India in September

[Woodsey]

Meh, go to India. As a general tourist its loads better than the Phils for stuff to see, do and experience. I dont know what you want to get out of your holiday, but i'd only recommend The Phils for people that have done a few of the other Asian tourist destinations first. Unless you have a specific thing you want to do there like diving, trekking or lazing on a beach they just don't have a ton of interesting stuff to do for tourists. Don't get me wrong its alright and I enjoyed it, but there are better more interesting places.

If you do go I can give you a bit of info on Manila, Subic, Baguio, cordillera mountains (banaue, sagada, batad and round that general area). Also cebu, siquijor and dumuguete. Also choose your month carefully as the rainy season there is wrath of god stuff lol.

May I throw Myanmar/Burma into your thinking pot? I think you would enjoy it there, lots to see and do, fun ways to travel around, very friendly people and its still very much 'old asia' which is what I really like.

[RED-DOG]

Meh, go to India. As a general tourist its loads better than the Phils for stuff to see, do and experience. I dont know what you want to get out of your holiday, but i'd only recommend The Phils for people that have done a few of the other Asian tourist destinations first. Unless you have a specific thing you want to do there like diving, trekking or lazing on a beach they just don't have a ton of interesting stuff to do for tourists. Don't get me wrong its alright and I enjoyed it, but there are better more interesting places.

If you do go I can give you a bit of info on Manila, Subic, Baguio, cordillera mountains (banaue, sagada, batad and round that general area). Also cebu, siquijor and dumuguete. Also choose your month carefully as the rainy season there is wrath of god stuff lol.

May I throw Myanmar/Burma into your thinking pot? I think you would enjoy it there, lots to see and do, fun ways to travel around, very friendly people and its still very much 'old asia' which is what I really like.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

Lol. We were originally planning to go to Texas but decided to try something different. Now we're not sure what we want.

I'm not usually such a ditherer.

[marcro]

Meh, go to India. As a general tourist its loads better than the Phils for stuff to see, do and experience. I dont know what you want to get out of your holiday, but i'd only recommend The Phils for people that have done a few of the other Asian tourist destinations first. Unless you have a specific thing you want to do there like diving, trekking or lazing on a beach they just don't have a ton of interesting stuff to do for tourists. Don't get me wrong its alright and I enjoyed it, but there are better more interesting places.

If you do go I can give you a bit of info on Manila, Subic, Baguio, cordillera mountains (banaue, sagada, batad and round that general area). Also cebu, siquijor and dumuguete. Also choose your month carefully as the rainy season there is wrath of god stuff lol.

May I throw Myanmar/Burma into your thinking pot? I think you would enjoy it there, lots to see and do, fun ways to travel around, very friendly people and its still very much 'old asia' which is what I really like.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

Lol. We were originally planning to go to Texas but decided to try something different. Now we're not sure what we want.

I'm not usually such a ditherer.

The weather in Texas will be good in September.  If what you have read about India is giving you doubts then it probably is not for you.

[RED-DOG]

Meh, go to India. As a general tourist its loads better than the Phils for stuff to see, do and experience. I dont know what you want to get out of your holiday, but i'd only recommend The Phils for people that have done a few of the other Asian tourist destinations first. Unless you have a specific thing you want to do there like diving, trekking or lazing on a beach they just don't have a ton of interesting stuff to do for tourists. Don't get me wrong its alright and I enjoyed it, but there are better more interesting places.

If you do go I can give you a bit of info on Manila, Subic, Baguio, cordillera mountains (banaue, sagada, batad and round that general area). Also cebu, siquijor and dumuguete. Also choose your month carefully as the rainy season there is wrath of god stuff lol.

May I throw Myanmar/Burma into your thinking pot? I think you would enjoy it there, lots to see and do, fun ways to travel around, very friendly people and its still very much 'old asia' which is what I really like.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

Lol. We were originally planning to go to Texas but decided to try something different. Now we're not sure what we want.

I'm not usually such a ditherer.

The weather in Texas will be good in September.  If what you have read about India is giving you doubts then it probably is not for you.

Lol. That's the trouble. I've read everything from "It's wonderful" to "It's terrible".

[Woodsey]

I think you know what's coming so I'd be surprised if you didn't enjoy it. When I think back most of the wtf's there just make me laugh now and are all part of the experience. I will admit though it's probably the only place I've been that I was glad when I got on the plane home, that was mainly down to being hassled to death from the moment we left our hotel room to the moment we got back to the room. It was the Beggars, Tuk Tuk drivers, new suit sir? lol, kids hanging off me, and after a month of that they broke me and I don't mind admitting it lol   

If you want a relaxing holiday don't go because you won't get that, if you want an experience you will never forget go for it.

[simonnatur]

I guess India may well be a love it or hate it experience. I speak from firmly in the love it camp. I spent 6 months going round the whole of India 20 years ago (yikes, was it really that long!) This discussion makes me want to return, though perhaps with some apprehension about how much it may have changed in that time. I went in the months following an outbreak of plague in the country, so tourist numbers must have been much lower than normal.

I traveled independently and cheaply and felt very safe throughout. Also found the people extremely friendly and welcoming.  There will definitely be a bit of culture shock, but guess it comes down to whether you're the type to actively seek this out - my instinct from reading your diary is that you'ld love it.

First bit of advice if you decide to go is to consider taking a flight to Nepal to see Kathmandu/Pokhara/Himalaya base camp trek if possible while you're there. Second, would be to consider Southern India, where there's just as much to see imo and in places like Kerala there are some amazing beaches where you could just chill out for a week or two if you chose to.

[RED-DOG]

I guess India may well be a love it or hate it experience. I speak from firmly in the love it camp. I spent 6 months going round the whole of India 20 years ago (yikes, was it really that long!) This discussion makes me want to return, though perhaps with some apprehension about how much it may have changed in that time. I went in the months following an outbreak of plague in the country, so tourist numbers must have been much lower than normal.

I traveled independently and cheaply and felt very safe throughout. Also found the people extremely friendly and welcoming.  There will definitely be a bit of culture shock, but guess it comes down to whether you're the type to actively seek this out - my instinct from reading your diary is that you'ld love it.

First bit of advice if you decide to go is to consider taking a flight to Nepal to see Kathmandu/Pokhara/Himalaya base camp trek if possible while you're there. Second, would be to consider Southern India, where there's just as much to see imo and in places like Kerala there are some amazing beaches where you could just chill out for a week or two if you chose to.

Oooh!

So persuasive.

What to do, what to do....

[GreekStein]

Hey Red.

If you do go to India, the bottled water is obviously a must. Someone touched on it before but some places will trick you by bringing you bottled water that's not bottled water - just insist that you want to break the seal yourself.

My main reason for posting was to get you to consider Borneo. It's the largest Island in Asia and I had the most amazing time there. It's split between Malaysia and Indonesia and is home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world.

Not that I know what exactly you're looking for but I can't see how this place wouldn't fit the bill. Fantastically beautiful, amazing nature and it's definitely the sort of place that allows you do decent exercise without being too intense. It's got everything. People are very friendly and helpful and I had the best meal of my life there too.

And the greatest thing was - it was so cheap!

[GreekStein]

We did everything there from visit a tribal village, diving, rainforest trekking, visiting an orangutan sanctuary, staying at a dive resort and some relaxing at the hotel for the first few days. I will definitely go back there.

The next Asian place on my list to visit is Myanmar. I'm not sure you'll meet friendlier nicer people than the Burmese, which is quite remarkable given most of their circumstances and their history. It's a great place to visit from what I've been told.

[RED-DOG]

You need 2" x 2" photographs for an India visa. They are very strict about it. Hence, everywhere charges £9.99 for two (Of the same person) Double that for two people.

Smaller or larger photographs are 60p each.

[Redsgirl]

You need 2" x 2" photographs for an India visa. They are very strict about it. Hence, everywhere charges £9.99 for two (Of the same person) Double that for two people.

Smaller or larger photographs are 60p each.

60 what? Pence? Pounds? Rupees?

[RED-DOG]

60p. What's up, can't you read?

[GreekStein]

does that mean you decided on India?

[RED-DOG]

does that mean you decided on India?

Yes Cos, we did, but Borneo is now definitely on the bucket list.

We decided to go because if we don't go this year we will be even less likely to go next year.

We managed to book a car and driver for what is essentially peanuts. We're doing Dehli, Agra and Jaipur with a 3 day stop over in Dubai on the way home.

Many thanks to everyone for the great input.

[Woodsey]

Sounds good, you will enjoy those places, there isn't a huge amount in Agra though other than the Taj.

Just make sure you have full control over your driver when you are there. Some of them will railroad you into staying places that aren't that nice because they will get to stay free, or get kick backs from their mates who run the hotels who might well overcharge you to give the driver his commission. If it was me I'd either make it clear i have the final say where we will stay, or if he has a plan already ask now to see where he will take you and do a quick bit of research to check you are happy with everything. At least you can ask to stay another place now if what they are planning doesn't look the best.

Also the standard of driving there is appalling, worse than anywhere else I have been, ridiculous blind overtaking in old underpowered taxis and such like, don't be scared to tell him to slow the fuck down, an extra hour is ok if you get there alive!

Will be interested in what you think of Dubai, my money is that you won't be too fussed.