indiana - until we go to Nepal, I can't really answer that. However, here are a couple of observations:

1. We enjoyed the warmer weather in India. In checking the weather history in the Kathmandu area, there were days when the high temperatures didn't get out of the 60's and nights where the lows were in the 30's. In India it was summer-like (70's - 80's) most of the time.

2. In Nepal we would have had 7 consecutive days (8 nights) split between 2 locations with no flying. I think we would have been a lot less airport-weary by the end of that trip with 4 fewer sets of take-offs and landings.

If I can also put in my 2cents worth as we did exactly the same, substitute Aurangabad for Nepal at the same time for the same reasons.
The weather was certainly better in India, as Craig said it was much colder in Nepal and I was trying to escape the colder weather from Canada. The flying was more however, Nepal is much closer to Varanasi and less in flying time.
I think the key is how much time you have, I know that we had more time in India than Craig and Jeane did and found the travel time to be fine, but if I was limited in time I would probably stick more to the same areas.

Craig: I'm confused about your actual boots-on-the-ground time in India. How much? We took three intra-India flights -- Delhi-Amritsar, Amritsar through Delhi to Jodhpur, and Khajuraho back to Delhi. Four take offs and landings. Lotta time driving, but I enjoyed that, despite the chaos of Indian roadways.

3 nights Varanasi
1 night Delhi
4 nights Udaipur
3 nights Aurangabad

We had to switch through Mumbai both ways to get to Aurangabad and we had the extra 12 hour layover in Mumbai due to the schedule change for the trip back to Bangkok.

I would have appreciated more time driving and less time flying.

I agree. Things got squeezed to tightly after we drove south from Agra to Gwalior, Orccha, and Khajuraho. Too many short stops and bad roads. Next time I'll definitely spend three nights in each place.

Photos are up:

http://craigandjeane.smugmug.com/Tra...14732186_YtX93

http://craigandjeane.smugmug.com/Tra...14904941_HarGy

i'll comment before i even look....they are fantastic...

wow....wow...wow---part I

i'm struck by the lack of people in general and especially in varanasi....the faces are more than fantastic..

i can't get the second set to come up but see them on the other post

beautiful shots you two. Some great faces in there and some that I even recognize, like the kite flyer and some of the others in Varanasi.
The palace in Udaipur looks fantastic, sorry I missed it.

bookmarking to read later!

just reread this yet again with great interest.