India

[Don46]

One year ago, just as COVID was beginning to make us all worry, my wife and I enjoyed a wonderful trip to India. We had not been outside of Latin America and Europe, except to New Zealand, and I was concerned about traveling on our own in India. We don't like group travel and usually get weary of guides. I looked into a couple of package tours but they were incredibly expensive for a country that is very low cost for tourists. So, I set out to organize a trip, drawing on friends in India and those who had been there, for advice. Here is what I concluded:


India is a huge country, and we flew between nearly every stop. Flights are cheap, though we upgraded our seats and service.

Hotels: we spent a little more and stayed in terrific four star hotels, including the Taj in Mumbai, Delhi, and Cochin. This hotel chain is superb.

Sites: we had local drivers usually connected to the hotels, and they would take us around. We love museums and would hire a guide if it seemed the right thing to do, always with good result.
We visited Mumbai, Urdaipur, Jaipur, Delhi, Cochin, Travendrum, then back to Mumbai and home.

On the flights out and back we stopped over at Heathrow, slept in an airport hotel, and arrived more rested, less stressed, and happier than if we had not done that.



The food of India is wonderful. The people, culture, history are fascinating.

We want to return and experience more.

 

[OldShooter]

Did you get to Agra to see the Taj Mahal? We have seen most of the so-called wonders of the world (pyramids, etc.) and for my nickel the Taj blows them all away.

The Golden Palace in Amritsar? DW has been there a couple of times and says it is pretty neat. They serve 50,000 meals a day to all comers.

 

[CardsFan]

The food of India is wonderful. The people, culture, history are fascinating.

We want to return and experience more.

I agree with the bold above.

Having been there on business several times, my other impressions are different. Travelling thru the slums in Mumbai is depressing. And when I say slums, I mean any major road, with huts and tents lining the street.

I have no desire to ever return there.

 

[anothercog]

The food is great but it wreaks havoc on my internal plumbing. Even the less spicy versions are going to be more spicy than Americanized Indian food. Hopefully I'll get back there in late 2022 or 2023.

 

[Dtail]

Would love to visit sometime, but is actually the only type of food/curry spice I am not too fond of, although love other spicy foods.

 

[Nemo2]

Entered India from Pakistan, (having come overland from Europe), in 1963. Did a lot of the travelling down to Ceylon by train, (3rd class, slept on the luggage racks), especially liked Madras, or whatever it's called now; celebrated my 21st birthday in Colombo.

Understand it's changed somewhat; doubt I'll ever make it back...although I did return to Sri Lanka in 1985.

 

[athena53]

I worked for a GE sub that had an outsourced tea of analysts in Gurgaon, near Delhi, so I got there on the company dime many times. My boss said you either love it or hate it. He also said that he always sent a first-timer there with someone who had been there- and then sent me on my own, which I considered a compliment. (I'd traveled a lot but not to India.)

I loved it. The people were wonderful, I've always loved Indian food so I was in heaven, and I appreciated the spirituality that permeated the country even though I'm Christian and not Hindu or Buddhist. Ah, and the jewelry. Those ladies are serious about their jewelry. (And every time I went with my colleagues and bought a few items most of the office would know what I spent by the time I got in the next morning.)

Yes, some areas smell, the poverty can be shocking, the cows looked pretty bad (politically-incorrect boss said, "Back in Kansas if our cows were that scrawny we wouldn't eat them, either!") and the beggars were aggressive. I reminded myself that I was helping the country by training and mentoring people for good jobs, and also providing jobs to those who cleaned the office, served food there, or sold goods and services my coworkers used. The beggars didn't eat if they didn't get money.

Three years ago I took Overseas Adventure Travel to India and Nepal- not cheap but a fantastic trip that doesn't gloss over the difficulties or the controversies. There are many other places I want to visit but I wouldn't write off the possibility of going again.

 

[Don46]

Did you get to Agra to see the Taj Mahal? We have seen most of the so-called wonders of the world (pyramids, etc.) and for my nickel the Taj blows them all away.

The Golden Palace in Amritsar? DW has been there a couple of times and says it is pretty neat. They serve 50,000 meals a day to all comers.

We skipped Agra. We thought we might make it a day trip from Delhi, but it just did not work. We enjoyed Delhi so much. We spent one day at the Red Fort and then took an unforgettable bicycle rickshaw tour through Old Delhi. We spent part of one day at the house museum of Nehru, old fashioned museum but interesting. And another morning we spent at the Ghandi Smriti, the ashram where he was assassinated, one of the most interesting and moving experiences of our trip.



India has a lot to offer, but stay home if poverty or curry spices upset you.

 

[athena53]

One other detail- despite the massive poverty in the country, some of the most beautiful hotels I've ever stayed in have been in India, and they're not that expensive. I hate to sound like a spoiled Westerner (even though I am) but it really did help balance out some of the aspects of India that were harder to deal with.

I used this one a lot on my business trips. Darn, that picture REALLY makes me want to go back. https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj/taj-west-end-bengaluru/rooms-and-suites/

 

[Nemo2]

I recently finished a novel, set in the early 1900s, wherein the protagonists at one point arrive in Tashkent, Uzbekistan......Wow, I thought..."I'd like to see that"....subsequently looked at a You Tube video of modern day Tashkent...no thanks.

Likewise I don't really have a desire to visit India as it is now...but I'd love to re-experience it as it was when I was there, (or before that), the good and the not so good....cows wandering the almost vehicle free back streets, two Sikh guards with double barreled shotguns standing outside a bank, trains 450% full, like that. Never mind.

 

[brett]

This is good to hear.

India is at the top of my list. Not so for my spouse.

Had covid not come along the plan for this winter was for me to join a tour of India for 18 days or so, possibly more. It would be my first time joining a tour. Then to fly to Bangkok and meet up with my spouse for six weeks in Thailand. It is a very short hop from India.

Alas, it was not to be. BUT, it is still very much on the horizon even though DW seems a little nervous flying to Bangkok by herself even though we have flown this route five of six time in the past.

 

[CardsFan]

I recently finished a novel, set in the early 1900s, wherein the protagonists at one point arrive in Tashkent, Uzbekistan......Wow, I thought..."I'd like to see that"....subsequently looked at a You Tube video of modern day Tashkent...no thanks.

Likewise I don't really have a desire to visit India as it is now...but I'd love to re-experience it as it was when I was there, (or before that), the good and the not so good....cows wandering the almost vehicle free back streets, two Sikh guards with double barreled shotguns standing outside a bank, trains 450% full, like that. Never mind.

One of the last business trips I took was to Tashkent. I was a more than a little bit apprehensive. Arrived after midnight, the Visa office was not open. 3 of us wondering what to do.

Got though that. The people were great (and that is true of every place I have gone). The food was good. The business did not pan out.

 

[Nemo2]

One of the last business trips I took was to Tashkent. I was a more than a little bit apprehensive. Arrived after midnight, the Visa office was not open. 3 of us wondering what to do.

Got though that. The people were great (and that is true of every place I have gone). The food was good. The business did not pan out.

The basic reason for me not wanting to go there is that it's not now what it was 'then'.......I know that applies to everywhere, but the transformation appeared too extreme for my palate....cookie cutter cities abound nowadays.

So glad I got to see the tunnel souks in Aleppo, Syria, (and the like) 'back in the day'.

 

[Leo1277]

In the fall of 2019, DW and I were set up to go to India for a combined business/fun trip. We actually were on an around the world itinerary and had a ticket from Hong Kong, which we had visited on the stop before India for fun. But alas, to our great surprise they would not let us board our Air India flight in Hong Kong, because recently they had instituted new visa rules that require an advance visa, which can take up to a week to process. So anyone from the US trying to visit India, watch out and plan for it!

We ended up never being able to get this resolved and instead spent more time in Hong Kong and a short notice substitute of a few days in Abu Dhabi. We ended up getting a front row experience of the Hong Kong protests and experienced a bit of history live, and the typical tourist places were much much less crowded as a consequence too. We also went to Macau - if you think Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the world, think again. The Venetian Macau has a total of FOUR identical grand canals, where the Las Vegas version has one, and is overall nearly five times larger in square footage... just unbelievable scale. Also the new bridge/tunnel connecting Hong Kong and Macau across the Pearl River delta is something else.

So it may have been for the better, Hong Kong travel will become more difficult for Westerners in the future, while India still awaits us. Originally it was planned for 2020, but then of course came Covid. Very much looking forward to the India trip, this is the top item on the remaining travel bucket list, and from all I hear, it will take several visits to really get a grasp of the country.

 

[Leo1277]

...
Hotels: we spent a little more and stayed in terrific four star hotels, including the Taj in Mumbai, Delhi, and Cochin. This hotel chain is superb.
... .

...
One other detail- despite the massive poverty in the country, some of the most beautiful hotels I've ever stayed in have been in India, and they're not that expensive. I hate to sound like a spoiled Westerner (even though I am) but it really did help balance out some of the aspects of India that were harder to deal with.

I used this one a lot on my business trips. Darn, that picture REALLY makes me want to go back. https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj/taj-west-end-bengaluru/rooms-and-suites/

So this seems to be the same hotel chain. Good to know, and thanks for the heads up. Recently I try to put more emphasis where to stay than in my earlier travel years, and use the hotel as an oasis to re-charge. But to combine this with a certain amount of local flavor as this chain seems to do has quite some appeal.

 

[big-papa]

Been twice for business now, the last time being December 2019. Bangalore both times. Completely enjoyed myself! Arrivals and departures tend to be at crazy times between 2am and 4am.

Before I went the first time, I visited a travel clinic and got updated shots. They also prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic in case I got Delhi Belly. Which I did on my last day just a couple of hours before I had to leave for the airport. The mistake I made was at breakfast on the last day when I forgot to ask for my scrambled eggs to be cooked till dry.

Second trip, I also visited the travel clinic beforehand. No shots needed, but I again got antibiotics. No issues at all this time. Love, love the food and the sites and sounds. Just take the same precautions you might take when visiting Mexico regarding drinking only bottled water (not tap) and using it to brush your teeth. Alcohol is usually fine, too. Stay away from any raw fruits and veg no matter how pretty they are.

Will likely visit again for work post-Covid. Would love to go there again on vacation but DW has zero interest. Oh, and one unexpected thing: Local blood bank would not let me donate until I had been back from India for 1 year.

Cheers.

 

[bobbyr]

The food is great but it wreaks havoc on my internal plumbing. Even the less spicy versions are going to be more spicy than Americanized Indian food. Hopefully I'll get back there in late 2022 or 2023.

I went on a work trip to Mumbai, and was well until the local folks took us to a Chili's (of all places) for lunch. I think I drank water from a glass and was out of commission for the rest of the trip.

I still found India fascinating...different than any place I have been by 10x.

 

[athena53]

Been twice for business now, the last time being December 2019. Bangalore both times. Completely enjoyed myself! Arrivals and departures tend to be at crazy times between 2am and 4am.

Before I went the first time, I visited a travel clinic and got updated shots. They also prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic in case I got Delhi Belly. Which I did on my last day just a couple of hours before I had to leave for the airport. The mistake I made was at breakfast on the last day when I forgot to ask for my scrambled eggs to be cooked till dry.

Second trip, I also visited the travel clinic beforehand. No shots needed, but I again got antibiotics. No issues at all this time. Love, love the food and the sites and sounds. Just take the same precautions you might take when visiting Mexico regarding drinking only bottled water (not tap) and using it to brush your teeth. Alcohol is usually fine, too. Stay away from any raw fruits and veg no matter how pretty they are.

Will likely visit again for work post-Covid. Would love to go there again on vacation but DW has zero interest. Oh, and one unexpected thing: Local blood bank would not let me donate until I had been back from India for 1 year.

Cheers.

All good details here. Yeah, I went to India so often on business that there was a period of about 3 years when I couldn't donate blood.

I recommend bringing lots of Imodium. Never had to resort to the "just-in-case" antibiotic but the 2 times I had a serious need for Imodium over all my trips both occurred after having fish in very good restaurants- I think my body just didn't happen to like whatever unfamiliar bacteria were lurking in the fish. The rest of the time I typically needed an occasional "maintenance" dose, and I did eat fresh fruits and vegetables in the hotel restaurants and even chai from a street vendor and some meals at hole-in-the-wall restaurants where our guide brought us. (Overseas Adventure Travel- HIGHLY recommended.)

Leo1277 mentioned visa issues- I always got mine in advance. I didn't even know that getting one on arrival was an option for Americans.

 

[Nemo2]

'Delhi Belly' can strike anywhere/anytime.....had the 'Genoa Panza'...went away..came back in Turkey...pretty much OK..Syria to Iran...finally 'cured' with egg & chips (of all things) in a little Chinese café in Quetta, (not far from the Pakistan-Afghan border).

It's all part of the fee for admission.

 

[Cortina]

Lived and worked there for two years. It's different ................ very different ! Most tourists / casual visitors don't see the real India - they see the touristy bits , which are not representative. Three of us rode the length and breadth of the country on motorcycles (500cc Bullets - which I own, and are still in India !) for a month .... now that WAS an adventure. If going , follow my law of Indian food : "The quality of the food is inversely proportional to the price". Read that again ... and think about it. It (the country) is changing , and not for the better .... although the people that live there think it is ..... a bit sad , but such is life .

 

[big-papa]

All good details here. Yeah, I went to India so often on business that there was a period of about 3 years when I couldn't donate blood.

I recommend bringing lots of Imodium. Never had to resort to the "just-in-case" antibiotic but the 2 times I had a serious need for Imodium over all my trips both occurred after having fish in very good restaurants- I think my body just didn't happen to like whatever unfamiliar bacteria were lurking in the fish. The rest of the time I typically needed an occasional "maintenance" dose, and I did eat fresh fruits and vegetables in the hotel restaurants and even chai from a street vendor and some meals at hole-in-the-wall restaurants where our guide brought us. (Overseas Adventure Travel- HIGHLY recommended.)

Leo1277 mentioned visa issues- I always got mine in advance. I didn't even know that getting one on arrival was an option for Americans.

Yep - I also go to Europe once a quarter (pre-covid) on business and always carry plenty of Immodium, just in case. For the first trip I made to India because I was going to be leaving for the airport soon, I needed something quick. The Antibiotics knocked it out within 30 minutes. Which was good because, at the time, the airport ride was almost 2 hours away.

Visa-wise, I hold a 5 year visa because I know I'll be going reasonably often. But they do have a new-ish "one-off" visa you apply for online and you get an Electronic Travel Authorization that you present to the immigration guys upon arrival.

 

[bobbyr]

my work trip was atlanta to jobo south africa (4 days) to Dubai (4 days) to Mumbai (4 days) then to Rome for 2 weeks personal time (wife flew in from chicago airport)

stomach was ok after one bad day in Orvietta near Rome. Italy trip was Orvietta to Assisi to Volterra to Varenna (on Lake Como) - none of the trip planned, rental car and travel book with b&b recommendations (R Steves).

great trip

 

[Leo1277]

...
Leo1277 mentioned visa issues- I always got mine in advance. I didn't even know that getting one on arrival was an option for Americans.

...
Visa-wise, I hold a 5 year visa because I know I'll be going reasonably often. But they do have a new-ish "one-off" visa you apply for online and you get an Electronic Travel Authorization that you present to the immigration guys upon arrival.

Yes, we tried to use this new "one-off" visa, which is what we were told when planning to go to India and which is rather easy to do. In particular you don't have to send in your passport or visit a consulate, you just refer to the advance electronic paperwork and they give you the visa on entry. But by the time we were at the airport, that rule had changed and that new system was (partially?) revoked and we would need an appointment at the consulate anyway. We were told this was a recent reciprocity action because the US had just tightened the visa requirements for Indian citizens.

 

[KarlH]

I went to Delhi/Guragon for w*rk about 8 years ago. Unfortunately the trip was for 1 week, which was a bit short for such long flights, but it was for a conference and we were able to see sights like the red fort around Delhi and had a day trip to Agra to see the Taj. We stayed at the Leela Palace in Delhi, and it was the absolute nicest hotel I have ever been in.

Among colleagues, we had numerous folks who ended up with food poisoning, but usually from eating the familiar foods. I cannot say enough about eating local foods over a trip to Fridays or Pizza Hut. I had all Indian food all the time, and it was delicious with no side effects. The Norwegian salmon looked great at the buffet, but we were too far from Norway to take that chance IMHO.

 

[OldShooter]

We travel(ed) quite a bit and always carry abundent generic Imodium, abundant ibuprofen, and a Z-pak or Cipro dose for each of us. Our docs have always been happy to prescribe the antibiotics just-in-case. We have used the Imodium more than once or twice, and the antibiotics just once or twice.