Off to india for 2 weeks - help!!!!!!

POLO_BINT

hey guys - really need as much advice as I can get please....

won a holiday to india for 2 weeks private tour, fly into delhi then towards the end of the holiday fly to mumbai for the last few days.

problem is....

I HAVE NEVER FLOWN IN MY LIFE

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT

HOW MUCH MONEY I SHOULD TAKE (traveler's cheques or exchange sterling when I get there)

I have spent hours googling but I am overwhelmed by everything - very daunting lol

any tips/advice would be very much appreciated - cheers!

errrmmm..... we fly out on 12th feb!!!!!! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh

Diamond_Olly

I take it your visa has been arranged - if not, that's your first priority!!!

Pollycat

Very good point from Diamond Olly re visas.
Also something to think about is vaccinations and malaria tablets.

For info on what to expect when you arrive, I think your best bet is to get onto a holiday specific website, try Tripadvisor and Holidaytruths.

It's hard to advise on spending money without knowing what the 'private tour' includes e.g. food, entrance fees to sites, transport etc.

Who are you flying with?
What class? Economy? Business?
Is it a non-stop flight into Delhi?

On Holidaytruths there's a 'flight' forum - you could ask on there what your airline is like.

POLO_BINT

visa all done

jabs all done

flying with my boyfriend, economy. Non stop flight to delhi from heathrow (8hrs) overnight flight


Here is the email of confirmation of booking etc I received ...... any tips for any of this would be fantastic - places to go, what to buy or not buy lol....




*_Travel Plan Summary_*

On arrival at Delhi Airport, you'll be greeted by our driver in the arrivals hall and transferred to a comfortable hotel in Central Delhi, where you can relax and recover from your jetlag, with comfortable rooms, modern facilities and plenty of local personality.

The next day you'll be collected from your hotel to begin a fascinating half-day tour of Old Delhi. Your guide will take you into the heart of Chandhi Chowk, the spice market in the Old City, a maze of tiny alleyways thick with exotic aromas. You'll also soak up the hushed atmosphere of the Jama Masjid, Delhi's largest mosque. After the tour, you'll be transferred back to your hotel.

The next day you'll travel on to the beautiful village of Samode, where you'll spend the night in a beautiful palace fit for kings. On Day 3, you'll continue to Jaipur - The Pink City. When you arrive, you'll take a tour of the city, visiting the City Palace, the Observatory and the Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal). You'll stay in a fantastic haveli with an refined murals, arched galleries, serene courtyards and an elegant swimming pool. Enjoy a cup of cardamom-spiced chai in the luxurious dining hall before collapsing on your comfortable bed. Click here for more information: http://www.indiatravelplan.co.uk/maharaja-style-starter-pack.htm

You will spend one more night in the beautiful heritage haveli in Jaipur, steeped in Rajasthani tradition and charm, with gleaming white arches and gold inlays on the walls. There is also a wonderful swimming pool here, set amid the beautiful landscaped gardens.

The next morning you'll take our Wonders of the World tour. From Jaipur, you'll be transferred via Galta, with its notorious Monkey Temple, and then continue on to the beautiful Bharatpur wetlands, bursting with birdlife. A few kilometres further on, you'll may decide to visit the stunning ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri (guides are optional and can be paid for locally)before driving on to Agra, your final destination of the day. The following morning, you'll set out to visit the magnificent Taj Mahal, more breathtaking in reality than you could ever imagine. You'll spend two nights in a very comfortable hotel with modern facilities and a swimming pool. Follow this link for more information: www.indiatravelplan.co.uk/wonders-of-the-world.htm<http://www.indiatravelplan.co.uk/wonders-of-the-world.htm>

The next day you'll be collected from your hotel in Agra and transferred to Delhi by private air-conditoned car.

You'll stay in the same hotel in Central Delhi for a night before you head south the next day.
In the morning/afternoon you'll be collected from your hotel in Delhi and transferred directly to the airport.

We'll arrange the reservation and tickets for your flight from Delhi to Mumbai (approx. 2 hours).

When you arrive into Mumbai airport, you'll be greeted by our local agent and transferred directly to your hotel.

You'll spend 2 nights in a comfortable hotel in the lively Colaba district of Mumbai, close to all of the tourist sites. The hotel has modern facilities, air-conditioning, and a multicuisine restaurant.

After breakfast and your first night relaxing at your hotel, our driver will collect you from your hotel for a sight-seeing tour of Mumbai. The tour includes the Gateway of India, Mumbai's most famous landmark, a 19th century Jain Temple with beautiful silver doors and a stroll down Marine drive - this is a windswept promenade, flanked by the sea and a row of charming art deco buildings. Marine Drive was once called the Queen's Necklace, strung with glittering street lights like an enormous strand of imperious jewels. It is also one of Mumbai's busiest roads, an important artery for the suburban traffic heading downtown.

If you have time, head off to Chowpatty beach at sundown where all the locals gather to snack at the stalls and stroll on the city beach.

The next day you'll be collected from your hotel and transferred directly to Mumbai Airport to pick up your flight home.

Of course, this is only an initial suggestion, we can play around with your Travel Plan until we get it just right.

I have attached your Travel Plan (in PDF format) to give you a clear overview of the trip.


Unless otherwise noted above, the smaller transfers for example getting from your hotel to the train station, are much cheaper for you to arrange by yourself locally (usually £2 - £4 per person). You'll find that the staff at your hotels will be more than happy to call a taxi or rickshaw on your behalf.

POLO_BINT

DKLS

Prepare for a massive culture shock, first time I went to Mumbai I was in shock for two days, it was overwhelming.

POLO_BINT

coming from a tiny little seaside touristy town in cornwall and having lived here all my life..... i don't think i can prepare myself fully lmao


im worrying about what i should wear also? I have bought a few things but the last thing i want to do is offend unintentionally!

I am also a smoker? I have read women smoking is frowned upon? arghhhhhhhhhhh

penrhyn

Watch Slumdog Millionaire, might give you a clue, when i first went to Thailand it was the extremes that were the biggest shock, between the poorest and richest in their society. Plenty of Immodium would be a good idea!!

I'd suggest dressing modestly, especially if you are visiting Temples, cover arms and legs, not sure about headgear.

Mr_Lahey

Go to the Library and pick up the Lonely Planet guide on India, or more specifically Mumbai.

Also look here:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=16

and

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g293860-i511-India.html

I wouldn't look too much in culture shocks etc... Just go with the right attitude and you will be fine.

In terms of offending people i can fully understand this, but this is stemmed from what we encounter in the UK. It is really easy to offend someone in the UK, everyone makes a point of getting offended these days.
It is not like that in most other countries (civilised ones anyway) locals appreciate that you are a foreigner and as such you will be cut so much slack that you can pretty much do what you want.
It is more about respect, for example cover your shoulders and remove your shoes before entering a holy place.

I was recently in Malaysia and it is a devout Muslim country, i was walking about with no shirt on, just a pair of shorts, sandals and a bottle of Lager in my hand. No one batted an eye lid.

Other countries are far more tolerant than what you might think.

Ill be in India in June so please do post back about what sort of time you had, have a fantastic time and stop worrying

Pollycat

Mr_Lahey wrote: »

Go to the Library and pick up the Lonely Planet guide on India, or more specifically Mumbai.

Also look here:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=16

and

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g293860-i511-India.html

I wouldn't look too much in culture shocks etc... Just go with the right attitude and you will be fine.

In terms of offending people i can fully understand this, but this is stemmed from what we encounter in the UK. It is really easy to offend someone in the UK, everyone makes a point of getting offended these days.
It is not like that in most other countries (civilised ones anyway) locals appreciate that you are a foreigner and as such you will be cut so much slack that you can pretty much do what you want.
It is more about respect, for example cover your shoulders and remove your shoes before entering a holy place.

I was recently in Malaysia and it is a devout Muslim country, i was walking about with no shirt on, just a pair of shorts, sandals and a bottle of Lager in my hand. No one batted an eye lid.

Other countries are far more tolerant than what you might think.

Ill be in India in June so please do post back about what sort of time you had, have a fantastic time and stop worrying

I've been to Goa many times and the phrase I hear most from people who are there for the first time is:
"It was such a culture shock".

I don't know about Delhi or Jaipur but as a couple of other posters have said Mumbai WILL be a shock, especially if you've not visited many (if any) other countries.
There WILL be beggars, there WILL be rubbish in the streets, you may even see families sleeping rough on the streets of Mumbai (we did), the traffic is manic, the driving (taxis especially) unbelievable, the noise can be deafening.

But as Mr Lahey also says 'Go with the right attitude'.

It sounds a fabulous trip.

POLO_BINT

thanks guys

especially Mr Lahey

I went to the library weeks ago - picked up "the said" guide and a few others whilst I was there......

I suppose I should read them now lol, was saving them for the flight (not much time to read... can't even scratch my backside in peace in this house)

Can anyone be so kind as to give me an estimate on how much spending money we will need???? I've put aside £700 but the few people who I have spoke to briefly said I wouldn't even spend half of it!

What is the best way to deal with the money side of things? Traveler's cheques or get sterling changed when we get there? How much of what should I change up etc etc etc ...

the list goes on lol
x