Merrisr

I posted to this forum for advice before we left for India. My husband loves India (spent 3 months there 30 years ago and has been back 4 different times since for business). He planned an itinerary based on his memories and what he wanted me to see. The itinerary included a trip to Darjeeling, against the advice of many – including his Indian friends. He planned most of the trip himself - with help from a tour agent in the North and with help from his best friend that we would be visiting in the south. We were due to leave on Monday, July 28th and on Saturday morning we woke to an email from the Darjeeling hotel saying that the area had turned violent due to some political unrest and that an innocent woman had been killed the day before. We were due to spend 3 days in that area and had to quickly recalculate which could have been challenging given that it was Saturday. We called our tour guide, Raju (he’s posted on this website to some mixed reviews) and he called us back from home (Saturday evening for him) and helped us reroute our trip. This is not an advertisement for him – which you’ll see from the detailed trip report – but he was a lifesaver!
So here was the new 17 day itinerary: Fly from Atlanta – JFK – Mumbai – stay the night in Mumbai – Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Chennai, Mahabilipuram , Mysore, Bandipur Nature Reserve (Kerala Side), Ooty, Coimbatore, Cochin

Day One
So after our safe arrival into Mumbai around 9:30 pm, we got in the cab just before the downpour! . The temperature wasn't so bad but the humidity was somewhere around 4000%!! We stayed at the Orchid because of its close proximity to the domestic terminal (it is important to know that Mumbai’s domestic and international terminals are quite far apart and you need to account for that if you are traveling between the two). The Orchid was not inexpensive (around $200 a night) but the room was very night and the service was over the top!! We had dinner at the midnight buffet at our hotel (which was surprisingly good) - I comforted myself by thinking it was only 2:30 in Atlanta- and when we tried to tip our waiter he asked if we had enjoyed our meal and the service and when we said "yes", he said that was all he needed and declined the tip. I felt right at home because that happens in Atlanta all the time (yeah right!).

The next morning it was off to Delhi. My husband got stopped at every security checkpoint for his various hidden fluids (get your minds out of the gutter). Got off the plane -down the steps, no gangway- boarded a bus that was at least 110 degrees for the crawl to the terminal. They have a term here - "Delhi hot" and it is well earned!! Earl & Vicki- you are right, you can't describe it, you have to experience it !! To my family - I will never whine about Florida temps again. We stayed at the Taj hotel and service was great! They check you in in your room - which is well air conditioned!! All the people are very friendly and welcoming.

Day Three
A mixed day - did a sightseeing tour of Delhi - got to see my husband wearing a skirt (he was wearing shorts and at Jama Masjid neither men or women can show their legs)!! We rode through Old Delhi in a rickshaw and unfortunately it started to rain - and my umbrella was conveniently in the hotel room!! We saw many sights (Lotus Temple, Red Fort, India Gate, Safdarjan’s Tomb, Qutab Minar Tower and the Presidential palace (seems they forgot to leave our name at the door so we couldn't go in). I saw the biggest ants ever - they were the size of cockroaches (okay maybe little cockroaches). We got to see how Kashmir rugs are made - actually quite fascinating - and of course had to buy one.

Had lunch at a nice place at the suggestion of our tour guide - no surprise he ate free! We headed back to the hotel to rest a bit before dinner at a friend’s home - and that when it hit "Delhi belly”!! So instead we stayed in and ate chicken soup and watched bad movies on HBO (in the interest of good taste I'll leave it there).

Day Four
Today our driver took us from Delhi to Agra. It was a three and half hour drive over some fairly rough roads but it was incredibly interesting. We saw all different forms of transportation – cars, trucks, tuk tuks ( a three wheeled vehicle that’s the next step up from a rick shaw), camel pulled carts, carts pulled by bulls and horses, tractors – you name it – all sharing the same road! You have no idea how many people they can fit into a vehicle here - generally 6-10 times the intended capacity and the rooftop our driver jokingly called "business class" because they get air!!

We went to the Agra Fort when we arrived (seeing the Taj in the am to avoid the long lines). The Agra Fort is fascinating and you can get some great shots of the Taj from the back side of the Fort. We stayed at the Sheraton in Agra and it was by far the best hotel deal of the trip. We booked it several months in advance and got the room for $106 usd a night! The room was large and well appointed. The lobby area is beautiful, nice pool, good restaurants, and incredible turn down service (fresh flowers, slippers beside the bed, chocolates, everything cleaned and organized). Our breakfast was included and sinse we were leaving so early, they packed it up for us to take with us!
The Taj Mahal is truly an incredible sight!! We got some great pictures. Our guide wasn't so great- full of drama and sweating worse than either one of us!! Eewwhh! Our driver, Kapil, has been great! We've learned more interesting stuff from him than all the guides put together. The guides are okay – and probably necessary – but tend to be a bit mechanical because they give the same speech every day over and over again. It's nice too that we get to keep the same driver until we leave to meet my husband's friend Suresh in the south.

On the way from Agra to Jaipur we saw a funeral procession. They do things a little differently here. They were carrying the body wrapped in a cloth on their heads with a procession of people behind - men first then women (only certain women in the family are allowed to attend). The men were carrying huge pieces of cow dung which they use to start the fire to burn the body while everyone watches !!! I know it’s a cultural thing but a little hard to think about.
We stopped at Fatehpur Sikri on the way to Jaipur. It is a beautiful city that was built and then later abandoned because they ran out of water. It is definitely worth a stop.

When we arrived at the hotel (Taj Mahal Jaipur) we decided it was time to do a little laundry (yes my husband brought the Oxyclean). It kind of takes away from the 5 star hotel room when there is underwear everywhere hanging out to dry !

We had dinner at Indiana with dancing girls. The food was very good and reasonably priced. The show is provided with dinner and was pretty entertaining.
Jaipur is called the Pink City because everything is painted pink - the color of hospitality (who knew).

Jaipur was much cleaner than Delhi or Agra and fewer beggars. We went for an elephant ride -that was wild though not great for the back!! We had a driver after my own heart - he was competitive - we passed three other elephants going uphill !! We saw a huge palace and a very cool observatory (the world's largest sun dial - sounds geeky but it was actually pretty fascinating!!) We bought a nice wall hanging and had dinner at what we thought was going to be an Italian restaurant -not actually - My husband had noodles with cheese grated on top and I had chicken lo mein !

Our flight to Udaipur was perfect - nice people helped us check in, flight was on time and driver was right there waiting for us. The Taj Lake Palace (right in the middle of a lake!) was incredible and the food was great!!! Finally got some real Italian food! Our room had a fainting coach and a glassed in balcony overlooking the lake - very romantic and kind of neat to know that you're staying in what was once a palace. The city palace is huge and our room overlooked it - lot of walking and ducking due to some very low ceilings!! We saw the temple with a service going on- very colorful - and some beautiful and unique gardens. One suggestion for the Taj Lake Palace - get some air conditioning in the lobby and lobby bar - at those prices I’d rather not sweat while I’m having a drink??? The Taj Lake Palace has very reasonable spa services - I got a one and half hour pedicure for $30 !!!!

More to come from Southern India ... Hope this is helpful

dogster

Wow! Thirteen places in seventeen days! You must have got a real FEEL for India. It's very helpful. I'll certainly use your schedule when I go to that part of India.

I'm just trying to nut out your schedule tho' - have I got this right?:

Day 1: late flight in to Mumbai: overnight at The Orchid.

Day 2: Early flight to Delhi: overnight at the Taj. [did you do any touring that day?]

Day 3: Morning tour of Delhi - buy Kashmiri rug - lunch - Afternoon: Delhi Belly stay in hotel.

Day 4: Morning drive to Agra [3 1/2 hours] then go Taj Mahal: afternoon - Fort. [How long do you think I should put aside for sightseeing in Agra?] Stay at Sheraton

Day 5: Drive to Jaipur via Fatepur Sikri [how long was that in total? 5 hours?] stay at Taj, do laundry, dinner at Indiana for the dancing show.

Day 6: Elephant ride and [half-day?]touring in Jaipur, buy wall hanging. Dinner at an Italian restaurant.

Day 7: Fly to Udaipur, stay Lake Palace. Afternoon tour: See THE temple and gardens. Have drinks in lobby. Have pedicure. Italian food at the hotel.

Day 8: Fly to Chennai.

Have I got it right so far?

It all sounds very efficient. I never thought there was much to see in those places anyway - you must be very grateful to Raju for helping you see SO much in such a short time. He's been such a help in here with his advice...

Is that how you found him? Thru Fodor's? Did he organise your guides for you? Were his services expensive? I might use him when I go. I don't like to waste time.

And I'm very glad you finally found some good Italian food in India.

Looking forward to the rest...

judyumcer

Great trip report. we are booked for '09. Arriving in Mumbai via cruise ship. Haven't selected a tour company yet. We will stay an additional 5 to 7 days before returning home. We are kind of iffy about this trip because of the humidity. We live in Vegas and are used to the heat. But, every place has air conditioning here. We will be there in the first part of Nov. Do you think the humidity will be as bad? We HATE Fla in the summer. The part about the guide sweating like a pig makes me sick. Maybe we should change plans. It is expensive but we wanted to see the Taj Mahal at least once.

lcuy

Judy, from what you've said, I would suggest you skip India.I don't think you are going to like it. It will be very similar to summer in Florida, but with a LOT more sweaty people.

dogster

Lol lcuy - sweaty people is the LEAST of their worries... there's cows, rabid dogs, dirty children, pooh everywhere, beggars, deformed people lying in the street, piles of rubbish ten feel high. There's a slum tour of Dharavi in Mumbai they would simply ADORE...

With five days to spare I reckon they could get to six or seven cities...

thursdaysd

Lol, dogster! (are you home now?) I get tired (not to mention sweaty) just reading this! Guess it gives another reason not to eat where your guide says - traveling in India with a book instead of a guide I never ate anywhere that made me sick.

But, Merrisr - I do appreciate that you're writing a TR, and will be very interested to hear your take on Raju - especially if this itinerary was his idea!

Thyra

Dogster..LOL you forgot to mention the lepers, or the omnipresent urine smell... we are leaving for India in 2.5 weeks and have been warned by anyone who has been there about the urine and lepers.. (I am pretty sure I can handle it, having traveled through the slums of Nairobi (before the government bulldozed them) and the city of the dead in Cairo.. but my husband is rather more shaky.. Merrisr thanks for the post can't wait to read the rest..

judyumcer

oh, my God, This place sounds like a nightmare. The tour companies make it wound fabulous. I work in a ER and the Indian doctors said to be prepared for culture shock! I guess we will look at Eastern Europe. Maybe a river cruise. Judy

thursdaysd

It IS fabulous - incredible diversity, fascinating sights, delicious (Indian) food, friendly people, world-class sights. It's also all the things that dogster's writing about. If you travel slow and have an open mind you should have a great time. BUT, don't confuse it with travel in Europe.

Thyra

I always find these types of locations have a really fantastic risk/reward ratio.. the stranger the "risk" the more breathtaking the "reward".. I mean it's the Taj.. The Ganga River, the worlds OLDEST constantly inhabited city.. whew! Talk about amazing!!! It's also (I am pretty sure) heart rending poverty, horrific pollution and different standards of cleanliness.. not for everyone to be sure.. but what amazing adventure if you open your mind and heart and relax your notion of what constitutes a successful life. Seriously though unless you can get into it.. there are some wonderful places that don't carry the same challenges..and no one should think the worse for you in deciding that "exotic" destinations like India are not for you... (just IMHO)

Merrisr

I will put the second half of the trip report out later tonight. I can't emphasize enough that it was a great trip!! You do see a wide variety of things from the beauty of the Taj Mahal to the incredible poverty in the villages - but it is all worth it!!! In November the temperatures won't be anywhere near as bad - and only one of our guides was a "sweater!"

The itinerary was initially my husband's idea because there was just so much he wanted to show me. Raju helped us make it happen in the most effective way possible. We price shopped him and he was consistently the most reasonable. I was being careful in my comments because I did not want to seem like I was advertising for him - but truthfully he was incredible! I would recommend him to anyone - and again if you could get Kapil as a driver it would be a big bonus.

Dogster - You got it pretty close. We did get to Delhi early enough the first day to see a bit and meet our friend for dinner. We spent the whole second day sightseeing before retiring to our room. I really think our "issues" were just adjusting to eating so much Indian food in a short period of time. Delhi to Agra was about 3.5 hours and Agra to Jaipur was about 4.5-5 hrs -very interesting ride. It didn't feel as frantic as it sounds but I did feel like I was experiencing it all over again when I got home and went through the pictures.

judyumcer

If this country is so bad; what brings visitors there? Beggars, filth,urine, trash, deformed people laying on sidewalks. Is this all over the Golden Traingle or just certain areas? I am glad to hear the heat and humidity in't so bad in November. What are the hotels really like? Are they up to standard? We are still up in the air about going there. We are also interested in a Russian River cruise. Just don't know what to do.

thursdaysd

"What are the hotels really like? Are they up to standard? " Which hotels and what standard? Consider how someone might answer that question about the US - Motel 6 or the Four Seasons?

Have you read trip reports on India? Guide books? What are you looking for from this trip? India is both extremely rewarding and extremely challenging. If you just want to chill out this is probably the wrong destination for you at this time. (Not that Russia can't be a bit challenging if you're traveling on the ground, but I imagine a cruise provides a lot of insulation.)

Jaya

Judy, I've been to India numerous times as have others in the Asia Forum and we've all returned in one piece to talk about it (they're playing around a little with you in their commentaries).

I'll liken it to working in the ER - you can see it for all the "blood and guts" injuries that come in or you can see it for the ability to give emergency care to those who need it.

It's all perspective. If you have genuine concerns about your ability or willingness to adjust to the surroundings, I would (respectfully) suggest you bypass India.

On the other hand, I can't recall anyone EVER saying they'd never go back! Usually they're really gald they went. It's an indescribable mix of good smells, bad smells, beautiful things, slums, rich, poor, and everything in between.

The culture shock the Indian doctors talk about isn't necessarily a bad thing. You just can't summarize India in a few words.

lcuy

The five-star hotels in India are fabulous. Way up and past the "standard". Prices reflect this.

magical

5 star hotels in India are at 5 star prices with 7 star service!!!
Judy....India is a huge country with a long history....you'll find that India has a lot to offer...there is modern, but also old and downtrodden... very poor, and not so poor. If you go with an open mind, there is a lot to see and enjoy. Be sure to have some down time every day so can actually reflect on things you see and don't forget to enjoy your trip. The people are poor but friendly...and it's generally safe anywhere you go.
I hope this helps.

judyumcer

Thank you for all the advice. Yes, working in a county hospital I see everything and smell everything. I guess I was more concerned with the humidity. My husband is a "sweater". I will get him a sweat band for his head. We will plan on staying a 5 star hotels. I look forward to seeing all this; cows in the streets, etc. We will decide this week end one way or the other. Judy

Amy

Judy, I don't care much for heat and humidity, but I can only travel in the summer and knew that I "needed" to see India. It's a fascinating and unique experience, and also one that can test your limits a bit. I went with no guide and only stopped in a five-star hotel (the Imperial) once for a fruit drink, but you might like to read about my newbie trip here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35147706
The trip report includes a link to my photos; I think they may speak for India a bit more than I can.

Thyra

Just my opinion, but perhaps if you are up in the air about India, you should try a sort of moderate "exotic" destination first. Someplace like Mexico or parts of south america, your idea of Eastern Europe is good too.. India is extreme.. from what I have been told, extreme good/extreme bad..

judyumcer

No thanks to Mexico. We have been there several times and there are so many Mexican's here in Vegas; no need to go. They are all here! I think will enjoy if we are in 5 star hotels and have a good tour agency. Any recommendations of a great tour company? Dependable, and honest. Thanks! judy