India: A dream trip meets reality for me
Jan 21st, 2015, 06:31 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
India: A dream trip meets reality for me
I have wanted to go to India for a long time. I don't know why it had this pull for me but I have devoured a lot of fiction set there and thought about it for years. After recently chatting with someone who went I was inspired to check airfares and found a good one this year--we were going to India!!!
We have traveled a lot and some trips we do all the planning ourselves and some we get help. I knew India was one where we needed someone familiar with the country to provide assistance and researched India-based companies here and elsewhere.
After a few emails we settled on booking through Legends & Palaces. I recommend this India-based company for trip organization. Mr. Singh was was quickly responsive to my emails and once we were in India he checked in frequently by phone to make sure we were clear on meeting places/times/details.
The trip was 16 days (excluding travel days to/from India) and we were able to pack in a lot: Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, then five days in Kumaon for trekking at a place called Itmenaan estates.
We aren't really "city" people but we knew it was essential to experience cities in order to see some of the major sites. Our favorite portion was the countryside trekking.
It was colder everywhere than I expected. I had seen the temperatures, of course, and planned accordingly but there are a couple of things that make it seem colder than I thought:
1. Fog. It's quite foggy in December in India. Even non-freezing day feels colder without the sun. Fog is also a hindrance to getting really good photos of things, which is a consideration if photography is an important part of your trip.
2. Most places are not heated. There were a couple hotels that we stayed in which had it. I was always sooooo grateful when they did. But anywhere else (restaurants, sites, etc) are not heated (some hotels had space heaters, one had nothing).
My trip highlights were:
1. Seeing the Taj Mahal. It's spectacular. It holds your gaze with its beauty.
2. Seeing a full moon rise over a mountain in the foothills of the Himalayas.
3. Eating! I am a vegetarian and it was fabulous to visit a place where I could be adventurous with food at every meal! The food was incredible, particularly so at Itmenaan estates where they made many different dishes of many varieties for each meal. I loved it.
We have traveled a lot and some trips we do all the planning ourselves and some we get help. I knew India was one where we needed someone familiar with the country to provide assistance and researched India-based companies here and elsewhere.
After a few emails we settled on booking through Legends & Palaces. I recommend this India-based company for trip organization. Mr. Singh was was quickly responsive to my emails and once we were in India he checked in frequently by phone to make sure we were clear on meeting places/times/details.
The trip was 16 days (excluding travel days to/from India) and we were able to pack in a lot: Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, then five days in Kumaon for trekking at a place called Itmenaan estates.
We aren't really "city" people but we knew it was essential to experience cities in order to see some of the major sites. Our favorite portion was the countryside trekking.
It was colder everywhere than I expected. I had seen the temperatures, of course, and planned accordingly but there are a couple of things that make it seem colder than I thought:
1. Fog. It's quite foggy in December in India. Even non-freezing day feels colder without the sun. Fog is also a hindrance to getting really good photos of things, which is a consideration if photography is an important part of your trip.
2. Most places are not heated. There were a couple hotels that we stayed in which had it. I was always sooooo grateful when they did. But anywhere else (restaurants, sites, etc) are not heated (some hotels had space heaters, one had nothing).
My trip highlights were:
1. Seeing the Taj Mahal. It's spectacular. It holds your gaze with its beauty.
2. Seeing a full moon rise over a mountain in the foothills of the Himalayas.
3. Eating! I am a vegetarian and it was fabulous to visit a place where I could be adventurous with food at every meal! The food was incredible, particularly so at Itmenaan estates where they made many different dishes of many varieties for each meal. I loved it.
Jan 21st, 2015, 06:48 AM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So the reality that set in, good and bad:
People were wonderfully friendly and curious about white American tourists. We had an incident where a family at a site asked us to take a photo; we reached for the camera to take it and they said, "no, you come over" and we stood in a photo with them. They then introduced themselves and asked where we were from. We weren't prepared for it and felt awkward at the initial misunderstanding so we ended the interaction more quickly than I would have liked in retrospect. After that incident we were prepared for the curiosity and handled it better. In an airport for a domestic flight the family next to us looked at us a lot and then the dad said, "My son has not ever seen foreigners and would like to know where you are from?" This interaction was much better because we understood right away what was happening and were able to have a friendly chat. Less forward people just snapped pics of us when we stood on the train platform, etc.
There was much less pressure from touts than I expected. or maybe we have just become inured to it through our travels. While there were always offers for taxis, guides, services at major sites, none of it was as pushy as some other places we have been (Morocco, looking in your direction).
Of course, as everyone knows the reality of seeing the poorest people a Westerner has probably ever seen is also hard. It breaks your heart. You see people conducting their entire lives on a sidewalk or in a little nook (literally the width of a single mattress) in a shop. Even people who live in the countryside and have a place to live have considerable hardships with lack of access to healthcare, etc. It's something I had to keep reminding myself when the other reality I mention became hard to bear....
This was probably the first trip where I felt more than ready to come home at the end. India was exhausting. The most exhausting thing was how filthy the streets/public spaces are. In the US I am about as far from a germaphobe as you can get. In India I think I would be considered laughably overwrought about dirt. It was waring to see grime on everything. No light switch had ever been wiped down it seemed, no door handle. We rode an overnight train in a first class sleeping car and I literally sat on the bed, touching nothing, until my husband had covered surfaces in napkins and in my head i wished I had latex gloves to wear there. Our in public seeing/hearing people hawk and spit everywhere all the time just got gross.
People were wonderfully friendly and curious about white American tourists. We had an incident where a family at a site asked us to take a photo; we reached for the camera to take it and they said, "no, you come over" and we stood in a photo with them. They then introduced themselves and asked where we were from. We weren't prepared for it and felt awkward at the initial misunderstanding so we ended the interaction more quickly than I would have liked in retrospect. After that incident we were prepared for the curiosity and handled it better. In an airport for a domestic flight the family next to us looked at us a lot and then the dad said, "My son has not ever seen foreigners and would like to know where you are from?" This interaction was much better because we understood right away what was happening and were able to have a friendly chat. Less forward people just snapped pics of us when we stood on the train platform, etc.
There was much less pressure from touts than I expected. or maybe we have just become inured to it through our travels. While there were always offers for taxis, guides, services at major sites, none of it was as pushy as some other places we have been (Morocco, looking in your direction).
Of course, as everyone knows the reality of seeing the poorest people a Westerner has probably ever seen is also hard. It breaks your heart. You see people conducting their entire lives on a sidewalk or in a little nook (literally the width of a single mattress) in a shop. Even people who live in the countryside and have a place to live have considerable hardships with lack of access to healthcare, etc. It's something I had to keep reminding myself when the other reality I mention became hard to bear....
This was probably the first trip where I felt more than ready to come home at the end. India was exhausting. The most exhausting thing was how filthy the streets/public spaces are. In the US I am about as far from a germaphobe as you can get. In India I think I would be considered laughably overwrought about dirt. It was waring to see grime on everything. No light switch had ever been wiped down it seemed, no door handle. We rode an overnight train in a first class sleeping car and I literally sat on the bed, touching nothing, until my husband had covered surfaces in napkins and in my head i wished I had latex gloves to wear there. Our in public seeing/hearing people hawk and spit everywhere all the time just got gross.
Jan 21st, 2015, 06:55 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Tourist Experience:
As I stated I was happy with our tour company. Almost everything went according to plan. We had a few difficulties (what trip to India does not?) and what demonstrated the excellence of L&P to me was how those difficulties were handled:
1. Our flight from Varanasi to Delhi was cancelled due to morning fog. Mr. Singh knew about the cancellation before we even departed for the airport so we were able to wait in the relative comfort of the hotel while he tried to make other arrangements. He made a backup plan for a flight the next morning but suggested we "press our case" at the airport to try and get on an afternoon flight. The agents who were with us helped us in this regard and were able to get us on an evening flight but it was nice knowing there was a fallback plan. Ms. Singh booked us a very comfortable hotel in Delhi since we couldn't get to Agra that night. The only thing we "missed" in Agra was a sunrise trip to the Taj for a view across the river--not a big deal as the fog is intense anyway in December and the view wouldn't have been good AND because if we really wanted to do it we could have worked it in on our departure day. So overall, a snafu averted by attentive planners.
2. Our overnight train was set to return from Kathgodam to Delhi at around 4 a.m.. Mr. Singh (as always) confirmed all the details with us and advised us to simply step onto the platform to await our pickup. We did and we waited, and waited, and waited. 30 minutes later, feeling bad about doing so at such an hour, I texted Mr. Singh to ask what was up and to let him know we were now awaiting pickup at the station exit. About a minute later our pickup hustled up, apologizing--the board outside the station was mistakenly showing that our train had not arrived and was delayed. We saw the board, this was indeed an error from the station not Legends and Palaces. Mr. Singh called me moments later to make sure we'd been picked up. He had been watching the train's arrival all week and it was delayed every day so when the board showed the delay no one thought anything of it. Because he was available and responsive, even at 4:30 a.m., however, no harm done.
Things I was particularly glad about with the company:
It saved us from a lot of haggling. I hate haggling, I find it very tiresome and very difficult. I have never come away from a haggling experience feeling good. Not having to haggle taxis or guide services was a huge plus.
Because Legends & Palaces is high end they booked us with guides who spoke excellent English and did not ever push us into shopping. There were opportunities to shop if we wanted them, and we took them as we were interested, but they were always presented as optional and pressure-free which was great.
The only negative was that the hotels were not all that great. They weren't bad. Some were great. One was pretty crummy (though it was clean). I have posted reviews of them on TA (under my same screenname). So if I booked again I would be more involved in the hotel choices rather than just leaving it to them to pick within my budget with a cursory double-check from me after receiving the suggestions.
As I stated I was happy with our tour company. Almost everything went according to plan. We had a few difficulties (what trip to India does not?) and what demonstrated the excellence of L&P to me was how those difficulties were handled:
1. Our flight from Varanasi to Delhi was cancelled due to morning fog. Mr. Singh knew about the cancellation before we even departed for the airport so we were able to wait in the relative comfort of the hotel while he tried to make other arrangements. He made a backup plan for a flight the next morning but suggested we "press our case" at the airport to try and get on an afternoon flight. The agents who were with us helped us in this regard and were able to get us on an evening flight but it was nice knowing there was a fallback plan. Ms. Singh booked us a very comfortable hotel in Delhi since we couldn't get to Agra that night. The only thing we "missed" in Agra was a sunrise trip to the Taj for a view across the river--not a big deal as the fog is intense anyway in December and the view wouldn't have been good AND because if we really wanted to do it we could have worked it in on our departure day. So overall, a snafu averted by attentive planners.
2. Our overnight train was set to return from Kathgodam to Delhi at around 4 a.m.. Mr. Singh (as always) confirmed all the details with us and advised us to simply step onto the platform to await our pickup. We did and we waited, and waited, and waited. 30 minutes later, feeling bad about doing so at such an hour, I texted Mr. Singh to ask what was up and to let him know we were now awaiting pickup at the station exit. About a minute later our pickup hustled up, apologizing--the board outside the station was mistakenly showing that our train had not arrived and was delayed. We saw the board, this was indeed an error from the station not Legends and Palaces. Mr. Singh called me moments later to make sure we'd been picked up. He had been watching the train's arrival all week and it was delayed every day so when the board showed the delay no one thought anything of it. Because he was available and responsive, even at 4:30 a.m., however, no harm done.
Things I was particularly glad about with the company:
It saved us from a lot of haggling. I hate haggling, I find it very tiresome and very difficult. I have never come away from a haggling experience feeling good. Not having to haggle taxis or guide services was a huge plus.
Because Legends & Palaces is high end they booked us with guides who spoke excellent English and did not ever push us into shopping. There were opportunities to shop if we wanted them, and we took them as we were interested, but they were always presented as optional and pressure-free which was great.
The only negative was that the hotels were not all that great. They weren't bad. Some were great. One was pretty crummy (though it was clean). I have posted reviews of them on TA (under my same screenname). So if I booked again I would be more involved in the hotel choices rather than just leaving it to them to pick within my budget with a cursory double-check from me after receiving the suggestions.
Jan 22nd, 2015, 04:31 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know that I need to exert absolutely strict control over lodging because no one but me knows exactly what I am looking for. It sounds as though you have now realized that too.
Glad you enjoyed most of your trip.
Glad you enjoyed most of your trip.
Jan 24th, 2015, 05:16 AM
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<b>Cities/areas visited</b>
<i>Varanasi</i> - This is a holy city to Hindus. The Ganges river runs through it and many prayers and rituals are conducted on its banks (and in it). Most importantly it is a place where people cremate their loved ones. We were able to see the place where these cremations are conducted. We also watched some of the prayers taking place. We took an evening boat ride to see the cremations and we stayed in the boat while watching an evening prayer offering to Mother Ganges. It is also traditional for people to light candles that float down the river. We were also supposed to ride in the morning in a boat to one of the bathing ghats but it was so foggy we just took a short boat ride then walked along the shore to see the ghats, which were not busy at all due to the cold weather. There were still a few brave souls bathing despite the cold. We visited a hindu temple Kashi Anapurna, which we did not actually enter since we are not Hindu. Then we visited Sarnath, a suburb of Varanasi and an important Buddhist pilgrimage site where Buddha preached his first sermon. There were quite a few east Asian buddhists, including monks at this site. There was also a Tibetan festival occurring there and we watched some of their dances/music for a while. The museum associated with the site has some nice artifacts so we enjoyed walking through there.
Varanasi was fascinating. I have a fair grasp on Hinduism's basic tenets though find real understanding a bit elusive. This helped me understand better and it was touching to watch devotees engaged in prayer. It's always an awkward feeling to be observing someone's deep-held convictions as a tourist, so we took very few photos and followed our guide's instructions about being respectful.
We went to a textile shop where they were weaving some beautiful pieces. It was a style of weaving we have never seen before (and we've seen a few other types of demos) and that was interesting. We bought a table runner that had designs woven into it.
It was also sad to see how dirty and polluted the Ganges is. Varanasi stands out, sadly, as the dirtiest city we saw. We didn't wear our shoes past the threshold of out hotel doorway after walking around the city.
The hotel we stayed in here, Hotel Hindustan International, was the one I really disliked. It was cold and offered no space heater. It was like a run-down version of an American business hotel. The room furnishings were fine but nothing was really nice. In a poor design choice the bathroom had large clear glass walls which then required blinds. The blinds were terribly mildewed from being next to the shower. The desk staff were indifferent. The restaurant staff were all really nice and helpful and the dinner we had there was good. It's not in a location where you can conveniently walk to anything.
<i>Varanasi</i> - This is a holy city to Hindus. The Ganges river runs through it and many prayers and rituals are conducted on its banks (and in it). Most importantly it is a place where people cremate their loved ones. We were able to see the place where these cremations are conducted. We also watched some of the prayers taking place. We took an evening boat ride to see the cremations and we stayed in the boat while watching an evening prayer offering to Mother Ganges. It is also traditional for people to light candles that float down the river. We were also supposed to ride in the morning in a boat to one of the bathing ghats but it was so foggy we just took a short boat ride then walked along the shore to see the ghats, which were not busy at all due to the cold weather. There were still a few brave souls bathing despite the cold. We visited a hindu temple Kashi Anapurna, which we did not actually enter since we are not Hindu. Then we visited Sarnath, a suburb of Varanasi and an important Buddhist pilgrimage site where Buddha preached his first sermon. There were quite a few east Asian buddhists, including monks at this site. There was also a Tibetan festival occurring there and we watched some of their dances/music for a while. The museum associated with the site has some nice artifacts so we enjoyed walking through there.
Varanasi was fascinating. I have a fair grasp on Hinduism's basic tenets though find real understanding a bit elusive. This helped me understand better and it was touching to watch devotees engaged in prayer. It's always an awkward feeling to be observing someone's deep-held convictions as a tourist, so we took very few photos and followed our guide's instructions about being respectful.
We went to a textile shop where they were weaving some beautiful pieces. It was a style of weaving we have never seen before (and we've seen a few other types of demos) and that was interesting. We bought a table runner that had designs woven into it.
It was also sad to see how dirty and polluted the Ganges is. Varanasi stands out, sadly, as the dirtiest city we saw. We didn't wear our shoes past the threshold of out hotel doorway after walking around the city.
The hotel we stayed in here, Hotel Hindustan International, was the one I really disliked. It was cold and offered no space heater. It was like a run-down version of an American business hotel. The room furnishings were fine but nothing was really nice. In a poor design choice the bathroom had large clear glass walls which then required blinds. The blinds were terribly mildewed from being next to the shower. The desk staff were indifferent. The restaurant staff were all really nice and helpful and the dinner we had there was good. It's not in a location where you can conveniently walk to anything.
Jan 24th, 2015, 07:11 AM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Indeed, cold, we should've taken such a pic. We almost took one--it was our first ever sleeping berth ride after all!! But we were both really sick (physically ill) at that point, too, and didn't have the energy to dig out the camera for a humorous photo.
And to be accurate, though all surfaces were gross they brought us sheets, blankets and pillows and these were perfectly clean. So we didn't actually sleep in/on napkins.
More on our other cities later...Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kumaon.
And to be accurate, though all surfaces were gross they brought us sheets, blankets and pillows and these were perfectly clean. So we didn't actually sleep in/on napkins.
More on our other cities later...Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kumaon.
Jan 24th, 2015, 11:20 AM
#13
schlegal - you are leading where I hope to follow as India has long been on my wish-list, but the things that you talk about [which in truth virtually every tourist talks about] have deterred me.
Great start and please don't hold back with the details - warts and all we can cope.
Great start and please don't hold back with the details - warts and all we can cope.
Jan 25th, 2015, 06:09 AM
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Those of you who are hesitant--go! It's an experience we will never forget and one we will treasure. The warm, friendly people more than make up for all the other things that detract from a visit. And once I get to Kumaon I am going to convince you that part was paradise, I promise.
At the risk of dwelling on the yuckiness but in hopes that it helps others prepare --even the nasty train station bathroom didn't bother me as I know bathrooms are sometimes gross the world over, and I have a little method to deal with it (you know--use your foot when you can, designate a knuckle to touch surface, wash your hands well); it's the things I expected to be clean that weren't that got me down: restaurant menus, light switches, etc. so that you feel like your hands are never clean once you leave your hotel for the day. The driver who picked us up from the train station kept handiwipes in the car to offer and it was most appreciated. Hand sanitizer doesn't cut it--you want something to wipe off actual dirt.
Not part of the India report but we flew Qatar Airways and they were wonderful. Top notch experience, even in coach. Plenty of entertainment on seatback screens. Food was delicious, completely tasty and they actually made sure people who ordered special meals got them. Highly organized boarding process. Every crew we had was unfailingly friendly (flew D.C. to Doha, Doha to Delhi and reverse so four different crews). The rudest woman on the planet was in front of us on our return flight and her entitled, bratty attitude didn't bother the crew a bit. Not even when she rang the service button <i>to ask for tea</i> during turbulance so bad the captain had told crew to put on seatbelts. They just came, told her they needed to be in seatbelts and then brought it to her as soon as they were allowed up again <i>with a smile</i>.
I mentioned above that my husband and I got sick at the end of the trip and it wasn't anything related to India. He had strep throat (I was on the tail end of a cold when we began our trip, he caught it and it became strep for him, boo). I had a UTI; those of you who have experienced this will understand why a 14+ hour plane ride with one is my absolute worst travel nightmare. I am not even prone to them but I dread a plane ride with one like the plague and carry the symptom relieving meds everywhere I go. Well the cabin crew on our return flight was so nice. The meds wore off for a bit and I was in misery, getting up and down from my window seat. I usually love the window as it is easy for me to sleep there. But I got up three times in about an hour and a half and felt so bad for the aisle-seat guy. Well aisle-seat guy was kind as could be, and just jumped up without a gripe each time, but I knew it couldn't go on like that. I finally just went to stand in the galley near the bathroom--the crew offered water, checked in with me, and told me I could stand there as long as I needed and I wasn't bothering them a bit. Meds <i>finally</i> started working again after a mega dose and I was able to return to my seat for the last few hours of the flight.
My husband paid the price for aisle-seat guy's kindness the final time I got up. Since we had awakened him again he probably figured he wouldn't try to sleep and began about an hour and a half of monologue about the whereabouts and occupations of his entire, very large extended family. But you can't complain about someone who you wake up three times in short order and who never so much as gives one of those little sigh/eyerolls of annoyance. Hell no. You sit there and you listen to everything he has to say about his family and think how you hope they appreciate what a nice man he is. My husband even put on headphones during a pause but the monologue continued so he removed them and listened again.
Ok, resuming the <b>fun</b> stuff soon....
At the risk of dwelling on the yuckiness but in hopes that it helps others prepare --even the nasty train station bathroom didn't bother me as I know bathrooms are sometimes gross the world over, and I have a little method to deal with it (you know--use your foot when you can, designate a knuckle to touch surface, wash your hands well); it's the things I expected to be clean that weren't that got me down: restaurant menus, light switches, etc. so that you feel like your hands are never clean once you leave your hotel for the day. The driver who picked us up from the train station kept handiwipes in the car to offer and it was most appreciated. Hand sanitizer doesn't cut it--you want something to wipe off actual dirt.
Not part of the India report but we flew Qatar Airways and they were wonderful. Top notch experience, even in coach. Plenty of entertainment on seatback screens. Food was delicious, completely tasty and they actually made sure people who ordered special meals got them. Highly organized boarding process. Every crew we had was unfailingly friendly (flew D.C. to Doha, Doha to Delhi and reverse so four different crews). The rudest woman on the planet was in front of us on our return flight and her entitled, bratty attitude didn't bother the crew a bit. Not even when she rang the service button <i>to ask for tea</i> during turbulance so bad the captain had told crew to put on seatbelts. They just came, told her they needed to be in seatbelts and then brought it to her as soon as they were allowed up again <i>with a smile</i>.
I mentioned above that my husband and I got sick at the end of the trip and it wasn't anything related to India. He had strep throat (I was on the tail end of a cold when we began our trip, he caught it and it became strep for him, boo). I had a UTI; those of you who have experienced this will understand why a 14+ hour plane ride with one is my absolute worst travel nightmare. I am not even prone to them but I dread a plane ride with one like the plague and carry the symptom relieving meds everywhere I go. Well the cabin crew on our return flight was so nice. The meds wore off for a bit and I was in misery, getting up and down from my window seat. I usually love the window as it is easy for me to sleep there. But I got up three times in about an hour and a half and felt so bad for the aisle-seat guy. Well aisle-seat guy was kind as could be, and just jumped up without a gripe each time, but I knew it couldn't go on like that. I finally just went to stand in the galley near the bathroom--the crew offered water, checked in with me, and told me I could stand there as long as I needed and I wasn't bothering them a bit. Meds <i>finally</i> started working again after a mega dose and I was able to return to my seat for the last few hours of the flight.
My husband paid the price for aisle-seat guy's kindness the final time I got up. Since we had awakened him again he probably figured he wouldn't try to sleep and began about an hour and a half of monologue about the whereabouts and occupations of his entire, very large extended family. But you can't complain about someone who you wake up three times in short order and who never so much as gives one of those little sigh/eyerolls of annoyance. Hell no. You sit there and you listen to everything he has to say about his family and think how you hope they appreciate what a nice man he is. My husband even put on headphones during a pause but the monologue continued so he removed them and listened again.
Ok, resuming the <b>fun</b> stuff soon....
Jan 25th, 2015, 06:39 AM
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<i>Delhi:</i>
We did a day tour (with a late start because we had only arrived that morning at 3:30 a.m.) of the highlights: Friday Mosque, Jama Masjid, the largest in India, which was closed for services since it was a Friday. That was fine because we have seen many mosques and we were able to see it from the outside.
The best part of the day was Chandani Chowk--the market/shop area. People here are selling things in shops, in carts, and just sitting in the roadway. Vegetable sellers, parnath makers, sweet shops, snack vendors, sari shops, all had their wares on display. We went there on a bicycle rickshaw, the traffic in the city is so bad we got a taste first hand when we got into a jam where we were piled up with cars, carts, motorbikes and other cycles and were able to observe how the drivers cope: they pull right up to the bumper of the vehicle in front, leaving no gap. This prevents pedestrians from going right in front of you because if they start streaming through your gap it will never end, even when traffic moves again, you will be stuck.
We initially found the traffic and driving disconcerting but we had skilled drivers (one took us all around from Delhi to Agra to Jaipur and back to Agra) and we began to understand the whole traffic rhythm. No one drives very fast so all the maneuvering, braking, etc. don't become too jarring. And the honking just becomes a means of communicating--honk means, alternately, "you're in my way" or "I'm passing you" or "move over so I can pass (which is a combo of the other two, I suppose). You would think it was confusing but it was actually easy to decipher what people meant with their horns based on where everyone was on the road. And for all the craziness there seemed to be very little road rage--people placidly honked, drivers/pedestrians/animals placidly moved out of the way at their own pace. It was so different from in the USA where a honk is considered rude (and flashing brights from behind road-ragingly rude), to see people just using honks and lights as normal part of driving.
Our day continued at the Ghandi museum, which was not on our itinerary but our guide substituted as he felt bad we'd missed the mosque. The museum is free and it was nice. It was nearly empty and so it was quiet and pleasant. There are rooms filled with artifacts from his life and articles from the news about him as well as photographs. There's also a cloth that is stained with his blood from when he was shot and killed. Our guide gave us an extensive history of Ghandi's life before we entered so it was quite an enriching experience.
We next went to Humayan's Tomb, which is a mausoleum commissioned by Humayan's wife from 1508-1556. It is known as the mini-Taj because the Taj Mahal is built in the same style. It was a pleasant and peaceful part of the tour and a beautiful building.
We made our last site stop at Qutab Matar, a pillar erected during Islamic conquest and beautifully decorated with Sanskrit, Arabic, and designs. Also in the same complex is the "unrusted" iron--an iron constructed at least 1600 years ago, centuries before anyone else in the world was able to construct such a metal and which was never duplicated afterwards until modern wrought iron. My husband was particularly excited about the pillar because he had read about it extensively and had no idea we were seeing it as part of the tour (I do all the planning and had no idea what this pillar was before that day). Our trips usually have a "surprise hit" and the pillar was this one's.
Our final stop was shopping at a carpet store. While we hadn't planned to buy we really enjoyed the demonstration of Kashmiri carpet weaving. More so than Morocco, we saw the process for making a carpet that is piled with silk or wool rather than flat. There were beautiful pieces, hand knotted in silk, yak wool, or silk and wool bends. It takes 9000 knots per square inch of carpet and a medium-sized carpet takes six years to complete. We bought a small one that has a design of trees on it and it will be shipped directly back to us. We could have declined this stop altogether if we wanted and we almost did because we thought we'd seen enough carpet making in Morocco to last a lifetime. But for some reason we went in and the pleasure of the experience put us in a buying mood. What can I say? The salesman was not the least pushy which always appeals to us as well.
<i>Hotel in Delhi - The Rose Kolaba House</i> - I wanted to like this hotel so much. It was small and the desk staff were nice but it just wasn't great. It had pros and cons. We stayed here upon arrival and it was also where we stayed the day before our International departure. Breakfast service is slow and inattentive, we never actually got everything we asked for for breakfast. But more difficult was that it's right next to a mosque so the calls to prayer are disruptive (especially at 6 am). There's a large field/garbage strewn area next to it where kids play so you also hear that noise a lot---though that's during the day so not as disruptive. The other huge negative for me was the second time we stayed our nonsmoking room let in so much smoke from somewhere else (no idea where) it was terrible. It wasn't like a stale smoke smell, it was clearly coming in through vents or something. If it wasn't our last night I would have moved. There was hot water but it was limited to the small tank in each bathroom. The pros of the place were the location was great--easy to walk around the trendy neighborhood. By far the best location of any hotel on the trip (if you ignore the muezzin issue). The rooms were big and spotless and had space heaters and plenty of outlets and the bathrooms were nice, too.
<i>Second (unplanned) hotel in Delhi - The Florence</i> - This was unplanned because we were supposed to be in Agra this night but the plane delays made us stay in Delhi as I explained. I loved this hotel. And not just because we had finally made it to Delhi after all the delay. It was nice. Friendly, friendly staff. Their restaurant was tasty for both dinner and breakfast. And the room was toasty warm--central heat!!! Nice bathroom with plenty of hot water. Only problem was wifi seemed to be limited in some way we never figured out--once a device disconnected you couldn't connect it again, even when they gave us a new password.
We did a day tour (with a late start because we had only arrived that morning at 3:30 a.m.) of the highlights: Friday Mosque, Jama Masjid, the largest in India, which was closed for services since it was a Friday. That was fine because we have seen many mosques and we were able to see it from the outside.
The best part of the day was Chandani Chowk--the market/shop area. People here are selling things in shops, in carts, and just sitting in the roadway. Vegetable sellers, parnath makers, sweet shops, snack vendors, sari shops, all had their wares on display. We went there on a bicycle rickshaw, the traffic in the city is so bad we got a taste first hand when we got into a jam where we were piled up with cars, carts, motorbikes and other cycles and were able to observe how the drivers cope: they pull right up to the bumper of the vehicle in front, leaving no gap. This prevents pedestrians from going right in front of you because if they start streaming through your gap it will never end, even when traffic moves again, you will be stuck.
We initially found the traffic and driving disconcerting but we had skilled drivers (one took us all around from Delhi to Agra to Jaipur and back to Agra) and we began to understand the whole traffic rhythm. No one drives very fast so all the maneuvering, braking, etc. don't become too jarring. And the honking just becomes a means of communicating--honk means, alternately, "you're in my way" or "I'm passing you" or "move over so I can pass (which is a combo of the other two, I suppose). You would think it was confusing but it was actually easy to decipher what people meant with their horns based on where everyone was on the road. And for all the craziness there seemed to be very little road rage--people placidly honked, drivers/pedestrians/animals placidly moved out of the way at their own pace. It was so different from in the USA where a honk is considered rude (and flashing brights from behind road-ragingly rude), to see people just using honks and lights as normal part of driving.
Our day continued at the Ghandi museum, which was not on our itinerary but our guide substituted as he felt bad we'd missed the mosque. The museum is free and it was nice. It was nearly empty and so it was quiet and pleasant. There are rooms filled with artifacts from his life and articles from the news about him as well as photographs. There's also a cloth that is stained with his blood from when he was shot and killed. Our guide gave us an extensive history of Ghandi's life before we entered so it was quite an enriching experience.
We next went to Humayan's Tomb, which is a mausoleum commissioned by Humayan's wife from 1508-1556. It is known as the mini-Taj because the Taj Mahal is built in the same style. It was a pleasant and peaceful part of the tour and a beautiful building.
We made our last site stop at Qutab Matar, a pillar erected during Islamic conquest and beautifully decorated with Sanskrit, Arabic, and designs. Also in the same complex is the "unrusted" iron--an iron constructed at least 1600 years ago, centuries before anyone else in the world was able to construct such a metal and which was never duplicated afterwards until modern wrought iron. My husband was particularly excited about the pillar because he had read about it extensively and had no idea we were seeing it as part of the tour (I do all the planning and had no idea what this pillar was before that day). Our trips usually have a "surprise hit" and the pillar was this one's.
Our final stop was shopping at a carpet store. While we hadn't planned to buy we really enjoyed the demonstration of Kashmiri carpet weaving. More so than Morocco, we saw the process for making a carpet that is piled with silk or wool rather than flat. There were beautiful pieces, hand knotted in silk, yak wool, or silk and wool bends. It takes 9000 knots per square inch of carpet and a medium-sized carpet takes six years to complete. We bought a small one that has a design of trees on it and it will be shipped directly back to us. We could have declined this stop altogether if we wanted and we almost did because we thought we'd seen enough carpet making in Morocco to last a lifetime. But for some reason we went in and the pleasure of the experience put us in a buying mood. What can I say? The salesman was not the least pushy which always appeals to us as well.
<i>Hotel in Delhi - The Rose Kolaba House</i> - I wanted to like this hotel so much. It was small and the desk staff were nice but it just wasn't great. It had pros and cons. We stayed here upon arrival and it was also where we stayed the day before our International departure. Breakfast service is slow and inattentive, we never actually got everything we asked for for breakfast. But more difficult was that it's right next to a mosque so the calls to prayer are disruptive (especially at 6 am). There's a large field/garbage strewn area next to it where kids play so you also hear that noise a lot---though that's during the day so not as disruptive. The other huge negative for me was the second time we stayed our nonsmoking room let in so much smoke from somewhere else (no idea where) it was terrible. It wasn't like a stale smoke smell, it was clearly coming in through vents or something. If it wasn't our last night I would have moved. There was hot water but it was limited to the small tank in each bathroom. The pros of the place were the location was great--easy to walk around the trendy neighborhood. By far the best location of any hotel on the trip (if you ignore the muezzin issue). The rooms were big and spotless and had space heaters and plenty of outlets and the bathrooms were nice, too.
<i>Second (unplanned) hotel in Delhi - The Florence</i> - This was unplanned because we were supposed to be in Agra this night but the plane delays made us stay in Delhi as I explained. I loved this hotel. And not just because we had finally made it to Delhi after all the delay. It was nice. Friendly, friendly staff. Their restaurant was tasty for both dinner and breakfast. And the room was toasty warm--central heat!!! Nice bathroom with plenty of hot water. Only problem was wifi seemed to be limited in some way we never figured out--once a device disconnected you couldn't connect it again, even when they gave us a new password.
Jan 25th, 2015, 07:09 AM
#18
Schlegal - I've had a look at the Legends and Palaces website and it looks as if they propose certain hotels for the various itineraries. I know that you may have mentioned this upthread [I looked but couldn't find it - sorry!] but how much input did you have into the choice of hotels?
Bearing i mind your comments about some of them, i think I'd want to have some control over that aspect of the trip.
and do you mind giving an idea of cost? the website simply says that prices available on enquiry.
Bearing i mind your comments about some of them, i think I'd want to have some control over that aspect of the trip.
and do you mind giving an idea of cost? the website simply says that prices available on enquiry.
Jan 25th, 2015, 07:27 AM
#19
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 32,129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your husband sat in a middle seat for 14 hours? I've never heard of a husband nice/fair/loving enough to do that. There would be no need for divorce lawyers if more husbands were like that.
The picture taking of you that you mention above would irritate me. We like talking to locals but being pointed at and having our picture taken bugs us for some reason.
The picture taking of you that you mention above would irritate me. We like talking to locals but being pointed at and having our picture taken bugs us for some reason.
Jan 25th, 2015, 09:32 AM
#20
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 2,875
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<I had a UTI; those of you who have experienced this will understand why a 14+ hour plane ride with one is my absolute worst travel nightmare.>
Ugh. Can't even imagine how awful this must have been. Everything else has been a great read. Can't wait to hear about the trek.
Ugh. Can't even imagine how awful this must have been. Everything else has been a great read. Can't wait to hear about the trek.
