shazip

Icuy this was a marvelous report. I marvel at your ability and patience to write in such detail. All the little titbits of information and the commentary of your experiences are all very helpful in preparing me for what to expect, or not to expect, on my upcoming trip. We will be at the Imperial from Dec 30 to Jan 2. Were you able to eat fresh salads at the hotel restaurants without experiencing Delhi belly?

I wish you another wonderful trip.

Will any Fodorites be at the Imperial on
Dec 30 to Jan 2?

Sharon

rhkkmk

lucy---i am still mulling things around in my mind as it is all still one year off... its amazing how similar, yet how different the people i have spoken with are....and the prices are far apart...i have a couple of top choices but for very different reasons..I JUST WANT IT TO START TOMORROW...

craig's info and his first hand experiences have helped me make many decisions so far...getting together with he and jeane has greatly enhanced our planning...we will see them again soon and look forward to it...

in a similar fashion fodorites have helped us so much with this planning as well as past trips...

your report was a big help and we hope we will learn some other things from the next segment...

hobbes info today shows just how in depth accounts can be, as in the case of looking for cloth points out...

lcuy

Sharon-

We ate everything at the Imperial and never had a hint of a problem! They say they use sterilized water for wahing and cooking foods, and the trays at the buffet are replaced very quickly.

Years ago, my doctor told me to take one Pepto Bismol every morning when in foreign countries. He said there has been evidence it helps prevent the things that make you need immodium or cipro.

I take the tablet, not the chewable one, and no one in our family has gotten sick yet!

shazip

Icuy
Thanks for another titbit of advice. I have never taken Pepto Bismol ever, but it certainly sounds worth a try.

Too bad our dates are different and our paths won't cross. In which part of the world do you live? I am in Berkeley, CA

lcuy

I'm across the sea in Honolulu.

I'm a Pepto Bismol person either, but it seems to work while travelling with no side effects, so I take it!

Although, I've heard it can make your tongue turn black if you take it for months... I've never taken it more than 3 weeks

lcuy

oops, that was I'm NOT a PB person usually.

rhkkmk

my RN wife says it is not a good idea to take PB on a regular basis while travelling....she has consulted a number of her infectious disease doctors at the harvard teaching hospital where she works...they claim it is not a proven fact that it works, and #2 if you have an infection, you want to get the toxins out of your system, not keep them in and PB will mask this process....dirrhea is of course the way your body works to rid you of these toxins....

this is our feeling and knowledge and not that of a practicing physician other than in conversation...see your own doctor or more especially a travel clinic at a teaching hospital....

if you really get sick, azithromycin 500 mg (one tablet) for three days is what we have been given...

lcuy

The study that my doctor quoted was from Princeton, so I guess it just depends who you trustwith your health...Princeton or Harvard ...

Anyway, I'm taking Airborne today and PB tomorrow! Got the hard stuff just in cas, but lets hope I don't need them!

Guenmai

Great report. I've read about one-tenth of it. I don't have a lot of time, but plan to read on. Bring the photos to the next Honolulu GTG during the summer. Happy Travels!

shazip

To pop pills or not to pop pills, that is the question - malaria pills, Pepto B, Airborne, ambien, and on and on - one could OD on prevention alone. What ever happened to building one's own immunity?

lcuy

To build your immunity, you need to spend some time...also, I do chemo every other week to know out my system, so I boost it where I can!

rhkkmk

karen is curious about your treatments...how do you find the places to assist you....do you have your own eqpt? do you bring your own medecine?? she is an RN

lcuy

Oh, I don't do them in India depsite it sounding like that above. It should say:

My chemo "knocks" out my immunity system, so I boost it when I can, buy using things like Pepto bismal, and Airborne and emergen-C. Haven't a clue if they work, but I haven't gotten sick yet!!

I'm in Varanasi now...fabulous! and the weather is nice and cool...cold at night!

See you later!

WinterTravel

lcuy - we're hoping that you might see this and give us your insights (we LOVED your trip report!). We are finalizing a trip to India and may use Compass for drivers/guides (we have all our own hotel arrangements). We want to be sure to avoid the guide that you had in Delhi if we do -- would you feel comfortable sharing the name so that we are aware if we see it and can make alternate arrangements?

Also, we'd be curious to know what you "would have asked for in advance" (per your original post) if you'd known -- what should we be sure to ask for? Thanks so much for the help!

rhkkmk

i too have been wondering what you are up to....

bob

cruisinred

lcuy-
May I ask where you found the Oberoi rate of $300 per night?
I am trying to decide if the Oberoi summer season deal of 8 nights for $2300 is the best price around, or if I can find something better.

Thanks

lcuy

Wow, prices have really gone up..especially if this is really 4 nights get 4 free!

Compass travel booked our room on this trip...I had checked the website and it was about the same. Now I see the web site for one night in June is $575 per night!

Can you spread the 8 nights over different hotels? If so, and you plan to go to say, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur or Ranthambore, it looks like a decent deal.

I loved the Oberoi's Amarvilas and Udaivilas. Too bad they are getting so pricey, but I'd still stay there!