Does anyone know the secret of this arcane art? How to book train tickets using credit or debit card?? I 've logged on to the irctc site, found my way to the station codes, entered train number & name, passenger details, age, sex, food preference, etc., but as soon as I open the payment pop-up screen - bang! error! page has expired, etc. Any enlightenment wise ones?

Hi there,

It looks like you encountered timeout issue. You may want to try again and make sure you are using Internet Explorer. Many Indian sites are less user friendly when opened in other browsers. Also, Cleartrip has recently introduced online train booking http://www.cleartrip.com/trains . You may find their interface more user friendly. Happy journey.

Or ask your hotel from the night before your voyage to pick up the tix for you. Should only cost a couple of dollars dollars extra to have them do it, but make sure you give them all the details such as class, train #, destinations, etc.

thanks mtravel, that hit the spot! Cleartrip took the necessary bookings with no hassle only a small commission, & immediate confirmation. The site was easy & attractive as well. Just to make sure, I phoned their Mumbai office to confirm that the online booking is all that's needed, so no queuing at the booking office. What a relief after days of grappling with the irctc site - thanks again for the quick response.

What's your itinerary now, leon? I bet you've tweaked it. Did the guy from Yangsum Farm get back to you about more homestays up there?

Since my first excitable outpourings, the itinerary has indeed been tweaked, prodded & plumped, & better sense has prevailed thanks to more adult counsel ( take a bow,wow). That's only relative because in 3 tiny weeks I've still tried to go too far; at least not on trains the whole time.

The overview (details will only bore, I feel) is 3 days Delhi/Amritsar (with a cunning juxtaposition of train & plane), fly to Bagdogra, Cochrane place, toy train to Darjeeling if the bandh allows it, 2 days DJ, 5 or so days in Sikkim (Thendup has promised wondrous things).

Then fly to Mumbai via brief stop at Kolkatta, regrettably forsaking that pleasure for another trip, & straight away catch the night train to Goa (that happens to be Holi with all the paint being thrown, as if two planes and a train aren't enough in 24 hours), 2 days at the civilised-looking Vivenda dos Palhacos (i-escape), 2 days at Wildernest in the 'jungle'/ghats, 5 days at Yab Yum in Aswem; finally fly back to Mumbai for 1 night at Ascot then home (I confess we are going to see 'Slumdog' tomorrow; I'm sure it'll be a confection, but since the wonderful Mr Ray, when could one see any movie that looked remotely like modern India?)

Haven't forgotten the cheese tasting mission in Sikkim - wonder whether any mention of a canine previous visitor will prompt a call to the authorities, or a night of drunken reminiscence.

Very cool, leon.

Here's a get-you-out-of-trouble piece of advice. IF Darjeeling has a bandh [and I spent six days trapped during the last one] you'll find things a lot more serious than you imagine. If you're in - you won't be able to get out - and vice versa.

They close ALL the roads. It IS dangerous. Don't be cavalier.

IF anything like this happens, your plans are screwed, Sikkim included. There is ONE way to proceed. Call Miss Nina at Glenburn Tea Estate. Go stay with them. She will get you into Sikkim. [Glenburn has private roads]

It's a long story. Trust me. It works.

Ask Thendup about the guy who got lost on his way back from the monastery. I'm the only one who ever did. As you'll see, it's not easy. He'll remember. Stay in the honeymoon suite. [this is the little separate house decorated by Thendup's errr... 'artistic' brother.] You'll love Yangsum Farm.

I won't even begin to comment on Bagdogra/Kolkata/Mumbai/Goa in 24 hours. Why an overnight train? Sigh. Lunacy. lol. Oh well, it'll be a fun trip report.

Now, with Mumbai, you could, if you were really creative, go see Dharavi [the slum] on your way to or from the airport. It's directly on the way into town. There's a walking tour that I highly recommend. You'd need about 90 minutes. If you want, I'll tell you how to do it.

Errr - just explain that Sikkim to Goa transfer again?

Are you factoring in that you have to get from Yangsum Farm to Bagdogra as well? That's 5 hours before you've even got on a plane.

I guess a nice flight to Delhi on Kingfisher 3334 leaving Bagdogra 13.35, arriving Delhi 17.25 US$92.00

then
a lovely night in a Delhi hotel just 30 minutes from the airport

then
Kingfisher 652 Delhi to Goa at 12.00 midday, arriving 14.30 US$ 142.00

would be too obvious?

Or would you rather:
Drive 5 hours Yangsum Farm to bagdogra [or 3 from Darjeeling]
Wait at the airport [90 mins]
Catch a flight [1 hour]
Get off, transfer, wait and board the next flight [say 90 mins]
Fly to Mumbai [2.5 hours]
Get off, luggage, taxi all the way into town to catch train to Goa [2.5 hours]
Try and work out Mumbai railway station, wait for train,[2 hours]
Overnight train to Goa [12 hours ?]
Transfer Goa train station to Southern Beaches [90 mins]

My timings may not be 100% accurate - advise me where I'm wrong. But leon, leon, leon, why are you doing this to yourself? Is the aim to get your wife to divorce you mid-tour? What drugs are you on? lol lol lol.

Well, I think I know. You'll need a great deal of sedation to survive this trip.

Nah, it'll be a breeze....comparitively. I'd figured we'll need to get to near Bagdogra on the afternoon before the flight (DJ, Kurseong), then leisurely Jet Air flight at 1355 to Kolkatta, boring wait with i-pod until Jet Lite flight at 1620 to Mumbai arriving 1855; then yes the fun of getting across town to CST station for the 2305 Konkan Express. I really am looking forward to this one overnight choo choo, arriving Margao about 1030; then only 20/30 mins max. to Vivenda & the beach at Majorda.

Planes & waiting for them can be mind & bum numbing but what the heck we can chat to folks & make a nuisance of ourselves, we usually do. The rush hour crawl in Mumbai will be sort of fun 'cos we haven't been there before - I wouldn't want to do it repeatedly. We do intend to visit Dharavi (on the return leg 21/03), so any details appreciated.

What's more worrying is this bandh stuff. Thanks for the heads up. I will talk to Thendup, & also the guy at Cochrane Place has been helpful. We've paid for the flights, & I doubt civil unrest is covered in the cancellation insurance. Personally I'd love to visit Kolkatta for a couple of days, but it's not going to match the lovely Himalayas for a week of walking with views and glorious sky. However we don't intend to rush in foolishly. I'll try to engage Glenburn in a strategic planning session as you suggest.

Maybe we should throw it all in & visit some of your Rajastan festivals instead.

Thanks again.

Ain't nothing you can do about the bandh. It does seem juicy up there at the moment. Just for fun, do some google news search on Darjeeling Bandh so you get an idea of what its all about. No gung ho stuff if trapped in the middle. Stay inside. I mean it.

Thendup worked with Glenburn to get me out of Sikkim across the secret bridge. Remember, Glenburn won't give a rat's A whether you live or die unless you're booked with them - then they'll care.

If a bandh has been called BEFORE you leave Kolkata then, basically don't go - you'll end up blockaded at Bagdogra.

If its called once you're there then your local guys will fix you. If anyone can get you out of a jam its Miss Nina at Glenburn. Thendup is a good man, but he's a creature of the hills, not a NYC advertising executive - he has a different soul and he doesn't have a car - stuff like that.

Ultimately, if trapped in Kolkata, go direct to Oberoi website and look for cheapo deals at the Grand.

Smart move using Cochrane's as a staging point. gee, I wonder who suggested that...?

Dharavi can be easily done as follows:

www.realitytoursandtravel.com
or
www.mumbaimagic.com

Get them to pick you up at the airport. Go Dharavi on way into town. About half-way.

They will take you thru. It's not scary like you think it'll be - quite the reverse. But you'll be somewhere truly amazing. One part of it is astonishing.

Stop off at the big washing laundry place after Dharavi Then you'll be kinda on the way to Colaba - thereby killing Dharavi and airport transfer birds with one Dogster stone.

So try make your Goa/Mumbai flight in the morning. Arrive Mumbai lunchtime.

I'm going to be in Mumbai March 1/2/3/4, then again April 16/17 so I've been checking out the options. I've been to Dharavi before. I think it's your kinda thang - but by no means devoid of consequence; is it exploitive, politically correct, uplifting, inspiring or just squalid? Go see.

Where you staying in Mumbai? Decent accomodation costs an arm and a leg. I opted for Gordon House now the Taj is out - but only 'cos I can't find a decent option mid-price.

Do a search for 'Dogsterevil Dog in Darjeeling' in here. That tells the story of my intrepid escape from Rinchenpong to Glenburn - with a bit of smut on the side.

Mmmm. Plenty to think about there. Certainly don't intend to get into bad stuff, but we'll have to wait until closer to the time to suss it all out. We've booked at the Ascot Hotel in Colaba, sabe?

On reflection, we've prpbably not allowed enough time in Mumbai - both the Reality tours trip to Dharavi (listed as 2 hours)& the Mumbai magic 4/5 hour 'mumbai local' tours look really interesting, but I don't think we can fit both in with flights at either end. I have no concerns that these are exploitative - seems to me a positive way for local people to have some gain from tourists with a genuine interest in their life - the reality folk sound more based in the community; mumbai magic profit making, with hopefully a share to local projects? (I'm sure I've come across Deepa Krishnan on the TA forum - I confess until I saw the light I used to dabble but never inhale)

Yeah, thanks for all the tips - will pursue suggested leads & report back.

I went to Dharavi with those Reality guys for those reasons - only to discover that they don't make any profit so none gets ploughed back into the community at all. lol lol lol. I think the Magic's are the classier of the two.

Just remember, you will drive thru Dharavi on your way to and from the airport, so it kinda makes sense to stop off, eh? [You can also drive past the amazing laundry place on your way in or out]

Airport to Colaba is a very long two hours, by the way. It's a pain. Dunno that hotel, I'll look it up.

You gotta go to 'Leopolds' too, by the way. See the bullet-holes.