Trip report India with Gate 1 travel
 

Trip Report India with Gate 1 travel
Mar 09, 2015, 7:15 AM
We signed up for the classic India with Nepal, 18 day tour. Our first day we arrived and were met at the airport in Delhi by a Gate 1 representative. Luckily he waited for us as our flight was 2 hours late.

A driver and the representative took us to our hotel. I held my breath the entire way as the drivers and traffic is crazy and deadly . We made it to our hotel, Holiday Inn. It was pretty nice but the odor outside the hotel was pure sewage. Our guide Madam met us and told us we would be starting early the next day. Dinner was ok, but I do not really care for Indian spices. The next morning we met our group and started our tour. The others seemed nice (22 people in our group).

We were stuck in the worst traffic most of the day while sightseeing in Delhi. The city is very dirty and people are very poor for the most part. Our guide Madam was excellent in his commentary and keep us going. The next day we left for Agra to see the Taj Mahal. It was quite a sight and we loved it. The city once again was pretty dirty and our hotel the Trident, while being very nice had very damp rooms. The restaurant was good and on the second night I had a pizza. The 3rd stop was Ranthambore to see the tigers. The hotel was not up to par, The Tigers Den, but I actually slept pretty well there. It seems all the hotels in that area are pretty much the same. We did not see a Tiger, but there are so many animals roaming free all over India, you hardly need a safari.

Our 4th stop was Jaipur where we rode an elephant up to the top of the palace, fort.

That was fun and a great stop. Once again the city was very dirty, but our hotel the Ramada was okay and I sent my laundry out and was pleased with the results. The food was okay but I still did not tolerate the Indian Spices. Our guide Madam was telling the history of the areas we visited and the stories were so good it made remembering it very easy. Our 5th stop was Jodipur. we stayed at a very colonial hotel that had nice ambience. The room was ok, and we slept ok.

The best part of the hotel was the wonderful outdoor dining with Indian music playing in the background. The food was not expensive, but alcoholic beverages are. By this time we have visited so many palaces, forts and bazaars I was a little burned out. Our 6th stop was Udaipur. I think this was the third time that our bus rides were over 8 hours. In fact, I think it was about a 11 hour ride including a brief stop for lunch and 2 Hindu temples. From Udaipur we flew to Mumbai which was pleasant and the hotel was very nice. The city is more modern but again very dirty. I think India needs garbage pick up. Also, so many cows blocking the roads and poo everywhere, I had to be careful where we walked. Also, the traffic was unimaginable and you take your life in your hands crossing the street.

We left India for Nepal the next day by air. It was a very good flight and we landed in Nepal safely.

The hotel was the Radisson. We got the new building which was more modern as we had elite status. The food was okay and plentiful. I really enjoyed our trip up the mountain to see the Himalayas with the exception of the passenger behind me puking. We also visited old cities that were well intact and temples. At the end of the day we saw where they cremate their loved ones. It is quite a sight to watch the burial ceremony. I liked Nepal. It was much cleaner than India. The people were very nice and friendly. The only problem was that the airport was closed because of a crash and the runway was blocked so we could not leave the country on an international flight.

Gate 1 was great about it. For an extra 2 nights we paid for our hotel, but they basically paid for all the meals. They also got us out of Nepal by 2 domestic flights and a border crossing by bus and jeeps. In the end they took all the passengers to a hotel in Delhi airport to help them sort out their airfare. We had our own flights so we said goodbye and stayed at the very beautiful (best hotel of our India trip) JW Marriott at the airport.

In reflection I am very happy we did this trip, but will never redo this part of India again. It gave me the history to understand the people better and their culture. I would say that unless you need all luxury hotels, this was a fabulous tour with an exceptional guide.

Sounds like you were moving far too fast. Also, it is hardly news that Indian food tends to be spicy and that the cities are very dirty. However, thanks for reinforcing my lack of interest in taking a Gate1 tour of India.

Looks like you are not fond of Indian food, so what all did you eat?
Hope you did not get an upset stomach, sometimes many travelers seem to get sick in India.

Also you have not mentioned any shopping in India or Nepal. Just curious, did you get a chance to see all the wonderful things they sell.

Hope you have some wonderful photographs to remember your trip.

Yes, the trip moved very fast. I was aware of that before we left. I think 1 day was all I could take in each city. The traffic and crowds made me want to leave. Gate 1 did a fabulous job. Our guide was good and the hotels equaled the price we paid for the tour which was quite reasonable.

As far as shopping, it was very available. Most of the items were very cheap but there was books and pictures to buy. I think I ended up with 8 pashminas, an inlaid marble end table and a rug.
I posted my pictures on face book. We took many photos. As far as getting sick, most of us did. I was only sick for 2 days and it was because I was not careful and had a martini. The food was not spicy or hot, I just don't care for Indian spices. I usually travel to countries where I like the food, but India was not one of them.
Andrea

P.S. most restaurants offered pasta and pizza. I ate a lot of that.

Thanks for your report. It's always nice to hear about others' trips!

Sounds like this was your first trip to India and that you may have been caught off guard. For seasoned India visitors what you described is what we have come to expect but for all of us there was a first time. Delhi has great attractions but also has the horrible traffic, filth and the poverty. BTW it is still dirty and hasn't changed much since my forst visit in 1978. At least now the air is cleaner since the commercial vehicles were switched to CNG.

I do think that the south, especially Kerala would be much nicer.

Thanks for the TR.