"Paul2001's India Page" India by Paul2001

India Travel Guide: 31,393 reviews and 73,089 photos

I begin this page with a warning. India is not a country to be trifled with. Going to India is the experience of a lifetime and this does not necessarily mean that you are going to enjoy it. One thing for sure is that you will definitely not be bored in India.
Why I start this page so ominously is because since returning from there I have found so many people who "think" that they might find it an interesting place to visit but not realizing what India is all about. For one, the poverty is overwhelming. Traveling by taxi through Mumbai means you have to be besieged by fingerless lepers begging for money at every intersection stop light. I saw more homeless people sleeping on the streets during my first two hours in Mumbai than there are in all of Canada. The amazing thing is that you seem to get used to it or at least ignore it somewhat.
This is why I say think seriously before you go there. It is not a place you go to on a whim. India is a destination for serious and experienced travelers. If your experience traveling abroad consists of package tours to Cancun or Agadir, then I suspect that you are going to hate India. As I said to a friend of mind just before I left for India, "India is not going to be a walk in the park".
Now the good points. After one week in India I could not wait to get heck out of the place. After six weeks their I did not want to leave. I have been trying to figure out how to arrange the time off for another visit ever since. The word awesome is the best single word that I can use to describe a journey to India. Whether you are awed by something either good or bad it does not matter. You are never going to have another experience like this for the rest of your life. The best single example of a typical India experience is while walking outside of beautiful Jain temple near Jaipur I stumbled upon a pig the size of Golden Retriever lying it the middle of the street. I thought what a dumb place for a pig to go to sleep when I quickly realized that the pig was dead. No one had thought or could be bothered to pick it up. People who have traveled to India can tell you dozens such stories. Go there you will be able to do so too.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Awesome sights. Great cuisine
Cons:Dangerous transportation.
In a nutshell:An experience that will change you.

Last visit to India: Dec 1998
Intro Updated Feb 25, 2006
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Reviews (88)

Mandor outside of Jodhpur Things to Do (28)

If you have some extra time on you hands while you are in Jodhpur you could consider a visit to Mandor. It was the... more travel advice

A Jain Temple in Kumbhalgarh Fort - India

Visit some of the temples with... Off The Beaten Path (25)

While I was visiting Kumbhalgarh Fort I decided to wander around the fortress walls for a short walk. To be honest I... more travel advice

The Gateway of India Things to Do (28)

The Gateway of India is one of the great symbols of British Rule both in Mumbai and all of India. It was built in 1924... more travel advice

The Lodi Gardens in New Delhi Off The Beaten Path (25)

The Lodi Gardens were the most pleasant surprise out of the attractions I visited in New Delhi. They do not get much... more travel advice

Hotels (11)
See All A Good State-run Hotel in Bhopal
Tourist Traps (2)
See All The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur
Favorites (8)
See All The Often Overlooked Kota Region
Local Customs (2)
See All Dogs!

Restaurants (2)
See All A Good Restaurant to eat and meet other...
Nightlife (3)
See All A good place for a late night drink
Transportation (3)
See All The Thrill of Bicycle Rickshaws
Warnings Or Dangers (4)
See All Pollution

Travelogues (1)

Written Mar 12, 2003

5 photos

My Tiger Event

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Comments (86)

albaaust Oct 10, 2009 at 10:43 PM Report Abuse

Some great tips once again Paul!! Hope to enjoy India as much as you in January!! Hope you are well. Alicex
Donna_in_India Sep 25, 2009 at 1:45 AM Report Abuse

Your intro is spot on!! I have dozens of "pig" stories! Someday I will get around to my India pages....not sure I am in the mindframe yet!
nida25 Dec 8, 2007 at 12:31 PM Report Abuse

Hi, Paul, you're second guy after John Irving in A Son Of Circus speeking this way about India. Anyway I'm leavin' for it :)
nani2195 Oct 28, 2007 at 6:52 AM Report Abuse

Hi, I think you meant to write 7AM next morning .. or you went in the evening? Love your space here, I am planning my trip and your tips and advices are great!
globetrott Oct 14, 2007 at 2:25 PM Report Abuse

excellent infos and wonderful photographs, thanks for sharing, Paul !
mini05 Oct 5, 2007 at 12:00 AM Report Abuse

i also saw this hotel frm inside and was absolutely disgusted to see the arrangements!! thankfully we were exploring the options and rejected it outightly!
mallyak Sep 17, 2007 at 1:15 PM Report Abuse

Great selection of Info and Pics on India.rgds
matcrazy1 Oct 4, 2006 at 6:18 PM Report Abuse

WOW! This has to be one of the best pages on India in VT. I fully agree with your intro, although six weeks to addict and like India seems be quite a long time. Whenever I get there I have to see Gwalior Fort, no doubts.
songlines Sep 8, 2006 at 11:57 PM Report Abuse

I was inspired this morning by your photo featured on VT homepage, I have enjoyed your homepage and travellogues, my experience of India too was Awesome, it has changed me. Greetings from West Cork.
NatInTO Jul 31, 2006 at 5:44 PM Report Abuse

Paul, I read your page about India and it brought back so many memories! I grew up in Spain and when I went to India for the first time, in 89, it was an awesome experience. Since then, I've gone a couple of times, and I would love to go back. :)