India : Advice

In article <[email hidden]>,

AC said:

My oldest lad has just informed me he intends to go to
India in January for 3 months travel - anyone had any
experience in this region? His mate's father lives in New
Delhi so they will be heading there 1st off then I take it
moving around from there.

My advice would be to not go. But I suppose telling anybody
that will just make it an even more attractive proposition.
He needs to think carefully about his motives for going and
realise it is not a holiday country (except for a few
"resorts" in the south).

I was in India last year having harboured a longing to go
for many years. Having lived in Africa for a couple of
years, travelling the region and later going round other
parts of Asia I must say that India was a massive
disappointment and the most stressful country you can ever
imagine. The filth, corruption and hassle was unlike
anything I've ever experienced - and believe me I've seen a
bit before (see above). I was sinking into being a
mistrustful monster, my life was threatened and I felt that
I could be killed on the roads at any time. So many people
travel through India wearing blinkers it seems. There are
the wealthy tourists having the soft option and the hardened
travellers in search of an experience who refuse to see the
[censored] everywhere and can't accept that they are NOT having
the spiritual experience they were hoping for. But you just
know they'll return home telling everybody how great it was,
etc. Both travellers are contributing nothing to India it
seemed to me, just reinforcing the stereotypes and lining
the pockets of a few very wealthy Indians.

However, you can have a great time if you head south to
Kerala I'm told. We also had a much better time once we
headed up to the Himalayas. I presume - as you wrote to this
group - that he is a walker and he should have a much better
time there. The scenery is stunning and the people are much
nicer. He may be OK knowing someone in New Delhi and that
will get him off to a good start. My advice would be to
avoid the central areas. Don't do Rajahstan as it's an area
highly stressed by exploitative locals and tourists. The
sights were hugely disappointing too. Just get out of Delhi
quickly, keep your wits about you, trust no one and get into
the mountains and stay there.

Sorry this is so negative but I can't stress enough that
India has changed a lot in recent years. Lots of people
who'd returned after visiting in the 80s and 90s were
saddened at the changes that had taken place - all for the
worse. It is not an easy country to visit. I would be happy
to talk to you further and give more specific warnings via
email if you wish.

My experience would prevent me from returning to Delhi and
the area around, but I would go to the Himalayas in a flash.
As a male he will find it easier (my wife had terrible
problems with the stunted

possible exceptions he shouldn't experience violence and
personal danger if travelling by rail.

If he still wants to go - and reading this will make him
more determined
- he should read and believe all the warnings and be
very careful!

Good luck

David

In article <[email hidden]>,

Forester said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

AC said:

My oldest lad has just informed me he intends to go to
India in January for 3 months travel - anyone had any
experience in this region? His mate's father lives in
New Delhi so they will be heading there 1st off then I
take it moving around from there.

If he is still serious about going he should arrange for his
mate's father to pick him up from the airport. This is very
important. Infact his friend's father - knowing what Delhi
is like - will pick him up I trust.

David

"AC" wrote in message

Quoted message said:

My oldest lad has just informed me he intends to go to
India in January

for

Quoted message said:

3 months travel - anyone had any experience in this
region? His mate's father lives in New Delhi so they will
be heading there 1st off then I

take

Quoted message said:

it moving around from there.

We have been to India a number of times and travelled around
quite a bit there and even from Delhi up to Nepal so here's
my twopennyworth...

New Delhi is just a part of Delhi that the British built as
their capital of British India, it used to be the
Governmental area, still is. Designed by Lutyens and Baker.

Delhi.... well if your son has never been to a real third
world country before and he goes there first, the poverty,
begging, crowds, smell and filth will be a serious culture
shock. It will almost certainly ruin his trip and will cause
him to get the wrong impression of India as a whole. I know
one girl that didn't last a week of a planned 18 month trip.
My advise is don't go there first at any cost. Before he
goes he must get used to not making eye contact with beggers
and simply silently waving them away forcefully with a flick
of the hand, if you don't, and talk to them, even to say
"NO, GO AWAY", you will be followed mercilessly with filthy
hands persistently touching your hands, elbows and clothes.
They are always controlled by a rich beggar master who they
give the proceeds to in exchange for board and food.

The "Golden Triangle" is Delhi, Jaipur and Agra (the Taj)
which all tourists to India do.

Rajasthan is a beautiful tourist area. Never seen so many
camels. Very picture postcard, but too many westerners on
tour for me. Memories of sitting out in the dessert with a
beer and an open fire watching the sunset and the lights
come on in Jaisalmer, staying in the fort at
Khimsar........I feel a trip coming on. :-)

Southern India, i.e. Cochin, Madurai, Banglore, etc , is
wonderful. Beautiful, green, even tropical, and the people
look well fed if poor. Lots of huge Hindu Temples too. Few
western tourists go there which is a shame as it's so
scenically beautiful.

Trains are excellent, well the Shatabdi (?) Expresses are.
(air-conditioned chair car is the ticket to get)

Could go on for hours. :-)

--
Regards Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edusetiathome.ssl.berkeley.eduOpen ↗ and find intelligent
life amongst the stars

"AC" wrote in message

Quoted message said:

My oldest lad has just informed me he intends to go to
India in January

for

Quoted message said:

3 months travel - anyone had any experience in this
region? His mate's father lives in New Delhi so they will
be heading there 1st off then I

take

Quoted message said:

it moving around from there.

We have been to India a number of times and travelled around
quite a bit there and even from Delhi up to Nepal so here's
my twopennyworth... New Delhi is just a part of Delhi that
the British built as their capital of British India, it used
to be the Governmental area, still is. Designed by Lutyens
and Baker. Delhi.... well if your son has never been to a
real third world country before and he goes there first, the
poverty, begging, crowds, smell and filth will be a serious
culture shock. It will almost certainly ruin his trip and
will cause him to get the wrong impression of India as a
whole. I know one girl that didn't last a week of a planned
18 month trip. My advise is don't go there first at any
cost. Before he goes he must get used to not making eye
contact with beggers and simply silently waving them away
forcefully with a flick of the hand, if you don't, and talk
to them, even to say "NO, GO AWAY", you will be followed
mercilessly with filthy hands persistently touching your
hands, elbows and clothes. They are always controlled by a
rich beggar master who they give the proceeds to in exchange
for board and food.

The "Golden Triangle" is Delhi, Jaipur and Agra (the Taj)
which all tourists to India do.

Rajasthan is a beautiful tourist area. Never seen so many
camels. Very picture postcard, but too many westerners on
tour for me. Memories of sitting out in the dessert with a
beer and an open fire watching the sunset and the lights
come on in Jaisalmer, staying in the fort at
Khimsar........I feel a trip coming on. :-)

Southern India, i.e. Cochin, Madurai, Banglore, etc , is
wonderful. Beautiful, green, even tropical, and the people
look well fed if poor. Lots of huge Hindu Temples too. Few
western tourists go there which is a shame.

Trains are excellent, well the Shatabdi (?) Expresses are.
(air-conditioned chair car is the ticket to get)

Could go on for hours. :-)

--
Regards Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edusetiathome.ssl.berkeley.eduOpen ↗ and find intelligent
life amongst the stars

"AC" wrote in message

Quoted message said:

My oldest lad has just informed me he intends to go to
India in January

for

Quoted message said:

3 months travel - anyone had any experience in this
region? His mate's father lives in New Delhi so they will
be heading there 1st off then I

take

Quoted message said:

it moving around from there.

We have been to India a number of times and travelled around
quite a bit there and even from Delhi up to Nepal so here's
my twopennyworth... New Delhi is just a part of Delhi that
the British built as their capital of British India, it used
to be the Governmental area, still is. Designed by Lutyens
and Baker. Delhi.... well if your son has never been to a
real third world country before and he goes there first, the
poverty, begging, crowds, smell and filth will be a serious
culture shock. It will almost certainly ruin his trip and
will cause him to get the wrong impression of India as a
whole. I know one girl that didn't last a week of a planned
18 month trip. My advise is don't go there first at any
cost. Before he goes he must get used to not making eye
contact with beggers and simply silently waving them away
forcefully with a flick of the hand, if you don't, and talk
to them, even to say "NO, GO AWAY", you will be followed
mercilessly with filthy hands persistently touching your
hands, elbows and clothes. They are always controlled by a
rich beggar master who they give the proceeds to in exchange
for board and food.

The "Golden Triangle" is Delhi, Jaipur and Agra (the Taj)
which all tourists to India do.

Rajasthan is a beautiful tourist area. Never seen so many
camels. Very picture postcard, but too many westerners on
tour for me. Memories of sitting out in the dessert with a
beer and an open fire watching the sunset and the lights
come on in Jaisalmer, staying in the fort at
Khimsar........I feel a trip coming on. :-)

Southern India, i.e. Cochin, Madurai, Banglore, etc , is
wonderful. Beautiful, green, even tropical, and the people
look well fed if poor. Lots of huge Hindu Temples too. Few
western tourists go there which is a shame.

Trains are excellent, well the Shatabdi (?) Expresses are.
(air-conditioned chair car is the ticket to get)

Could go on for hours. :-)

--
Regards Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edusetiathome.ssl.berkeley.eduOpen ↗ and find intelligent
life amongst the stars

Sorry about this but I kept getting a message that my ISP
couldn't send my message when it obviously did.

--
Regards Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edusetiathome.ssl.berkeley.eduOpen ↗ and find intelligent
life amongst the stars

Back in'96 I did a short spell working in India. I was with
a bunch of Americans, so we stayed in Delhi, but worked at a
place called Faridabad, about an hour outside Delhi.

As others have said, it's a place of contrast:

We had a taxi driver who picked us up at the hotel at 07:30,
drove us to Faridabad, then waited there *all day* until we
were ready to leave, even if that was 11 PM. The yanks gave
him 10 Rupees tip.

The "goods in" at the factory I went to (Kelvinator, part of
Whirlpool) was supplied by goods arriving by water buffalo.

There were kids as young as 5, totally naked, begging
beside the road.

There was an area or waste ground near Faridabad which was
obviously a general-purpose open toilet.

It was an eye-opener for me. I've been, I've seen some fo
the red forts, I'm been to the Taj, and I've worked 6 days a
week for 6 weeks. And I'm glad I've been. But I'll be damned
if I'm going to go again. No way. The best part of the
entire trip for me wa leaving the tarmac at Indra Gandhi
airport bound for Amsterdam - I knew it was all over!

Jim

PS When I left, our friendly taxi river collected me from
the airport at
2:30 AM. As I had rupees left I gave them to him at the
airport. 1000 Rupees, a few pounds worth. He cried.

AC said:

My oldest lad has just informed me he intends to go to
India in January for 3 months travel - anyone had any
experience in this region? His mate's father lives in New
Delhi so they will be heading there 1st off then I take it
moving around from there.

Jim Willsher

Homepages at jimwillsher.co.ukjimwillsher.co.ukOpen ↗

Thanks all for the advice.

Have to admit I was glad he has decided to see a bit of the
World but would really have hoped he might choose somewhere
else. I have presented the case against as I see it but at
the end of the day he will decide.

Kids eh.

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Thanks all for the advice.

Have to admit I was glad he has decided to see a bit of
the World but would really have hoped he might choose
somewhere else. I have presented the case against as I see
it but at the end of the day he will decide.

Kids eh.

Oh gawd, I've got all this to come. My elder daughter, aged
14, has taken herself off all on her lonesome this weekend
to stay in a YH. It's certainly not her first time in a YH;
it's not her first time away from home. It is, however, her
first time doing both *on her own*. Another couple of years
and she'll be wanting to go Interrailing, and then... who
knows? Ulp!
--
Fran If you need my email address please ask.

AC said:

Thanks all for the advice.

Have to admit I was glad he has decided to see a bit of the
World but would really have hoped he might choose somewhere
else. I have presented the case against as I see it but at
the end of the day he will decide.

Kids eh.

From the walking POV Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir states are
good places to go (walking). But if he's going in January I
guess he may not be planning on going to the Indian
Himalaya. HP was my best experiance of India and a later
visit to Nepal even better. Indian cities are an aquired
taste IMO.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Jim Willsher said:

Back in'96 I did a short spell working in India. I was
with a bunch of Americans, so we stayed in Delhi, but
worked at a place called Faridabad, about an hour
outside Delhi.

As others have said, it's a place of contrast:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It was an eye-opener for me. I've been, I've seen some
fo the red forts, I'm been to the Taj, and I've worked 6
days a week for 6 weeks. And I'm glad I've been. But
I'll be damned if I'm going to go again. No way. The
best part of the entire trip for me wa leaving the
tarmac at Indra Gandhi airport bound for Amsterdam - I
knew it was all over!

Yes it is a country of contrasts. Your comment about the
best bit made us laugh! We felt exactly the same. I was so
happy to take off - and I hate flying!!