Anyone ever been to India? (obviously NSR)

I have a chance to go to India for a week in December. It would be wild, a huge wedding for some very rich people. The wedding and parties will last for three straight days, ending up with a beach party for 2000 people. It will be exotic, extravagant and so far out of my normal realm that I can barely even imagine it.

Which is good, but also bad. I am so American it's almost disgusting. I like order and sanitation and to a degree, routine. Honestly I'm a bit freaked at going halfway around the world and getting plunked down in a culture that I only know from the various media.

My wife and kids would be going, too. Obviously it could be the trip of a lifetime for the kids.

So, I know I should go, and I guess I will. But any hints, advice or encouragement from the maggotude would be welcome.

I haven't been, but a good friend of mine went on a solo backpacking trip across that country after she finished university. She absolutely loved it (despite suffering severe sun stroke on her camel excursion). She spent a lot of time in Dharmasala (sp?) and brought me back some string blessed by the Dhali Lama himself (I still wear it around my ankle to protect my left leg).

It sounds like your experience would be quite different, but I'm sure she would tell you to go without hesitation. It's only a week so even if you hate it, I'm sure it won't kill you.

As for cleanliness etc. there are definitely different standards depending on where you're going. Check travel advisories and your doctor for recommendations.

Sick and ashamed and happy (and, though not often doing, highly recommending throwing yourself into strange and beautiful places),
d.

ice i spent about 4 1/2 months in nepal with several trips to northern india in that span. you should definetly go. the hindu culture is so rich and colorful. i'm sure your experience would be much different, more of a whirlwind thing, but take this opportunity to see a place so far and away from your norm. a week is very short, and you will most likely just get the jones to go back, unless you hate it. it is dirty. the poverty that you see all over the place is mindblowing. the struggle is real over there and can be hard to deal with coming from here, but i think its important to experience it. my trip over there changed my life and my whole world view. plus a three day party can not be missed:D

My wife is a Hindu.

Quite frankly the pospect of being surrounded by a bazillion like her scares the crap out of me.

Okay, I laughed.

I spent a month there in 1987, and visited 17 cities. Where is the wedding?

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Originally posted by Karl Stall
I spent a month there in 1987, and visited 17 cities. Where is the wedding?

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Is this a fargin trick question?

Karl, I don't even know. I'm supposed to be getting an itinerary sometime this morning, I'll post it when I get it.

Basom, gin, thanks. I'm getting closer to pulling the trigger. Or I was until roo posted.

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Originally posted by bad_roo
My wife is a Hindu.

Quite frankly the pospect of being surrounded by a bazillion like her scares the crap out of me.

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:D

ice- if you don't go on this trip, i'm walking to your end of the country just to kick your ass!

Why not fly?

i wanna be REALLY pissed when i get there.

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Originally posted by jibij
i wanna be REALLY pissed when i get there.

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Oh. Gotcha.

You know, your avatar is kinda hypnotic when you stare at it for a while.

Heh.

Ice--You're going to die someday. You can either die knowing you stuck to your routine of sanitation or order, or you experienced one of the oldest cultures on earth and saw another part of our small little planet.

Go, mang!

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Originally posted by The Reverend Floater
Heh.

Ice--You're going to die someday. You can either die knowing you stuck to your routine of sanitation or order, or you can book yourself in for an off-season mini break at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

Go, mang!

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werd

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Originally posted by bad_roo
werd

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werd rog?
http://shopping.quotidiano.net:8080/...M/prd72571.jpg

To follow up, if you could take the family to UT, CO, WY, or BC, then I'd blow off India. But, then again, I've already been there.

I thought Bombay was cool, Goa was pretty sweet, and Bangalore was nice.

Take the family to Alta. Just my humble opinion.

Karl, that's part of the question. This trip is going to be very expensive, and it's during ski season. So it's going to have definite repercussions on my season. But my wife really wants to go, so I guess it's time to sack up and put a smile on my face. I'm sure it'll be very wild.

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Originally posted by Tical
:D

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Bwhahha...you are facking hilarious Roo. Just keep your liver well satiated ice and all will be well...right?
http://www.beds.co.uk/news/2001/pics/drunk.gif

Sounds like White Boy's gonna hate it, but he's got no choice. Gotta go. :D

I thinkn it's the most fascinating country on the planet. Except maybe Canada...


EDIT: Think "Lomotil" and "Acidophillus." You're probably getting Delhi Belly anyway, and you'll be doubled over in gastric pain for treefo days, but may as well try to take precautions.

It's the malaria and Dengue Fever you really need to be worried about. And hepatitis.

I'd say go. Once you get on the road and get into travel mode I bet you'll find that your need for routine etc. goes out the window. I'm the same way when I'm home, like routine, picky eater, etc. but once I get out of town all that stuff just sort of naturally goes away. Wife and kids I have no experience with, I bet the kids would dig it though.

I bet you come back grinning with kick ass stories to tell. Git sum!

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Originally posted by Pinner
Sounds like White Boy's gonna hate it, but he's got no choice. Gotta go. :D

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heh.

Okay, wedding's in Bombay. We would fly to New Delhi, spend a couple days there, then get to Bombay somehow (how far is that?). Then the pre-wedding party, then the wedding and reception, then the next day a four-hour bus ride to some beach for the post-wedding party. I'm betting that bus ride will feel kinda long.

Never been, but I think you must go. Can't pass an opportunity up like that. It will be a brilliant experience for the kids. Fuck the americans that think they shouldn't travel with their kids, plain sheltered.

Plus germs are truly your friends.

Two Pinner Signatures in a row. :cool:

go, but you might want to leave the kids.
seems like a tight iteneray.


or stay longer than just the wedding and bring the whole crew.
i'll drive.

OR... to continue that thinking...
Send the rug rats home after the wedding and stick around.










...if yer not a coward.

Just went there this past summer in July. Hot and dirty as hell, but truly fascinating. Be prepared for chaos, dirt, and people everywhere. You won't want to spend much time in Delhi. We had 1.5 days there and that was plenty in my book. At least in December the weather will be a lot more pleasant. I have heard good things about Goa. I would fly from Delhi to Goa if you have rugrats. Otherwise the train isn't too bad as long as you go first class. Train = just slow. Delhi - Goa is far though so you really will want to fly.

The food is great, just pick nice restaurants = cleanish. We didn't get sick in the 2 weeks there, but weren't exactly eating street meat as we did in Thailand.

Definitely go. It will be really interesting especially since you have the major local party going on. Local experiences/people/connections always makes traveling more interesting.

My $.02

i spent 5 months travelling around there when i was 18 and i went back there a few years ago. you should definitely go. you'll never go anywhere else like it. bombay is relatively westernised compared to the rest of the country, and like someone else has said you need to fly down there from delhi. it doesn't cost much, the internal airlines are suprisingly good and it will save you 4 or 5 days of very uncomfortable travel.