Another article from our friend Denis Bashmakov. Denis made an independent travel to india. On his blog, he talks about traveling india on your own and what you need to know those who are just going to go to study this country. At the end of the article there will be a link to his blog, I advise you to subscribe.

For a long time I'm going to write about my half-year-old travel in india Yes, I can't find the time. And now the moment has come. There is nowhere to go further.

I'll start with the next one. India is definitely a country worth visiting for everyone. It's not guaranteed that everyone will like it. And all because people are different and everyone has their own personal experience behind, their vision and worldview. But, of course, everyone will find something of their own in India.

These six months flew by unnoticed and I really enjoyed my stay in this beautiful country. True, as in everything and everywhere, in the end I got a little fed up - I felt that I needed to change the situation. And that's okay.

I started with a landing in Delhi, where I ended up spending about 2-3 weeks in total, and then the roads led me there, but I tried to go around it. Honestly. The city didn't really impress me. Very noisy, a lot of people, traffic jams, dust, dirt, stinks, etc. Yes, there are also cleaner, more modern areas, but in general the picture is similar to that described above.
In addition, there are many attractions and historical sites which you can visit.

Agra. The city where everyone advised me to go and see one of the seven wonders of the world - Tajmahal in my independent travel in India. But I didn't go. Why? I didn’t feel that I should go there, and besides, I just had to pay 750 rupees for the entrance - I didn’t see the point at all. According to many, besides this miracle, there is nothing else to see there, and the surroundings look far from attractive.

Traveling India on your own: what you need to know

Yes. It is worth noting about tickets to these tourist places. As a rule, the price for local and foreigners differs by 10-20 times. These hit me hard every time. So in many cases, I only took pictures from the outside or found ways to get in for free, which was much less successful. Price examples. For locals - 10 rupees, for foreigners 200-300. And this is almost everywhere. Yes, there are places where you can go at the same prices as local ones. For example, I went to the zoo in Trivandrum for 20 rupees and gave 4 rupees for a luggage room. There are places like that too. Since my travel budget, I still tried not to spend money on expensive tickets.

Travel to India on your own: cities

Most in travel in india I liked the following cities:
- CHANDIGARH - because it is quite clean and well-groomed. The whole city is divided into sectors and it is easy to understand the map. There are parks in every sector. In general, a convenient city for education, work, life and raising children.

Udaipur is a city of lakes. A nice place. Tourist town. There is no public transport here - it was launched, but it turned out to be unprofitable. Therefore, in the city you can see only tuk-tuks. And I initially tried to understand why. Only then did one of the locals voice the answer to the question that tormented me.

- MUMBAI (Bombay) - the city of opportunities, the capital of Bollywood. Here you can find absolutely everything. Whether it's one of the world's largest slums, or some of the most expensive real estate in the world, as well as the richest owners. It is very big. Conveniently, the railway network covers the entire city with suburbs and it is quite easy and convenient to get from one place to another, bypassing traffic jams. And yes, the prices are very low. For 10 rupees you can go about an hour. Tickets are not specifically checked. Therefore, you can play rabbits.

— VIKSHAPATNAM. A city in eastern India, Andhra Pradesh. Very clean, comfortable and modern city. wide streets, beautiful roads and movement. In general, everything for life. According to my friend who invited me there, 20 years ago the city looked the same as many Indian cities which I had the opportunity to see. But recently, residents and the administration have been so actively fighting for improvement - the results are obvious. One can only add that nothing is possible - there would be a desire and active participation.

India travel alone: ​​places

— The Sai Baba Ashram is a wonderful place where you can have a pleasant and cheap time. I already wrote about him earlier. Short. This is a mini-town with everything you need on the territory of the complex. You can live from 20-50 rupees per day and an unlimited amount of time.

- Munnar - tea plantations - cozy and quiet places, fresh air and just a pleasure to be there. True, I mean the plantation areas themselves, and not the town, which has already become very touristy and the prices there are already very high. You can spend the night in Munnar only starting from 500 rupees and above.

— Gokkarna. Bigger and nice beach. A very calm and cozy place to relax with your family or even alone, if you ignore everything.

So far, the list of places and cities is as follows.

The whole of India, all the cities, by the end began to appear to me as one big market. Wherever you go, there is a market. Absolutely everywhere. It doesn't matter how modern the city is.

India independent travel: transport

Traveling India on your own: what else you need to know. India has a wide variety of Vehicle- ranging from bicycles to large trucks. Nobody follows the rules. The roads are always noisy due to the constant signals of all drivers. Thus, they warn like this. Like, "I'm coming for you, don't make sudden movements." The cars are almost all scratched and beaten, many buses are old. It was even helped to start one from the pusher and then left on it. But despite the movement and non-compliance with the rules, everything is cut quite normally. It is worth noting that probably Indian bus drivers are among the most skillful.

Sometimes you follow - you can’t get through, but no. Pass and without scratches and contact with each other. The roads are mostly very narrow. Public transport cheap, which allows you to save money not badly.

Trains and railways it is a separate world. The prices are also democratic. To visit India and not ride in a General class carriage means to miss a lot. You can practically live at the stations. There are all conditions. In the waiting rooms you can find sockets and a shower and a toilet. There are also taps on the platforms where you can get drinking water, in some cases you can find a cooler with cold water. True, the guys who are too obsessed with hygiene will say that for no reason in the world will they drink such water, only in a bottle. Well, it's up to you.

People

That's something, but most of all I cling to people. No matter what state you find yourself in, everywhere I met wonderful, kind and interesting people. Yes. They differ depending on the regions. But everywhere they are ready to help you, treat you, and sometimes invite you to visit.

I don't know why, the Sikhs, the people living in the state of Punjab, left some of the best memories. I met with them several times in other regions. They are just as open. I won’t write much more about people, there are more emotions and feelings inside, which are difficult for me to express in words.

Yes, it is worth saying that the Indians struck me with the fact that it does not matter what position they are in, whether they have money or not, etc. - they are always smiling and it is felt that they are happy with what they have. It is definitely worth it for us to succeed. Even a disabled person without arms or legs will always meet you with a smile and a satisfied face, despite his condition and difficult conditions.

In many ways, I found similarities between India and Russia. Salaries (at the time of my stay there) were about the same. Vegetables and fruits grown in the fields are also largely the same, with the exception of more southern crops and varieties. Roads too.

food in india

Mostly sharp. But you can find not so much. Lots of rice. The food is different in the south and north. Also from state to state. But everywhere you can find something for yourself, which you can’t refuse later. And sweets are usually very sweet. Lots of different fruits to enjoy while in India.

India is the center of meditation and yoga. No wonder people come from all over the world. I must say right away that I have not been to Rishikesh. That's where everyone goes. It so happened that for the first time in my life it was in India that I tried yoga and went through meditation. Great stuff to take advantage of.

Perhaps you wanted to hear a different kind of result, but it turned out just like that. I can only say the following, I will definitely return to India. She really hooked me (even while in Thailand - now I'm lying in a tent at a huge gas station on the way to Phuket - I constantly remember India and already miss those times).

It's just a matter of time when I get there.

My dear friend, if YOU have not yet been to this amazing country - India, be sure to do so in order to be there. And, yes, it's better not as a tourist, but as a traveler to see the real India. Travel friends and expand your horizons!

It was Denis Bashmakov's story about Author: Denis Bashmakov, blog

It so happened that in the small, relatively secluded town of Rewalsar in the Himalayas, we arrived quite late, so late that it was hard for small, sleepy and lazy provincial hotels to bother with our settlement. The hosts of the hotels shrugged their shoulders, shook their heads and waving their hands somewhere in the direction of the night slammed the doors in front of our noses. But we were willingly, though not free of charge, accepted to live in a guest house on the territory of the Tibetan Buddhist monastery on the shore of the lake.

As is often the case in Tibetan places, our meeting and accommodation was handled by a Hindu, since it is unsuitable for Tibetan monks to deal with money and worldly matters. In addition, the monastery had been immersed in night darkness for more than an hour, and the monks should have had enough sleep, so that tomorrow early in the morning they should go to meditation with a cheerful and pious face. About this and about other sorrows of the world told the Hindu who gave us the keys to hotel room, and in order to somehow console himself, he persistently recommended that we visit this event at seven in the morning.

The main topics are below: buses and trains, flights and visas, health and hygiene, safety, route selection, hotels, food, necessary budget. The relevance of this text is spring 2017.

Hotels

"Where will I live there?" - this question is for some reason very strong, just terribly annoying for those who have not yet traveled in India. There is no such problem. Hotels there are a dime a dozen. The main thing is to choose. Next, we are talking about inexpensive, budget hotels.

In my experience, there are three main ways to find a hotel.

Spiral

You will usually arrive at new town by bus or train. So around them there is almost always a great mass of hotels. Therefore, it is enough to move a little away from the place of arrival and start walking in a circle with an increasing radius to come across a lot of hotels. inscriptions "Hotel" designates a place where you can have a bite to eat in a large area of ​​India, so signboards are the main landmarks "guest house" And Lounge.

In areas of mass idleness (Goa, the resorts of Kerala, the Himalayas), private sector, well, like we have on the Black Sea coast. There you can ask about housing from the local population and focus on the signs " Rent". In Buddhist places you can live in monasteries, in Hindu places in ashrams.

The further you move away from the bus station or railway station, the lower the prices, but hotels are becoming rarer and rarer. So you look at several hotels of reasonable price and quality and return to the chosen one.

If you are traveling in a group, then you can send one or two people light in search of a hotel, while the rest are waiting at the station with things.

If the hotel is refused and they say that the hotel is only for Indians, then insisting on settling is practically useless.

Ask a taxi driver

For those who have a lot of luggage or are just too lazy to look. Or you want to settle near the sights, for example, at the Taj Mahal, and not at the station. Also in major cities there are places of traditional congestion of tourists: in Delhi it is Main Bazaar, in Calcutta it is Suder Street, in Bombay it is also called somehow, but I forgot, that is, in any case, you have to go there.

In this case, find a rickshaw or taxi driver and set the task of where you want to live, in what conditions and for what kind of money. In this case, you can sometimes be taken for free to desired hotel even show multiple locations to choose from. It is clear that the price immediately increases, it is pointless to bargain, since the taxi driver's commission is already included in the price. But sometimes, when you are too lazy or in the middle of the night, it is very convenient to use this method.

Book online

This is for those who like certainty and assurance, more comfort and less adventure.

Well, if you book in advance, then book hotels of better quality and not too cheap (at least $30-40 per room), because otherwise there is no guarantee that in reality everything will be as beautiful as in the photographs. They also complained to me that sometimes they came to a booked hotel, and the rooms, despite the reservation, were already occupied. The owners of the hotel were not embarrassed, they said that a client came with money, and there was not enough willpower to refuse the client with cash. The money was returned, of course, but it's still a shame.

Finding, checking in and staying in cheap Indian hotels can be an adventure in itself, a source of fun and sometimes not so fun memories. But then there will be something to tell at home.

Settlement technology

• Get rid of the presence of "Hindu helpers" and barkers, their presence automatically increases the cost of settling.
• Go to a hotel that seems worthy of you and ask how much it costs and decide whether it is worth living there, at the same time you have time to appreciate the interior and helpfulness.
• Be sure to ask to show the room before checking in, show dissatisfaction and indignation with all your appearance, ask to show another room, most likely it will be better. This can be done several times, achieving better placement conditions.

Those who are interested in the energy of Osho and Buddha, meditation and India, we invite you all to travel to the places where the greatest mystic of the 20th century Osho was born, lived the first years of his life and gained enlightenment! In one trip, we will combine the exotic of India, meditation, absorb the energy of Osho's places!
The tour plan also includes a visit to Varanasi, Bodhgaya and possibly Khajuraho (subject to availability of tickets)

Key Travel Locations

Kuchvada

A small village in central India, where Osho was born and lived for the first seven years, surrounded and cared for by his loving grandparents. There is still a house in Kuchvad, which has remained exactly the same as it was during Osho's lifetime. Also near the house is a pond, on the banks of which Osho liked to sit for hours and watch the endless movement of the reeds in the wind, funny games and the flights of herons over the surface of the water. You can visit Osho's house, spend time on the banks of a pond, stroll through the village, soak up that serene spirit of rural India, which undoubtedly had an initial influence on the formation of Osho.

In Kuchvada there is a fairly large and comfortable ashram under the patronage of sannyasins from Japan, where we will live and meditate.

A small video "emotional impression" from visiting Kuchvada and Osho's house.

Gadarwara

At the age of 7, Osho moved with his grandmother to his parents in the small town of Gadarwara, where he spent his school years. By the way, the school class where Osho studied still exists, and there is even a desk where Osho sat. You can go to this class, sit at a desk, where our beloved master spent so much time in his childhood. Unfortunately, getting into this class is a matter of chance and luck, depending on which teacher conducts classes in the class. But in any case, you can walk along the streets of Gadarwara, visit the primary and secondary school, the house where Osho lived, Osho's beloved river ...

And most importantly, on the outskirts of the city there is a quiet, small and cozy ashram, where there is a place where, at the age of 14, Osho experienced a deep experience of death.

Video from Osho Ashram in Gadarwar

Jabalpur

Large city with over a million inhabitants. In Jabalpur, Osho studied at the university, then worked as a teacher and became a professor, but the main thing is that at the age of 21 he gained enlightenment, which happened to him in one of the parks of Jabalpur, and the tree under which this happened is still growing on old place.

In Jabalpur we will live in a quiet and comfortable ashram with a magnificent park.

From the ashram it is easy to get to the Marble Rocks - a natural wonder where Osho liked to spend time during his stay in Jabalpur.

Varanasi

Varanasi is famous for its cremation fires, which burn day and night. But it also has a surprisingly pleasant promenade, the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple, boat rides on the Ganges. Near Varanasi is the small village of Sarnath, famous for the fact that Buddha read his first sermon there, and ordinary deer were the first listeners.

Bodhgaya

The place of Buddha's enlightenment. In the main temple of the city, which is surrounded by a beautiful and extensive park, a tree still grows in the shade of which the Buddha gained enlightenment.

In addition, Bodhgaya has a wide variety of Buddhist temples erected by followers of the Buddha from many countries: China, Japan, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma... Each temple has its own unique architecture, decoration, and ceremonies.

Khajuraho

Khajuraho itself is not directly related to Osho, except that Osho often mentioned the tantric temples of Khajuraho, and his grandmother was directly related to Khajuraho.

India is an amazing and mysterious country that you need to visit at least once in your life. The trip will certainly be interesting and filled with positive impressions, but you need to prepare for it in advance.

India has its own traditions, laws and culture, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with them before arriving in the country so that the trip is not overshadowed by force majeure situations.

What sights are worth seeing

There are more than enough interesting places in India, so many come here more than once to see as many sights as possible. But there are several tourist sites that are considered a "mandatory program" for visitors to the country.

Taj Mahal

The height of this mausoleum, built of white marble in Agra, is 74 meters. The construction of the building lasted 20 years, more than 20 thousand workers were involved in the work.

The Taj Mahal delights with its impeccability, harmony and grandeur. From all sides, the mausoleum is decorated with smooth marble - it is snow-white, in the rays of the sun it creates a glowing effect. On the walls you can see not only the Arabic script, which quotes the surahs from the Koran, but also precious stones, elegant carvings. Openwork lattices on the windows of the mausoleum deserve special attention - they seem to be woven from the finest threads and make the whole structure “weightless”.

Rules for visiting the mausoleum:

• on its territory you can not bring anything other than a camera;
• shoes must be removed before entering the building;
• The interior of the Taj Mahal cannot be photographed.

The majestic building, consisting of several altars, dedicated to Krishna and his wife, is located in Delhi. Lakshmi Narayana Temple is a unique architectural ensemble- in the center is the main altar, where they prayed to Krishna, and along the walls there are prayer halls where they turn to other gods (and there are an incredible number of them in Hinduism).

The temple is surrounded by a beautiful park, which has fountains, meditation caves (artificially created), and a hotel for pilgrims. There is also a large library with a reading room.

A visit to this attraction is free, but at the entrance tourists are met by locals who offer to conduct a tour for a small fee and show all the most curious. According to experienced tourists, this is a useless activity and a waste of money, because you can see much more by walking around the temple and the park on your own.

red fort

The fort is located in Agra, it is a fortress, which during the time of the Great Mongols was the residence of the ruling family. The building is made of red brick - hence the name of the attraction. The Red Fort is cultural heritage India, this site is listed by UNESCO.

This building has several ceremonial halls decorated with marble and carvings. Ancient emperors received their subjects in them, and “secular parties” were also held here.

The cost of the entrance ticket is 150 rupees (100 - 125 rubles). The tourist site receives visitors all days of the week, except Monday, opening hours - 9-30 - 16-30.

Gardens of Lodi

Delhi has a city park, considered the most beautiful place capitals of India. It has many alleys, lawns and flower beds. There are also attractions of the Lodi Gardens:

• Bonsai Park - miniature plants are collected here;
• butterfly reserve - it is completely covered with a thin net, more than 50 thousand flowering plants are planted on the territory;
• ancient tombs - they were built of stones, turquoise slabs are fixed on top, the surface of which is covered with calligraphic inscriptions.

You can walk around the Lodi Gardens park all day - and this time is not enough to explore all its corners. Entrance to the facility is free, and you can often see locals meditating or doing yoga here.

Temple of the Sun

It is considered the highest achievement of Indian architecture; the temple was built in the 13th century, when its steps were washed by sea waves. Now the sea has retreated from the Temple of the Sun for 3 km, the building is partially destroyed, but remains majestic and interesting for tourists to visit.

The attraction is located in Konarak, here in early December a dance festival is held. In this city of India is located and Archaeological Museum- It contains sculptures of ancient times. Of particular interest is a 6-meter stone slab, which depicts the gods of 9 planets.

Entrance to the Temple of the Sun is free, all rooms are open for tourists. Nearby is the Chandrabhaga pond, which is considered sacred. According to legend, it was his waters that cured people of leprosy.

Virupaksha temple

In the southern part of Goa, there are not only the famous beaches of free and cheerful people, but also historical sights. One of the most notable is the Virupaksha Temple - an architectural structure that consists of 9 levels. They are sanctuaries, small temples for prayers to the gods. On the walls of the temple you can see images of mythical animals, artistic images of Shiva.

An elephant lives here, which blesses every visitor - you need to approach him and wait until his trunk touches his head. For this, it is customary to give the elephant small coins. On the territory of the Virupaksha temple, monkeys live freely, accustomed to people and do not interfere with their sightseeing.

You can get into the temple only upon presentation of a passport - there is a policeman at the entrance who registers each foreigner as a guest. The entrance costs 2 rupees, you can bring fruits with you - they are treated to scurrying monkeys everywhere.

This is only a "drop in the ocean" in relation to the sights of India! In fact, near each described tourist site there are several more worthy of the attention of guests of the country.

How to buy cheap tours to travel in India

You can go to India at any time of the year, because in many regions of this country there is a constant summer. But experienced travelers recommend buying tours from October to March - there is no suffocating heat, no heavy rains. However, for trips to the mountainous part of India, you can go in the generally accepted summer months.

To purchase a tour, please contact travel agents, which will give full information and about prices, and about the features of such trips.

Expert opinion

Evgeny Danilov

Travel expert for budget travel

Usually such tours combine several interesting cities countries - in 7 - 10 days you will be able to see the maximum possible unique places.

Price excursion tours deluxe to India starts from 20,000 rubles per person. The more cities you plan to visit, the more expensive the cost of travel will be.

Where to relax cheaply if you fly on your own

Visiting India on your own can be comfortable and cheap. It is important to follow some recommendations of experienced travelers:

• Air tickets in India can be purchased in two versions - with and without transfers. In the first case, the total fare will be cheaper, but direct flights will be able to get to the country much faster. average price for the flight will be 25,000 rubles round trip.
• You need to book a hotel room in advance, and it is better to do it online. It is worth paying attention to 5-star hotels, but sometimes more low level hotels are great for temporary accommodation.
• If you decide to look for a hotel upon arrival at the place of rest, then you need to do this near the arrival station, moving in a "spiral". The farther from this place the hotel is located, the cheaper the room will cost in it. By the way, you can bargain with the administration and reduce the price of the room, and if you loudly resent and demand Better conditions, then probably 2-3 more options will be offered.
• To visit India, you need a visa, it is issued in 4 days and costs about 3,000 rubles. You can get it at the embassy of the country, in special agencies, and submit documents online.
• Visiting the sights of the country is most often free, but even the indicated cost for admission ticket won't hurt your wallet. The inconvenience is that you have to move around the country, and this can be done using a bus or a rented car. The second option is preferable - it will be possible to see interesting places during trips, and self-distribution of time is much more convenient.

In India, you can relax for 50,000 rubles and half a million, it all depends on the purpose for which the trip was organized. The average cost of a holiday in this country for 2 people will be about 250,000 rubles, but you can organize a trip even cheaper.

Watch the video about the trip to India:

Food in India

Many people believe that all dishes in India are very spicy. This is not the full truth about the cuisine of the country, so it is worth remembering the following:

The same dish is prepared differently in different states of India, so it is worth trying different options. The only thing that all tourists say is that Indians cook really tasty. Food poisoning is rare - foods are processed very high temperature so bacteria and viruses just don't survive.

Watch the video about the features of Indian cuisine:

What you need to know about holidays in India

Those who go on their first trip, you need to remember the following nuances:

India is so interesting country that it will be comfortable for both couples and tourists with children. If you follow certain rules and listen to the recommendations of already experienced travelers, then the trip will be cheap, comfortable and full of pleasant impressions.

You have long dreamed of going to India, the land of dreams, fairy tales and legends. You are not afraid of the terrible stories of others that it is dirty, there are many poor people and you can get very sick. Then this enchanting country is waiting for you! Of course, it requires special attention and preparation, it has its own laws, culture and traditions, which must be observed. This region can be endowed with a variety of epithets ad infinitum, but no matter what dreams and desires lead you there, a few tips will never hurt.

1. Choose the best time to travel to India

India is beautiful at any time of the year. It is generally accepted that the most suitable time for a holiday is the period from October to March. However, if you choose the highlands of the country, then the summer months are also great.

2. Advance ticket purchase

If you have not yet managed to purchase the treasured pieces of paper, then this can be done without leaving your own sofa. Today, many sites specialize in finding the most advantageous offers all airlines at once. In addition, you can independently determine convenient departure dates and find tickets with a big discount. Moreover, air carriers regularly arrange various promotions and discounts. It is also worth taking care of housing in advance. in advance, and your vacation will not be overshadowed by anything.

3. Vaccinations against diseases

Do not panic, you can do just fine without vaccinations, following simple rules of hygiene. Remember to wash your hands, fruits and vegetables. You should not immediately eat what you bought from street vendors if the product has not been cooked. Also, do not drink water from the tap and other sources, it is better to buy bottled water. To get used to the local food a little, you can dine at first in restaurants of European cuisine.

4. Travel India on your own

As soon as you get used to it a little, you can safely leave the crowd of tourists and go on a solo voyage. India is a country that does not tolerate templates and clichés. She is ready to reveal to everyone something of her own, personal, unknown to anyone.

5. The aroma of India is unique!

No matter how you prepare yourself for smells, at first they will follow you everywhere. The smell of garbage dumps is closely intertwined with the aromas of spices and incense, forcing you to constantly wrinkle your nose. No need to worry, very soon you will learn not to notice stench and will be able to feel only the fragrance of flowers and aromatic resins.

6. Incredible number of people

India is home to a billion people, from constant pandemonium ripples in the eyes and dizzy. In such an environment, you get tired very quickly, so change your place of stay more often, go to the countryside, mountains or forest.

7. Communication and language

Don't worry if you don't know Hindi, here English language everyone knows. If you have difficulties with this language, then sign language will help you. Most importantly, smile and be polite and the Indians will always help.

8. Photo for memory

There is a belief among Indians that a photo with a European brings good luck. Feel free to take pictures with local residents when they ask you to.

9. Indian Bazaars

Do you want to feel the whole flavor of this country and its inhabitants? Then the famous Indian bazaars are what you need. Delhi's Chandni Chowk market is ideal, but small bazaars are also not inferior in their colorfulness and originality. Here it is necessary to bargain, as a rule, prices are already inflated by almost 10 times! Try not to leave all your money there on the first day, believe me, it is quite possible.

10. Be careful of beggars and beggars

Often, they gather together, as soon as you sacrifice one, you will immediately be surrounded by a whole pack of beggars.

11. Don't forget there are a lot of monkeys in India

There are a lot of them here, they even build temples for them, but you should not relax if you do not want to lose your things. There are Indians who specifically train monkeys to steal expensive equipment from tourists. Always be on the lookout!

12. Capture beauty

India is permeated through and through with mystery, beauty and amazing things. At every step, you can safely press the camera button, you will not make a mistake with the frame. Most importantly, be patient for subsequent analysis of your photos.

13. Forget about the guide

No standard route can replace your own desires and observations.

14. Don't try to see all of India in one day.

In an effort to gallop across India in a few days, to see and taste everything, you are more likely to bite off a piece of everything, but you will not feel the taste. The country is incredible and you will not be able to go around it even in a couple of months. Explore all the most interesting places, make up your route, or rather, forget all the schemes and just trust your feelings and desires.

Prologue. Fees.

To begin with, our trip to India was planned long before departure. I like to plan everything, in connection with which I chose flights, hotels, and routes with particular care. We are not one of those travelers who travel around the world all year round with backpacks on their backs, for whom it costs nothing to go to the other end of the planet, and who spend less time in their homeland than on the road. We are completely ordinary people (“white collars”, “managers”, “office plankton”) who decided to spend two weeks of their cherished vacation to see India with their own eyes.

Naturally, when planning a trip, a lot of information was processed on the Internet, viewed a large number of feature films, documentaries and amateur videos, read books. Now, perhaps, I will pass to the main thing. Here is a list of criteria that I have compiled, under which it is not worth going to India: - you intend to go on a trip with a small child; - you are afraid (or you are very unpleasant) of insects; - you are poorly oriented on the map and in unfamiliar places; - you do not tolerate hot weather; – you won’t be able to live a day without comfort (a good car, a beauty salon, gourmet food, etc.); - you experience significant discomfort when there is a lot of noise, people, dirt around; - you are strongly motion sickness in transport. If you (like any normal person) love comfort and cleanliness, but at the same time are ready to endure a couple of weeks or a month without a manicure and fashionable restaurants for the sake of new, incomparable sensations, then you really need to go to India.

Registration of documents.

To stay in India, citizens Russian Federation must have a visa. There are several types of Indian visas, the most convenient, easy to apply and suitable for us was the so-called e-visa. I will not dwell on it in detail, since everything is written in sufficient detail here, but there is even a video assistant for filling out the application form for this visa. For the record, I would like to note that upon obtaining a visa, we paid a $60 visa fee and another $2 for something like conversion. So... The bags are packed, the documents are drawn up, the heads are full of horror stories about unsanitary conditions and wild animals. We are ready for vacation!

Part 1. GOA

For two weeks of vacation we decided to see EVERYTHING. Initially, we did not plan to go to GOA. We purchased air tickets Moscow-Delhi-Moscow (19,391 rubles Aeroflot), but, finally disappointed in the summer of 2015, we really wanted the sea and the sun. Through thick and thin. We purchased air tickets Delhi-Dabolim-Delhi for 9607 rubles. (Ai India Airlines).

Aerofolot took us to Delhi without incident, where we went to the local air flight hall, bought a bottle of water (20 rupees) and sat in the waiting room until we were invited to board. It is worth noting that Delhi has a large, modern, clean and spacious airport. The first feeling that you are in India, arose on the plane. A beautiful Air India flight attendant in a bright red sari asked, "VEG or NO VEG." We asked for NO VEG. rice, vegetables, chicken, nothing foreshadowed trouble ... But one spoon was enough to set everything on fire inside. From unaccustomed eyes watered and runny nose "broke through". We were ready for this.

September in Goa marks the end of the rainy season. We went at random and we were lucky. For 4 days spent at the resort, it rained 1 time and then early in the morning. Of the advantages of being in GOA out of season: calm, clean White sand, the absence of any kind of traders, drunken holidaymakers. Of the minuses: strong waves, you can only splash near the shore, entering the sea up to the waist, for those who like to swim far is not an option; the color of the sea is not as azure as in season; tour desks are closed, I really wanted to ride elephants, but, alas, it was not possible. And, most importantly, beach restaurants are closed, and I really counted on them.

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In GOA, we chose the Alagoa Resort hotel, the beach, respectively, Betalbatim. The cost of a room per night for two in this hotel is about 1,000 rupees / day. The hotel is not the best, but it is quite suitable for an overnight stay. A taxi to the hotel was ordered at the airport, to our hotel the cost was 600 rupees. Although the hotel had a restaurant, I personally did not like it. In search of food, we forgot about security measures and went in search of it. Not far from the hotel, "by smell" we found something like a "shawarma" for the locals, where we took noodles, flatbread, rice with vegetables. It was unsafe, of course, but oooooo delicious. From that moment on, we knew that we loved Eggs noools.

And the next day we found a wonderful cafe "Monte Carlo", which was also not far from our hotel. The food there is amazing, the prices are reasonable. It's good in GOA: sun, sea, white sand, insanely delicious fruits, especially pineapples! But this is not yet India, far from being India. The food here is not yet so spicy, and the rickshaws are not so frenzied.

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Part 2. First meeting with Delhi.

We arrived in Delhi from GOA around 4pm. As in GOA, they arranged a taxi to the hotel at the airport, the price of a taxi: 1300 rupees. We drove from the airport to the hotel for a very long time, collecting all the traffic jams along the way. Placed in a popular tourist place Main Bazaar. There is no need to be afraid of this place! The Internet is full of stories about what it is creepy place, with which I disagree ... I like the word "colorful" more. But it is now. In the first minutes, being in a taxi and pushing through a huge number of people waddling along the street, merchants who tried to put some goods, rickshaws and completely amorphous cows right into the car window, I was in a state of complete shock.

Like any resident of a metropolis, I don’t like the crowd, I don’t like being in the center of the crowd, I don’t like when my personal space is violated, I don’t like when they point the finger at me, after all! In India, the concept of personal space is absent in principle, and if you are also “white”, then on the contrary, everyone passing by tries to touch you just out of curiosity. But… back to the Main Bazaar. In any Russian city there is a market. So the Main Bazaar is the same bazaar as the collective farm market in our native Kazan. And, living in the Main Bazaar, you live, by and large, in the middle of the collective farm market. The whole street is a market. But as soon as you go to any hotel, you immediately forget that this very market is outside the door. This place is convenient because within walking distance of the metro, railway station, travel agencies, shops, souvenir shops, exchangers.

A night in a hotel in the Main Bazaar for a double room is about 1,000 - 1,500 rubles. We are staying at Hari Prioko. I liked the hotel: clean linen, quite comfortable room, helpful staff. I won’t hide it, after we unpacked our things and decided to go outside for shopping, dinner and tickets to Manali, my heart was beating and ready to jump out, torn by a feeling of the unknown, a little fear, shock and curiosity. After 5 minutes of being on the street, all fears disappeared. On a noisy, dirty, dark, crowded street, we felt quite comfortable. We took a walk (yes, we walked around the bazaar. This is India, guys, okay), made the necessary purchases, bought tickets for the Volvo Bus to Manali.