Going to India- any suggestions?

[holymountain]

hi all

i'll be going to india for a couple of weeks at the end of the year. just wondering if anyone here has been and could make some recommendations of things to do and places to visit.

cheers

[Guest stonedpirate]

Suggestions? I have a few.

1. Drop a bomb on india.

2. Get as many vaccines as you can.

3. Dont drink the water.

4. Get used to diarhea.

5. Dont take the guru wannabes seriously.

6. GTFO of india.

[holymountain]

wow...gee...what great helpful information. specially the first one. real cool.

[Guest stonedpirate]

Probably the best advice you'll get. You just don't know it yet..

[FancyPants]

Yo, pirate, what's the view like with your head so far up your own arse?

[stiched up]

drop a bomb on india wtf????

someone ban this racist

useless bullshit post.

holymountain maybe c if u can check out the goa beaches psy scene lotsa quality psy partys there

[El Presidente Hillbillios]

Wow, that would be an awesome trip, My Indian buddie said there is a massive difference between the people and places between North and South india.

What part are you planning on going to?

Hillbilly

[dbbard]

I went North of Delhi with my partner and loved it. Started in Manali, bought a motorbike (a Bullet) and cruise up around the border with Tibet. Went through an Icy pass at 4505metres.

Yeah I got sick, but I been sick here too!

After being sick, I drank the water everywhere, no probs (except for the bug I brought home, which nearly killed me a year later!)

Indians are generally very nice, interested, generous people. My bike got a flat one night between villages and the local store keeper insisted I stay at his place, even after he drove me to get a new tube.

Good luck

[Guest stonedpirate]

someone ban this racist

Race has nothing to do with it.

lol

Seriously though, i was in india 2 years ago. Basically, dont feed the beggers because they are like seagulls. Give a chip then you have a whole flock on your hands and you cant feed them all regardless of your compassion.

Also, the gurus are a bunch of charlatan scam artists so keep an eye on them.

Disease and poverty is rife so wasnt really joking about vaccines etc.

Stay in the 5 star hotels and dont wander to far into the jungle. Leave that to the hippies who still think india is the holy land and john lennon is god..

Edited October 29, 2009 by stonedpirate

[Torsten]

Stonedpirate, if you want to be a member of this community then read the rules and play nice. Several of your posts have been entirely inappropriate. I have deleted your account as I can't deal with puppywalking a troll at this time of year, but I have not blacklisted you, so if you want to sign up and try again with a different tone then you are most welcome - in 4 weeks.

[nabraxas]

if you're after good smoke then head north. The Parvati Valley, the Kullu Valley or the Sainj Valley are good. Manikaran & Vashisht are OK places to stay each w/hot springs to soak in.

If you head to Almora & then north to Munsyari there's some good stuff to see & smoke around there.

If you want good trekking in Tibetan type settings head for the Zanskar Valley where you can trek to from the Kullu valley, or the Pin Valley which you can trek to from the Parvarti Valley.

I don't know what the situation is like now, but Srinagar was a beautiful spot 20 years ago, & the Kashmiri twist was a top smoke too.

Sikkim & Darjeeling are meant to be pretty cool for scenery as well.

A stay in Shiva's city, Varanasi, can be good. The scenes at the cremation ghats are something to behold.

[Evil Genius]

Hi Holymountain, you might already know this but im mentioning it nevertheless. Better dont beat cows. Just kidding. India has many faces and concerning the weather, the time of year is important. There are some certain areas that you better not visit during the rain season. The climate is a very important factor in India! Inform yourself about the weather in your Area in Advance! bye Eg

Edited October 29, 2009 by Evil Genius

[holymountain]

thanks everyone. i only just decided i'm going so haven't even figured out where i'll be but south sounds like the plan. definitley plan on going to goa.

i kind of like the idea of not knowing what i'm doing and just getting lost.

but once i get there i'll no doubt wish i'd figured shit out and not been so lazy.

anyway i'll keep you updated with what i plan.

peace.

[Birdwing]

Hey dude,

I spent 3 months in India a couple of years ago so have plenty of ideas for ya!!

Rishikesh where the beatles went to in the 60's is cool

Varanasi one of the oldest cities in the world an eye opening beautiful and disgusting place all wrapped into one where they still burn bodies on the banks of the ganges daily.

Goa for a full moon party.

for starters

Not having much of a plan is the go I just booked at ticket there and a ticket home and rolled around the country in trains and buses cheap as too it only cost me the equivalent of around $100 aus to travel all over the country from the north to the very tip of the south, east and west.

We're due for a catch up soon anywayz man so I can chat to you a bit more about it then and show ya some of my happy snaps if ya like.

[B. Loco]

Stonedpirate, if you want to be a member of this community then read the rules and play nice. Several of your posts have been entirely inappropriate. I have deleted your account as I can't deal with puppywalking a troll at this time of year, but I have not blacklisted you, so if you want to sign up and try again with a different tone then you are most welcome - in 4 weeks.

It's good that you have the radar on. Spescially for goiz loik dis b;ake

Oops, CIA will be watching me now too

[Maurice]

Definitely get the latest edition of Lonely Planet India.

Avoid the monsoon which occurs in different parts of India at different times.

Only drink and brush your teeth with bottled water, and make sure the seal is intact on the cap of the bottle when you buy it.

Be careful with bhang lassie as it generally contains datura- work your dose upwards!

Ganja is available everywhere, just ask any tobacco/betel vendor.

Everyone believes in God and prays in India, be humble about this and many doors will open for you!

The train system is amazing, a must do. For long journeys, opium is useful, and widely available.

There are many beggars, so budget on giving a certain amount of money each day.

You will quickly learn who are genuine and who are not, although c.f. Oz its a matter of degrees of poverty.

Avoid charity around bus terminals, tourist spots, when there are many beggars (except at temples during religious festivals when it is auspicious to give). When riding in an auto rickshaw, is a good time to give, because you will encounter "gutter" beggars, who are genuine, and if not, they can't catch you from your vantage point of the rickshaw!

Make sure you have travel/health insurance.

India is a mirror to your own soul, if its dirty, lots of shit will happen, if its pure, all will be OK.

The book shops are great and cheap, nylon hammocks are comfortable and cheap.

If you're in mosquito territory, then the first essential item to buy is a mosquito net.

The list goes on, you will be changed forever, "only in India!"

[nabraxas]

For long journeys, opium is useful, and widely available.

Or if you prefer to stay legal you can buy valium at any pharmacy.

[Birdwing]

Also if your going at the end of the year start getting your shots now as you have to get a few depending on what you've already had and from memory they take like six weeks or something like that to become effective I had to get 5 different shots over 2 sessions. Check it out with a travel doctor.

http://www.traveldoctor.com.au/sydney.html

[Legba]

iView: Ganges

[holymountain]

awesome thanks heaps guys.

birdwing i had a feeling you had told me you had been there. will definitley have to speak with you and get some tips and what not.

just reading some of these responses has got me really excited. thanks again.

[dbbard]

Try for more than a few weeks if you can. It only starts to make sense after a while

Unlike Australia, India makes perfect sense once you have sampled the local good stuff (i.e. oily malana charis!)

[Maurice]

Check out a barber for hair cut.

Go the full facial, neck massage, etc,

but dont let them crack your neck.

[nabraxas]

Check out a barber for hair cut.

nothing beats having someone shave you either.

just make sure they use a new blade, which they should do automatically.

[AndyAmine.]

Its a shame you didnt time it for Dwalli (the festival of lights) which is, umm, right about now actualy.

Fireworks and Bhang EVERYWHERE for about a week, tis good fun but pack ear plugs.

Maurice covered a lot of it well but some other tips I would suggest.

DONT EAT PORK unless its from a 5star hotel (and even then)

Carry Imodium EVERYWHERE!

Be careful about the shops you buy meds from, its very common to be sold fake medication in India (that said you can get just about anything other than S8-S9 drugs without a bribe)

ANYTHING is available for the right amount of money.

Always wear shoes or thongs/sandles when walking the open streets particularly anywhere with open sewers, this is to avoids cuts/infection/disease (or if your near a medical area as I was syringes and scalpels as well)

Necrotising Faschitis and leprosy is very common there and can be in high levels in the sewage.

Carry a hanky, it can come in very useful for all kinds of reasons one being to cover your mouth and nose when traveling at peak-hour in an auto rickshaw.

Respect peoples space and traditions (: for example dont throw empty egg shells off your balcony into a vegan Hindu shanty town

Tuberculosis is VERY common.

Maurice mentioned the bottle cap seal thing which is really common but also beware of the little plastic bags or the glass soft-drink bottles they sell drinks in as well, the plastic bags are usually washed out in the creek/puddle out the back and the bottles are just washed and recapped.

If you get offered 'brown sugar' in your pan dont take it, its heroin (at least its sold that way in Hydrabad during festivities)

Dont step/touch in the red stuff on the ground/walls, its beatlenut spit.

When on the street on your own dont let people crowd you or touch you (which they WILL try and do), it can get very ugly very quickly.

At the same time it is very common for men to hold hands or put an arm over a shoulder etc. but only friends and not to strangers.

If you have semi long to long hair (that isnt deadlocked) and are not overly masculine in appearance I would suggest cutting your hair short with the option for a parted style, OMG it can make life easier, I was approached as a female a LOT until I did and as a result there was a few occasions where I had some very aggressive sexual advances by men.

[holymountain]

just went and got my shots then...cost me $140...gee whiz...

got the lonely planet book on india. it's huge and intimidating but seems packed full of good info.

thanks for the advice andy...might definitley have to see that barber now as i've got pretty long hair. maybe start growing a mo' for movember and hang onto it for the trip....

thanks again everyone all of this advice is really good. lots of things i wouldn't think of. e.g carry a hanky

i heard someone tell me that keta was available at pharmacies? not that i'd bother of course. just found that interesting.