India

Hi All,

i am thinking about heading to indai in March/April and i have 2 questions

Firstly, i am thinking of travelling around and seeing as much as i can in 2 weeks so can anyone advise on how many injections i will need? i have looked at the tmb website and it suggests if travelling i may need up to 11 shots which amounts to over €500! not a nice hidden cost!

Secondly if anyone has been there, apart from the usual (Taj Mahal etc) is there anything that i must see??

All advice and opinions are greatfully appreciated.

Thanks,
Rabhab

Went there myself in 07 and I didn't get that many injections. Total cost was €150 or so. You need a consultation at the TMB about what you do and don't need. Do that sooner rather than later and make sure anyone you're travelling with has one too.

As for travelling round, I didn't have the time to go very far because while the transport system will take you wherever you want to go and is very cheap, it is v.slow and not that comfortable. I spoke to several who modified their travel plans because getting to different places was too daunting.

The Goan beaches are definitely worth a look - went in Feb and the weather was great for the beach.

Mumbai is an acquired taste - some like it, others don't. Book any accommodation there yourself and preferably in advance using the respected guidebooks -don't rely on the accommodation hawkers at the airport (should you be flying in there) - you will certainly be fleeced (as I was).

The ancient city of Hampi is spectacular but not much craic at all. Definitely worth going to see but don't go for more than 2 days unless you're an ancient monument freak or equipped with a seriously good guidebook.

Anywhere in India, be ready for the constant 'come see my shop' or 'you must buy' - they are the world's best and most persistent traders and it was almost like your social duty as a tourist to support the huge community of people there to sell you things.

Also be ready for the fact that a lot of India is very nice and there's clearly money there, but there's also a lot of it - closer to the cities mainly - where people have literally got nothing, hardly even clothes on their backs. A friend told me I'd find this initially shocking and hard to cope with, but that this feeling would subside. She was correct, but for some, they never really come to terms with the level of poverty in which some people live.