but I agree with you that all her prices seem to be extravagant for what she offers.

I thought I might breakfast at her place but have my main meal in town. I've read favorable reviews on Trip Advisor about her place, but then, none had stayed more than a few nights, so the cost didn't amount to much.

I think the key would be to find a health-safe place to eat... I've read that you should eat where crowds gather, where the turnover of the food is greater...and to stay away from hotels.

So much to consider...

wonderwomanusa

Barbara, I'm of a similar age with various health issues (though not asthma) and have had no problems travelling alone in India, which I've done for many years. I typically spend anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks in a town, and then move on.

I would not choose to stay in Amritsar for two months unless you want to know what it's like to live in a typical Indian city. Anywhere in North India would do at that time of the year, as far as weather goes, and other places might offer more amusements and places of interest.

One important point: make sure you have your doctor's e-mail address with you. You never know when you might need to contact her! And yes, get shots for everything!

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The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

Cardinal Divide

Hi Barbara,
Congratulations on your up coming trip.
If you call your local health unit they will be able to advise you on how to hook up with a travel clinic for the recommended vaccinations and advice on how long before you leave that you should get them.
I find that travel agents are the best source for reasonably priced flights to India from Canada. Some credit cards have extras like trip cancellation insurance, baggage insurance etc built in. This is something you might want to look into.
What major city will you be flying out of? That will affect which airlines you will fly with. From Vancouver I have paid an average of $1700 return for my tickets over the past 6 years flying Vancouver to Delhi on airlines such as KLM, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, all very good carriers. I believe that Air Canada now offers direct flights to Amritsar.
The reviews of Mrs. Bhandari's Guesthouse are as you say excellent and you have a good plan regarding meals and eating out. You could plan on staying at Mrs B's for a week or two and then seeing how you feel about moving to a cheaper place. Do remember that this is your trip of a lifetime so if you like the place and can afford it why not!
I do think you should plan some trips from Amritsar.
Two trips that I can recommend from personal experience, taking into account your age, inexperience and my lack of knowledge of your overall health and adaptability are:
Chandigarh. I stayed at the Hotel Kwality Regency which is a great place to stay, the rooms are lovely, the service and food is great and it is centrally located. The hotel has heating in winter. Be sure to visit the Nek Chand Fantasy Rock Garden, Rose garden, sector 17 and all the other attractions in the area. You could spend a few days staying at the hotel visiting the parks and galleries.
You might also want to visit Dharamsala/McLeod Ganj. Chonor House is the place to stay in town and it also has heating. If you are budgeting a little then Pema Thang and Annex Hotel are also good places centrally located on a quiet street.. Dharamsala is home to the Dalai Lama. Chonor House is up a quiet path about 1 block from his residence. The small town is easy to navigate and has loads of western restaurants serving western food as well as plenty of Tibetan and Indian cuisine. Be sure to take a trip down to the library area and Norbulingka is a must see day trip. Travel agents in the town can also arrange tours by taxi to many of the highlights of the Kangra Valley for about $80 for the car and driver for the day based on today’s prices and exchange rate. www.123himachal.com/kangra.html will give you an idea of what you can see on a tour or give you an idea of places you might want to visit on your own. Click on the links in blue near the top of the page. The links in red are useful for information on other areas of Himachal Pradesh.
For money you can bring a mix of cash, Canadian dollars are fine, travellers cheques, bank card and credit card for cash advance.
Depending on your physical health ie: back, knees etc your age may or may not be much of a factor. I do think you are smart to start off with higher end places because you can always scale down to cheaper places and forms of travel once you are accustomed to India, if you so desire.

Barbara43

wonderwomanusa...

Thank you very much for the information.

The more I read on this site, the more I'm inclined to think that staying at Mrs. Bhandari's Guesthouse is a mistake.

Would it be wise to travel as you do at my age...from place to place with no reservations...I have to admit, it sounds like a lot more fun than that guesthouse...and I'd get to see so much more! I would throw a huge fit if I couldn't find a decent place to stay though...that would scare me to death.

How much money do you carry with you when you're on extended travel?

Great advice about my doctor...never thought of that...thx!

Barbara43

Cardinal Divide...

Wow...thank you so much for taking the time to share such a lengthy, informative reply.
I will copy and print all the great information everyone is giving me...I know absolutely nothing of magical India...I just know that I have an insane desire to go there.

Between my asthma and knee replacement, trekkiing is out of the question...short walks and rickshaws, taxi's etc will have to do.

I've read somewhere that travel by train is by reservations 60 days in advance...hmmm Is it okay to travel by buses from city to city? Otherwise, I'd have to plan a very detailed itinerary and have a number of train reservations made...yikes!

I'd much rather scale down than cut my trip short..clean and bug free are the only things I insist on..and some warm water.

I do have a fear of leaving my country and of feeling unsafe in a strange land...that is why I chose the 'guesthouse'; it would give me a sense of 'home', but after reading these replies, it would be terribly sad of me to travel all that way and only see the streets of Amritsar. Now, perhaps you'll more fully understand that I truly need all the help I can get.

I'm in Toronto...I think Air Canada might be the most expensive.

Thanks so much Cardinal...sincerely appreciated.





I'm in Toronto

Barbara43

Cardinal Divide...

I wrote and posted a reply to you...it's not here ...hmmm

Lugubert

Dear Barbara43,

I started a PM, but I think that comments and other views should be useful, so here goes.

I, too, am a ’43-er. But I’m much more undecided than you. In ’10, I’m considering alternatives like several months with a tutor in Chengdu, China, to learn speaking the language, or the recurring one month summer course in Chandigarh to learn as much as possible of the Panjabi language, religion and culture. Now that you mention it, another extended India visit in 2010 might be interesting.

As mentioned, we northerners (I’m a Swede at the latitude of, like, mid Hudson Bay) tend to ignore the fact that central heating and insulation are words that are difficult to explain to more tropical people. Even in Himalayan Mussoorie in March, I slept in my outerwear plus double blankets for the first week.

Depending on your interests, Amritsar, as already mentioned, including the Golden Temple, the Wagah border ceremony, Jalianwala Bagh and the shopping area might keep you busy for almost a week. You’d probably need a thesis matter or a deep involvement in Sikhism to usefully stay longer. Or Hinduism! There’s an amazing not too well-known Hindu temple that mimics the Golden Temple layout. I’ll have to check my notes, but it’s possible that it’s in Amritsar that you’ll find one rather Nepalese shrine, filled to the brim with effigies of any Indian deity you’ve ever heard of and a few more, and where you despite the essentially Hindu setting will encounter Sikhs and others who reverently bow to deities evidently not really belonging to their own faiths.

When I already had spent some ten days in Delhi, the hotel travel desk lady tried to convince me and my then travel partner that three days would be Delhi enough for a tourist. I have now to that ten days added two (or do I count three?) weeks, and the list of things to see next time is growing healthily. You set the pace yourself. See the major sights just one a day, relax in the Zoo or gardens or even at famous cemeteries. Enjoy the multitude of shops around Connaught Place (but look out for the dog poo-flinging guys that will offer to clean your shoes).

For shots, Canadian health care will know what’s needed. I think I’ve just had some typhoid updated and checked my anti-tetanus status. In the North, malaria should be no problem.

I had no bug problems at all during my so far three months in the North, but there were some species that thrived (throve?) on my shins in the very SE. but never the less, I loved Mamallapram.

PM me for email; I think we should continue discussing possibilities.

Rgds &c,

Lugubert