Anyone been to India?

[Cheeky Monkey]

I doubt you've really "been" to the USA. There is just so much of it to see and so much that's great.
The west, the northwest, the rockies, new england, key west, arizona .... I could go on ....
Plus they speak a version of English we can usually understand .... well, kinda!

Whilst the USA is a fantastic place, you seem a bit narrow minded on the destination front goldstone. Not everyone wants the sanitised and 'safe' holiday experience, where people speak English and the nearest McDeath or Union Jack pub is a stones throw away!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Have booked the honeymoon flights, just now

We're off to southern India for just over three weeks in the middle / end of September. Flying into Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, then working our way north along the coast to Mumbai, and flying home from there.

Has anyone any top tips, places to stay or visit along the way? We'll be in Kerala, Karnataka and Goa before ending up in Mumbai (Maharashtra).

Thanks in advance chaps! Can't bloody wait!

Damn brilliant! You'll have a cracking time!

Would say tho that the order of your trip is the opposite to what some people would do it i.e. start at Mumbai, then go thru a decompression process from Goa to Kerala.

But I found the people in Goa (stayed at Colva in the southish) to be some of the sweetest and friendliest people I've ever met. And was really hard pushed to spend more than a fiver a day - and that was REALLY pushing the boat out. Whether it's hiring a taxi and the driver stays with you all day sleeping in his cab til you decide to go home, or getting a made-to-measure suit run up for about thruppence or eating the brst ever curries, seafood and giant bottles of Kingfisher (top tip: don't get a big bottle each, get one between two, so it stays cold) you'll have a superb time!

And if you get malaria or the runs or your arm falls off in the night, the Indians have an unbeatable cure-all: Live Yoghurt. Fact.

Oh, yes, and beware of the 'feni' the palm-tree sap bacardi-like spirit. It sends you blind and/or mad, so they say. Tho is a tasty treat with coke & ice.

 

[Ringer]

I've been to Bombay. Exactly what I expected ... a filthy, polluted, crowded, stinking slum full of beggars and cripples. I never ever want to set foot in the effing country again.

Well I dread to think what they thought of you pal.

Why the hell go to India when there are civilised places to go such as the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand ...

For 'civilised' read 'normal day to day' by the looks of it.

Wow, you must have had an amazing time going to all those English-speaking, westernised-cultured countries?!

 

[Ringer]

I've been to Bombay. Exactly what I expected ... a filthy, polluted, crowded, stinking slum full of beggars and cripples. I never ever want to set foot in the effing country again.

And why did you bother going if that was what you expected?

 

[NMH]

Try to find a decent Indian restaurant, and try that new-fangled 'Curry' stuff. It's fab and gear! (so the Maharishi tells me)

 

[PaoloRossiJohnson]

Was up that coastline in 1992...

Cochin is one of my fav places on this earth... try and butter up the local boat owners into taking you on a tour of the harbour/inlets etc., and don't miss out on the fresh fish caught in the Chinese fishing nets - superb.

When you are coming in to land at Trivandrum 'airport' (air strip would be better...), you might well be sh!tting yourself thinking you're about to end up in the sea, as the runway is that close to the edge of the land!

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Anyone been to India?

Ask one of your ushers......

Good idea

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Anyone been to India?

Damn brilliant! You'll have a cracking time!

Would say tho that the order of your trip is the opposite to what some people would do it i.e. start at Mumbai, then go thru a decompression process from Goa to Kerala.

But I found the people in Goa (stayed at Colva in the southish) to be some of the sweetest and friendliest people I've ever met. And was really hard pushed to spend more than a fiver a day - and that was REALLY pushing the boat out. Whether it's hiring a taxi and the driver stays with you all day sleeping in his cab til you decide to go home, or getting a made-to-measure suit run up for about thruppence or eating the brst ever curries, seafood and giant bottles of Kingfisher (top tip: don't get a big bottle each, get one between two, so it stays cold) you'll have a superb time!

And if you get malaria or the runs or your arm falls off in the night, the Indians have an unbeatable cure-all: Live Yoghurt. Fact.

Oh, yes, and beware of the 'feni' the palm-tree sap bacardi-like spirit. It sends you blind and/or mad, so they say. Tho is a tasty treat with coke & ice.

Why 'decompression process' mate? You mean it's less of a culture shock?

Am so excited!

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Was up that coastline in 1992...

Cochin is one of my fav places on this earth... try and butter up the local boat owners into taking you on a tour of the harbour/inlets etc., and don't miss out on the fresh fish caught in the Chinese fishing nets - superb.

When you are coming in to land at Trivandrum 'airport' (air strip would be better...), you might well be sh!tting yourself thinking you're about to end up in the sea, as the runway is that close to the edge of the land!

Am looking forward to Cochin, plus the coastal railway is ace on all accounts.

 

[algie]

I've been to Bombay. Exactly what I expected ... a filthy, polluted, crowded, stinking slum full of beggars and cripples. I never ever want to set foot in the effing country again.

Why the hell go to India when there are civilised places to go such as the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand ...

Just what i thought.It's all those flies that put me off

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Re: Re: Re: Anyone been to India?

Why 'decompression process' mate? You mean it's less of a culture shock?

Just meant that because of the crowds and hustle of Bombay, a lot of folk like to start their trip there and then go and chill on the beaches and in the countryside of Goa and the even more chilled Kerala.

Tho on the other hand, going to Bombay last will prepare you for going back to the joys of the London rush-hour.

Either way, you'll love it. Fact.

 

[Brixton Seagull 2]

You'll never experience culture shock like exiting Mumbai airport for the first time. Brilliant! But as others have said, expect unbelievable poverty and pollution. For a great experience, hit Juhu beach and try the Sev Puri's from one of the little food stalls. I went on my own, and as it was the time of the Ganesh festival, there were 100's of 1000's of mad Indian's dunking themslves and their idols in the sea. Amazing.
But do be prepared to be hassled mercilessly by street kids and cripples...

 

[Trufflehound]

Don't miss a boat trip on the Kerala backwaters around Alleppey. It's one of the most tranquil and beautiful places on Earth.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

You'll never experience culture shock like exiting Mumbai airport for the first time. Brilliant! But as others have said, expect unbelievable poverty and pollution. For a great experience, hit Juhu beach and try the Sev Puri's from one of the little food stalls. I went on my own, and as it was the time of the Ganesh festival, there were 100's of 1000's of mad Indian's dunking themslves and their idols in the sea. Amazing.
But do be prepared to be hassled mercilessly by street kids and cripples...

I'm intrigued as to how India's gonna compare with China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malawi, cos I've spent a month or so in each of those, and had incredible experiences in all. You can't beat back-packing!

Malawi was my first trip to a third world country, and boy was that a culture shock!

The plan is to stay in reasonable luxury in Kerala for the first few nights and try to do it on a budget from then on. Better take the mozzie repellant and the immodium

Thanks for all the advice, everyone

 

[Safeway]

Why the hell go to India when there are civilised places to go such as the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand ...

:thud:

I went to India in 98 and it was AMAZING. Flew into Mumbai before travelling up and being based in a little Gujurati town called Nadiad (near Ahmedabad).

During the two months we were there, we travelled down the west coast as far as Goa and then back up to the 'Golden Triangle' - Dehli, Agra and Jaipur - as well as Udaipur where they've got the hotel in the middle of a LAKE (featured in a Bond film I believe).

Oh yeah, in Goa we found a 'Seagulls' bar.