Visiting India with American friends

by gautham.mitra Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:24 pm

I plan to visit India this summer. I have an American friend who wants to go with me. He is going to bring his wife and family along. It is just going to be a total of 11 days from the day they leave stateside and return home. What cities and historical sites will you take them to? How about the places to stay and transportation? Do you recommend any guided tours for them in places like Delhi? Are there any good travel services in the South which we can use instead of hiring taxis?

by Petrichor Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:29 pm

Hello Gautham,

I see that you registered today and this happens to be your very first post. As Suchers would say, Leave all that, tell us are you really new? Have you been lurking?

To help us understand you better,

1. do you like Aurangazeb more than you like Akbar?
2. do you have a preference in the Telengana dogfight?
3. do you think either Texas or TN should just secede?
4. do you have a pill-cutter for rapes so they can be cut in half?
5. do you like tertiary sources or penitentiary sources better?
6. is your alter ego a saas, bahu or woh?

by Hellsangel Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:34 pm

by gautham.mitra Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:56 pm

atcg wrote:Hello Gautham,

I see that you registered today and this happens to be your very first post. As Suchers would say, Leave all that, tell us are you really new? Have you been lurking?

To help us understand you better,

1. do you like Aurangazeb more than you like Akbar?
2. do you have a preference in the Telengana dogfight?
3. do you think either Texas or TN should just secede?
4. do you have a pill-cutter for rapes so they can be cut in half?
5. do you like tertiary sources or penitentiary sources better?
6. is your alter ego a saas, bahu or woh?

I don't care about any of that shit that goes on in India. My parents brought me to States when I was a kid. If you guys can't help me, that is fine.

by Vakavaka Pakapaka Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:07 pm

Hi Gautham,

If you and your friends want to see temples, go to South India. If you like recent stuff - go to Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, etc. (in North India)

Guided tours are a good idea. Google for information.

Advise your friends to be careful. Young boys in India are deprived and they grope, lear, etc., in public places. Don't walk on streets in Delhi late at night.

by MaxEntropy_Man Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:21 pm

don't take women with you and if you do, stay away from haryana, punjab, and chandigarh.

by Hellsangel Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:23 pm

Ha ha ha! The fish. They are biting!

by Petrichor Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:30 pm

gautham.mitra wrote:
I don't care about any of that shit that goes on in India. My parents brought me to States when I was a kid. If you guys can't help me, that is fine.

What are your interests? What are you hoping for in this trip?

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Wed Jan 02, 2013 8:38 pm

gautham.mitra wrote:
I don't care about any of that shit that goes on in India. My parents brought me to States when I was a kid. If you guys can't help me, that is fine.

Okieee... go through a Tour travel and a arranged tour - it will be somewhat sanitized, illustrate the more positive side of India, and less of a shock.

If people are still interested after your visit, you can take those a second time through a more "realistic" tour.

P.S. Take them across to Motamoros or Ciudad across the border for a weekend to immunize them (and yourself) against potential "Indian shock"

PPS: If the "friends" include any potential fiance (or relatives), lower their expectations dramatically - especially about Bathrooms, sanitary conditions, weather (heat), rudeness/yelling, and diarrhea.

Good luck.

by gautham.mitra Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:14 pm

atcg wrote:
gautham.mitra wrote:
I don't care about any of that shit that goes on in India. My parents brought me to States when I was a kid. If you guys can't help me, that is fine.

What are your interests? What are you hoping for in this trip?

We want to go to historical places. If there are any place known for natural beauty , we would like to spend some time there also. Besides Taj Mahal, what else is there? We don't want to go anywhere near shitty places like Mumbai or Calcutta.

by bw Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:25 pm

are you a north indian or a south indian?

by gautham.mitra Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:47 pm

bw wrote:are you a north indian or a south indian?

Why do you ask?

Mitra is my real name. My parents are originally from Bengal.

by bw Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:48 pm

gautham.mitra wrote:
bw wrote:are you a north indian or a south indian?

Why do you ask?

Mitra is my real name. My parents are originally from Bengal.

you first name is spelt gautham and not gautam - hence confused.

by gautham.mitra Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:15 pm

bw wrote:
gautham.mitra wrote:
bw wrote:are you a north indian or a south indian?

Why do you ask?

Mitra is my real name. My parents are originally from Bengal.

you first name is spelt gautham and not gautam - hence confused.

My dad's best friend is from south. He suggested that gautham is phonetically correct than gautam.

by bw Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:56 pm

gautham.mitra wrote:
bw wrote:
gautham.mitra wrote:
bw wrote:are you a north indian or a south indian?

Why do you ask?

Mitra is my real name. My parents are originally from Bengal.

you first name is spelt gautham and not gautam - hence confused.

My dad's best friend is from south. He suggested that gautham is phonetically correct than gautam.

ah, i see. wish you a good trip.

by Petrichor Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:00 am

You could do

Delhi/Agra/Jaipur
Somnath Temple
Varanasi
Shantiniketan
Khajuraho
Goa
Belur Halebidu, Hampi
Madurai
Kanyakumari

by Petrichor Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:19 am

And oh yeah...in Delhi use Panickker's Travels, use luxury motorcoaches for in-state travels and domestic airlines for long distances. mix in some indian railways (min. second class AC sleepers). plan for vaccinations, delhi belly and shopping....some reading material that includes RK Narayan, Khushwant Singh, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and lots of humorous material.

Watch Michael Wood's documentary before heading out...and careful with your expensive digital camera which provides content for your travel blog.

by FluteHolder Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:31 am

Panicker travels is good. Take a guide/Driver if you are a small group and you can choose a car/van and dont heistate to ask about the driver/guide's credentials esp after the recent news about Delhi.

And esp in Delhi(Red Fort) or other places also, if someone or group of guys ask you to help with their camera (claiming they donot know how to take pics or donot know how to operate it etc), politely avoid. I have read they will claim you have broken the camera and harass you for money. When I visited, they did this trick on me and upon touching their camera in hand, group of ppl engulfed me and immediately sensed something was wrong and handed over the camera to them immediately claiming I donot know how to operate that camera. They backed off.. And I saw them doing this trick to others down the alley...

by Kris Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:32 am

atcg wrote:And oh yeah...in Delhi use Panickker's Travels, use luxury motorcoaches for in-state travels and domestic airlines for long distances. mix in some indian railways (min. second class AC sleepers). plan for vaccinations, delhi belly and shopping....some reading material that includes RK Narayan, Khushwant Singh, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and lots of humorous material.

Watch Michael Wood's documentary before heading out...and careful with your expensive digital camera which provides content for your travel blog.

>>>> I'd add Brian Thompson's 'Great Railway Journeys' feature on a train trip from Bombay to Kerala. From the 80's , so somewhat dated but still captures the romance of indian train journeys and the landscape.

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