crosscheck

Hi Dog, As you suggested, I have checked out Ahilya Fort - sounds right up our alley. We prefer not to move around too much, and want to experience India in an authentic, not-too-touristy town or village, rather than city after city. We're thinking of five days at Ahilya, three days in or near Jaipur, one day in Agra and three in Varanasi. Do you approve?

dogster

Heya cross - I'm in pirate alley, somewhere between Somalia and hijack. Internet minutes are few.

In a word, do it.

Oh, that's two words.

More to come tomorrow. Which rooms, how to get there, day trips from Maheshwar... I'll advise. Check out the Indore homestay hidden in the Ahilya website. Highly recommended.

crosscheck

And I thought I was in jeopardy here in Chile, walking around without a hat under the hole in the ozone layer. Be safe and don't share any of your travel tips with the pirates.

crosscheck

Happy New Year, Dogster,

Alas, unlike the rest of you, we cannot head off to the sub-continent for six weeks. But, for now, we have FF tickets on hold for a mere nine days in mid-October, and we hope to spend half of our time at Ahilya.

Contemplating:
Day 1 - arrive Delhi
Day 2 - Agra (day trip) or night train to Varanasi
Days 3,4 - Varanasi
Days 5,6,7,8 - tedious travel day, then 4 nights at Ahilya Fort
Day 9 - Indore-Delhi, shop, depart at midnight

OR...should we cut out Varanasi (sigh), which means a more mellow trip - just two internal flights, rather than four:

Day 1 - arrive Delhi
Day 2 - Agra
Days 3,4 - somewhere peaceful in rural Rajasthan (suggestions?)
Days 5,6,7,8 - Ahilya (fly Jaipur-Indore)
Day 9 - Indore-Delhi, shop, depart

Thoughts, O Dog? (and others)

dogster

Heya crosscheck: I'm here in Mumbai thinking about your trip - or trying to. Something laid me low last night. A Mumbai monster crept into my gut and played havoc. You don't need the details - just know that I will survive - probably. Or not. So I'm having trouble focussing on your needs. As a matter of fact, I'm having trouble focussing on <i>mine</i>.

But I will - just a bit later today, O.K.?

lincasanova

get better.. dogster.

crosscheck

Sending healing thoughts your way.

Marija

Stay away from pharmacies. Remember what happened last time. Send out for Marmite.

crosscheck

P.S. I have tweaked this a bit. What do you think? Appreciate opinions of others as well.

Day 1 - arrive Delhi, late train to Agra, stay at Oberoi
Day 2 - Taj, etc., late checkout, night train to Varanasi
Days 3,4 - Varanasi
Days 5 - Travel Varanasi-Indore, Homestay in Indore (this allows us to leave Varanasi later in the day and breaks up the travel)
Days 6,7,8 - Ahilya
Day 9 - back to Delhi

dogster

Still alive.

You know, cross, the thing that stands out here is Agra. Yup, I know, I know... but it's a huge shlep sideways.

The thought of getting on a train in Delhi after a long international flight is about as horrible as I can imagine. To follow that with an overnight train trip to Varanasi twenty four hours later simply compounds the madness. You'll just be exhausted - and, if you want some serious culture shock, try spending your first moments in India trying to battle your way onto a train. Delhi and Varanasi railway stations are known to reduce seasoned travelers to hysterical tears.

You have nine days and only one life. I can tell in your enthusiasm, you have forgotten that you and your partner are human, may just possibly suffer jetlag and utter confusion [if you're anything like me...] and may be too ragged to see India as anything more than a million hustlers. lol. Have you thought of flying direct to Varanasi on your first day?

I'm assuming Agra is non-negotiable...?

I've been here rather a few times and I've yet to see the Taj Mahal - which, of course, means nothing at all.

crosscheck

Very appreciative of your comprehensive response, given your state. Did you manage to procure the Marmite? I guess I figured we'd have "handlers" to get us to the train(s) and it wouldn't be so bad. (Plus, I was looking forward to writing a trip report about how we went straight from LA to the Taj Mahal.)

Agree that the journey would be a lot less complicated without Agra...couldn't they have come up with a more convenient location for the epic photo op? BTW - you're in good company - several of my well-traveled Indian friends have also yet to see the Taj.

Re: omitting a location. I know it's apples and oranges, but which do you consider more of a peak experience, Varanasi or Ahilya? Assuming we will be back sooner than later, which would you cut out? (We would substitute a rural Rajasthan destination instead.).

We have until 11pm tonight to secure the tickets - will keep you updated. We rarely plan this far ahead, so there's a good chance we'll have to cancel whatever we book anyway....Might just wait until we can do this trip properly.

Thanks again, and hope you're on the road to recovery.

dogster

Of course, Varanasi. The pleasures of Ahilya Fort are far more subtle. Varanasi is like a sledge-hammer for the first-timer.

Ain't nuttin' wrong with that.

lcuy

How are you arriving into India, Crosscheck? There is now a direct flight from Bangkok to Varanasi, that is super convenient if you're flying westward. You could visit Varanasi a few days, then work you way to Agra, Indore, etc.

I would not skip the Taj though. It won't kill you if you go to India and and don't see it, but you will be very glad if you do. Definitely stay at the Amarvilas. Sitting on your balcony overlooking the town and the Taj Mahal as the sun sets is just magical. Their pool area is one of the best anywhere; a perfect spot to recharge your energy.

That said, I actually like the logistics of your first itinerary better, especially if you leave Jaipur out of the trip. Go first to Ahilya Fort. Break into India in a relaxed way, then fly from Indore to either Delhi (or Jaipur if there's a direct flight). From either of those cities, you can catch a train or be driven to Agra, and after a day or two head to Varanasi.

From my experience, and that of friends, I really think Varanasi is better appreciated once you've gotten used to Inda. As my daughter put it, things look different once you have on your India goggles --O-O-- .

From Varanasi, you could fly out to Delhi or Bangkok to connect with your flight home.

crosscheck

Thanks, dog, and thanks, lcuy, for weighing in. As of now, we're holding AA FF tickets on the l-o-o-ng nonstop flight from Chicago (14+ hrs, but it's business so not so horrific).

I will look into the BKK option, although that won't work for the return because we need to end up on the east coast.

lcuy, I like our first itinerary better as well, but it included three extra days, which won't work with Mr. C's schedule.

So our options are to wait and see if we can ever get more time off, or book the short AA trip now and hope we can add on a day or two as our departure gets closer. (Wish we could borrow a few days from julies.)

So...if we omit Ahilya and do a more "normal" first-timer trip, here is what we have:

Day 1 - Delhi
Day 2 - Agra
Days 3,4,5 - Rural Rajasthan - might splurge on Amanbagh
Days 6,7,8 - Varanasi
Day 9 - Return to Delhi, head home at midnight

Or, omitting both Varanasi AND Ahilya:
Day 1 - Delhi
Day 2 - Agra
Days 3,4,5,6,7,8 - Imagine the possibilities!
Day 9 - Delhi and home