India (Golden Triangle), Bhutan and Air India
Jan 21st, 2013, 07:51 PM
#21
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Did a good amount of research and have decided to take a flyer on AI. Spoke to a corporate booker and he helped with some clarification. The AI price is about 1000 less than a BA flight, but the AI flight is direct to DEL. The business cabin is the same as Thai or Amer, with 180 degree reclining seats, and the in flight experience is pretty good as is the food. If it turns out to be bad, I will update this post.
Jan 22nd, 2013, 05:40 AM
#22
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Bob, Cicerone has given that one flight from NY to Delhi good grades. Other than that flight, I'd avoid Air India.
(If you consider the India portion of the trip a preview, the Burma portion isn't even that.) While I hope it goes well for you, even if every flight, every transfer is perfect, you've set yourselves up to have no time to experience anything of Burma, and very little time to experience any of India. You'll spend most of your time in transit in India.
(If you consider the India portion of the trip a preview, the Burma portion isn't even that.) While I hope it goes well for you, even if every flight, every transfer is perfect, you've set yourselves up to have no time to experience anything of Burma, and very little time to experience any of India. You'll spend most of your time in transit in India.
Jan 22nd, 2013, 06:17 AM
#23
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Thanks Kathie. We were in Burma in last August for about 16 days and had a great time. We really just wanted another couple of days in Bagan during our last trip, so we're going back to finish up. In India, I don't think we we avoid three days of driving during our nine days there unless we eliminate one of Agra or Jaipur. This will add back time to Delhi, but spending the extra time in Delhi in the August heat seems unattractive and rather sticky. The potential for something going wrong is always present. Ironically, things have gone wrong on this side of the globe more often than in Asia.
Mar 25th, 2013, 09:39 PM
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Hi guys,
Sorry about this shameless bump. Just returned from a trip to southern italy and now refocused on Asia in August. Many of your suggestions have been helpful and the trip is almost fully installed. Air India did not work out in the end. Quite shameful actually, but we are now booked on Qatar Air business class from JFK-DEL. We extended the trip for three days to allow a little extra room in between destinations. Craig, after doing some more research on Snow White, I finally called Kencho and had a lovely conversation. She will taking care of our bookings for Bhutan very soon. We are now spending 9 nights in India, 8 in Bhutan, 5 in Myanmar, and 1 in Bangkok. Flights are now traveling from Mandalay to Bangkok - three per day, and this makes a Bagan addict like myself quite happy.
Sorry about this shameless bump. Just returned from a trip to southern italy and now refocused on Asia in August. Many of your suggestions have been helpful and the trip is almost fully installed. Air India did not work out in the end. Quite shameful actually, but we are now booked on Qatar Air business class from JFK-DEL. We extended the trip for three days to allow a little extra room in between destinations. Craig, after doing some more research on Snow White, I finally called Kencho and had a lovely conversation. She will taking care of our bookings for Bhutan very soon. We are now spending 9 nights in India, 8 in Bhutan, 5 in Myanmar, and 1 in Bangkok. Flights are now traveling from Mandalay to Bangkok - three per day, and this makes a Bagan addict like myself quite happy.
Sep 9th, 2013, 07:06 PM
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I guess below is a concluding summary. I have never actually posted a journal, so I will need to figure out how. Always available for anything specific, however.
This felt like one of the most rewarding and enriching trips we have taken. We had fun, been fascinated, been tired - sometimes exhausted, but we were also rejuvenated, we were overloaded with information, but we've also processed information. We've made new friends, and strengthened old friendships, we've learned much about people, good and bad, we've received benefit and I'm sure we've been cheated (in India), and now we're soon heading home. In single words, India is nuts, Myanma is gentle, and Bhutan is mesmerizing. Three countries close by, connected with land borders, differ so much from each other. India simply cannot be explained by its population although many of its problems are population related. The mix of heritages, languages, backgrounds, economy, and strife all make it an extremely complicated country. Myanma cannot seem to join the western world fast enough and one wonders what becomes of them when they finally achieve that goal. Bhutan, the only country that has accomplished that which has taken years of war by others stands ready to determine its own future. All three need to find a way to coalesce and their distrust of neighboring China is one glue that pulls them together. All in all, we feel extremely grateful that we were able to take this trip and will take a while to process everything that we have done and accomplished.
This felt like one of the most rewarding and enriching trips we have taken. We had fun, been fascinated, been tired - sometimes exhausted, but we were also rejuvenated, we were overloaded with information, but we've also processed information. We've made new friends, and strengthened old friendships, we've learned much about people, good and bad, we've received benefit and I'm sure we've been cheated (in India), and now we're soon heading home. In single words, India is nuts, Myanma is gentle, and Bhutan is mesmerizing. Three countries close by, connected with land borders, differ so much from each other. India simply cannot be explained by its population although many of its problems are population related. The mix of heritages, languages, backgrounds, economy, and strife all make it an extremely complicated country. Myanma cannot seem to join the western world fast enough and one wonders what becomes of them when they finally achieve that goal. Bhutan, the only country that has accomplished that which has taken years of war by others stands ready to determine its own future. All three need to find a way to coalesce and their distrust of neighboring China is one glue that pulls them together. All in all, we feel extremely grateful that we were able to take this trip and will take a while to process everything that we have done and accomplished.
