I'm going to India over my vacation

[Mass_Liberal]

My family's going to Delhi. I can't wait. I've never even seen a non-european culture before. I think that this is going to be a life-changing experience and I am so estatic! Going to see the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort at Agra and I'm sure various other stuff as well. If any of you have been there, any suggestions of other places in Delhi to go would be greatly appreciated.

p.s: I GET TO EAT INDIAN FOOD FOR TEN DAYS STRAIGHT!!!!:bounce:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

1. please please drink only bottled water

and remember to brush your teeth in bottled water as well.

do not eat uncooked foods like salads

enjoy my country!

[Mass_Liberal]

2. ya

I heard all the warnings and will be sure to listen to them. I'm on all these anti-malarial drugs and had to get tons o' shots as well.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Lucky you!

My husband would recommend Pradavasiki (might be spelled wrong), the city Emporer Akbar created using craftsmen from various religions. Many Sufis live in India, and they visit tombs of saints. The founder of my order, Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan, is buried in the Basti in New Delhi, and his tomb is a place of pilgrimage, as well as the site of the Hope Project.

[Ardee]

4. Indian food for ten days straight......

is that a vacation or a sentence?

If you have time could you pop over to Pakistan and tell bin Laden to cut it out?

[Mass_Liberal]

5. that is paradise my friend

Indian is my absoloute favorite kind of food ever. Nothing like a lamb vindaloo and a cool mango lassi to wash it down.... :9

[La Lioness Priyanka]

6. i forget what food in delhi is like

but if they have 'chicken bharta' try it...and have the biryani ...it wonderful!

[Ardee]

9. you gotta like spicy!!

alas my stomach can no longer stomach spicy.......but at least try the bin Laden thingie.....

[Menshevik]

7. I'm jealous!

I LOVE Indian food! Have fun!

[bigwillq]

8. Have fun on your trip!

:hi:

[babylonsister]

10. What a great experience!

I'm jealous-love to travel! Take it all in, take a lot of pix, and I hope you get near some markets to get some cool souvenirs. Will you be near the coast at all? There's a place called Goa on the shore of India somewhere that was supposedly very popular in the 60s with the anti-establishment. Might be jamming at this point. Enjoy!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. goa is still very cool...but far from delhi

[Divernan]

14. Goa is very popular with Europeans - former Portugese colony.

nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. and israeli's

[gumby]

12. superficial, but....

I really like the garments there. You'll look really exotic if you come back with some of those togs. Have fun!

[Divernan]

13. It will be a life-changing experience.

Two of my adult children have visited India - one an environmentalist who spend three weeks exploring ancient temples/jungle in the state of Madras; the other spend a month studying yoga at an ashram near the city of Nasik, which is several hours travel north of Mumbai (formerly Bombay), and then four days in Goa. As my son said, experiencing India changes your outlook forever - because it is such an intense experience for all your senses. Please post your impressions for us when you finish your visit.

[redsoxliberal]

16. is that what you were hinting at when I signed off yesterday?

David told me today in math...
Have a great time!

[Mass_Liberal]

17. em maybe...

don't remember. Anyhoo, thanks!

[redsoxliberal]

18. is your dad working there a lot these days?

[Mass_Liberal]

19. ...

abit

[redsoxliberal]

21. get me that idol thing

so i can pown anton in poker. :P

[sweetheart]

20. If you can get away from the family and the

delhi agra tourist trap... rishikesh and "up" in to the himalayas
is really breathtaking... 10 days a bit short though.

Jaipur is also possibly worth a jaunt, 10 days... doable.. rajastan
is brilliant.

Getting out of delhi is a start, as the big capital city is where
everyone worships western city life, and, frankly, i spend as little
time in delhi as humanly possible.

You might try the lonely planet guide, and get off in to the
countryside to see the old-authentic india. It is what always
charmed me.

A trick... when you pay for something, ask the person you're paying
how much they would pay for the next thing you need to do. That way
you'll have a benchmark price for bargaining. Its not uncommon to
screw tourists who have no idea local prices by quoting 10 times the
rates for things like taxis and stuff.

Another... get a taxi to take you to a clothes market and get yourself
a khurta pajama (local kit) and a local dodgey carry bag. Leave
the fancy nylon stuff, shorts, and western garb at the hotel and
go out dressed local.. You'll find the place wholly more pleasant
not being treated as a westerner... and as well, you'll have less to
worry about theft and stuff, by cloaking yourself in local garb...
especially if you get off the tourist track.

Many indians, contrary to impressions, are fair skinned, and you'll
blend in fine.

When greeting, 2 hands pressed together in front of you, "namaskar"
will get you out of any social complexity, as it is imminently polite.

May lord shiva bless your journey.

namaste,
-s

[bloodyjack]

22. If I were you I would avoid the meat dishes

The last time I was there (maybe 10 or 12 years ago) I ate tainted chicken or goat or something and was virtually incapacitated for a week or so.

Stick with the vegetarian dishes, I say.