Help -First trip to India, solo female
Replies: 19 - Last Post: Dec 17, 2012 3:44 PM Last Post By: mandja
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Help -First trip to India, solo female
Hi All! I will be arriving in Delhi on Feb 2, 2013 and leave for Thailand, from Delhi, on Feb 21. I'd really appreciate some feedback with re to the itinerary I've come up with. I've spent a lot of time going through the LP guide and reading quite a bit on this site. For awhile, I got more and more confused...almost overwhlemed by all I wanted to see and do and realizing it's just not doable.Here's what I've come up with.
Feb 2,3 ...Delhi (i'm only there for 18 hrs/layover -jetlag rest- before moving on to Jodhpur)
Feb 3 -7...Jodhpur (I have a commitment there for 5 days)
Feb 7 - 11...Udaipur (I'm also considering Pushkar instead of Udaipur?)
Feb 11- 13...Agra
Feb 14-19 Varanasi
Feb 19 - 21 Delhi
I really want to feel the "pulse" in each area i go to and not rush. . I'm almost thinking I should eliminate Udaipur and go Jodhpur to Agra? Or is the amount of time I've allotted a reasonable amount of time. Again, I don't want to feel like I'm doing a quick look-see and movin on to the next thing. Things I'm interested in are temples, forts, mosques, local people and culture, ghats, history, shopping. Oh, I would be so thrilled to attend a wedding! I was in Tunisia for 5 weeks and attended 3 - were amazing!
The other thing is that I'll be travelling alone, Unfortunately, I can't find anyone to go with me. There is a slight chance my brother will be in China; if so, he'll fly over and meet me. I'm a married female, 51 yrs old and although I am not well travelled (only to Tunisia, France and many islands in Carribean)) I'm not too easily intiminated and feel as though I have a pretty good bullsh*t meter. I know nothing can truly prepare me for India and must admit I am a little nervous travelling alone. I guess I could use a little encouragement lol! I'm very adventurous, a free spirit and usually hang with the locals wherever I go.
Any thoughts on all of the above would be so appreciated!
1
Hi,2-3 days in agra, seems like a lot, you could cover entire agra in just one day, from delhi, you leave in the morning and come back in the evening. Agra is dirty, and not worth staying at, udaipur you should go cos again pushkar is a very small place, in one km area, and even if you are looking at the local feel not more than two days i suppose. Udaipur hasnplenty to do in and around you will quite like it.. if going to pushkar, then do go to ajmer to dargah moinuddin chisti, second only to mecca medina for the muslims, ajmer is half an hour from pushkar. And yeah, if i am getting married around that time, i will invite you for my wedding in delhi .. ;).. enjoy !!!
2
Get out of Delhi,good choice,Jodh enjoy,make some friends with the locals and a wedding invite might come...My first time in Goa,I was invited to weddings where I knew no one.I was told it was good luck to have a westerner at the wedding.And since my female friend went with me, some at the wedding thought we were gay!..It was great fun....2 nites in Agra is enough.Get a hotel that overlooks the Taj and have drinks on the roof while looking at the Taj...
...I would skip Varanasi and go somewhere else as you decide only when you get here.
3
Whist I do not wish to discourage you..."feel the pulse" and "not rush"...are you kiddding? I believe you won't feel much or experience a great deal in this limited time-frame, imho. Lots of folks could spend 3 weeks in just Rajasthan. Distances are not great but travel is long and tiring unless you have a car and a driver. Too much Delhi, not enough everywhere else. Sorry!4
how can you fool yourself that you aren't having a quick look see and moving on to the next thingthat is exactly what you are doing
it is what most people do
only go to Pushkar if you need some drugs or like eating dirt
I don't see how anyone can say do Agra in a day from Delhi as there is so much to see there
might as well just look at the Taj Mahal in a magazine and say you have done Agra
you could spend all your time in Delhi if you want to get a feel for it
even after 10 visits it will still take you by surprise though so don't feel bad if you haven't learned anything after your first visit
what is the interest in a wedding
do you gate crash weddings in your home town
how much of the language and religion do you understand
otherwise it will be hard to follow
or are you going for some of the home made alcohol and loud music
ghats aren't something for foreigners to amuse themselves with and photograph
5
Wow is #4 a cynic."I don't see how anyone can say do Agra in a day from Delhi as there is so much to see there"
Id say half a day is enough in Agra . If you take the early fast train from Delhi, it leaves at 6am and arrives in Agra at 8am. I was met by a guide who took me on a tour of the Taj Mahal anfd the Fort. We were done by noon !!
From there, I travelled to Fatephur Sikri - a couple hours there is plenty too.
8
I endorse totally Lake Traveller's post and I do not undestand the negativity of some of the other posters;Do not switch Pushkar for Udaipur (also my favorite Rajesthan city). There are several havelis converted to hotels situated on lakeside in Lal Ghat - all the guidbooks list them - I can strongly recommend those places.
I would also go along with ZD above as Jaiselmer is unique (as is Udaipur) - if you do decide to visit Jaiselmer, there is a very convenient overnite train that starts in Jodhpur, then JAIS to UDAI is a couple of conveniently-connecting bus rides, altho' there's probably a thru' bus now.
You may need to reduce time spent in Varanasi as many find it a bit heavy.
On the Q of Agra - absolutely right to visit the sole MustSee in India, it is closed on Fridays, get there at daybreak, the Red Fort is far superior to its Delhi namesake. A sie trip by cab to fatehpur Sukri is also recommended.
I congratulate you on a very rational itinerary which may just need a little fine tuning.
9
I really liked the blue city of Jodhpur and wish I had 1 more day there. i stayed at a nice little havili there10
Annie, here...Thanks so much for the responses and help to fine tune my plans!@ sachpush - my mistake, my dates were confusing. I'm only spending 18 hrs in Delhi before heading to Jodhpur for 5 days. Please do get married while I'm there ;)!!
@kathyindia - how funny they thought you were gay! I'm sure the wedding was a wonderful experience. Maybe I'll be lucky and get an invite! Rethinkng Agra, I'll stay one night and head out the next morning.Thanks!
@lyndy - I'm pretty sure I'll be "feeling" and "experiencing" lots from the moment I land.
@cowantimmy - "drugs" "eating dirt" "alcohol and loud music" "crashing weddings"...wow!
@ mandja - agree about the short stay in Agra, thanks!
@laketraveller - Great advice, thanks! I'm def going to Udaipur now and cutting back on my time in Agra.
@ grahamapoole - i've seen many of your posts over the last few weeks (same with laketraveller) and both of you seem to offer very good, solid advice. Great to know about staying at a havelis in Lal Ghat, thanks! I'm also rethinking time spent in Varanasi as you may be right. Especially since I'm travelling alone...may be too overwhelming. #4=CRANKY lol!
@zedisdead - I've made reservations at a havili in Jodhpur. I'm so excited to spend a few days there!! Not sure about Jaisalmer yet, but will give it some more thought! Thanks!
14
Annie 2 days is enough for udaipur, and 1 day is enough for pushkar and ajmer as they r nearby, don't miss out jaisalmer and Jaipur. Also from Jaipur if u go to Agra, do visit bharatpur santuary and fatehpur sikri both in 1 day, and next day 1 day for agra. Go to mathura from there, visit lord krishna temple and iscon temple all in one day and evening come back to Delhi. 2 days for Delhi. If u carrying your winter clothes, then u can go to shimla , Chandigarh, dharamshala, (3 days). or can go to hrishikesh, haridwar, corbett national park, nanital (3-4) days. Avoid varanasi for this trip, but once in ur lifetime u should visit this mesmerising place.
