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I'm doing some preliminary research into Visiting India in September. Thinking of going for about 3 weeks to a month. (Might look at a 2/3 day stopover in Dubai)

Will be flying into Delhi with a a view to perhaps doing the golden triangle thing. Any advice welcome.

Specific info needed on the following.

Using my smartphone avoiding roaming charges while in India. Can I buy a sim here or is it better to buy one there?

Taking money / keeping it safe. Should I use travelers cheques etc?

Obtaining visas.   

Have a mate who is working out in India at the moment, so I'll see if he has any pearls of wisdom.

This is what he just sent me -


Visa is needed, a 6 month tourist visa is best, cost about £130.

Sim are not available to buy over the counter here, you need to be an Indian Citizen.

There are ATM but limited, Hotels will probably cash travellers cheques.

Depending on Hotel most of them have room safes.

Scotts travel service is a good company to get the visa from, if not in London or Liverpool.

Indian Visa centre is opposite my old place on  Wilton Road SW1V 1DW

It takes about a week to get a visa, and always advise a Multi Entry Visa.



He said you'll need to fill this in to apply for a Visa https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/

Scotts -  http://www.scottsvisas.co.uk

Hi Tom,

I know as a British citizen you need to apply for a visa and can stay for 6 months.

Most of that part of the world has it's wet season during Sept/Oct as the sea is warmer than the land and therefore air mass comes from the sea.

3 weeks is a lot of time for that circuit. The one place I'd recommend tagging on to it if interests you is Varanasi, it's probably the most religious/spiritual place in India on the banks of the Ganges and still real old India.

You can get the train down to there overnight from Delhi, then either hop back via a short budget flight, or if you still have time you could possibly push through to Kolkata and fly back to Delhi from there.

If you are using the trains overnight take a bike lock to lock your bags to something, stuff does get nicked.

Few other bits of info on here.

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=61996.0

Also Ranthambore National Park to see tigers is on that circuit. I thought the place was in a pretty sad state of affairs with only a handful of tigers left when I went, no idea how many are left now. If I was doing the trip again I'd probably skip it as it was pretty depressing.

If you do go and want to be in a small group driving around the park in one of the jeeps, you need to stay at one of the upmarket hotels as they get first bite at using the jeeps that are allowed in the park each day. If you don't you will be with the masses in a big open top bus type thing, not ideal for a bit of peace and quiet to tour the countryside really.

Just looking at visa form now. It's more complicated that the assembly instructions for a large hadron collider.

Been looking at monsoon season info and it's a bit confusing. It seems to end in September for Delhi. Lots of guides say that September / October is a good time to go.

How easy / difficult is it to book flights / train tickets as you go?

Is Delhi OK for strolling around during the day?

Will Indians understand a Yorkshire accent?

Advice on eating needed too.

Do many places have WiFi?

Trains are really easy for the shorter journeys around golden triangle, you might need to book a day or two in advance for overnight sleepers just to be sure. To places where the train does not go it was pretty cheap to rent a car and driver for the day or even for 2 or three days. As with all budget airlines the prices go up nearer to your date, so try and book as far ahead as you reasonably can, not always possible if you are just winging it though. Bear in mind it's probably 6 or 7 years since I've been so you might want to double check my info.

Yep Delhi is safe enough and enough English spoken everywhere, English is the official language I think lol. You will get hassled to death by Tuk Tuk drivers and people selling stuff and beggars though. The only unpleasant thing that happened to us was my missus at the time got groped a couple of times in crowded areas and by a passenger on the back of a motorbike, I know others it's happened too also so it is a real threat.

This is the best resource I have found for train info to have a look at.

http://www.seat61.com/India.htm

That's really useful. Thank you.

Go mostly veggie imo. Large numbers of the population are veggie, so veggie food has a higher turnover and will be fresher than eating meat for the most part and less chance of getting the shits. Don't eat the street food, India is no Thailand in that respect and you have a good chance of getting gut rot if you do. Also wash your hands before you eat, the money and in particular the small notes are very dirty so god knows where they have been.

Carry bog rolls/wet wipes at all times and mentally prepare yourself you have to use a squat bog just in case.  :D

Also after a couple of weeks of eating Indian food you will be craving for a cheese butty or the plainest thing you can find lol. No matter how much you like Indian food, Mark my words it will happen lol. Upmarket hotels are your best source when the cravings come  ;D

So cafe's & hotel restaurants should be OK providing they look clean?

What about chilling? Is it a case of escaping to your hotel room to avoid the masses when you've had enough?

Mostly probably I would think, but as you will find out there are no guarantees in India lol.

Pretty much, when we were there it was so hot we had to retreat to the hotel or somewhere cool every couple of hours anyway when it was logistically possible. Towards the end of the trip we were just planning two or three trips out each day and returned to cool off in between, avoiding the middle of the day where possible.

India's one of those places that's never really appealed to me and having read Woodsey's helpful tour guide I can't see my opinion changing much any time soon.

I'm sure there's loads of great sights and lot's of cultural diversity etc. but it sounds bloody awful!!

You are either into going to these sorts of places or not and there's no point forcing yourself if you aren't. Quite a few of my family and friends think exactly like you tbh (why on earth would you want to go to a dirty place like that? :D ) and one of my friends who is actually into travelling to far flung places absolutely hated India too lol. The thrill for me is it feels like a bit of an adventure, even though it probably isn't so much these days really.  :)

Can't think of anything worse than lying on a European beach for 2 weeks myself, then again half of the UK love that!

At the time my girlfriend (Mrs now) had the same cultural shock. I remember taking her on a boating trip and whilst queuing a Indian couple just plonked their baby on her. She held the baby startled whilst they took photos of her. They weren't used to seeing a white girl!!!

Although she moaned a plenty of all the hole in the ground toilets etc she now wants to go back so we can take our kids!!!  Her favourite was visiting a spice plantation and having the freshest vegetarian food she's ever eaten off a banana leaf.

Street food is fine if cooked in front of you. Most dishes are deep fried so no problems really. You'll need jabs (typhoid & hep A) and malaria tablets which you can buy over the counter.

The toilet situation would bother me but I'm not backpacking around so hopefully any hotels I'm likely to stay at would have something reasonable to sit on.  I've done my time squatting over a hole in far flung places so I feel I've earned my stripes.

I'd love to go to India, hope you have an amazing trip Tom.

Any hotel a foreigner will stay in will have western bogs, it's getting caught short at random times that is the problem, hence why I would be more picky about where I eat to avoid that situation in the first place. Also if you get a good dose of something you might not be able to stray too far from your room for a couple of days.

Loving these Indian signs.

I worked in India from October to December one year, loved the place, Delhi belly isn't like proper food poisoning, you don't feel bad at all, then suddenly you must toilet quickly, 5 minutes of discomfort and your back in the game! Doubt you can avoid it, the food plus glycerine in the beer just doesn't agree with us, but it's not a huge hindrance. It is crowded but the centres are westernised. You will see a lot that will live with you for a long time. Enjoy it! I went back to work again, September should be great as you may miss the monsoons

Hi Tom,

I see no-one has responded to your SIM card question yet.

I spent a month in Bangalore last October and it was next to impossible to obtain a local SIM. Only locals are allowed to purchase them as the Govt has cracked down hard their use in terrorism.

I was unable to get one, if you can find a resident  to get one for you that I believe is the only way.

Specific things to be careful of

-   Always drink bottled water (make sure the seal isn’t broken.
-   Stick with vegetarian food unless at a hotel (internationally recognized hotel)
-   Have rupees with you, but if in crowded larger cities, make sure you have your money valuables safe, maybe an inside pocket etc (Lots of pickpockets)
-   Hand wipes, toilet paper and cleaning gel to be carried with you at all times
-   The sales people in India are pretty aggressive, be stern with them without being rude, India is a big place with a small community, never know who you’re offending.
-   Stay hydrated, with the climate and also the amount of salt and spices you’ll consume, make sure you’re drinking enough water to compensate.
-   Personal space, Indians don’t recognize personal space, so when commuting, Queuing standing, eating be aware of this and don’t be easily offended
-       The People are hospitable but very intrusive, so don't be offended if you're asked really personal questions.

Mentally prepare yourself to for a shock.  Seeing India on TV is nothing like actually experiencing it first hand.  The smells, noise and sheer life takes a while to get used to, but once you overcome the initial shock, it’s one of the most interesting places you’ll visit.

Woodsey should be a great guide on actual places to visit…

I’m sure you’ll enjoy it….

Some really useful replies. TYVM guys.

The upshot is.... We've  gone all dithery. Not sure if we would rather go to the Philippines instead now.

Please feel free to wade in with opinions / advice.

Never been to the Philippines so can't comment..

But go to India, it's not just a holiday it's an experience...

You'll also be surprised on how close the hindi language is to yours, even though your ancestors probably migrated hundreds of years ago... Visit Punjab if you get a chance to and see the Golden temple, there are no/not many beggars in Amritsar and the people are more spiritual then intrusive, so will make a great place for you to experience..

I know about the language. I find I understand a smattering of the words when I hear it spoken, or I will be speaking to a member of my family in Romanes while out in public and an Indian will ask me where I come from.

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".

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   ;grr; :D

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.

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....

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!

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

Great!

I'm all about trying new places but I definitely want to re-visit Borneo it was that amazing. I really think you will love it.

Pretty much agree, you won't be fussed about Dubai, but it maybe a welcome change to the hustle and bustle of India...

Glad you chose India, you're in for a right adventure...

I really liked Borneo, and gave never been to India, don't think they are the same ballpark.

One thing I didn't like about Borneo is the damage you see to the Forest there.  Made me pretty sad to be honest.  We did say at an Eco resort whilst there which struck me as an excuse to change a small fortune for some very basic accommodation. 

Did love it there though.  Did you go to the Island where they hatch turtles Cos? 

I would put Belize above Borneo if you want an interesting place where you can go diving.

We leave next Wednesday. Blimey! How quickly that came around.

Can anyone advise me about currency? How and where do I get local dosh?


(http://www.us-cash.info/banknote%20100%20indian%20rupee%20obverse.jpg)

That's come round quick.  Have a cracking trip, post plenty of photos!

Will you be updating here fairly regularly? Sounds like an awesome trip!

Have a great time, didn't see the thread first time round but was an interesting read. Not been to India myself but have been to Dubai, i loved it but if it wasn't for the golf i can't imagine i would have liked it.

Don't think you could buy 'em in the UK when I went, dunno if that's changed. In which case change a small bit at the airport when you arrive them find then fish around for the best currency exchange to change a lump.

Article from last year that may still be of interest
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/qa-im-going-to-india-and-need-rupees-whats-the-best-way-of--buying-them-8511999.html

Taking $ or € is terrible advice unless your are going somewhere you know will not take £££ or you will get a terrible rate (Myanmar for example), you do too much on the exchange rates changing them twice. ATM's, I always have my uk phone handy ready to receive the security phone call when trying to make the first withdrawal, sometimes they call sometimes they don't, after that first one it's unlikely to be a problem. Taking newish clean unmarked notes that haven't been scribbled all over by the bank is always sound advice in these sorts of countries, they will be refused in some places.

India is incredible, indescribable and unforgettable. I'm so glad we came.

Had forgotten about this, but glad you're having a good time, and can't wait for the trip report!

I haven't been to Dubai, but have been to Poland.

 rotflmfao rotflmfao

Didn't realise Tom was spending a few days there as well