AjiNIMC Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I was at Delhi Airport, where I met few travelers from France and they were going to Kashmir. They were reading blogs, lonely planet and some other sites to understand about Kashmir and were looking at various hotel sites to book a place.I am into web marketing and my special interest is to improve websites in such a way that it adds value to the society. My query is: If you had to travel to India or if you have already traveled to India, how do (did) you plan your trip? What I mean is, do you have french websites that help you with the right information or do you have traveling agents who plan your trip?Please help me get more idea about how you plan your trip and decide the hotel, places to visit etc, this will help me add the related information to various traveling sites. Thanks and looking forward for your replies.Best Regards,Aji Issac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I love India - and especially Patang.The French are finally finding an interest in India and Indian goods and there is even a Patang Club in France!I think it is probably easier and cheaper to go via UK as there are far more Indians in the UK that visit home regularly and flights are therefore cheaper.I think you will find the majority of people on this site have UK passports so they would need a visa from one of the UK Indian embassies.I would guess that most anglo saxon UK people that visit India go via travel agents and probably on package tours.I prebought air tickets and train tickets and Stayed independently at Clarks Avard (spelling probably wrong).If you happen to know of a supplier of kite spars I would be very interested - please IM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 One of our sons lives in India with his family, up in the mountains in the SE. I've visited them once, and as Dog suggested, flew from Heathrow. And I had to go over to UK to get a visitors visa, which lasts 6 months.I did all the bookings myself online, which worked out ok, though it was a horrendously long journey. via Abu Dhabi and Sri Lanka. Daughter came with me and they lost her luggage.One problem was that if you want to get connections within India, by air or rail, they ask for payment in rupees, and you can't get rupees until you are in India.I wonder if you know a way round that? I suppose I could have asked son to do it.I would love to go again, but can't afford it at the moment. So if you know a cheap way to do it!By the way there is a direct flight from Paris to Bangalore, but it's very dear and you need to get to Paris before 10am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 [quote user="Dog"]I would guess that most anglo saxon UK people that visit India go via travel agents and probably on package tours.[/quote]We have visited Malaysia and Sri Lanka by booking package tours and then not staying with the tour but gone off to visit family, friends and done "our own thing".Found the cost of the package was cheaper than the flight tickets on their own. Only bind was you then had to go back to the package hotel and be bussed to the airport with the rest of the holiday makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 You lucky person having a son in India - you did find a cheap flight with those changeovers - my younger brother went that way once. He was only 16 and they had an overnight delay in Abu Dahbi and he had to rough it.Does your son fly patang or his children? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Probably not a PC thing to say (and will no doubt be flamed for it) but........If I Had to travel to India (again) I would object most strongly, in fact it would possibly be a resigning issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 [quote user="powerdesal"]Probably not a PC thing to say (and will no doubt be flamed for it) but........If I Had to travel to India (again) I would object most strongly, in fact it would possibly be a resigning issue.[/quote]Why India is a fantastic place its delights are endless.I was talking with a Canadian friend who was renewing and building sewers in Delhi. They had a bad blockage one day and there was no TV cameras to see what the major blockage was. He was told that they had divers available and he said what with all the kits and they said yes.Next day two skinny men arrived stripped nude and went down holding their breathe and cleared the blockage in the main sewer.I would go back to India at the drop of a hat it is a great place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I think I understand Steve's comment. True, there are some beautiful things about India, but I was also shocked at the extreme poverty that the majority of the population "live" in. In rural villages some babies and old people just left to die, as they can't feed them.And the roads [blink] Full of potholes and everyone weaving in and out, families of 4 on one little scooter etc. It's a land of extremes.Another big problem, hygeine. Where son lives all the sewage etc goes untreated into the nearby river, then this is about the only source for drinking water. So it has to be boiled twice and filtered.But to go back to the topic of getting there, I think SW17 perhaps has the right idea to go originally on a package tour. Then branch out if you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 In my opinion the good bits in India far outweight the bad although you will definitely see and experience the best and worst things you have ever seen in you life.I can just sit and watch the traffic all day it's a laugh a minute - the record number of children in full english style school uniform in a cycle rickshaw was 14. The youngest kid I saw smoking a bindi (a thin roll up cigarette) was maybe 18 months old. On a busy street a man crossing the road eating a banana whistled at a cow and threw the cow the skin which promptly ate it. Walking in the dark streets at night a door would open and a shaft of light illuminate a woman banging a stainless steel bowl and the local cows would arrive to eat the leftovers. The mud huts by the river that the very poor lived in and which were washed away yearly when the river flooded where decorated with amazing pictures painted on the cracked mud. The street urchin that lived under the kite shop who was a demon tangler and I got told off for buying him his first Thumbs Up (Indian Coca-Cola - but better). Bodies floating in the river and people abluting in them while women washed clothes. The rickshaw drivers sleeping on the sadles at night. The gaudly painted transexuals that turn up mysteriously when a baby is born to demand money or the baby will be cursed to be like them. I could go on and on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AjiNIMC Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 Thanks for all the replies. I have some very specific queries. Say if you are planning to visit north east part of India (which includes Sikkim, Darjeeling etc), how will you plan your stay assuming that you don't have good contacts in India?Once again, all the replies are highly appreciated and are helping me understand a lot more about the requirement.Regards,Aji Issac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogslegs Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 If someone offered me a free ticket with air india.........I WOULD NOT GO![+o(][+o(][+o(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Air India they are sublime - I'd go on Aeroflot and enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091004/twl-stunned-passengers-watch-pilots-slug-3fd0ae9.htmlHaving read the above story, Air India would not be my first choice![blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 One of the nicest airline to fly to India is Jet. I did it once and was amazed at the service - friendly stewards and excellent entertainment.To answer the OP, I definately rely on online blogs to decide my travel plans. I also read Rough Guide, Lonely Planet and other travel books (but usually only what is available online). I use my CC to do all local bookings, so I don't have to worry about converting money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr orloff Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 The answer to your question is I would buy a guidebook. Almost certainly the excellent Handbook series by footprint. Otherwise LP and Rough guides. I have travelled all over the world, including India. It's one of the most fascinating and rewarding places to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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