Varanasi from Bangkok - How Much Time to spend there?
May 26th, 2009, 11:23 PM
#41
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So I'm not issuing a challenge. I think you guys travel very well indeed in exactly the same way I travelled the first time I went to all those same places. I think you plan really expertly. Everybody gets the benefit of that.
I've had the luxury of time and retirement which means I'm able to go BACK to these places a few times, so I feel more comfortable picking a wildcard or two out of the pack. As you've read, some of these are disastrous. I cut my losses and flee.
But when it's your first trip into a strange country it's normal to do it the way you guys do it. I don't see it as being overly shielded or safe, I see it as damn smart.
YOU know your limits. There's not a reason in the world to stretch them, unless you so choose. All I'm trying to do here is help you choose with the fullest info available.
All the other suggestions [BKK - VNS - KTM - KOLKATA - BKK] are easy as pie to organise, book and enjoy. Frankly, staying on the Ganges in VNS [at Rashmi or wherever] may well be wildcard enough for this trip. That is by no means a deluxe experience, either. In 2 weeks ish, I'd only be bunging in ONE wildcard, not two.
As I think you've realised from these pages, the VNS experience is immensely improved by staying ON the Ganges. No question of that.
The KTM experience can be perfectly great without adding in Phulbari. Kathie and countless others testify to that.
The tip of your nose will twitch and tell you what to do. Follow that nose.
I've had the luxury of time and retirement which means I'm able to go BACK to these places a few times, so I feel more comfortable picking a wildcard or two out of the pack. As you've read, some of these are disastrous. I cut my losses and flee.
But when it's your first trip into a strange country it's normal to do it the way you guys do it. I don't see it as being overly shielded or safe, I see it as damn smart.
YOU know your limits. There's not a reason in the world to stretch them, unless you so choose. All I'm trying to do here is help you choose with the fullest info available.
All the other suggestions [BKK - VNS - KTM - KOLKATA - BKK] are easy as pie to organise, book and enjoy. Frankly, staying on the Ganges in VNS [at Rashmi or wherever] may well be wildcard enough for this trip. That is by no means a deluxe experience, either. In 2 weeks ish, I'd only be bunging in ONE wildcard, not two.
As I think you've realised from these pages, the VNS experience is immensely improved by staying ON the Ganges. No question of that.
The KTM experience can be perfectly great without adding in Phulbari. Kathie and countless others testify to that.
The tip of your nose will twitch and tell you what to do. Follow that nose.
May 27th, 2009, 07:40 AM
#42
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Cold water aside, Jeane might actually LIKE Phulbari, especially since we know what to expect going in. Over the weekend we were talking about whether Varanasi, Kathmandu AND Kolkata would be too much city time. We'll talk more but right now it looks like we'll save Kolkata for another time. A trip to Vientiane and possibly one other modest location in Laos has not been ruled out:
http://www.greenparkvientiane.com/
http://www.rivertimelaos.com/
http://www.greenparkvientiane.com/
http://www.rivertimelaos.com/
May 27th, 2009, 04:12 PM
#43
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Well, I'm looking at the itinerary possibilities and quite honestly, Laos makes no sense with Varanasi and Kathmandu - not enough time. Kolkata works but I need some really good selling points for Jeane. The other question I have is how much colder will it be in Phulbari relative to Kathmandu. We don't mind high's in the 60's (15-20C) during the day but anything less than that is kinda chilly, especially if the shower water is cold.
