What are 4 or 5 star hotels in the Bangalore Business District?
Please write back ASAP!
Thank you,
JML
There isn%26#39;t one single business district. I usually stay at the Leela Kempinski, which is close to the airport and convenient for the offices that I need to visit.
Jlusk, the Leela is in Bangalore. You posted the wrong question.
- Deepa
I am planning a 3 month trip by myself for january-march of 2009. I wanted to start my travels in India. I am 27 year old blonde woman and was wondering if I should have any concerns or stay clear of any specific geographical locations. Also, any suggestions would be wonderful! I%26#39;m feeling overwhelmed. I really want a beautiful spiritual and art focused trip...
If you type ';woman alone'; or ';female alone'; or ';safe for women'; in the little white box on the top, you%26#39;ll find about 20 posts on the same subject. There is so much information on this forum already for woman travellers. Once you%26#39;ve read those, you can ask more specific questions perhaps?
Hi
I am thinking of booking an escorted tour of India(Delhi,Agra,Ranthambore,Jaipur,Udaipur and Mumbai). All the hotels are included, but breakfast is the only meal(except Ranthambore,which is b,l and d).Last year we went to china with the same company and all meals were in, so i am just wondering if the prices for meals,drinks are really expensive in india, or will it be reasonable enough.
thanks
sm3
Hi sm3
a very good meal in a very good restaurant is no more than Rs700 about €12 including soft drinks. The most part of indian restaurants have no license for alcoholic drinks, expecially in Rajahstan.
Prices raise up significantly if you have a meal inside the hotel (more if it belongs to an international chain). A bottle of beer Kingfisher, really weak, depending on the places, costs no more than Rs200 about €3.
At Excellensea in Mumbai, one of the most renowned seafood restaurant in the city, we had an amazing meal,2 pax, 2 courses each including pomfret fish hugely sized, Rs 1800 about €30, including 2 kingfisher.
You could also experience the government restaurants called Indian coffee house, you can get there a simple meal ,1 course, i.e. chicken byriani (rice and chicken curry topped with fried eggs) and a cup of coffee for less than Rs100 about €1,80.
Undoubtly reasonable
Alfama
food in india is very cheep depend upon if u need veg or non veg food and pepsi or beer ?
for simple meal per day 200 r is more then sufficient
Thanks Alfama,
It is reasuring to know the food costs shouldn%26#39;t be too high,depending on standard of restaurant. At the monent im still doing my homework, but was a little worried the costs would be very high, as the hotels seem to be expensive, and we wouldnt want to eat in the hotel all the time. The whole point of a trip would to experience the complete atmosphere of india, not just the sanatized sterile tourist hotel atmosphere, although it is nice to go back to a comfort zone of
the hotel at night!
thanks again
sm3
Thankyou to Aimabroad aswell for your reply. At the moment I am trying to take all info onboard.
sm3
The price of food varies depending on where you eat. At the lowest end are the street food stalls, where an entire meal can cost ten to twenty rupees (10 to 20 pence)
Then there are small restaurants that serve thali meals - these are complete meals with about 10 different dishes. Thalis range from 25 rupees to 200 rupees and are great value for money. (30 p to 3 pounds). To see what a 35-rupee thali in Mumbai looks like, here is my blog post and photo:
…blogspot.com/2007/05/udupi-thali.html Note that Mumbai is expensive and the same thali will cost less in other places. Thalis come in vegetarian as well as non vegetarian options.
There are mcdonalds in a lot of places, where you can have what passes off as a meal for about 1 pound sterling. Pizza hut and Subway have options starting from 1 pound. Even in small towns you%26#39;ll find pizza and the cost is something like 2-3 pounds.
At the mid-range, there are several restaurants that serve buffet meals for around 250 rupees. These are usually very suitable, with starters, salads, rice or biryani, naan, curry, yoghurt raita, pickle, papad, and multiple desserts.
The 5-star restaurants have extensive buffet meals with tables groaning with food, Italian, Chinese and Indian food - for 1000 to 1500 rupees (12-15 pounds).
At the high end, a sit-down romantic meal for two could cost anywhere between 2000 to 6000 rupees depending on the kind of wine you order. Food by itself will be not more than 1500 rupees.
Eating out in India is a LOT of fun. Just walking in the bazaars is fun actually, you should find time to visit a regular local market to see the women haggle over everything, and crowd around bangle shops and trinkets.
hi has any one stayed at guest house owned by alex who works at boscos shack. have booked for 3 weeks in february,have been informed that it is near to seaview cottages any feedback gratefully accepted.
Hi, we are staying there in February too! Previously stayed in the CSM, next to Alex%26#39;s mothers house for many years. They have just built some new rooms. They are basic, with a bed, toilet and shower - but for five pounds a night you can%26#39;t complain.
thanks muzzer1965 will be in baga 23rd february cant wait thanks once again
We hope to be there on the 16th Feb, will be staying for one month. See you there!
Just got back from a three week stay. We were in room 10, a new upstairs room. Shower was great, room clean, very few power cuts. You will need to buy your own toilet rolls. Room cleaned daily and bedding changed about twice per week. Alex%26#39;s wife Natty will do your washing for 100 rupees. They will do anything for you. I think it cost about £8 per night. Send my regards when you visit (Michael and Jill). If there is any other information that you need then please ask.
muzzer1965.Thanks for the information,i have not been logged on to TA for a while so just read your comments.Glad you enjoyed your stay and will pass on your regards to all,arrive 23.02.08 my turn now to sit back and relax.
hi all so where is alex%26#39;x place and how much is it..he is a great guy and never really asked him if he had anywhere,,silly me been going tobosco%26#39;s for the last 4 visits...doh
blimming booked somehere a couple of weeks ago,,,for 4 weeks time
Arrived back on saturday 16th,Muzzer i passed on your regards to Alex,Natty and Rita.Your opinions of the rooms was correct ,we were allocatted No 7 and i found it great value.There was seven of us taking up four rooms and Rita insisted on cooking a meal for all of us on our penultimate night.She really is a good cook.Rita mentioned that your wife did not want to leave and i am of the same view.Roll on next year.Alex gave me contact details if you need them in the future.(mandy are you reading this)?
are there any opticians in calengute that anyone can recommend?
there are lots of opticians in calangute. But they tend to be a little expensive. I forgot my lenses carrying case and the solution. They charged me 150 for the solution and 40 for the case! The case is given free in delhi. And most of the shops were totally empty. But there are loads of them
Hi
here is a url to one optician in Calangute.You can look at their products from home then Contact them for a quote.
http://danguiopticians.com/contus.html
Harijeev is correct about the prices in Goa with regards to the rest of the indian Continent,they price for tourism but Dangui are among the most reasonable.
Could any one pass on some information on the Lagoa Azul resort Arpora,good or bad.thanks
Have a look at past postings for this hotel. I%26#39;ve stayed there twice. Quiet area down side lane. Food Ok.Choice of 2 pools one insun other with more shade round the edges.Internet access. Nice clean basic rooms with good space.Friendly staff( most).Need to go out if you are more lively as not always much going on at night but there are loads of places, some quite near that do decent food with atmosphere,All Spice - 10-15 mins walk.LagoaAzul is a nice place to chill and avoid the football screens and noise of Baga which is 15 mins in a taxi- Baga is now more commercial and a bit noisy but fine to go and eat in small doses.
Roobob thanks for your reply,have taken your advice and read previous reports.Cheers
Quiet at night, away from hustle and bustle but easily reached by taxi. Rooms good size with ceiling fan and air con, small kitchen area, bathroom with shower. Double or single beds and balcony. Hire kettles from reception, take your own mugs. Fridge in room, 2 pools, we used garden wing pool. Sunbeds tatty last year, hoping have been replaced for our trip in March. Food in my opinion was good, eggs however you wanted them and couple of other bits like hash brown type thing, tea, cofee, juices included in B %26amp; B. Think there was cereal but not sure as didn%26#39;t have this. Laundry service for a small charge, safety deposit boxes behind reception, towels supplied for pool use. Staff friendly, especially security guards. Can%26#39;t be too bad - we%26#39;re returning!
We got back about two weeks ago, I would agree with everything that the previous two people have commented on, entertainment at night has been improved since last year so I%26#39;m told but there are better shows in the hotels nearer to Arpora. All Spice resaurant is to my mind very good both in terms of quality and service. There is also a very good restaurant opposite (sorry I can%26#39;t remember the name but it was Italian sounding), there is another restaurant called Spices near the Lagoa but this was very inferior to All Spice. The taxis at night charge 100 rupees the Tuk Tuks 75rupees - both one way to Baga, you must hastle though. We loved the location because we could enjoy the hustle and bustle of Calangute and Baga but Lagoa Azul was silent. One tip worth passing on - just up from the hotel when the road gets to a ';T'; junction there is a little man with fruit on a wheelbarrow. We bought all we could eat for less than 75rupees bought a couple of bottles of Kingfisher beer around the corner and then had our lunch on the balcony out of the mid day heat and believe me it%26#39;s hot. We felt totally safe at night and always walked back at night. The one thing we felt uneasey with was the large number of stray dogs that roamed all over Goa.
I am going to Goa for the first time early april and staying at the Lagoa azul. I really must thank all that have posted on this site about this hotel and other useful stuff its been a great help.
Further to my prevbious correspondence about the Lagoa Azul. There is a curtesy minibus to Baga - if you want to eithe3r change money or book any trips go to the money exchange right where the last stop of this bus is. There is also a resaurant at the same place called BRITOS which I would recommend. You will enjoy so much there - go to the night market on Fridays it is near to Arpura not the huge one the Germans run - if you go there you will be in a traffic jam for hours, remember though that the %26#39;bargains%26#39; are fakes, even the cigarettes are fakes but take a tuk tuk and wait until it gets dark for the music, you will enjoy it and it cost nothing. The Tuk Tuk fare is also open to negotiation - about 75rupees is what we gopt it down to. Try bathing the elephants but go to the %26#39;jungle book%26#39; reservation as there is a cheap one nearer but its in a muddy pond with only one elephant.
We went to lagoa azul november/december 2007 for two weeks this was our first time in India and we enjoyed both the hotel and Goa, The hotel is as stated a bit off the beaton track (quiet), about 500m from the main, Baga road. But in this area there are a number of good value restaurants you can mix with the locals and enjoy the atmosphere. The hotel, clean and friendly, and the %26#39;expats%26#39; are a good source of information on what to do and where to go, we found them eccentric and pleasent. I think its a good sign if people are prepared to buy property and live out there for long periods. A free mini bus will take you to Baga beach and back, Taxis are cheap, talk to the driver and you will get more information. Take a portable kettle and some tea/coffee as we had none in our room. On several nights the %26#39;Tabla%26#39; restaurant played host to partys, and we joined in.
We are going back next November!
Thanks for all the replies, I was enquiring about the hotel on my brothers behalf as it was his first time to goa.The hotel upgraded them on arrival to a fantastic room overlooking the pool. Even though they had a seven hour outward delay with First Choice there are two new converts to Goa.
Has anyone been to Darjeeling and Dharamsala? We are going to India in early April 08, and want to visit an area in the Himalayan foothills, we can only go to one place, what would you choose?
If you are based in or are travelling via Delhi, I would choose Dharamsala. Darjeeling is of course more scenic and more popular, but it would mean you have to travel to Kolkata / Eastern Part of India. There are direct flights from Delhi-Bagdogra airport though, if you want to fly.
Why don%26#39;t you have a browse through the Darjeeling forum ?
I have been to both the places. Dharamshala is nestled at the foot of the mighty Dauladhar range and offers a good near view of the snow-clad peaks such as the Kailash peak. However, this hill station is at a lower altitude and it gets very warm during the summer (we had been there in mid-April). Theres also nothing much to see here except monasteries, temples though you could go trekking up the hills to Dharamkhot or further up to the snow line. No motorable roads to those points.
Darjeeling on other hand is situated much higher, and is cool during summers also. It offers views of the Kanchenjunga in the distance (if you are lucky weather-wise.. I wasnt !) among other rolling hills of the eastern himalayas. Lots of sight-seeing options here both on foot and on wheels.. especially if you proceed into interiors of sikkim
I would vote for Darjeeling
Hi,
I have to use indian pre-paid SIM card during my trip in India.
Please tell me if Nokia 6230 phone would work there? Which operator should I use in India?
Best wishes,
Mat
Hi,
Any unlocked GSM Triband phone will work here with an Indian Sim. There are plenty of operators in each region, but I use Airtel myself as they have the maximum coverage in most areas.
Just do as search on the forum, and you will see a lot of posts on this subject. Or check out www.airtel.in for the required documentation.
hi can anyone help need the e-mail address of csm baga thanks
info@csmgoa.com
or
reservations@csmgoa.com
many thanks for this quick response chris
My husband would like to tour Northern India visiting Buddhist places of interest,
(not travelling with a tour, doing our own thing)
Can anyone give us advice on the best way to do this, is it safe, etc
Any experiences that you have had good and bad that may help us plan a safe and enjoyable trip.
thanks
We went on a tour of Buddhist sites in Northern India and Nepal a couple of years ago, and had a wonderful time. Now we are planning to go back and trying to plan a trip on our own. Would love to communicate with you more. Are you comfortable sharing your email?
tahoedvs, thank you for your post also for the other post you have given advise.
Really happy to speak to you knowing that you have done what we would like to do and see in India.
I have had a good response from many giving advice on travelling etc, but you have had the experiences of visiting the sites we wish to see in India.
How did you find the tour ?, did you have the time you wanted to spend in each place?
We are now thinking of doing a tour around the Buddhist sites, and then travelling on our own, would really like to do the whole thing on our own we don%26#39;t really like tours I think you are rushed and cannot spend the time you would like at a specific place, but having said that I think I would feel a bit more secure being on a tour, really don%26#39;t know what to do for the best.
Someone mentioned that hiring a car and driver this is popular have you done this yourself?
Would also like to experience staying in a Buddhist retreat for a couple of days, do you know of any ?
I am a little surprised that there are not many posts on this forum on the subject of Buddhist sites in India.
Thank you for being so helpful.
Joana.
Hi Joana,
I came across some websites and thought they might be helpful to you. The Root Institute is located in Bodhgaya. The Buddhanet Asia is a directory of buddhist organizations and helpful links. The last one is a travel company (which I have no personal link to or even knowledge of the organization, so I%26#39;m not saying they are good or bad...I simply don%26#39;t know), but their site looked like it at least had some useful information on it.
http://www.rootinstitute.com/
http://www.buddhanet.net/asia_dir/2abc_i.htm
http://www.buddhist-pilgrimage.com/
Lots to say.......We did a tour with Insight Travel. Our group was exceptionally small which was ideal for us because we really didn%26#39;t want to ';do a tour'; while on pilgrimage. Our entire group was the four of us with two leaders. It was more like travelling as a family than a large group. The leaders are a married couple. He is a professor of Buddhist studies, teaches a semester in Bodh Gaya at the Burmese Vihar every year, through Antioch University in the US. She is an incredible support and manages all of the details while travelling. And there were many - such as making sure we were at Bodh Gaya during the fullmoon ceremony, etc. We had time at each site for a morning meditation, dharma talk, background information, and time on our own as well. Compared to other tours we looked at, it allowed for us to feel like we had really BEEN at the sites rather than rushed through. The leaders were incredibly flexible, always willing to allow for a little serendipity - tea with a local family on our walk to Pragbodhi Hill outside of Bodh Gaya, visit to a museum that wasn%26#39;t on the schedule, etc. Everything was covered. Felt like we were kids again on a family vacation. It was completely stress-free. We were completely taken care of. India is a challenging place to travel. They made it so that all we had to think about was ';showing up'; and partaking of the richness of where we were. We would happily go again on the very same tour except for the cost..... But, it%26#39;s first class all the way.
Their website is:www.insight-travel.com
It has the itinerary, pictures of the tour we went on, and comments from members of a later tour. They have email and phone numbers listed on the site.
There are many opportunites for retreats along the way. The Thai temple in Bodh Gaya has evening dharma talks and frequent ongoing retreats. Christopher Titmuss leads retreats in Bodh Gaya and Sarnath. His schedule is on his website:
www.insightmeditation.org
Also, there is another website that looks like it arranges personal tours which we may look into for our upcoming trip.
www.buddhist-temples.com
There are several itineraries to choose from, but it looks like a good possibility to facilitate travel to all of the sights with a minimum of personal hassle.
And, there is always the possibility of hiring a car and driver, although we haven%26#39;t actually checked into that yet.
In general, the pilgrimage sites are an incredible experience for Buddhists who want to visit them. For us, it was important to be able to be there and enjoy them without the additional stress of travel impinging on our personal goals. So, I can understand your very realistic concerns. It is possible to travel India on your own. People do it all the time. The important thing to consider is how it will impact your experience. I know from personal experience that travel stress can be either a challenge that if it goes well, can be inspiring. Or if it takes too much effort can be exhausting. Or if it goes poorly, can adversely affect a trip and cause one to even skip places that were important to see. So, it%26#39;s important to listen to your feelings and fears, and be realistic about what you need to best enjoy your trip to these sacred sites.
I%26#39;d be happy to answer any other questions. Just let me know. We are leaving in September for SE Asia before going on to India and Sri Lanka. But, until then, I will available and can keep you posted on what we have decided to do for our visit back to the sites, as well.
Good Luck with your plans!
I visited Bodh Gaya two years ago. I and two friends hired car from Varanasi and drove to Bodh Gaya. Bad mistake. As soon as you enter the state of Bihar, it is as if you have entered an area under curfew. We were lucky to make the trip and back without any incident. My point is that you should not plan on travelling alone but join a group. Bodh Gaya is peaceful and beautiful and a must for anyone doing the Buddhist circuit. If you do have to travel alone, please try and fly in and out.
Turleyhead thank you so much for all the info and advice you have given to a number of my post%26#39;s, you are such an expert on India, you spend so much time in helping people plan their trips to India, it is a pleasure to read you post%26#39;s, thank you.
-------------------
tahoedus
Thank you for your information and advice I am sure I will have lots of questions for you in the future, I will print out all the info which will help me plan and remember the advice you and others have given, we are not planning to go to India until next year so we will have plenty of time to organise, when we travel we like to prepare at least 12 months in advance, I realise this is quite some time but it works well for us.
Would love to hear your experiences on your return from your trip.
Hope everything goes well.
----------------
npiai
Thank you for your information and advice, there is no way I would hire a car and drive in India,
I have had good advice from Turleyhead with regard to Bodh Gaya and other places,( regarding safety) we now think it may be best to have a tour around the Buddhist sites we wish to visit and then travel around India and do our own thing, when we do travel alone we would be using the trains we have also considered hiring a car and driver for some of our journey.
You say Bodh Gaya is a peaceful place, which I am sure it is, what was the problem for you there? Would really like to hear the good and the bad experiences you have had.
As I said we were lucky and did not have any bad experience. If you hire a car (the driver is always a part of the package..you dont get self-drive cars in India) to drive from Varanasi to Bodh Gaya. just remember that the political situation in the part of Bihar you will drive through is tense. This areas has a history of violence between the armies of erstwhile landlords (Bhumihars) and the Maoists. However there has been only one case (to my knowledge) of tourists being robbed (no killings) near Bodh Gaya. So please drive during the day and make minimum stops and those too in cities like Sasaram (the tomb of Sher Shah who constructed the Grand Trunk Road, that you will be driving on). I dont want to panic you, and as I said Bodh Gaya is a must and totally safe. I quit smoking at Bodh Gaya after having smoked for almost 20 years. It has that wonderful inspiring atmosphere.
Joana,
First, thank you for your kind words.
I just wanted to give you an example of why I cautioned you about Bihar. Just in yesterday%26#39;s paper was a report that a bomb went off on a train travelling from Patna (capitol of Bihar) somewhere near Lucknow or on the way to Lucknow. The bomb killed 7 people and injured at least 50, with the death toll likely to rise. Earlier in the day, several suitcases of bombs were discovered either in a station or on a train in Bihar. Luckily they did not detonate and the police have 4 suspects in custody.
The western world has discovered terrorism relatively recently. India, on the other hand, has been dealing with it for a very long time. Bihar has serious political problems and corruption, one of the worst socio-economic situations in India, and all of it combines to make it a fairly lawless place in certain areas. As the previous poster was sharing, he was extremely lucky not to have any problems on the road there...brigands and thugs are common and you can find yourself in real trouble. DEFINITELY find a tour agency to take you in and out of Bihar/Bodhgaya. I would definitely try to find one that has MUCH experience in the state, are local people, and preferrably closely associated with a buddhist organization there. I can%26#39;t stress enough the importance of being very safe and cautious in your arrangements there. Even indians and local people can run into problems there. As a foreigner, you are even more vulnerable. If you wish to read a bit about the state of Bihar and what it%26#39;s like to travel there, I recommend reading ';The Age of Kali'; by William Dalrymple, specifically his chapters on Patna and Bihar. He%26#39;s an excellent writer in any case, but those essays in particular will give you a good feel for what the state is like.
The rest of your trip you should be fine doing it on your own and taking the train, etc.
Thank you both once again.
After the information you have given me we have decided on a tour of the Buddhist sites, even though I feel a little anxious about the situation in this area. we feel this will not stop us making our trip to India, I am sure we would feel more secure and safe with a good tour company who specialise on the sites we wish to see.
We have no worries about the rest of our travels in India.
Many thanks
joana
Dear Joanna,
Quite by coincidence, I came across your correspondance. I have been travelling on pilgrimage to the Buddhist sites for many years, (having been brought up in the region) and organising pilgrimages since 1988. I went through your correspondance and agree that you should go with a group. The effect of the pilgrimage is greater too when you are in a practicing sangha, travelling together, besides being with organisers/facilitators who know the nuances of society. Do check out our web site www.buddhapath.com It will give you some information that you seek.
If you feel like coming with us, we are organising a pilgrimage from the 2nd to the 29th of November 2005.
Please do write to me if you want any more info.
With a smile,
Shantum
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Im going in about 3 weeks for 1st time and am getting slightly nervouse!
Had all injections and got malaria tablets so all set to go. Getting worried about the temp, hotel, food and general things to do!!
I know im prob being very silly as you only have to look back on here and see how much you all think of Goa, but i just need a bit or re-assurance!
Thanks
Greetings Hazel
Just seen your post and had to reply, as I had exactly the same mixed feelings as you regarding everything from 3 weeks before our holiday to Candolim for the first time. In fact, 1 week before I didn%26#39;t even want to go!! This was in January.
But.....we did go on our much awaited holiday and stayed at Sunset Beach Hotel which is directly opposite Whispering Palms, and as soon as we got out of the airport and into the taxi I just knew we were going to love it. We met many people staying at your hotel and they enjoyed it there. We had the best holiday ever, and have now booked to return next January for another glorious 3 weeks.
You are not being silly and I think these mixed feelings happen to alot of people. Please enjoy.
And let us know when you return how your holiday went.
Christina
Thanks so much! Im feeling much better now!
Do you have any recomendations on places you really enjoyed?
I didn%26#39;t stay at the whispering palms butwent to a restaurant just outside called the mermaid it was excellant the steaks were superb and the strawberry pavlova was gorgeous. It gets busy and you may have to book.
Right now your back home, with your suitcase of goodies, are you happy with your purchases.
I%26#39;m not into shopping, and i only buy what i want, but i%26#39;ll list what i got and if i%26#39;m happy.
flat flip flop sandals x 2, very pleased with them.
a mixture of 3 radley bags, very pleased
a mixture of radley purses, card holders,passport holders, very pleased
silver looking bangles, lovely but have now tarinished
Shawls, not to happy fraying quite a bit
t-shirts, for hubby just a couple lost there shape
Old monk, x 2 extremley pleased all has gone now. No complaints there
Tibetan silver ankle chain, is it silver my bum, leaves a nice black mark around my ankle.
birkenstock shoes, not to bad
Sounds like you had a shopping good time for someone who is not into shopping. Bet you cant wait to go shopping again.
hi
what are the radley bags like? are they good as i am planning to bring some of these home with me i bought some in turkey they were really good
i%26#39;ll make sure i don%26#39;t buy anything that looks silver!;o)
nickie
I have never had problems with the Tibetan silver. I usually go to the market in Calangute, near the junction with Baga road.
There is a lot of fake silver around but maybe it just needs a clean? Sulphur in the atmosphere causes silver to tarnish and can leave the mark you describe, however if the silver coating is coming off that%26#39;s another matter.
I bought a Radley bag in Cavelossim last Feb. It cost approx £10 and I%26#39;m really pleased with it. I use it every weekend and it still looks really good. I bought a Gucci bag in Candolim the previous year and that didn%26#39;t last half as well though it did only cost about a fiver.
I have bought Tibetan silver and it is genuine solid silver, no problems with it. No haggling with the Tibetans, so I have been told. The quality of the other stuff is very poor IMHO, and to be honest, silver is not expensive in England anyway. The workmanship is very poor on most Indian stuff. I like to support the Tibetans as they are living away from their homeland and their cause is in dire need of our help.
Rant over!!!
I have bought Tibetan silver and it is genuine solid silver, no problems with it. No haggling with the Tibetans, so I have been told. The quality of the other stuff is very poor IMHO, and to be honest, silver is not expensive in England anyway. The workmanship is very poor on most Indian stuff. I like to support the Tibetans as they are living away from their homeland and their cause is in dire need of our help.
Rant over!!!
Hi, i bought two Radley bags and two radley purses back in November 06, and al still look as new. i was very pleased with my purchaes in india, i bought a lot too!
N22CKE - i have also been to turkey a few times and bought lots of bags there, and although i do think theyare good quality, and although the india bags are slightly more expensive than turkey, you do get better quality for your money in india.
x
If you see a nice radley bag that you like before you go, take a picture of it, and you can get it made over there.
I bought the little bucket purses from the genuine fake shop in candolim for 70r (£1) each, for my friends, they are £15 back home and my friends are more than made up with them.
Check the leather, because there is some leather that isn%26#39;t as nice, mine is a nice soft leather, and i%26#39;m chuffed to bits with it.
I have bought quite a lot of Tibetan silver over the years, never had a problem. Silver does tarnish of course and needs to be cleaned now and then.
I bought three lovely ';Radley'; bags earlier this year for 600rps each.
Just tried to rebook for the Thompsonfly Saturday Birmingham 7.45pm flight through Thomas Cook as we did this year.I was told that there is no B,ham flight and that I would have to go from Manchester.As I live nearer B,ham, plus - this year the Birmingham TOM flight started at Manchester and picked up in B,ham, I did not want to have to book Manchester flight only to find out I could have got on at B,ham.Does anyone know what is happening?
We tried to book with Thomsons from Bham.They have joined forces with First Choice so the flights are on FC planes not Thomsons. There are flights to Goa from East Midlands if that helps?
The hotel we want is in the Thomas Cook brochure but not in Thompson.Direct Holidays have Birmingham flights but not the hotel we want so we may just have to plump for Manchester unless Thomas Cook put the Thompsonfly flight from B%26#39;ham back on.
Hi We are booked with portland to go this november at 5pm from Birmingham with First Choice who are now Thomsons, on the same flight last November Thomas Cook passangers were on our flight when booking looked at both companys but Portland were cheaper for same holiday and used ThomsonFly.First Choice planes have the same legroom and seatback TV as Thomson. Might be worth checking.
Hi again sorry forgot to say the flight from Birmingham has now changed to Monday. Jan
Thomson are an opposing company to Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook joined up with Airtours so surely you should be looking at one of these sites for Thomas Cook flights?
Petemacc, we booked the holday from the Thomas Cook brochure last year and the flight was on a Thompsonfly plane. Anyway to make sure we got the hotel we want, we have booked again from the thomas Cook brochure and are flying from Manchester on the Thomas Cook aircraft. Will look at the others you suggested though- thanks.
There are 4 of us (2 adults %26amp; 2 children) going to the Osborne in the 1st week of April. Looking at out paper work, we%26#39;ve noticed that we have been given 2 rooms. Do they have rooms with interconnecting doors at the Osborne. If not, I guess it will have to be 1 adult %26amp; 1 child per room. This will also mean that we will have to pay double for the upgrade to air conditioning. Does anyone know if they have rooms or a suites which can accommodate all 4 us and which phase they are in?
We land in Goa at 5:30am flying with First Choice.
How long is the transfer from the airport?
Does the coach stop off at a dozen hotels dropping people off first?
Is it better to arrange your own taxi for the transfer and if so what would we expect to pay without getting ripped off?
I%26#39;m sure when i checked their website out before it does do family rooms, best to go on their website.
Coaches do tend to do drop offs, if you catch taxi to calangute it will cost Rs600. If you got kids best to catch taxi as it about 40 to 50 minutes away depending on time of day and traffic.
You can always sort out your room when you get their and pay additional money or email them directly as they may not have certain rooms available. If you have booked through first choice i would recommend that you ask them to alter the rooms that way less likely to get ripped off.
best of luck.
I would contact them, we recently stayed there and had room E1, i think that was in Phase II, it had a large lounge with a three piece suite, coffee table, dressing table and fridge, larger than the bedroom actually as well as the bedroom which had a wardrobe and 2 single beds, both rooms had a balcony. I would think you could get 2 single beds in the lounge as well as the other furniture so they could move them from the other room you have booked. I am sure they will accommodate you if they can. This room may or may not be air conditioned but we went in January and rarely even used the fan, its a very cool suite and anyway they probably have similar size suites.
Tel: 0091-832-2276514,
Fax: 0091-832-2276064,
Email: osborne@sancharnet.in
Osborne is usually the first or second drop off on the transfer when we go but thats with Thomas Cook.
hi stepsahead
we have the same problem, i have just emailed the osbourne to find out if it is possible to change to a family room, will let you know how we get on
we%26#39;re there the same time as you but staying for 2 weeks
although we%26#39;re doing the coach to the hotel as some times they give you some good info. but we%26#39;re getting a taxi for the return trip to airport
nickie
Thanks for your prompt replies Dragonfi %26amp; Coburg. I%26#39;ve had a look at their website and they do do family suites at an extra charge.
Hi N22cke .... we are actually going for 2 weeks, but we%26#39;ve opted to try South Goa for the 2nd week and have booked a 2 bedroom villa in Mobor - Cavelossim. We%26#39;ve paid for 2 weeks at the Osborne as the price for 1 week worked out more .... yeh, I%26#39;m trying to work that one out but that%26#39;s what First Choice quoted us.
Would love to hear what response you get back from the Osborne ... I hear they are very slow at replying or don%26#39;t reply at all (sigh!).
3 weeks and counting.
What day are you flying and which airport?
hi
osborne phase 1 also has large %26#39;apartment%26#39; type rooms ie: bedroom + large living room which could fit 2 beds for kids, but no option of a/c in phase 1.
definately no interconnecting doors.
bus takes about an hour we%26#39;ve only used it once on our 1st trip 5 yrs ago - stuffy,claustrophobic %26amp; uncomfortable %26amp; the drivers drive like loonies! personally id get a taxi, sorry cant remember how much (havent been since last april) but once out of the airport hall just over the driveway theres a little stand that has regulated taxis with prices listed. although im sure someone will come along with a guide for taxi price.
hi steps ahead
no response as yet !!
we fly out on mar 31 first choice from manchester, 2 weeks 1 day not that i%26#39;m counting kids are striking off the days on the calander!
just been packing the cases seeing as i don%26#39;t think we%26#39;re going to need summer clothes here!
nickie
hi ive just checked e mail again and hey i%26#39;ve had a reply it says
Yes, we do have have very few two bedroom Apartments in which a family like yours cam be accommodated.
You will need to check it out on arrival and opt for it after signing a disclaimer.
Kind regards.
Joe da Silva.
Manager.
hope this helps
nickie
Osborne do take along time to reply. I even rang them directly and was unable to get any information regarding room availabilty as the person who deals with it wasn%26#39;t their. you would think anyone that answers the phone would be able to answer a simple query like that but unfortunately they couldn%26#39;t. It gets beyond frustrating. the funny thing was after I had booked another hotel they emailed me about a family room, that%26#39;s how i knew they had them but it wasn%26#39;t what i wanted as i was in goa on my own in the first week.
What i did this time when i emailed a hotel i called them after and told them that I had emailed them. I soon got a prompt response. Most of them have no access to internet and have to go to the cafes which could be once a week.
perhaps they%26#39;re getting better sent email last night and got reply today at lunch time ! not bad eh
perhaps i just got lucky ;o)
nickie
Hi, I stayed at the Osborne last year. There was a large group of us and we were spread over Phase II %26amp; III. I had a large room with separate living area and that slept 3 of us, tho to be honest you could easily have 2 single beds in the living area and there would still be ample room. By chance, my brother and his girlfriend were next door to us, but we did have have an interconnecting door between the 2 rooms. So yes, they do have them. Sorry, I dont remember my room number. I stayed in Phase III (Phase II has reception). I was in the 1st block as you entered Phase III and think I was on the 2nd floor. On the downside tho, our room had a really small shower room, everyone else%26#39;s was huge.
Hope this helps
Hi, it%26#39;s our first time to Goa. Travelling on Monday.
Just busy packing our cases, can anyone advise what we need is it suitable to go to resturants in the evening casually dressed.
Many thanks, Ali
I took linen pants, and not my best ones, cause they end up trailing in the red sand on the streets
Demin skir, strappy tops.
hubby took canvas pants and jeans, and he bought a load of t-shirts whilst out there.
Oh and flat shoes, as the pavements are not that good.
Hi
as said very casual, i used to wear cropped trews %26amp; strappy top or skirt %26amp; strappy top in the evenings %26amp; i stick with various types of flip flops. you do see the odd woman struggling with high heels - dont bother the roads/pavements-where there are any, are very rough %26amp; you%26#39;d risk your ankles ( %26amp; your dignity) trying to teeter around in them.
men just as casual, anything from vest tops to shirts with shorts or jeans/trousers (better for mossie defences)
A boiler suit for eating out. :0)
definately flipflop type footwear for him and her, cheap and cheerful then pop them in the bin on the last night. I would suggest disposable beach towels as well (cheapest you can find) it helps with the very strict weight allowances coming home. Two towels = one bottle of Honeybee (no competition)
Hi Vicolino
Could you elaberate on the very strick weight allowance you mentioned. I have been told by my tour operator that we are allowed to take 30 klo each, not that we would use it going. But you never know on the way back.
Many thanks....Sandy
Hi, we%26#39;re flying out tomorrow with thomas cook. we were told the normal baggage allowance is 15kg.
We paid an extra £25 each to increase the baggage allowance to 20kg.
Hope this helps, kind regards Ali
My luggage going out to goa weighed 12kg, my allowance was 20kg
i took no beach towels, bought them there, and dumped them before we came home.
I took enough clothes for couple of nights, and i just had them laundered whilst i was there.
On a morning i dropped the bag of in reception and it was returned back to me just after tea.
Cost 20r for a blouse, so there was no way i was lugging 14 nights clothes.
I took a black and brown pair of linen pants and had then laundered about 3 times each whilst i was there.
Hi, i would advise you to take casual clothes. the atmosphere in the evening is very relaxed, they dont really have dress codes for the restaurants either. one evening we went shopping straight from the beach and went to a restaurant in our beach clothing!! your clothes will get very dirty too, so i would not take any expensive clothes, they will end up orange!! have a lovely time, i go in 3 weeks and cant wait! you will love it.
Sorry
I ment 30kg not 30klo, having a very blond day ;o)
Wow what a fab laundry service - i think you%26#39;ve got the right idea.
Im so trying to pack light - but one thing leads to another!
Many thaks for all your help!
I will be reaching New Jolpaeguri around 8 morning. From there what are the ways to go to Darjeeling? what is the distance in time and the fare?
You can take a taxi on share basis, which is cheaper or you can hire it for yourself, which will of course be more expensive. You will have to negotiate the price, so ask 2-3 drivers before you come to an agreement.
Or you can take the bus from Siliguri bus stop.
Or you can take the toy train, which will take up your whole day for a scenic journey.
Its about 80 KM / 3 hours from NJP station, more if you take a break at Kurseong.
Have a look through the older posts. Some good sightseeing suggestions there.
Can anyone tell me what type of electrical plug is used in goa,sorry but its my first time in goa 2 weeks time.
colin
buy your plugs there it will cost very little and they are a better fit.
Agreed. They cost around 60 - 80 rupees and lots of shops sell them.
if you already have one, its two round pins mostly.
i did find though, in CSM, they had sockets that you couldput almost any plug into. this is not commom though.
BOB
BOB sorry to be a pain but the wife just brought a boots mosquito killer and its just got a normal 3 pin english plug on it,and the box states for india,south africa,cyprus.i am still a bit confused are the sockets the same as in spain egypt an other such contries many thanks
colin
hi colin,
to my knowledge there are no square pin plugs in goa. there are three round pin, and two round pin. the three round pin will take a two round pin plug also.
if you want to use your mossie machine, you will have to have an adapter. but my advice is to leave it behind and buy one in goa. they are around 50 or 60pence to buy there and you get a bottle of the fluid with it. they are available in most of the shops.
BOB
many thanks BOB its been a bit of a struggle,with visas and other things now it forcasts for thunderstorms when we are otu there, all good fun i suppose,i hope its worth it when we get there.nice to see someone up as early as me.we are staying in cavelossim have you been there?
colin
hi colin.
no haven%26#39;t been to cavalossim. hope the weather settles down for you.
we%26#39;ve just got back from kerala, had a hum dinger of a thunderstorm there on thursday.
BOB
well its still 32c that will have to do i suppose,it must be nice back in warm england.the thunderstorms are forcast for the 25ish no worries just have to get drunk then all will be ok
colin
Hi Bob
Have a good time ?
Going to post a report ?
We went there a few years back, just wondered what your thoughts were.
Jeff
hey barking what the weather like your way, im playing football there at 10.30 averely,hope its 32c ish
colin
Hi, does anyone know if the Cash Machines in Goa - accept Visa Delton Debit cards from the Halifax.
Im flying out tomorrow morning and was wondering if i could withdraw cash - once im there.
Many thanks!
Yes they do, but Halifax will charge you for the privilige.
Hi, many thanks for reply. We%26#39;re taking travellers cheques and cash with us. But just in case we run out!
Flying out 3pm tomorrow - cant wait!
Our first time in goa and excited about meeting the elephants!!
Many thanks
You will have a fabulous time.
You have to notify your bank that you are going to be using your card in Goa.
We had a problem in January when a friend we were travelling with had his card stopped.
Apparently it is a security measure.
I rang my bank (the Halifax) from Goa, before I used my card, and then had no problems at all.
has anyone just got back after staying in the marriott?we have received a letter from first choice saying that there is work going on around the hotel :the football pitch and the squash courts
they have offer to move us to the hyatt but the reviews are as good as the marriott
can anyone help?
Can%26#39;t help with the work aspect. I think I%26#39;d probably stick with the Marriott though. The Hyatt is very nice, but it is a bit isolated, although if you want it quiet, then it%26#39;s fine and you can always get taxis to Majorda or Margao. The Marriott%26#39;s only a couple of kilometres outside Panjim so you can hop in a taxi to go into the town if you want to. They%26#39;re both good hotels.
Park Hyatt probably a lot better hotel than Marriot and location, providing you like the peace of the South
Hi Guys and Gals,
I%26#39;m off to the Hyatt two weeks tomorrow (for my honeymoon), and while i%26#39;m really looking forward to the peace and quiet from the isolation, i%26#39;m a bit concerned now that i have read some of the posts about the expensive restaurants at the hotel. We%26#39;re going there on a B%26amp;B basis and probably won%26#39;t be too flush straight after forking out for a wedding - has anyone been there, or had any experience eating at the beach shacks? I%26#39;m really looking forward to eating some fresh, local cusines, but i%26#39;m just hoping that they have plenty of variety.
Cheers,
Laura
I don%26#39;t think you can go wrong with eatng at eating at any beach shacks or resturanrts are they are cheaoer than any five star hotel and more of an experenience as to be honest you dont wanna be eating all your meals t fic=ve str hotel or you lose the whole experience of goa life and nightlife.
Mates of mine will be staying their while im in goa and we planned to meet up for clubbing in calungute to got ot mambo, tito%26#39;s and the other club br that open till 6.30am. and also meeting up tp go to anjuna market on saturday and enjoy the night life their.
Even though you in five star like my mates make the most of goa around you and experience everything around you.
As your in five star hotel taxi drivers might charge you more so if your in panjim work a deal with a driver their and arrange pick up and take you where you want and wait for you until you ready to go to hotel dont realy know what fare but if people pay 700 Rupees for the day then i would suggest you offer that amount as its alot to them. Taxis do charge more at night but if you barter you can come to agreement and if you do use the same taxi again and out the goodness of your heart I would give them good tip just for being a good bargain and reliable.
I am visiting Pune for hospital purpose from 27th March2008 to 30 th March 2008 at Poona hospital and research centre, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road , Pune.
Please advice me a lowcost budget hotel which is in a radius of0.5 to 1kms from the hospital.
Please give details like phone numbers , exact address , distance from hospital and facilities available.Requirement is of single a/c room.
try travelguru.com
There are several hotels in a radius of 1 to 2 kms from the hotel. Many on Jangli Maharaj Road and some on prabhat road, Bhandrakar Road. Like Sapna Hotel, Laxman Hotel, Raviraj, Smart Inn etc. They are across the river from the hospital. I don%26#39;t know the rates but they should be available online.
I will be moving shortly to pune for working in Wipro Technology, hinjewadi. Can i get a suitable accomodation nearby to my company
People working in the Hinjewadi area prefer staying in the Aundh, Baner, wakad, pashan areas. They are the closest residential areas. Check the company%26#39;s bus routes so you can narrow your search.
Going to be in Pune for about 5 days and my son would like to play tennis, preferably nearby at Deccan Gymkhana club. Any suggestions for how I might get more information about setting something up?
Enquire at the Club Office in the evenings bet 5 and 7 or in the mornings bet 8 to 11. AFter payment of a guest fee i think you can book a court.
So, you don%26#39;t have to be a member to use the courts? Is there a phone # there I can call, so I can line up some lessons with a coach, maybe?
The tel nos are +91-20-25670217,/25675994/25660983
Hi All,
Just wondering - how do tourists/bollywood fans get admittance to film city?
Do you need to go through an embassy in india?
How easy is it to get admittance?
Can you go there buy booking via a tour company?
All suggestions will be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Please read this post:
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g304554-i4228-k162鈥?/a>
Thanks for that deepa - that was of great help. Now im not sure if metropolitan used one of those tours that he/she googled.
Are these tours for real?? I just dont wanna end up being dissapointed getting there and not being able to see film city..
I know u have a touring coy (I dunno if this can be asked here) - do u arrange anything of this sort?
Hi we will be in goa next week for two weeks ,my teenage sons are asking me if the tailors can make up a pair of jeans (would they have jean material in goa)he has a pair of GSTAR jeans which he paid over 80 pounds for ,also were would i be able to buy Radley bags and purses from,anyone know what the weather has been like down south goa?
You%26#39;ll find plenty of shops selling Radley bags, you won%26#39;t have to look very hard! I%26#39;m sure tailors can make up jeans, but I%26#39;ve never known anyone have any made, nor would I like to say what sort of denim they might have there. There are Levis, Lee Cooper and other shops in Panjim selling jeans if those are trendy enough.
hi
can you also get chloe bags or just radley, it%26#39;s not that i%26#39;m fussy any nice bag will do but i would really like a chloe as they are so expensive over here,
thanks
nickie
Yeah Nickie, I was wondering about that too. I%26#39;m going to get a friend a couple of bags and whilst she likes Radley bags, her daughter likes Chloe ones better and so do I. I suppose if you take a photo of any bag you like they%26#39;ll try to copy it, is that it?
Diasal - there%26#39;s a good jeans tailor in Candolim, near Flambe%26#39;s restaurant, they specialise in jeans. Don%26#39;t know the name though.
With regard to handbags, if you want a particular handbag copying just take a photo with you and they will copy it in your chosen colour.
WOW - I can%26#39;t wait - I%26#39;m a sucker for a nice leather handbag - I%26#39;m going to spend a fortune - I can tell! lol!
When l have been to Goa l have been really amazed at the quality of workmanship of the tailors.
The best advice one can give you is take the item of clothing into the tailors and they will copy it exactly.......Jeans although l have not had any made l am sure if you look hard enough you will find a tailor that can oblidge HAPPY HOLS SERETA
Hi
We had a terrific thunderstorm last night in south Goa....lots of rain, very noisy thunder and all types of lightning. We sat out and watched it as we have noy seen rain since the monson finished. Today very muggy and hot so may be more rain today.
Have a good holiday.
HELP !!!!!
We have been going to India every other years since 1997. When we first went we went to Kovalam, and loved it. Since then we have been going to Goa and love it there also. Last time we were in Goa we had noticed the change we still love the place and even though it is getting busier and more commercial (by India%26#39;s standards) we were wondering how much Kerala had changed. After we had visited Goa the first time we did noticed that Kovalam was a little more switched on to the tourist, as in a bit more expensive and more beach hawkers. But last time we were in Goa we noticed Dominos pizza%26#39;s and a Red Bull car driving around. But normal holiday destinations I know Inida is still not that commercial, but I am wondering if maybe I should give Goa a miss this time and try Kovalam again.
So heres my problem.......
Do we go to Goa again or do we try Kovalam again ??
I would be interested in your thoughts.
Thannks
Hello Tippie. What about doing what we do which is going to both, splitting the holiday, also try visiting some of the beach resorts in Karnataka, still very unspoilt by tourism. We have also travelled further north up the coast into Maharashtra, again finding some wonderful beaches which again haven%26#39;t been found by lots of western tourists. The accomodation in these places is exceptionally cheap and the friendliness of the local people is even better than Goa.
Hi Step
I hadn%26#39;t even given that a thought. It sounds like a good idea. Tell me more please. We have at least three weeks, would that be long enough ? Also how did you do it, did you fly in and out of the one resort, fly in to one leave by another. How did you travel around and so on. I would be really interested in hearing more.
Thanks that really has given me food for thought.
Tippie.
hi tippie
i%26#39;ve just done a report on my recent holiday to kerala, its entitled kerala or goa thats the question, you may like to read my opinion.
BOB
can anybody tell me the cost of viagra in goa,its for a friend
From what I remember (and I was only looking for a friend of course...) it%26#39;s less than a pound for 4 tabs and it%26#39;s called %26#39;Kamagra%26#39; over there.
My friend bought some too... Price sounds about right. And im sure many people will advise you against the dangers of buying ';drugs'; in Goa. Seriously though, havent used Viagra, but always bring back some anti-histamine, anti-biotics, sleeping tablets, which we use on the plane and have never had a problem. You can buy most medications over the counter without needing a prescription.
The gear that is available in all the pharmacies is called Zenegra 100, it costs 60 rupees for a pack of four, about 80p
thanks alot to all who replied, i will now tell my friend
Yeah right..';its for my friend';
we got some kamagra its was about 42 pence per tablet.
Of course not for our use but to sell to builder mates of hubby%26#39;s...
Zenegra 100 100 tabs £20 pound.bought last week.
its crap as well not the same as the medication in england, i have not tried it but my friend as r f l.
and don%26#39;t forget to barter, hubby did in the chemist and she knocked a few rupees off.
hello folks,i,m back!!
just one thing strikes me about this thread, its amazing how many people call ';IT';, my friend.
BOB.
PS holiday report to follow as soon as i have time.
Cpme on Bobthebus get that report out.....Dying to know what kerala was like ? Better than Goa ? When did you get back ? SERETA
Seeking opinion. Flying into Chennai 18th March and heading for Hampi at first opportunity. Not that much into big cities , night life etc. Would it be best to skip Bangalore and go staright to Hampi? If so , how best to go direct from Chennai to Hosapete oe do you have to go via Bangalore?
Thax for any help you can give.
Javahead8
You have no choice but to go via Bangalore-you can take a cab from the airport and drive to Hampi directly from there if you wish to..
Let me rephrase-to get to Hampi from Chennai the route takes you via Bangalore-from where you can go by road or rail(overnight). You can%26#39;t byepass Bangalore-it%26#39;s a junction from where you have to start the trip to Hampi.
From Chennai you can take any train bound for Mumbai and get off at Guntakal Junction.From Guntakal take a bus to Hospet/Hampi.
Trains from Chennai leave at 2250/1145/0700hrs and arrive at Guntakal at0800/2045/1430hrs respectively.
From Guntakal there are about 3-4 trains to Hospet but timings don%26#39;t match when you arrive at Guntakal frm Chennai. So bus would be the best option and quick too.
ALTERNATIVELY if you wish to take a train from Bangalore,take Hampi express that departs every day from Bangalore city Jn at 2230hrs and arrives at Hospet at 0745hrs next day.
are you looking for Chennai to Hampi tour packages?
I am traveling to India - Chennai airport soon. I have train to catch after 5 hrs of arrival. I arrive at 1AM in morning.Can anyone advice whether there is any accommodation at the airport (I guess dormitory is hard to get!!) or waiting lounge at international arrival terminal? Any suggestions?
There are two train stations( Egmore and Chennai Central stations) in Chennai. From which station will you be taking train?
It would be better if you take a taxi to the train station soon after arrival so that you can sleep in one of the hotels near by.
Alternatively, you can approach airport manager as soon as you arrive and ask for an acommodation.May be that you are lucky to get a room.Ldging is located above the domestic terminal building.
To my knowledge there is no waiting lounge at international terminal. You may go to domestic terminal and can wait there.Normally they allow passengers who have early morning flight to catch.
Thanks for the reply.
I am getting train from Egmore at 7 AM.
Any suggestions for hotels near Egmore railway station?
Budget hotels near Egmore stations are Udupi Home, Tourist Home, Nest-in etc..There are many lodgings near and opposite Egmore station.
check out any budget hotels from Chennai Hotels Directory http://www.hotelsinchennai.org/
Hey guys, im wondering what the cheapest way to get to india from Hanoi or if necessary bangkok would be at the beginning of July?
Does anyone know any good cheap websites for flights? I have to be in Delhi on the 19th of July but it doesnt matter where we fly into as long as it has good travel connections within india.
thanks for your help,
Dave
Take a low cost airline from Hanoi to Bkk, then fly another low cost like Air India Express from Bkk-Calcutta or Bkk-Delhi.
Jet Airways also has a reasonable flight from BKK-CCU.
For flights within India, try makemytrip.com or cleartrip.com or yatra.com, either.
For flights within India, try meta search engines like faresearch.rediff.com, ixigo.com and zoomtra.com
Hi guys its time to ask for suggestions how have best time for 4 days from Aug 3 to Aug 7, we will be traveling with our son 16yr old, first time in Bangalore, I know it will be hot but what about rain, any advice will be greatly appriciated, thanks
Bangalore has some lovely heritage places and boutique homestays. I suggest you stay in them. Hotels in Bangalore are ridiculously expensive provided you get vacancy.
Be careful while booking through travel agents and tour operators. They charge more and they cannot guarantee a confirmed booking even AFTER you%26#39;ve paid!
My advise is to go to any of the online accommodation booking websites. They%26#39;re definitely more reliable. Try makemytrip.com, cleartrip.com and yatra.com
Though these may not give you the kind of places mentioned above. They%26#39;re usually difficult to find.
Try talking to the guys are Incredible India. They%26#39;re helpful.
Is Mama still at the beach in Baga? Met her there 5 years ago.
Just got back and guess what ';Mama'; is still going strong.
Bless her!!!
BORO
glad to hear that. she is quite a character.
hey
I%26#39;m planning on travelling to India next month for a week, and I have a few questions..
I%26#39;ve heard it%26#39;s unadvisable to go on my own, but unfortunately I have no one to go with. Is this going to be a big problem, or ok if I%26#39;m sensible?
I love wearing saris, but wondered if I will be looked down upon or thought of to be ridiculing religion and culture if I do this in India? (I%26#39;m not Indian, I%26#39;m white british).
Also if you have first timer tips, that%26#39;d be wonderful!
Thankyou
Dear little-legs - I wrote an article called ';the western woman and the saree'; - perhaps you%26#39;d care to read it? You might find it interesting.
鈥logspot.com/2008/02/western-women-and-sare鈥?/a>
If you have worn saris before, I%26#39;d say, go for it.
I run a tour company, and often our customers are single women on their own. They do feel uncomfortable going out at night, and usually have dinner in the hotel where they are staying.
The experience of India that a single woman has is dramatically different depending on whether you are travelling on a budget or in luxury. In the luxury hotels (or even the better class of hotels) you will get treated like royalty and will feel always cosseted and safe. The budget hotels on the other hand, tend to feel unsafe.
- Deepa
Depends where you are going. North India tends to be distinctly single woman unfriendly but Kerala, Goa should be okay. As another member says, in high end hotels there will not be any problem, for that matter as long as you are not in the cheapest guest house, there ought to be no problems. Take the usual precautions like not venturing out alone at night, and avoid overnight road / rail travel on your own. Also dress sensibly - avoid shorts, strappy tops, low necks, any kind of revealing clothing that would attract unwanted attention. Saris, for those not used to them, can be quite inconvenient for everyday travel. Definitely no one would look down upon you for wearing a sari, but you will attract attention - some unwanted! If you say where you are headed, I could give you some more relevant information.
Bang on, syn. Can I nominate you for Mumbai Destination Expert? Your advice is always sensible.
I was looking at the Chateau Windsor hotel.. that鈥檚 the kind of budget I鈥檓 on.
Deepa, you鈥檝e made me feel a little more confident about going on my own, thankyou! I think I may take a sari with me and brave it one day and see how I feel. Just love wearing them, seems to change the way I hold myself instantly.
I鈥檓 still trying to decide between chowpatty beach or colaba area, and I have no idea how near or far away from each other they are. I have a lot more research to do this weekend!
What I鈥檓 looking for is just to see some sights, get a feel for India, look around little shops. Casual touristy things.
Hi
I went on my own and did all the tourist things including catching train and bus. Mumbai is abit like London and New York so many people going about their business and though you strand out they don%26#39;t tend to hassle you at all.
I had a great time and i did go out in the evenings but not too late, i always felt comfortable as many people are around in the evening especially around Colaba but best to be careful all the same.
I would say if you are happy as a white woman wearing a sari in UK, you will be fine in India and attract much less attention - after all in India a sari is just normal clothing. Or you may be admired, but in a nice way. Go for it! And think of all the sarees you can buy... but watch out for the sales pitch.
As for %26#39;Eve-teasing%26#39;, you will probably not escape entirely, but try to copy the way Indian upper middle-class women behave and you should have less hassle. Ladies%26#39; carriages on suburban trains are a great boon. If you are in a mixed compartment or a bus you are perfectly within your rights to move so that you are not sitting next to a man, many people do this. Be wary of men who approach you - they may be quite innocent, but if they were they would probably be too shy to approach a lone western woman. But make the most of meetings with women (generally %26#39;ladies%26#39;), you will probably find many will be keen to talk to you and help you.
Once you get used to it, and provided you are not on a rock-bottom budget, India is actually one of the easiest countries to travel in on your own.
Thankyou for the heads up on Eve teasing.. I hadn%26#39;t even heard of it before now. I will take extra caution.
Does anyone know how far away Hotel Arma Court is from colaba? I%26#39;ve tried searching but can%26#39;t really find any details.. thank you.
And thankyou for the confidence boost, coburg.. was a little nervous now am getting more confident and just want to go!
Hi,
If you are intent on staying in Colaba (aka';town side'; in local parlance) Hotel arma Court would be quite far. It is located in BKC, a commercial area in Bandra which is towards North Mumbai. It would take you 30-40 mins by local train to town plus cab (10-15mins thereon) to colaba. By road, it would take 1 hour (assuming regular traffic) from this hotel to Colaba area.
Would not recommend you to travel by train, atleast not during the peak hours.
Chateau Windsor is well located (in the Churchgate area). My wife %26amp; I will be staying there in a couple of weeks time.
From the hotel you can walk to Chowpatty Beach in about 15 minutes. Also, Colaba is just a short cab ride away.
Can anyone tell me do I need to book trains in advance of taking them round India or can I just buy tickets as I need them? Can you also tell me what the air conditioned class is called? Do you get tickets by seat number?
You can buy tickets at booking offices and stations, but in peak season its better to book in advance and get an e-ticket for the more popular trains.
www.indianrail.gov.in
www.irctc.co.in =%26gt; booking.
There are 3 AC classes, AC First (Cabin), AC II tier, AC III Tier.
AC II tier is best, not as expensive as a Cabin, more privacy than AC III Tier. If that is not available, then 3 tier is good enough.
Do NOT book the unairconditioned (Sleeper) Class.
RatnaPrasad has a nice Inside page on railways, if you look it up.
Buy your tickets on-line,in advance, when you can! When you get there will sometimes be too late,depending on which train you wish to take. Though if you have no definite itinerary, advanced booking will be hard to say the least.Long queues at the train station, with ';NO queing system'; can be quite daunting. Through a tour operator you will be charged a lot more for the tickets
THE ONE GOLDEN RULE . . .
Do not show the tickets to people who aproach you on the platform asking to see your tickets.Ask for ID first and even then be wary. They will definitely disappear before your very eyes.You have been warned !
E-tickets need to be backed up by ID verification, which does reduce theft. I was only last week told E-tickets were no good,and that I would need to change it at the kiosk, by some ne%26#39;er do well.The truth was E-tickets do work, but were no good to him.
Good luck.
Chris
I would also add that it dependas if you are travelling alone or not. The more people you are in your group the the greater the need to book ahead if you want to sit/sleep close to each other.
Indian Railways FAQ
tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293860-c63603/India:鈥?/a>
What are 4 or 5 star hotels in the Mumbai Business District?
Please write back ASAP!
Thank you,
JML
Taj Mahal Palace and Towers
Taj President
Oberoi
Hilton
Intercontinental Marine Drive
Marine Plaza
These are all in South Mumbai. Where is your place of work? There are offices in the north as well.
Four Seasons just opened, it is in Worli.
The Hilton ceases to remain a Hilton on 31st March and changes to Trident. The arrangement Oberoi had with Hilton for a Hilton franchise comes to an end.
So, you should look for that property as a Trident thereafter.
Also, you should be careful about the Intercontinental you book should you choose that. One is located downtown in the business district and is a lovely small boutique property. The other one --Intercontinental The Grand -- is near the international airport.
Planning on going to India this June , Of course the Tai mahal is a must was thinking of a train adventure or a backwater tour , want to see the ';real India '; any ideas ? any ideas of cost ?
thanks
Yes, the Taj Mahal is a must-see.
Most tourists go to Rajasthan, our desert state, and spend their time seeing palaces and forts and elephants and dancers and snake charmers. In the process, all they do is reinforce every pre-conceived notion they already have about India (originally mostly formed from watching cliched Hollywood films).
The real India can%26#39;t be found either at the Taj Mahal or in Rajasthan. Both these places have been ruined by tourism, in my opinion. The best places to go to are those that don%26#39;t have tourism as a major (or primary) source of income for the population. Go where the cities and villages are still vibrant in ways that have nothing to do with tourist money.
June is too hot for Rajasthan, I think. Even the Taj is going to be hot, but that%26#39;s something you%26#39;ll have to do I guess.
I would bet on an adventure trip to the Himalayas, where the weather is cooler. Go see our mountain railways, go to Darjeeling, Sikkim, Uttaranchal or Leh/Ladakh.
- Deepa
June is the beginning of the monsoon season in West India. In the North it sets in mid July so you may be better off starting at say, Delhi to see the Taj Mahal at Agra. The minus side is that it is excruciatingly hot and furnace like in this region right up to the monsoons. If you want a train experience you can take the Delhi Agra train which is a few hours journey.
www.indianrail.gov.in; www.irctc.co.in will give you more information
Delhi has a few monuments which are worth seeing such as the Red Fort, Qutb Minar and Humayuns Tomb. The lotus shaped bahai temple is also different.
You could also visit the sub Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal which will be lovely and not crowded at this time. If Delhi is your starting point check vinstring.com for customised trips. Another good option would be the wildlife sanctuaries of northern India such as Corbett, Ranthambore etc. Check whether they are open as some close during summer and others during the monsoons.
June / July are off seasons in India so you ought to get good discounts. Star hotels in Delhi and Mumbai are atrociously priced but you can get good prices at mid range hotels. Try travelguru.com for hotels.
Kerala and Goa get heavy rainfall during the monsoons but they also have their own charm during this season, although undoubtedly you can not enjoy a beach holiday.
The best backwaters are in the Allepey region of Kerala where it could well be raining cats and dogs ! It is however lovely in the rains but be warned that it can rain non stop for days at times.
Avoid big overcrowded cities like Mumbai, except as a gateway to Ajanta and Ellora - very nice in the rains but can get slippery.
For architectural splendour there is nothing to beat the magnificent ancient temples of Tamil Nadu tamilnadutourism.org I think they do a train tour of the main temple towns, you can check their website. Khajuraho and Konark in Orissa are also well known for their erotic temple sculpture.
Hampi, the ruins of the Vijayanagara Kingdom - in Karnataka is also worth a visit. If you are going to Karnataka, you can also visit the Jog falls which are spectacular in the monsoons. Coorg the hilly coffee growing region will be misty and magical at this time and can be combined with a visit to the Nagarhole Sanctuary [check if open].
Sikkim and Bhutan in the sub Himalayan east are also beautiful places worth visiting.
There is so much to see in India, do a google on india tourism to decide on which region or what you would like to see, and then get down to brass tacks.
Three weeks to go and I%26#39;m getting my packing organised. Now, I%26#39;m usually the sort to take everything except the kitchen sink, but after reading here that you should travel light, I%26#39;m trying to cut back drastically, particularly when it comes to footwear. I intend to just take whatever we are travelling in and 1 pair of flip-flops with the intention of getting lots of sandals/flip flops there, I%26#39;ve heard they%26#39;re cheap and pretty.
I just need reassurance that they do them in kids sizes because I%26#39;m having visions of the girls wearing the same pair of flip flops, day and night, for two weeks!
TICKETS ARRIVED TODAY - WHOO HOO!!! Now it seems real.
Indian people have smaller feet than we do so getting sandals etc for the kids shouldn%26#39;t be a problem. They have some really lovely, cheap sandals and bright flip flops.
And what%26#39;s wrong with wearing the same pair of flip flops for two weeks? I had to once when my decent sandals mysteriously got left out of the suitcase and Indian sandals don%26#39;t fit me!
I%26#39;m curious, why don%26#39;t they fit you?
Good point re: bothering about wearing the same pair of flip flops for two weeks, seeing as my %26#39;almost%26#39; teenage daughter would wear the same clothes for two weeks if it were up to her.
I%26#39;ve got wide feet and Indian women obviously haven%26#39;t! They%26#39;re always too narrow for me, which is a shame, because I love them.
The Indian sandals are sooooooo lovely and the most comfortable footwear I%26#39;ve ever had, bar my trainers!
I must say the sandals/flip flops out there dont fit me either, my feet are too big. The girls out there are so dainty, I shouldn%26#39;t think anybody has feet much bigger than a size 4. I wore the same pair of flip flops for 3 weeks during the day and a different pair for the evening, its dusty in Goa and I wasn%26#39;t going to ruin my good sandals.
I paid 200r for some lovely flip flops and i wore them every night.
I%26#39;m a size 5 in england and i bought a size 10 in goa.
Also can i say i add a andrex toilet roll in my case, as there isnt%26#39; that much paper on the rolls in goa.
enjoy your holiday
I%26#39;m a 6, that should be OK should it - I mean they%26#39;ll go up to that will they?
I%26#39;m a size 6 and recall that they said 11 on the bottom.
Oh good, that%26#39;s fine - sometimes I need a 5 1/2 here so basically I%26#39;ll try them for size but I%26#39;ll be looking at a 10 or 11. I think the girls will be fine as they%26#39;re a between a 13 %26amp; 1 and 3 %26amp; 4.
Thanks for your help all :-)
I am a single mom who will be traveling with my two kids, 11 and 15. Because of school, we can only go between June and early August. I have been told that although it is going to be very hot, it would be better to go before the monsoons --- is this true? Our current plan is to arrive at 6am in Dehli on 6/1 and leave on 6/12. Because we are not likely to visit again I would like to see as much as possible without being too rushed. I would like to do 2 nights per place, but maybe one night in Dehli. Please let me know which places are worth only one night. We want to see Jaipur, Udaipur, Ranthambhore, Agra and if at all possible, Varanasi. What is the best order to visit? I understand that I will have to fly into Varanasi to save time. Is it best to fly from Udaipur to Varanasi? Or from Varanasit to Udaipur and then work our way back to Dehli by train and driver? Am I trying to do too much and the trip will be too rushed? I plan to stay in 4 or 5 star hotels as I want to be as comfortable and safe as possible. Any suggestions are appreciated.
All the places you plan to visdit are wonderful except Agra, which is certainly only worth a night... or maybe even just a couple of hours, enough time to tour the Taj and find out where the railway station is. If nothing else, Agra is a good place to catch trains to better centres around it, such as Jodhpur, Kota (for Bundi) or Varanasi.
I don%26#39;t know which airlines fly from Udaipur to Varanasi, but my thought is that this would, indeed, be a smart choice, as they are both a little difficult to get to by train. Don%26#39;t fly more than you absolutely have to, however, as you will find you%26#39;re spending a lot of time getting to and away from airports and going through customs/security formalities several times for each flight. I can%26#39;t think of an airport in India that I enjoyed being in.
I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;re planning too much, especially if you get onto the Indian Railways site and do some careful timetabling calculations. You might even be able to add a couiple of extra destinations, such as Jodhpur (easy to get to from Delhi or Agra) or Bundi (there%26#39;s a daily train from Agra Fort that goes there without the need to change at Kota Junction) or Khajuraho (there is now a ';new'; railway station and rail service to just a few kilometres from the temples, so you no longer have to sit for six hours on a bus from Satna... if I recall, you train it to Mahoba and change to a regional ';shuttle'; line).
Udaipur is great, but Jaipur and Jodhpur are equally as fine, so if you find the transport is a little difficult to organise, you may find it wise to substitute one of these, or Bundi. I would like to recommend Jaisalmer to you also, as it is wonderful and your kids will thank you for the rest of their lives... but this may just be stretching things a bit too far; and you certainly don%26#39;t want to leave out Varanasi, which, next to Jaisalmer, is the ';other'; amazing sight of the Indian sub-continent!
Really, you can%26#39;t miss... whatever you plan, I think you%26#39;ll have a great time, especailly if you avoid the worst of the heat by travelling overnight on trains, sightseeing from dawn till early afternoon, and resting after lunch until the sun goes down.
Dear Lifesjourney
Since you%26#39;re traveling with kids and June is unbearably hot (the monsoons don%26#39;t arrive in Rajasthan until July though in Varanasi you may get some rain, I recommend you stick as much as possible to air travel. June being the off season a lot of flights to tourist places get withdrawn so I doubt if you%26#39;ll be able to fly to Agra. The itinerary could be as follows -
1 June - Arrive Delhi
2 - Delhi - Varanasi by flight
3 - Varanasi
4 - Varanasi - Khajuraho by flight if operating
5 - Khajuraho - Jhansi drive %26amp; train to Agra in Ac chair car
6 - Agra - Jaipur evening train in Ac chair car
7 - Jaipur
8 - Jaipur - Udaipur flight
9 - Udaipur
10 - Udaipur - Delhi
11 - Delhi %26amp; departure
Should the flight to Khajuraho not be working, I recommend the overnight train from Varanasi to Agra on 4th evening so youre in Agra on 5th morning. Ive left Ranthambore out since you need at least 2 nights there to do at least 2-3 drives and have a realistic chance of seeing a tiger. If you can add a day, you could stay one night less in Varanasi and add Ranthambore. Have a great trip!!
Thank you both for your answers. I am still uncertain if I should delay my trip until July. Will monsoons make travel too difficult or interfere with our sightseeing? When would you go, early June or late July? The agency that is helping me book the trip says that my drivers and hotels will all have air conditioning so I shouldn%26#39;t be too concerned about the heat. Alan, my plan was to travel as you suggested but I am wondering if I really don%26#39;t understand how unbearable it will be. Traveling during the off season has its appeal as there will be far fewer tourists and crowds to deal with.
Can you tell me more about Khujuraho? I know nothing about it but am intrigued. I will definitely take a day off visiting Varanasi since my kids want to do the tiger safari. If I add Ranthambore, how should I change the schedule that Npjai has suggested?
Sorry for so many questions, I feel I don%26#39;t have enough time to plan properly. Thank you again for any suggestions and information you can provide.
LJ
If your kids want to do the safari at Ranthambore then you have no choice but to do the visit in June as Ranthambore gets closed off in July for the monsoons.
1 June - Arrive Delhi
2 - Delhi - Varanasi by flight
3 - Varanasi. Night train to Agra
4 - Agra sightseeing. Anoon drive to Bhharatpur Night in Bharatpur
5 - Morning train to Ranthambore. Afternoon safari
6 - Morning safari. Late afternoon train or drive to Jaipur.
7 - In Jaipur
8 - Jaipur - Udaipur flight
9 - Udaipur
10 - Udaipur - Delhi
11 - Delhi %26amp; departure
Quite surprised your agent isnt able to do the basic itinerary planning. Also the assurance of not to worry about the heat is not quite correct. The monuments, the park, nothing is airconditioned and youll get to feel the heat, dont you worry!! You just have to plan the itinerary so you dont have to take prolonged exposure to the heat. It can be done, dont worry
Ok, I just did some research on Khujasaro and it sounds like a place I%26#39;d love to see....without my kids! The temple with erotic art sounds wonderful to visit but it might be a little too much education for them. Can anyone give me an idea if all of the temples there have the erotic art? If there is anything else to see, I still might go but otherwise will have to pass.
I%26#39;d still love feedback on my questions I asked in the second post. Thank you all.
Personally, I%26#39;d go in June - I%26#39;d rather handle the heat than the rain. The rain makes it difficult to go sightseeing.
If I were you, I%26#39;d drop Rajasthan altogether.
Instead, June is a wonderful time to take your children to the Himalayas. It is cool, and there is enough to see and do. Take the scenic mountain railway to Darjeeling, go white water rafting, visit Bhutan, or Leh/Ladakh, hit the Buddhist trail...
Google for Himalaya tours, or try www.indianwanderers.com. I like their jeep safaris of Sikkim, actually. But maybe the Bhutan/Nepal tour is also a good option:
www.indianwanderers.com/dynamic_page.php鈥?/a>
The Himalayas are a good way to enjoy the richness of India without suffering intense heat or rain. I%26#39;m off to Darjeeling in May myself. When in India, do as the Indians do - run for the hills!
- Deepa
