I may or may not be going to Punjab and New Dehli due to some recent events. Any idea of what I should expect there if I do go? I have been in New Dehli once before, but I was 5 years old and only have a vague memory of it. I cannot speak fluent Hindi or Punjabi before you ask, though I'm looking at resources online.

>>1051076

Expect in regards to what?

>>1051082
Culture, how to act there, certain social norms, activities, food, ect.

>>1051098
It's really not that bad desu. Just like any other developing country only with more shitting in the really rural areas and good food in the non-streetside restaurants.

OP, you're a legit nigga. Don't let the memes get you down.

I remember form the last thread you said you were mostly experienced with New Delhi and you gave me some advice on the north. How does this itinerary look to you? Roughly 5 days in Delhi, 5 in Himachal Pradesh, and 5 in Uttarakhand.
1.Land in New Delhi--2.Hang out in New Delhi--3.Day trip to Taj Mahal--4.Head out to Dharamshala--5.Check out the main temple and the town. --6.Hike, maybe a cooking or meditation or yoga class.--7.Head to Shimla--8.Check out local buildings/mall--9.Hike to Tara Devi--10.Check out zoo and more city stuff--11.Travel to Mussoorie--12.Waterfall area and Everest Point--13.Travel to New Delhi--14Fly out of India

Op is right, don't fug any of the local girls. I was hooking up with a Kashmiri chick when I was in Delhi and now she won't leave me alone. It's been over a year and after I blocked her on whatsapp she found me on fb and keeps messaging me to remind me how much she misses me, how she's now having a life crisis... Shame really, cause she seemed to smart to be acting this way.

>>1051200

Even if he's kidding, this is pretty much how most Indian girls are - do anything physical and they'll never leave you alone, for better or worse, unless you can find a way to make them hate you.

>>1051207

Troll question but it gives the opportunity to make an interesting observation: in the time I've spent in India, I've only seen maybe a handful of people shit outside. One of the few times when I saw it to be common was when I was taking a train from Delhi to Mumbai, with the tracks passing through the outskirts of Dharavi. Most of the homes there don't have toilets, and public restrooms are hard to come by.

I've never seen somebody not poo in the loo in New Delhi, but public urination happens all the time. You'll see guys jump off motorcycles or out of limousines, run up to a wall, take a leak, and be back on the road before the light can turn green.

>>1051099
>>1051159

I'll respond to you two in the morning. Just finished a 52-page thesis and I'd like to get some sleep before having to think.

>>1051076
>>1051099

Alright.

New Delhi really isn't a very complicated place. There are no specific cultural traditions that you need to adhere to or abide by in order to be polite. Stereotypical rules like not eating with your left hand don't really apply there, although you will notice that a lot of people, especially from the lower classes, have very rural or traditional mindsets.

The unfortunate part about the city is that most of the lodging options are concentrated in a small area. There are a lot of five-stars around Connaught Place. Paharganj, just a kilometer or two north, is what I'd term the "backpacker ghetto" which is popular with foreign tourists and domestic travelers alike. A little farther off is Karol Bagh, which is slightly more upscale and has some decent shopping options.

A combination of poverty and numerous overseas arrivals ensures that walking down the street in Delhi is much more of a hassle than in Mumbai or Bangalore. A lot of people don't like the city because of the numerous touts, aggressive beggars, and sneaky auto-rickshaw drivers. If you're anywhere within a thirty-minute walk of Connaught Place and you look even remotely like a tourist, you'll be followed around by gangs of men offering to bring you on tours or recommending the services of various travel agencies. You can have fun and laugh them off, but the adventure quickly turns into an annoyance.

My recommendation is to ignore these people. Don't even talk to them, look at them, or acknowledge their existence. At most, keep repeating "no thanks." Most of them have been doing since they were kids, and they will find a way to guilt trip you into an extended conversation that will end up with you paying for their lunch, blowing rupees at a tourist office, or wasting a not-insignificant portion of time.

It might seem a little cruel, but if you're staying in any of the areas I mentioned, my advice is this: avoid talking to people who approach you on the street and seem

>>1051307
>>1051099

intent on gathering as much information about you and your trip as possible. Since I worked in tourism for a bit, I got to see first-hand how complicated these rings of touts can be. If you refuse to go anywhere with anyone but let it slip that you like hash, there's a good chance somebody else will be coming to you with a bag of drugs later in the evening.

I mean, spending a lot of time in India gives you something of a sixth-sense about stuff like this. I can usually gauge somebody's intentions just by the way they introduce themselves or even dress.

A good rule of thumb in Delhi is that if somebody seems spectacularly interested in being your friend or making conversation while you're walking down the street, they probably shouldn't be trusted. Conversely, you can usually relax if you meet someone sheerly by circumstance - say, in the Red Fort or in a bar.

I could ramble on and on about this all day but I'll cut myself shot here. I guess the message is: don't get too comfortable until you've got yourself oriented and adjusted to what's normal in India. There is nothing wrong with saying no to people or ignoring folks who are annoying you. That's what Indians do, and it's what you should, too.

Food is great in Delhi. If you want any recommendations on restaurants, tell me what you're interested in and I'll do my best.

>>1051159

How long are you going to be India and what time of the year are you going?

Seems like an alright plan. I haven't spent much time in some of the cities you're talking about, so somebody else would have to help you out there. I don't know how the logistics of those hiking trips would be configured.

I would caution you from planning too much in two weeks. You could easily spend that length of time in Delhi alone without getting bored. Seemingly short distances can take a long time to travel if you're going by bus. I just feel like switching cities every day or every other day is going to get exhausting, but if you don't have the chance to go back for a while, go for it.

Most of the places you're looking at are very touristy, so you shouldn't have an issue with accommodation or transportation. I'd just again caution against giving yourself too much to do within a limited length of time. A lot of people spend two weeks in Shimla or Dharamshala alone, or two weeks doing an extended Golden Triangle sorta thing.

Let me check out some stuff. I think what you're suggesting is definitely doable, but it also depends on what time of the year you're going. Bear in mind that you'll be doing a few overnight excursions in buses or trains.

i am an indian and i agree with the guy above emphasizing on how to handle guys and children that follow you around pestering you to buy something. Like he said just dont acknowledge their existence. Dont try to laugh it off because if they see you find it funny, it will be harder to shake them off. Kids will touch you and tug on your clothes, be careful of whats in your pockets. I see many tourists wearing baggy shorts with large pockets in which you cant feel immediately if something is taken out. Having a deadbeat expression and not making eye contact while walking away is your best option. The worst thing you could do is give a kid some money when there are others around, for obvious reasons.This may seem like a little thing at first but it can be the greatest annoyance of your trip here. I have to bear begging in my everyday life and it gets on my nerves to no end.

Other than that in regards to safety you'll be fine in most places as a guy or a group of guys if you can handle the masses. Always keep your hands around your pockets in crowded trains/buses. Since everything is relatively cheap here, book the best berths and buses available. If you try to have a RealTraveler experience be sure what you are getting into, crowded trains and buses can be brutal.On that topic, DONT come here as a female alone, you will be stared literally every second in public i mean LITERALLY there will always be someone looking at you. And consider the other, more serious implications of danger too.

Other than that, you can have a good time if you come for the culture and nature. Just pick the right places.

And yes, dont forget to poo in loo

>>1051313
Hey thanks for the input.
Well I've got about two week or maybe a little more and we're planning to go in late May, probably the 20th. I'm wanting to stay north because of the monsoon and the humidity.

And yeah looking at Mussoorie I'm thinking of dropping it, that should free up 3 days for other places. It's an exhaustive itinerary but we'll prolly star in Delhi and get used to things, go hard traveling up north, then fly into Singapore and chill again to recover.
>Bear in mind that you'll be doing a few overnight excursions in buses or trains.
I was planning to set aside entire days for traveling between cities (first class cars to act as rest days) but is that still not enough? That said are sleeper trains good in India? Would be convenient to free up a few travel days that way.

I'll be heading to those parts later this year.

New Delhi
Goa
Jaipur

Any recommendations for these areas? I'll be travelling alone (m) but will be staying in pretty reasonable (4*+, whatever that means) accomodation.

>>1051399

I just figured that constantly being on the move and having to sleep in trains or buses might get exhausting. Like the Indian guy above you said, I'd recommend taking better-class compartments on trains. If you want to have an 'authentic' experience, you can do a short journey in general or sleeper, but I'd recommend getting a taste of what it'll be like before committing to a longer route.

When you're in New Delhi you can book your train tickets via the International Tourist Bureau, which is located WITHIN the New Delhi Train Station. Do not believe ANYONE who tells you that it's closed and do NOT give your ticket to anyone to be "checked." This will happen, and your best bet, again, is just to ignore anyone who might ask, even if they're well dressed and flash an ID badge at you.

You will never be asked to show tickets at the New Delhi Train Station. You get your ticket checked by an inspector on the train.

Anyway, trains are usually pretty reliable and comfy, provided you get 2AC or 3AC. There's honestly not a big difference between 1AC and 2AC, except your compartment can be locked and you might have some food customization options on Express routes (like the Rajdhani).

Going up north in May is definitely the way to go. Delhi won't be as humid as during the monsoon, but it'll still be unpleasantly hot.

>>1051402

What do you want to do and when will you be going there? Haven't been to Jaipur but I know a bit about it. Wasn't a huge fan of Goa but I can still give some recommendations.

>>1051405
1st week of December. I'd like to party some and take in some sights. In New Delhi, would like to nab a train and check out the Taj Mahal.

>>1051408

Sure. Sounds like a pretty reasonable and regular circuit. Are you only there for seven days? I guess it's definitely doable. I was going to suggest doing Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Goa, but that might be too tight on time.

You'll probably want to fly to Goa from Delhi. Shouldn't cost more than $40-$100 one way, depending on how far ahead you book. Taking a train would take you maybe the better part of one and a half or two days.

You could do one day in Delhi on your arrival, another of sightseeing, and then take a day trip to Agra. Come back, fly out to Goa the same night or the next morning. Alternatively, if you really want to go to Jaipur, you could travel there straight from Agra. Normally people do this circuit called the Golden Triangle, which is Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Delhi, sometime stopping in other cities like Jaisalmer farther off.

4* hotels should be cheap. I think a single room in a 5* in Delhi would start off around $80 per night.

Will write more later if you have time, I'm going on a walk with the other guy from my company. Gotta lose some weight, I'm not even fat but I'm used to being a fucking skeletor.

>>1051410
Your comments got me excited so I spent a majority of the day planning the trip. My circuit will end up being Goa-Delhi-Jaipur. Wanted to acclimate myself to India prior to diving in head first. I have set aside 10 days to get used to things. Any plans for making friends or some travel buddies during this trip. I feel like it would be a lonely experience without sharing it with someone. Recommendations for water holes in Goa/Delhi/Jaipur? For Goa, I will be at Anjuna.

Favorite Indian food and drinks? Preferably stuff that wont make my foreigner stomach sick.

File: 20150913_045409.jpg (4 MB, 3984x2988) Image search: [Google]

4 MB, 3984x2988

I've been to India twice, both to Chennai. Unfortunately, I was there on business, so all day was taken up with work.
However, I LOVE Chennai. It helps quite a bit to have people there willing to show you around, especially when your time is tight.
Both times we traveled south on the coast to Mammallapuram and once to Pondicherry. Both touristy beach towns with great souvenir options and some fun stuff.
Photo attached is of a government bar somewhere between Chennai and Pondi. One of the worst places I have ever been, in terms of poverty. It was basically just a flophouse for drunks that were at the end of their lives. The "bar" consisted of a casino-style cage with a large tank of some clear alcohol, and racks of returned bottles. For 10 rupees, you got a bottle and a small plastic cup. It smelled like methanol, I did not drink it.

>>1051789

You probably made the right call! When I was living in Delhi, I made the mistake of trying local, low-cost alcohol on a few occasions. Every morning after I woke up was a straight lesson in regret. Some of the poorer Indians I knew, who would drink this garbage on the regular, would make jokes about how too much of it would make you go blind.

Good to hear that you liked Chennai. I've never been there but it's on my to-do list along with Kolkota and Assam. What did you think of the city?

>>1051758

All depends on you, man. We all have different tastes when it comes to food.

My favorite street foods are momos, assorted roasted nuts (I always used to get them in the mornings or on late-night strolls), and, when available, beef kebabs. There's a nice little place that's well-known among Indians in Paharganj, in one of the galis near Hotel Payal - just a small place where you can get chow mein and other huge plates of noodles for around 30 rs.

I'll pretty much eat anything, man. My Indian food vocabulary honestly isn't the best, so I can't remember the names of a lot of the little things I've enjoyed here and there. So far as main dishes go, I - and most foreigners - all seem to dig butter chicken, which is popular all across the northern part of the country. Can't go wrong with lamb rogan josh, either. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of vegetarian dishes, so I can't give any recommendations in that regard. One of my favorite "food" places was Kashmir, because they use a lot of meat and aren't as big on the use of curries as in the south.

Honestly, it's hard to say what will and won't make you sick. You'd be surprised. I've ate things from terrible, terrible places, only to turn up completely fine two weeks later. On the other hand, I got sick from fish in Goa that had been freshly prepared right in front of me (or maybe it was the alcohol, I'm not sure!).

>>1051579

You should be able to make friends with people fairly easily. Most Indian professionals and middle-class office workers are pretty friendly, at least in my experience. The same goes for other travelers - India, so far as I can tell, tends to attract more of a laid-back, spritualist-y crowd than other places. I'm not a huge fan of the hippie types, but it is easy to make friends with them. Goa has a lot more "lads," but I can't imagine it compares to Phuket or some similar place.

Goa... shit, I'd have to think about it. I know Tito's is kind of considered "the" bar and club in Baga Beach, which is fairly close to Anjuna. I wasn't very impressed when I went there. In December, I think it pays to listen to the local chatter, because parties and crowding shifts from one beach to the next on a near-nightly basis. I can't remember the names of too many bars, but I'm just you can find lots of resources online.

Delhi is a mixed bag. Where are you going to be staying and how long will you be there?

It's very, very, incredibly easy to meet other travelers in Paharganj, if that's where you'll be staying. I hate the neighborhood as a general rule, but I go there pretty regularly because it's a little more lawless and laid-back on account of the prevalence of the tourist industry. You can meet a lot of ordinary Indians in bars at night (well, ordinary Indian men - women don't go to Paharganj bars).

MyBar, Gem Bar, and Club India are all decent spots for meeting people. Honestly, just make friends the same way you would anywhere else.

There's a lot more nightlife in GK-I and GK-II and Hauz Khas village than in Paharganj. Most five-star hotels have clubs inside them, too, but cover fees are usually very pricey for single men.

>>1051812
If it didn't smell like methanol, I would have drank it. Methanol absolutely makes you go blind, and many people a year are killed drinking it, either by accident or because it is known to fuck you up more than ethanol.

Chennai as a city is neat, but that's partially because I enjoy the culture shock. There is so much of it that I didn't get to see.
A must-see, IMO, is one of the Saravana stores (Walmart of India, very interesting place to buy souvenirs, lungis, etc) and the textile neighborhood around it. We also visited the Chinnasami Chetty, a semi-famous, silk/textile shop and got fitted for some shirts.
Overall, you can tell Chennai is more conservative than other cities, such as Bangaluru or the tourist towns like Goa.

If you have a trusted friend there, it is alsovery interesting to learn about the differences between South and North India (from a south perspective of course), castes, etc. I work with mostly North Indians, and IME, South Indians are way cooler and more laid back.

>>1051067

Going at the end of December for an extended trek
going to hit Sri Lanka too then head up north.

Kind of nervous. Haven't booked shit yet either, guess I am going to book the start of my trip and then play it by ear.

I've been to India. I traveled from New Dehli to Mumbai. OP, do you never get the feeling that Indians are massively racist and only talk to you because you are white and think you are wealthy?

>>1052022

Of course I've gotten that feeling.

It really depends on where you are and what you're doing. When I was living in South Delhi, I was hardly ever bothered by strangers. Very occasionally I'd have somebody say "hello" on the street out of nowhere, or strike up a conversation with me while I was waiting in line for a plate of food or cell recharge. Aside from that, I got a lot of stares and glances and looks, but that was about it.

When you're walking around in a touristy area or don't belong or people haven't seen you every day, it can feel a lot more like you're a walking ATM than a human.

There are people I've known for years in Paharganj and I still wouldn't trust them with a thousand rupees.

By and large, I found that most Indians were ambivalent of my presence or merely curious. It's different in the countryside, and contrasts in behavior can really stick out. For whatever reason, telling guys that I have an Indian girlfriend or that I was living there seemed to get them to not bother me as much. Other people who tried to scam me or rip me off would say hi or wave at me on the street after seeing me for the hundredth time.

I think part of the problem with India is that, as a white person, you're very much stuck in a sort of bubble. You're obviously foreign, and foreignness is, in my cases, associated with wealth. Beggars, touts, and con arts will make a bee-line for you because they don't need more than the color of your skin to judge that you're better off, financially speaking, than almost anyone else on the street.

Because of that, it can sometimes seem as if everyone is accosting you, when, in fact, dozens or hundreds of men and women are passing by on the same street without giving you so much as a passing glance.

>>1052022
>>1052041

Having written all of that, I will say that there are certain things which are much, much harder to do as a white person.

Finding an apartment was hell and an exercise in self-restraint. I met a very few property brokers who were decent, honest people. Most of them were ridiculous in a way that I'd never have even imagined. For instance, one guy showed me a small one-bedroom flat down a tiny gali a ways off from a nice neighborhood. The electrical connections were basic, the bed was made from bamboo, and there was monkey shit on the rooftop. His initial offer was 50,000 rupees (about $750) plus a 20,000 rupee broker fee and security.

I couldn't even stop myself from laughing. Some of these people think white folk are so stupid or so rich or both that they'll pay anything with a second thought. I don't know if he had any clue that $750 per month for an apartment like that back home would have been considered outrageous, let alone in India. The place I'd just seen before that, offered by a different broker, had three bedrooms, marble floors, a wrap-around balcony, and included most appliances for $400-$600 per month with a small commission.

But that I've met a lot of other Indians who were more than fair and good to me. There were guys who would never let me forget even ten rupees in change. I had vendors abandon their stalls to chase me down the street because I'd left behind anything from INR 1,000 to 1 paise.

That's just how India is. You have a lot of scumbags who will cheat you at any given opportunity alongside honest, hardworking people. For every obnoxious Paharganj tout, there are two cycle-rickshaw drivers who will humbly accept 15 rupees for pulling your lazy ass to the nearest Metro station.

>>1052022

(sorry for rambling, I type pretty fast so this stuff just kinda spills out - I like talking about traveling, too, so I never know when to stop)

I'll also mention that I've met a lot of young professionals in bars who maybe made the same salary in a month as I do in a week. Doesn't matter to them - I can distinctly remember some folks who'd invite me over to eat and then foot the bill. Even if I said I wanted to pay my part, they'd say, "I'm a lawyer. Why am I going to let somebody your age take the bill when I've had the pleasure of your company?"

One thing that took me a long time to figure out was how to maintain the balance between keeping your guard up and not falling in with the wrong people and being loose enough to trust strangers with good intentions.

I always used to wonder what it most be like for a white person to grow up in India, though. You could speak the language fluently, have all Indian friends, and work in Indian office, and yet everybody you met, for better or worse, would assume that you're a rich, stupid tourist unless you proved otherwise.

>>1052046
Traveling on business is touchy, because you aren't spending your own money, so you are just inclined to pay for everything, especially so because it's just ridiculously cheap.

It's important to remember that, just like in any culture, reciprocity is key. Whether it's drinks or dinner, no one likes to be "treated" constantly, least of all men.

It was interesting when in the vendor booths in Mammalapuram, listening and watching my friends haggle with the locals over carved souvenirs, leather sandals, etc, in Tamil. They would tell me before hand to let them haggle, to get me a better deal, but the vendors would say to them "let them pay full price, they are foreign, we are Indian!". It's terrible, because they don't even know that getting a custom fitted pair of leather sandals for ~$9 is incredible, I don't want/need to haggle them down!

>>1051842
> South Indians are way cooler and more laid back.
As someone in chennai right now, I agree. But i wish they were more open to other cultures. There's this divide in my college between north indians and south indians and I always try adapt to both sides. Sorry for the rant.

>>1051067
>Hyderabad is never mentioned ever in any of these threads
My feelings hurt. It's a pretty cool place, to be honest.

>>1053193
then tell us about hyderabad friend

>mfw west bengal is never mentioned in these threads either

>>1053797

OP here. I'll probably be going to West Bengal in December. Sounds like an interesting time and I can't just stick around Delhi for another month again.

>>1052086

I get where you're coming from! Sometimes it really is easier just to pay a low price by Western standards even if you're not getting a good deal by the locals'. I'm always much more inclined to refuse bargaining and pay more out of pocket when the service or product is something which would cost significantly more in the West.

For instance, I had a couple of keychains carved for me. Both were variations of my name - one in Hindi, the other in Arabic. I paid maybe $8 for both together. I felt like I was ripping myself off until I sat down with the guy and watched as he meticulously carved each piece and character for nearly an hour.

I guess $8 is an excellent earning in an hour for most Indians, and probably I did pay too much. But there's just no way you'd get a hand-carved piece like that back home for the cost of a Big Mac meal.

>>1051789
I remember you. You're the guy from the Balkans, aren't you?

>>1053917
I wish I could say I was that guy. You were in Chennai/Mammalapuram?

>>1052388
From what I gathered, Southern Indians are mainly skeptical of brahmin and other upper castes. It seemed to me that Northern Indians (and of course upper caste) are prejudiced against Southern Indians, even the brahmin.
It's just like the US in some ways, darker skin is not preferable.

>>1053940
>I wish I could say I was that guy.
If I remember correctly a Croatian guy who had visited Chennai on a business trip created an AMA thread on /int/. I mistook you for him.

>You were in Chennai/Mammalapuram?
No m8. I am from Delhi.

>>1051067

I want to go at the end of december, should I booka flight now even tough I have no visa yet?

>>1054277

That's tough to say. How long do you want to go and where are you from? Would you be able to afford the loss if your visa was rejected?

If you're going for a month or less, check to see if persons of your nationality are eligible for India's new eVisa program. You can get an electronically issued visa online for I think $60 (if you're American). It's issued the same or the next day as the application, unless I'm mistaken, although I have a paper visa so I'm not sure.

If you're taking a long-term trip and need a multiple-entry or 10-year visa, that's a harder sell. I think it took me a number of weeks to get my passport returned into the mail from the embassy - in fact, it took so long that I was afraid I'd been rejected or that my passport had been stolen. If you live near an embassy and can go in in person, it might be better.

All things considered, it's a personal judgment call. eVisa might be your best bet if you want to book now and are going for less than a month (I think you can get two per year but double-check the requirements).

>>1054280
> You can get an electronically issued visa online for I think $60
Total? If so holy shit that's good. Isn't the normal American price like $120?

>>1054518

Here are the appropriate links

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html

Wikipedia says the fee is based on reciprocity, with the highest payment tier being $60.

I'm thinking of backpacking in India for 4 weeks next February. I'm fairly young (19,m) but it's not my first time in South Asia. I was thinking Dehli, Agra, Jaipur, and Varanasi. My budget is around $35USD a day. Any vital advice for a first timer in India?

>>1055769
After having just came back, make sure you do Mumbai. Jaipur is great and the markets have loads of good stuff to buy.

>>1055809
>>1055769

OP here. Definitely do Mumbai if you can. You shouldn't need more than a day for Agra and a couple of days for Jaipur, which leaves you with a lot of time to explore the rest of the country. If you're a fan of cities, Mumbai is much, much more visitor-friendly than Delhi (and this is coming from somebody who is very excited to be back in the capital in two and a half weeks).

I think most of the vital advice has already been posted in this thread, in regards to scams and keeping safe. If I haven't, let me know and I'll tell you - I've done a ton of India threads, and they've all started to blur together at this point.

But I will tell you this: unless you go far off the beaten path, don't think for a second that the people you meet in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Varanasi will be representative of "average Indians." Those are some of the most touristy cities in the countries, and you will be approached by a metric shit-ton of touts, beggars, and other assorted nuisances who are there because people like you are coming regularly. I haven't been to Varanasi but I've heard that it's worse than Delhi so far as that goes.

Anyway, shit... I'm really looking forward to being in India in just a few weeks. Not sure exactly what I'm going to do after catching up with friends in Delhi, but I keep thinking it'd be fun to fly to Calcutta or Chennai or some other place, hop a train to a big city, and then jump off at the first or second or third interesting platform and keep doing that all the way to Delhi, staying a night or two or three wherever clicks with me.

I've been asking my Indian friends what they think and the consensus seems to be "not safe," but I also don't know how much I trust a bunch of urban, sheltered city-folk. Turks in Turkey told me the same thing about the Southeast - "Kurdish terroristlar will kill you!" - and the people were extraordinarily friendly.

OP again.

Was talking to one of my friends from India and mentioned to her that I wouldn't have an apartment and wasn't sure where to stay. She told me to check out "OyoRooms." Looked at the the site and it seems to be pretty top-notch - you can reserve rooms across various cities for semi-reasonable prices in a variety of locales.

Just thought I'd offer the resource since I know a few other people from /trv/ are going to India in December.

Of course, this is a good option for me since I've lived in Delhi, but it probably won't be a good choice if it's your first night in India or you want to meet other travelers.

>>1055899
Oyo Rooms is quite a good option for a few days stay. But nothing beats paharganj when it comes to price (don't know whether Mumbai and Kolkata have their own 'paharganjs').

>>1055899

Just another quick question. If I'm carrying around my big backpack with all my gear in it, is it safe to store it in the budget hotel room I'm staying in while I spend the day sightseeing?

I would like to avoid carrying my huge backpack everywhere I go.

Anyone have any info on Goa. Any good cheap hotels to stay in down there?

>>1056013

That's definitely true, but I'm sick of Paharganj. You can't walk more than a few meters down the street without getting harassed by beggars. It's a little funny, actually - because I used to work around central Delhi and went to Paharganj often, a lot of people on the Main Bazar know who I am and don't bother me. At least that's true up until a certain point. The half of the street closer to NDLS is still different, and I still have people shouting shit at me every ten feet.

Gets old fast. I have no idea why so many other foreigners like the area so much.

>>1056039

Probably. Can't give you any guarantees but I've never had any problems with that in India. Just don't take anything you wouldn't want to lose and do some research on where you're staying ahead of time.

>>1056061

Hotels or hostels? Check online. I've been to Goa but only for a few days and I stayed in only one place.

>>1056061
I went there a couple of years back without booking any rooms or such. I went down to Anjuna beach, sat down for a drink at a shack and chatted with the owner and the guy arranged a good room right beside the beach with AC and 2 beds. I think the room was for Rs500 a day (this was off season though).

>>1056125
Do you know any decent place in Delhi where I can get cheap booze and a quite ambience? My Bar in Paharganj is pretty reasonable but the music is too loud for my taste.

>>1056570

Gem Bar is okay but most of the watering holes suck.

Won't be around much for a week, I broke my hand last night and have a cast on so typing is a bitch.

>>1056860

Bumping to avoid the creation of more India threads. I'm up to 90 wpm typing with my cast, so I guess I can still answer some questions.

File: 1444662110002.jpg (4 MB, 4336x3459) Image search: [Google]

4 MB, 4336x3459

I'll start with a question, never been to India before. Whats a good but modest amount of time to go from Kolkata to Delhi? I'll be arriving in Kolkata via train from Dhaka.
I remember reading about Kolkata on wikitravel I think, and it listed a lot of different accomodation types and price examples, I can't find it any more but was wondering the price of living in north Indian cities. What kind of daily allowance should I have? Is 2 weeks enough to see Kolkata, varanasi, Patna, Lucknow, Agra and Delhi? It seems like it'll be a bit cramped to me.

What is the east coast of india like?

>>1057466

I'll try to type as best and as much as I can with this cast.

The minimum transit time from Delhi via Kolkata is 17 hours by way of the Rajdhani Express. The only reason I know this is because I'm planning to do pretty much the same thing as you in a little less than a month. I think I'll have between two and three weeks to get from West Bengal to the NCR and I'm already worried about the time constraint, which is why I'm probably going to fly from the capital to Kokata.

All of the cities you've listed should be fairly cheap so far as accommodation goes. I would imagine that you can get a comfortable budget room for between $5 and $20 per night regardless of which city you'll be in. I think you can get by in most parts of India for $30 per day - that amount would give you a comfortable bed, two or three meals per day, change to get around, and pay for entry to most sites. Obviously you'll have to budget some extra for shopping and travel tickets (trains, etc), but India is truly the sort of country you can make just about as cheap or as expensive as you'd like.

I'm going to take a rest, tendons in my wrist are killing me. Can't wait for my hand to go back to normal.

>>1057466

Oh, but yes, I do think your itinerary is a little cramped. It's doable in two weeks but you'll be rushing from site to site and won't get to see very much of any of those cities in just two days each. You need at least three days to see everything in Delhi, for instance, and that's if you devote big chunks of each day to sightseeing. I'd knock a few destinations off your list.

What I'm thinking about doing is taking a train from Kolkata to maybe Varanasi and then Delhi or Lucknow and taking short, overnight or day-trips to little towns at random stations. I still don't know what I'll do, I'm only going to be in India for a month and I feel like it's hardly enough time to see shit.

But your destinations are in a logical order, so it can probably be done if you limit Agra to a day and make some concessions here and there. You don't need more than a day for Agra anyway, city is shit aside from its two big attractions.

What's the best way to plan a trip to India? I'd like to take my family (wife + two children) but the airfare is absurd. There's got to be a cheaper way to fly to and from India.

Is there a website where I can say "find the cheapest tickets to India" without specifying a date or airport (the specifics of both are irrelevant, only the price. I can plan the rest of the trip around that).

Assuming that I get to take my family once, ever, to India, for 10 days, which region is the best?

I doubt I'll get a knowledgeable reply on the matter but here's my question: How common is LSD in India?

I'm the bloke who's going to the north in April and my travel partner has agreed to do LSD so long as it's in an exotic land. Likewise I would be interested in tripping someplace new. Is acid a common substance in India? How might I procure it?

>>1057761
>Is there a website where I can say "find the cheapest tickets to India"
Check out "Make My Trip" and "Yatra".

>which region is the best?
Depends on what you are interested in seeing.

The OP of this thread can answer your questions in more detail.

>>1057891
LSD is pretty common in tourist places like Himachal and Goa. You can get a stamp for anything from Rs700 to Rs2000.

>>1057761
>>1057935

Skyscanner also works wonders; I find most of my tickets on there.

For the rest of your questions, I'd have to know what you and your family are interested in doing and seeing.

>>1057891

I think it really depends on where you and who you know. As the other poster indicated, it probably isn't terribly hard to come by in places like Manali or Goa. However, the impression that I get, on the whole, is that LSD isn't a very common or frequently produced drug. One of my friends in Delhi does it frequently, but she's also probably one of the least Indian Indians I know, so far as morals go - her friends and the people she knows are a mark off from average, I guess. Nevertheless, it was still hard for her to get acid.

Hello there. Just read up on your thread... Gives me a good picture, appreciated.
Hoewever, still I have some questions.
Wanna go Arga, Varanasi and Khajuraho. Interested in meditation and yoga, culture and nature. Anywhere else to go?? If i had to pick a major city, Dehli would be obv. raaaight?
Spending 3 weeks time around end of March. Planned my trip around the HOLI festival, any recommendation where to be at?? Main priority.
Peace

>>1057953
I'm a big fan of unique landscapes and cool architecture, and love trying new cuisine.

My wife will flip her shit if we end up in some poverty shit hole (something like this >>1051789 would end in divorce).

My son is a few months old (I don't know enough about India but he's not going to catch baby AIDS or anything, right?) and my daughter is seven. She loves big metropolitan areas and is sort of so so on more natural locales.

OP bumping, will respond to some questions tomorrow.

>>1057953
Skyscanner sucks, it doesn't even scan the sky

use JustFly.com

>>1058973

SkyScanner is fine. I've used it to find dozens of tickets. A big part of the reason why I like that site is because it isn't a booking agency - it can help you find fares directly with airlines or with companies like Expedia and Orbitz, compare results with Kayak, and see what deals smaller, less trustworthy companies might offer.

>>1058003

There's going to be poverty everywhere, as well as beggars, con artists, and assorted weirdos. India is one of the most populous and poor countries in the world - there's no avoid dingy buildings and strange people.

I would consult a travel physician in regards to your children. I'm not going to say one thing or another when I'd have only a small clue as to what I'm talking about.

I think some of your best, most family-friendly options are typical tourist circuits like the Golden Triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur), Goa and Mumbai, and so on and so forth. You could also go to cities like Manali and Rishikesh, which have great tourist infrastructures.

I'd say you'd probably be fine in most urban areas, barring Patna and a few other places. There are a lot of great temple complexes in Tamil Nadu and in the vicinity of Chennai.

But I think if you only have ten days and you're worried about your family, the best bet is to stick to a tried and tested tourist circuit that has a lot to offer and little capacity for shit to go wrong. You could also do something like Mumbai-Goa-some place in Kerala.

>>1058003
You might do some more research before you decide on India. If your wife is going to shit when she sees >>1051789 she's going to have a bad time.
I am not trying to discourage you in general, but I would not take a months-old child to India. Hepatitis B&C, plus a number of other vaccines are recommended for Westerners to travel to India, and these cannot be given to infants.

>>1059867
Thanks, this is useful shit to know. I'll probably push this trip back a few years then, and I'll keep this >>1059467 in mind. Thanks!

>>1059916

No problem.

Bumping again. Fucking happy that I'm leaving this freezing hellhole on Saturday.

Any ideas for a fun city to be in for Holi? Any places that have water and dye fights in the street would be fine.

Also, I'll be in Delhi the same time as you OP, wanna go for a beer?

>>1060729

I think Holi is going to be big just about anywhere. I think some of the biggest celebrations are in Varanasi, but people are going to be throwing colors and water just about everywhere outside of predominantly Muslim regions.

And sure. Can't promise that I won't turn out to be a sperglord, though (I mean, I'm not, but you never know how online meetups will go down). When are you going to be in Delhi? I'll be arriving very early Tuesday morning.

>>1056125
>I have no idea why so many other foreigners like the area so much.
I don't think it's liking the area so much as it just being the backpacker ghetto in general. You're in Delhi for a few days, Paharganj it is.

But yea, it's a pretty slimy neighbourhood, a lot of dirty scabby losers, both Indian and firangi.

>>1056061
They're all fairly affordable, especially the further away you go from Anjuna. Protip: Anjuna is the worst part of Goa, the worst beach (rocky, narrow, swarming with beggars), and the worst tourism overkill. Avoid it. It's also (classism alert) flooded with lower-middle class dirty domestic Indian tourists. Most hotels or restaurant shacks there are not run by Goans, they don't know much about the region and don't care, they just want your money.

>>1060799
haha, that's all good. I'm pretty chill with meeting new people, and if we both turn out to be tards we can go our separate ways whenever we want. My flight gets there on the 29th of December in the evening. I'll be staying for New Years and a few days after that

>>1060841

Sure. Just let me know via this thread when you're in India. I'm not positive that I'll still be in Delhi on the 29th but it won't hurt to check.

Gotta run now. Catching my train to Chicago in an hour and then I've got my flight from O'Hare tomorrow.

File: Pakistan_ethnic_map_v2.svg.png (565 KB, 2050x1890) Image search: [Google]

565 KB, 2050x1890

Is getting the train to Lahore for a few days a dumb idea?

Can someone tell me if a return ticket is required for a tourist visa? I've read conflicting reports on this. I'd much prefer a one-way ticket as I plan to fly from India to elsewhere. I'm Australian if it matters.

>>1061238
Also interested in this as a possibility in the future.

It seems like there is never a good time to go to Pakistan, there was that earthquake, IS, the usual border tensions with India. That said, a few people have gone and survived...some others have not. Google some Pakistani travel advice from actual people who've been there, you might be surprised.

>>1061248

OP here. Currently sitting in Schiphol awaiting my connection to Delhi. My experience is that you do need a return ticket. Usually customs and immigration doesn't check, but they will ask for dates. The catch is that sometimes your airline will want to see proof of a return. I almost was refused boarding out of Dubai for not having a return ticket, but they made a few calls and decided that it was okay because I had a multiple entry visa.

I would play it safe and get a return or check on the rules for your specific class of tourist visa. A cheap alternative is to book a $30 flight from Delhi to Kathmandu that you'll never use.

Like I said, I've never been given too many problems at passport control, but Indian bureaucracy is so stupid and rigid that it's not a good idea to take chances.

>>1061598
Oh great, so not necessarily a return ticket, just a ticket bound for outside of India? I actually plan on going to Nepal too so thats good.

Hey mate,
I don't know if you remember me, I'm the dude from a thread in the summer or so from the Caribbean who was interested in a trip to India.

So it looks like I really am doing this. Just depends on the advice you give me.
So the plan is from Germany to India(Berlin to New Delhi) its like $300
I want to spend like around a week and a half at most in India thanks to funding. The hostels are cheap as shit as you said and my friends say the food is cheap also.
With $1000.00
>I want to go to Varanasi (That weed drink everyone from there raves about and the temples)
>How best to get there from Delhi?
>I want to go to some place mountainous.(I don't know if you played Far Cry 4 but something like that)
Should I not bother and just wait so I can go to a place like Nepal?
>I want to go somewhere south, either Goa or Bangalore(Which one, at this point I am looking to have a good night out)
Can you help me with any of this? Whether I go or not depends on how you answer.

>>1061785
Go to Ladakh and/or Sikkim. I would suggest the former if you're looking for some authentic experience. Sikkim has a bit of an amusement park feel to it imo.

You'd love Barun Valley in Nepal if you wanted something Far Cry 4-ish.

>I want to go somewhere south, either Goa or Bangalore(Which one, at this point I am looking to have a good night out)
I'd definitely suggest you go to Goa if nothing else.

>>1051067
Bull. Shit.

Granted I've never actually been to India, but here in the States the first thing I hear following a giggle is "wow I love your blue eyes" if you can't find a brown girl to take home you are retarded.

>>1061881
>Sikkim
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikkim
The wiki page says this place doesn't have an airport but I can take a bus there. Did you get there this way? Or did you do something else?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladakh
Isn't this place disputed? My friends warned me from there...is it not as bad as they make it out to be?

>>1061883

Great b8 m8 tell me more about it

File: Art u know nothing.jpg (44 KB, 250x250) Image search: [Google]

44 KB, 250x250

>>1051067
>y here ever been to Kolkota? I've been thinking of going there for a while. I'm no


mate i am an indian living in kolkata, for ur question to ask if you should visit kolkata i would say fuck why the hell not its not bad except u can find lot of bitches clinging to u thats all, just dont ever get in with the bitches here!
The reason why u should visit is historical landmarks and for the food, we indians got pretty sick traditional food. (be careful of bitches seriously)

>>1061905
Ladakh is pretty safe. Hell, even Indian Kashmir isn't that dangerous.

As for Sikkim, I went by bus through eastern Nepal.

>>1061945
Go away from this board. Go far far away from this board

>>1062029
Oh cool thanks mani
Where did you stay in Sikkim? How much did it cost you?

File: image.jpg (1 MB, 3264x2448) Image search: [Google]

1 MB, 3264x2448

>>1061785

OP here. Listen to what the other guy said. I'm in India now so I don't really have the time or motivation to write long 4chan posts just now

>>1061945
i hate when i go out to the street to take a shit and bitches be clinging to me.

I've been planning an aprox. 8 week trip around India for almost half the year now, I got back from previous travels travels and was so excited to see more of the world. I've been so excited but these few weeks coming up to the trip I've basically lost interest and am considering not even going. Anyone ever experienced this, if I go anyway am I likely to enjoy it or want to come home early?
I know its a stupid question

>>1062235

OP again. I'm the same way. I usually get pumped for a trip and then stop caring a week or so before I go. Don't worry - you'll be excited again once you get on the plane and are ready to leave. I've had the same feeling plenty of times and have never really been let down. Just roll with the flow and rest assured that you'll have fun if you don't like expectations of grandeur get the best of you. I'm honestly a bit bored in Delhi right now, but I've got plans with friends and ideas on what to do in a few days to make it special.

You'll be fine!

How safe is Nepal?

File: go_away.jpg (76 KB, 409x301) Image search: [Google]

76 KB, 409x301

>>1061945

>>1061785
Check out Vattakanal if you're planning to go south.
And Sikkim and Ladakh are both beautiful and safe. There are also places in Himachal and Uttrakhand which you might find interesting.

File: 1450996055584.jpg (75 KB, 1023x581) Image search: [Google]

75 KB, 1023x581

>>1061945
this is a post-ironic piece of shitposting art

>>1051067
>no, brown girls do not crave white cock
this is a blatant lie

How is Kerala backwaters? Worth a visit?

I'm a 2nd Gen American from India who visits every year. lmk if u have any questions, I've visited almost every part of the country

>>1062988
Favorite things/places north of Delhi?

>>1062865
Not OP. It's actually, literally not. Get over yourself.

File: image.jpg (2 MB, 3264x2448) Image search: [Google]

2 MB, 3264x2448

>>1063009

OP here again. Like I said, can't post too much but I'm here in India. Spent the last week in Delhi and I'm going to Kolkata first thing in the morning. Will likely go to Darjeeling and maybe Varanasi and Lucknow on the way back, depending on how lazy I feel. Christmas here was very kek-worthy.

File: image.jpg (1 MB, 3264x2448) Image search: [Google]

1 MB, 3264x2448

>>1063032

Anyone know how I can fix this sideways photo bullshit?

>>1051208
Also a lot of Indian girls are virgins until they get married. Never fuck one, oral sex is the limit unless she isn't already a virgin. Things will just get screwed up for both of you.

>>1063077

Dunno if I'd agree all the way with that. If a girl wants to fuck, that's her choice.
Just don't do shit like promise a chick you'll marry her and that she's the love of your life and ditch her right after, but that's common courtesy everywhere

File: IMG_20150827_074942957_HDR.jpg (5 MB, 5248x2952) Image search: [Google]

5 MB, 5248x2952

I leave for Delhi from San Francisco on January 6th then book a domestic flight to Mangalore to meet up with my girlfriend on the 8th. We really don't have any plans and we both have tourist visas. We are going to meet up with my grandmother in March and tour around Nepal.

Any advice?

File: kashmir-places.jpg (167 KB, 1400x704) Image search: [Google]

167 KB, 1400x704

Are Jammu and Kashmir safe places to go to? It seems the fighting has calmed down a bit, and the area looks beautiful. Any recommendations of what to do there if I do happen to go?

Looking for a bit of help here.
I've got flights booked for chennai on the 7th, and will be spending a month in India.
However, i understand chennai is not the best place to be right now, and doesn't really have the infrastructure for tourists.
I'm flying budget and can't cancel my flight, so I'm guessing my best option is the book the nearest national flight to somewhere else?
Is chennai 24/7? I haven't been able to find out, and my flight lands at like 10pm..
Any suggestions?
I thought I had my trip planned but this changes everything.
Is kochi nice?
I've also heard very interesting things about Nagaland, and its gone from being somewhere I've never heard of to very much on my radar, has anyone been?

>>1063558

OP here. They're fine, just don't be an obvious Jew.

OP bumping. Decided to hop over to Bangkok for a few days, absolutely hate the place. I'm considering spending $200 just to go back to Delhi a few days early.

>>1062235

planning for a year for 8 weeks???? I'm going in 20 days and haven't even planned where I'm staying first night yet. kek staying for months though.

Anyone ever do AirBnB in India? New Delhi specifically.