noni

O.K. lets have a happy thread.
We have just come back from Delhi - which is much cleaner than Goa, having a car and driver for 8 days.

Really enjoyed the trip - Taj Mahal, Amber Fort and Akshardham (Delhi) being the most outstanding.

We are cultered out after seeing Lotus Temple, Lord Krishna's birthplace, Taj, Agra Fort, Red Fort, Jahangir Palace, Fatehpur Sikri, Amber Fort (poor Pinky my elephant)
Palace of the Winds, every other Fort and Palace en route

Fabulous places to stay - all clean, impressed by the whole trip.

I am sure some of you will have comments to make about such a trip.

msj5

Pleased you enjoyed your trip Noni.The Taj Mahal (2rp entry when we did it) Fatehpur Sikri and the Amber Fort always stand clear in my memory of a similar trip !

chrisjolly

Well done Noni...I had stopped reading the Forum as there was no new threads and they were the same old things. Good to start something about our travels and pleasure of being here. We are off to Sri Lanka for the first time next month so will tell you all about it. Did you hire your car and driver there or did you organise everything from here?

Shasha

We've just done the same but also went on to Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer! Extraordinary architecture, considering that many of the forts and palaces were built in the 15th and 16th century and the Jaisalmer fort in the 12th century! The skill of these people is truly amazing...Unfortunately, there are some people who come to Goa and never venture anywhere else, which is a shame as this country has a tremendous diversity to offer, and not just cheap beer!

noni

Everything was organised - Toyoto Nova with driver for the whole time. The Company we went with did us proud - and half the price for twice as long as booking here in Goa.

Chris start any thread you like keep the site ALIVE.

Horse Doctor

Hi Noni
The trip sounds great, were you driven all the way? Who did you make the arrangements with? If this is against forum rules perhaps you could send me a pm. It would be helpful. Thank you

noni

We were met at the airport, in a local taxi (in price of holiday) and from the next morning had a driver and Nova for the whole time we were there. He was very protective of us, and I would quite happily have gone on my own with him, and this company. We went with Capital City Travel and Tours, Delhi, and my friend made arrangements from the UK and we paid before we left, so one less payment out of the holiday fund.

willb

Hi.

We caught a train from Goa to Hampi. Booked the Hampi and return trip at Margoa train station. No problems at all. The train trip was about 6 hours, and all was OK. There was food and drinks on the train, and we met some great people. Funny story: We were picked up in Hampi at 6 30 in the morning for the short trip to the railway station by a Tuc Tuc, half way there the Tuc Tuc got a flat tyre. We used the flash on our mobile 'phones to help the driver see the wheel nuts, (He had no spanner, so used a pair of pliars) then lifted the back end of the Tuc Tuck while he changed the wheel. Incredible India.

When we got to hampi, we hired a couple of scooters, and spent 3 days exploring the place. You have got to go to Hampi.

Also have done Jaipur. The Amber Fort is brilliant.

We also took a train trip from Goa to Mysore, again brilliant. then on to Ooty and Masinagudi. Again Fantastic.

pennylessinindia

I love travelling and the moments of joy they bring and fun things you see.
A shark in a auto in Visag was perhaps the funniest .
I have fallen in love with Udaipur in the monsoon time, no rain and bright blue skies.
planning a few days in Darjeeling soon so looking forward to cold air!!

noni

We saw four weddings between 10.30 and 12.00 in the night, bridegroom arriving in a coach with horses.

Pyre at the side of the road, which had just been lit.

Man having an enema on the roadside. Diverse or what!

Thinking of Darjeeling next season so let us know how your trip goes

a_f_d

Sounds great noni, we 'did' most of those places a very long time ago, we travelled by train and rickshaw - and the Taj was free - spoke to someone recently who did a similar trip and was generally unimpressed, I still remember the Taj at sunset (we missed full moon) as an experience of a lifetime.
We just did Bangalore-Mysore-Coorg with a car and driver booked with a local tour operator - 1 crap hotel (Bangalore- but it was the first ODI match next day), 1 OK- plus (Mangalore) and 1 very good - Coorg is very green, quiet and beautiful, it would definitely be a repeat option if we find ourselves here again in a hot April/May.

AndyD 8-)#

P.S. Interesting how many Goa regulars are taking time-out trips!!

noni

Taj now 750 rups each unless you are Indian 20 rups. Now that is racial as all our sites etc are the same price for all.

You must see the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, in New Delhi, it is the most incredible place. You need nearly a day - we are going back at some point. It is a new temple and only took 6 years to build, the carvings of the elephants around the base of the temple are amazing - and it was free!

No camera's are allowed in - and it was the only day it rained - no umbrella's.

Bipat

So glad that you enjoyed your trip Noni and this is a great thread you have started.
Please let us not go over again the above argument, see 'prices thread' (it is 'tourists' who pay extra not other races).

Bipat

We travelled extensively in India (when younger) and mostly by train and bus.
Most memorable in the 80s two trips to Kashmir and the wonderful Dal Lake.
Wouldn't repeat the bus trip from Jammu to Srinagar though, we came back by taxi!! Also the Minaxi temple at Madurai is something special.
Two years ago went to Haridwar and Rishikesh, found Haridwar too crowded
but Rishikesh in spite of more foreign tourists was calmer and pleasant. A taxi driver took us to a little shingle beach where you could wade into the Ganges.
We are now about to go on a two week trip before going to Goa, mainly to visit the Golden Temple at Amritsar, which some say is more beautiful than the Taj. Also visiting Udaipur and Jodhpur which we haven't been to before and Jaipur which we have visited. (Flying this time) and staying in Heritage hotels. So will report back how we get on.

johnny five

Sorry.........wrong,

Foreign national = rs750

Indian national = rs20

"Tourist" does not come into it............at all.............the present Indian Prime Minister described this as discrimination and promised to get rid of it.........years ago.....fat chance!

Come to India and get shafted, should be the new sound-bite.

How much aid will India offer Japan, after grabbing all they could after the last tsunami............most of which disappeared into powerful pockets without trace (documented, or better still, visit the east coast and see how much has been done after all these years)

Must be due another $1 billion space rocket soon.........maybe this one will reach 1000ft?

In the UK we call it bonfire night, and its a little bit cheaper!