OReilly

Hello all:

It was wonderful to have a four-day weekend, so I had the chance to do some reading and review/adjust my itinerary. Here it is - I have put some dates in for reference, but am very flexible:

Sat 12th Nov: Flight to Udaipur - Stay Udaipur
Sun 13th Nov: Stay Udaipur
Mon 14th Nov: Stay Udaipur
Tue 15th Nov: Drive to Jodhpur – Stay Jodhpur
Wed16th Nov: Stay Jodhpur
Thu 17th Nov: Drive to Jaisalmer – Stay Jaisalmer
Fri 18th Nov: Stay Jaisalmer
Sat 19th Nov: Drive to Bikaner - Stay Bikaner
Sun 20th Nov: Drive to Jaipur – Stay Jaipur
Mon 21st Nov: Stay Jaipur
Tue 22nd Nov: Drive to Delhi/Fly to Chennai/Drive to Mahabalipuram
Wed 23rd Nov: Stay Mahabalipuram
Thu 24th Nov: Drive to Pondicherry – Stay Pondicherry
Fri 25th Nov: Stay Pondicherry
Sat 26th Nov: Drive to Tanjore – Stay Tanjore
Sun 27th Nov: Drive to Kanadukathan – Stay Kanadukathan
Mon 28th Nov: Stay Kanadukathan
Tue 29th Nov: Drive to Madurai – Stay Madurai
Wed 30th Nov: Stay Madurai
Thu 1st Dec: Drive to Munnar – Stay Thekkady/Munnar
Fri 2nd Dec: Drive to Cochin – Stay Cochin
Sat 3rd Dec: Stay Cochin
Sun 4th Dec: Stay Cochin
Mon 5th Dec: Drive to Alleppey – Stay Alleppey
Tue 6th Dec: Fly Cochin to Mumbai – Stay Mumbai
Wed 7th Dec: Fly Mumbai to Aurangabad – Stay Aurangabad
Thu 8th Dec: Fly Aurangabad to Delhi – Stay Delhi
Fri 9th Dec: Stay Delhi
Sat 10th Dec: Fly Delhi/LHR


What do you think?

I have added the Ajanta and Ellora caves, and a couple of nights in Delhi before I leave.

In my reading, I discovered that I will be travelling through the Tamil Nadu Monsoon during those dates (Nov/Dec). Is this a problem and should I consider ditching some locations (the coastal areas appear to be the worst)and concentrate on internal areas? Have you experienced this on your journeys? Is it a show-stopper for the area?

Looking forward to your comments.

Bests regards ... Ger

annhig

looks like quite a trip, Ger - I'll be interested to see what reaction you get from those who know what they are talking about when it comes to India [ie not me!]

OReilly

Hi June: Please note, I have added a couple of days in Delhi at the end of the trip. I am trying to remember which Foderite found a shop that made stuff (or copied )for Hermes. Does anyone remember?

Hi Ann: I know it looks like a 'Its Tuesday, it must be Belgium' kinda trip . However, I won't be doing the driving.

best ... Ger

thursdaysd

I have been in Tamil Nadu a bit later - towards the end of December. There had definitely been heavy rain and floods but I missed the worst. Not sure whether you would miss them the other way.

progol

Ger,
I'd encourage you to cut down on a number of your stops. I'm no expert on India, having gone just once to Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and Varanasi, but your itinerary has multiple long drives and more with only brief stays in many of your stops. For example, Jodhpur to Jaisalmer, Bikaner to Jaipur, and Jaipur drive to Delhi fly to Chennai drive to Mahabilapuram are all very long days. Even if you're not driving, that kind of traveling can be exhausting!

I haven't been to Mumbai or seen the caves at Aurangabad, but again, the amount of travel for one night stops in each place seems like an awful lot.

I'm in the process of developing a 2-week itinerary solely in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, with mostly 2-night stops. I plan to hire a car and driver. What will make it manageable is that the drives are no more than 2-3 hours between locations, and generally less, which makes the trip doable, imho.

There is SO much to see that is amazing, and it's tempting to try to see it all, but India is intense and needs to be savored, and give yourself just a bit more time to absorb your travels. After all, if you find that India grabs you, you will probably be planning another trip. Like me!

OReilly

Hello all:

I have reversed the itinerary, starting in Tamil Nadu and working back to Delhi. I think this works better.

Regards.. Ger

Sat 12th Nov: Fly to Chennai/Drive to M - Stay Mahabalipuram
Sun 13th Nov: Stay Mahabalipuram
Mon 14th Nov: Drive to Pondicherry - Stay Pondicherry
Tue 15th Nov: Stay Pondicherry
Wed 16th Nov: Drive to Tanjore – Stay Tanjore
Thu 17th Nov: Drive to Kanadukathan – Stay Kanadukathan
Fri 18th Nov: Stay Kanadukathan
Sat 19th Nov: Drive to Madurai – Stay Madurai
Sun 20th Nov: Stay Madurai
Mon 21st Nov: Drive to Munnar – Stay Thekkady/Munnar
Tue 22nd Nov: Drive to Cochin – Stay Cochin
Wed 23rd Nov: Stay Cochin
Thu 24th Nov: Stay Cochin
Fri 25th Nov: Drive to Alleppey – Stay Alleppey
Sat 26th Nov: Fly Cochin to Mumbai – Stay Mumbai
Sun 27th Nov: Fly Mumbai to Aurangabad – Stay Aurangabad
Mon 28th Nov: Fly Aurangabad to Delhi – Stay Delhi
Tue 29th Nov: Stay Delhi
Wed 30th Nov: Drive to Jaipur – Stay Jaipur
Thu 1st Dec: Stay Jaipur
Fri 2nd Dec: Drive to Bikaner – Stay Bikaner
Sat 3rd Dec: Drive to Jaisalmer – Stay Jaisalmer
Sun 4th Dec: Stay Jaisalmer
Mon 5th Dec: Drive to Jodhpur – Stay Jodhpur
Tue 6th Dec: Drive to Udaipur – Stay Udaipur
Wed 7th Dec: Stay Udaipur
Thu 8th Dec: Stay Udaipur
Fri 9th Dec: Fly Udaipur to Delhi (late) – Stay Delhi
Sat 10th Dec: Fly Delhi/LHR

thursdaysd

I agree with progol - India is not a place that lends itself to fast travel.

Also, what time are the flights in and out of Aurangabad? The caves take a good half day each and are in opposite directions.

If you want to go to Jaisalmer can you drop Bikaner?

OReilly

Hi Progol:

Yes, agree. Everywhere I want to do to in Rajasthan, involves a 5 hour journey between sites. Its not ideal, but I am not sure how I can do it differently, as I would prefer to be in a car than fly.

Tamil Nadu appears to be much easier, as all my drives are between 2-3.5 hours.

Aurangabad is a late addition, but I think may be worth the effort.

regards ... Ger

OReilly

Hi thursdaysd:

I have checked the flight times, and the dates/times work.

I can get from Mumbai to Aurangabad for 6 am, stay overnight, and fly back the following day to Delhi at 5pm, so basically almost two full days.

regards Ger

OReilly

I should say, that I would be prepared to reduce the days in Kerala (R&R), to distribute them among other areas.

regards Ger

CaliNurse

A few thoughts, along with gentle and "been there--done that" advice:

November 21: "Thekkady/Munnar"--they are two different places, maybe three hours apart. And Thekkady, from all I've read (and my great T.A.'s advice) is not the place to go for wildlife, assuming that is even your interest. (It is not included in your list of interests.. So, you can skip Thekkady/Periyar, and head straight to Munnar.

November 25:You are driving (being driven) from Cochin, to stay one night in Alleppey. Where--in the town? A nearby backwaters place? Then you are leaving the next day to drive right back on the same road to get to the airport in time for your flight. The road up from Alleppey to Kochi is the main national highway. It may or may not have lots of traffic. Hopefully dgunbug will see this--I think she just did that route Alleppey to Kcohi.
The airport is--if you are lucky--an hour's drive from Cochin. Why add this pressure, for one overnight stay which is at that point, out of the way? Better to take a day trip from Kochin into the backwaters, IF you have only one night to stay. It won't be as relaxing as a stay overnight ON the water, but it beats doing a Cochin-Aleppey-Cochin return trip in less than 24 hours.

I totally understand your sense of eager desire to pack in as much as you can. I "get" that you're not a "slow trav" person. Neither am I, usually, due to time constraints. But as Progol and Thursdaysd said, please consider the length of the drives, vs the length of time at your destinations.

You already know this from your reading, but I'll repeat: Most India travel is not like driving UK Motorways. Roads are winding, or filed with traffic, or traffic stopped because of a truck accident, or a cow in the road, or a wedding procession or festival, or... or.... the point is, you cannot rely on the "best case scenario" time you see on online maps. And even if you could...too many long road journeys will wear you out. You don't have much time to stop, should something catch your eye, or even just relax with a cuppa chai at a roadside dhaba, 'cause you'll have to get to your next destination before sunset (you do NOT want to be on Indian road after dar,k, for safety reasons.)

You mentioned reducing days in Kerala. Unless you decide to do a day trip to backwaters from Cochin, you can cut one day from your three in Cochin. And , while not having been (I defer to those FF Folks who have) I think you can cut a day from Pondy (friends have said a full day is enough there IF you're pressed for time). Maybe you can add it to one of your Rajasthan destinations.

Any route , you're gonna love being there. The above gentle advice is just to consider ways to maximize your enjoyment!! You can't do it all in one trip, or two, or more...anymor than can a tourist in your country. Trust me...India will grab you, and you'll be back!!

progol

<<Yes, agree. Everywhere I want to do to in Rajasthan, involves a 5 hour journey between sites. Its not ideal, but I am not sure how I can do it differently, as I would prefer to be in a car than fly.>>

Ger, perhaps you are now getting the gentle suggestion from many of the posters here that trying to see all these places is too much. It's your trip and your choice, but if it were me, I would be eliminating some of the stops and consolidating this trip. Traveling in India can take a lot longer than you expect, and as CaliNurse writes so eloquently above, India travel is not like the UK. Let's just say that the motorways in many places are interpretive!

There are many places where I would consolidate your itinerary, but I don't want to make any suggestions as it really depends what your priorities are. However, several of the 1-night stops are in places where you are traveling a lot to get there and barely staying long enough to experience them. I'd consider which of those places are important and which might be eliminated. Honestly, I think you are trying to cover too much and run the risk of missing the experience of India.

OReilly

Of course you guys are right - I am doing way too much driving !!!

I will have s look at it tonight ands see what can cull.

I appreciate your gentle nuggets ��


Best regards. Ger

jacketwatch

Just one more thing to consider is that Delhi now is the most polluted city in the world. We have Indian friends who have returned from there and complained about it so consider getting inhalers before you go or see your MD first. Its easier of course to get a rescue inhaler before you go.

OReilly

Sorry ... predictive text gets me into a lot of trouble

I meant I appreciate your gentle NUDGES ...

Regards Ger

thursdaysd

Just to pile on a little on the road issue...

You really must plan to stay off the roads at night. Also, unless, perhaps, you are on a designated major highway, the length of the trip is largely out of your control. You will be sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists, animals (under control or not), carts drawn by animals (mostly bullocks but sometimes camels), motor bikes, cars, buses and very large trucks. No one will obey lane discipline, assuming the road is big enough to have lanes. I remember one drive where the road was effectively one and a half lanes wide... Then there the question of where you will eat and use the bathroom on a long drive. (Always carry your own toilet paper, and Purell, in India.)

If the trip is stated to be over two or three hours I would look into taking the train, if possible, and flying if not.

You are going to find travel in India very tiring. Not just because of the distances, but because India is an assault on your senses. It is loud, especially on the road where horn noise is constant. It is often filthy. It smells (although the smells are often of spices). It is full of color. It is extremely diverse. It is also, of course, full of interest and beauty. You need to allow yourself time to experience what is around you, and to rest.

progol

Ger, I thought "nuggets" was quite apt in this instance!

Now, an "educational" video on Delhi driving --enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crT6kHiB2hc&app=desktop

Truly, the traffic can be a complete experience in itself, and thursdayd has descried well what to expect - and the horns really do blare all the time!

progol

Another iPad typo! Not "descried", but 'described'. Though perhaps "decried" would work here, too!