What should I know about India?

In My Humble Opinion
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Apparently our facility in India is having issues and our European bosses have summoned their trusty chemist to fix everything and make it better. So I’m off to Dehli in May or June for an indetermanite amount of time.

What should I know about heading over there? Places to avoid, places not to miss, things that would offend the locals(apparently my hair must return to its natural color, or so I’m told), things I should do when interacting with people, that sort of thing.

I’d really like to see the Taj Mahal, but I’m not quite sure how far it is. 175 km in Illinois is quite different from 175 km in India.

Thanks y’all!

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First off, it’s “Delhi”, not “Dehli”. :slight_smile:

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:smack:
Stupid lap top keyboards…

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You’re going to India? Awesome.

First of all, I need to ask, are you white?

  • Do you know how to haggle? Not that it matters. If you don’t look Indian - and I am Indian and they can tell I’m not a local - they will rip you off. Either shop at the fixed-price emporiums shops or go with someone.
  • Also do NOT drink the water. Make sure every bottle you open is sealed. Especially at restaurants.
  • What color is your hair? Just be prepared for a little less respect if it’s some really weird color. But you probably don’t need to change it.
  • Are you female? This is important.
  • Ask me questions and I’ll be glad to answer!

Taj Mahal is stunningly beautiful…and sad. More later.

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For Pete’s sake, you’re going to be 100 miles from the Taj Mahal and you’re worried that it might take a little longer to get there than getting from Chicago to nowhere-worth-being? Go see the Taj Mahal.

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My advice is this:

Even though palak paneer looks like something that was recently removed from a baby’s diaper, it is delicious!

In other words, don’t be afraid to try “weird” food.

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Well, first you can get the facts: Delhi in May/June is going to be either a) blisteringly hot or b) muggy after the monsoon arrives. Delhi also has two very distinct parts to it: New Delhi (the administrative / bureaucratic capital) and Just Plain Delhi, or Old Delhi, the old city.

New Delhi is rather spartan - lots of long tree-lined boulevards and official-looking buildings, while Old Delhi is crowded, noisy and (to me) far more interesting.

Definitely spend some time walking around markets; but as Anaamika said, be prepared to haggle and get fleeced. Delhi has a lot of very interesting architecture - Humayun’s tomb, the Red Fort and the Qutab Minar are all worth a visit. So is the Taj, I would definitely encourage you to visit.

On my way to a movie, so will post more later. Happy to answer questions, although I haven’t been to Delhi in some years now and someone might have more up-to-date knowledge.

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Let’s see…very white, not terribly adept at haggling, green hair and rather male. The only advice I got so far was “don’t get a wife in the city, look in the country”. I actually know which part I’m going to and forgot to say, the ‘new technology area’ Noida. Thanks for all the input so far, I’m looking forward to an interesting trip.

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Well, I’ve heard tales of poor infrastructure so I thought I’d ask…

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It’s not that bad. The power, however, goes out all the time, all over India.

Judicious use of the Shatabdi Express will let you make a day trip of it. Take the morning train to Agra and an evening train back to Delhi. Book both before you leave. The trip each way is about 2 hours. The Shatabdi Express is nice because a meal is included in the fare.

Delhi has a metro system. It’s cheap, fast, and crowded.

Just as you would be suspicious of anyone spontaneously approaching you in public in the West, you should also be so in India. It happens a lot, and it’s not uncommon for a tout to try to guilt you into having a conversation that will quite likely lead to them trying to involve you in some scam.

In New Delhi, there are very aggressive (they will even grab your arm to lead you away) touts that hang out around the New Dehli railway station that will try to convince you that you need to go to the “tourist station” across the street, often by telling you that you need to confirm your ticket. Should you fall for it, you will be told that your ticket is invalid and pressured to buy a fake ticket. Under no circumstances should you follow any tout, regardless of where you are.

Book any rail tickets in far in advance as possible. The New Delhi railway station has a tourist booking office (a real one). It’s on the second floor of the railway station. Again, touts will hang out around the staircase and try to lead you to the fake office across the street. There, you will be able to get in the reserved tourist quotas. You will probably be able to get on a Shatabdi Express train with one, maybe two days advance purchase, though. Because you are traveling in the tourism off-season, you will have better luck with prices and availability.

Get a travel book. I used the Rough Guide to India, but after I got back I looked at the Lonely Planet and probably would have preferred it. If you go to the Rough Guides website (http://www.roughguides.com), you can read the introductory chapters.

You will get ripped off. There is no way to avoid it. Remember, though, that even a near-doubling in price for, say, a rickshaw ride, may only mean a difference of one dollar.

Don’t give anything to child beggars. “Did you bring enough for everybody?” applies here. You will not have enough candy for every kid in New Delhi.

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I’ve never been there, but as I was told by my boss, who was just there for 3 weeks in December, there really are cows everywhere. He walked into a very high end jewelry store in New Delhi to find a cow just laying on the floor right in the middle of the store. He asked the store manager about it, and he just shrugged his shoulders and said, “Nothing we can do. She’ll leave when she feels like it.” Be prepared to be assaulted by the smell.

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If you are interested, here is my travel journal of the three months I spent in India. It is in reverse order.

http://jeninindia.livejournal.com/

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Always travel with a woman.

For no Thuggee may harm a woman. No Thugee may leave a witness to a strangling… So, if you travel with a woman you are safe from Thugs.

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I assume you will have a driver? If not–good luck! I was there about a year and half ago right before Christmas. I enjoyed it very much, but I also was with a coworker who was from India which helped immensely. However the drivers were intense. I had never been anywhere like that before and it took a bit of getting used to. It all works out, but you just have to shut your eyes and hope for the best. But when you driver crosses the middle lane and you see all those cars coming at you, well it certainly keeps you awake!

The contrasts were what I really noticed in India. I concur you will get ripped off. It happened to me as I was leaving at the airport. But it was only about $20, but it still is unsettling.

You will enjoy the visit I am quite sure. The only odd thing I never figured out was that they were 12 1/2 hours off the time here in Seattle. Why the 1/2 hour I still don’t know.

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I enjoyed getting around Delhi by autorickshaw. Much less expensive than taxis, though falling somewhat short of Volvo safety standards. In any case I heartily endorse Hakuna’s advice not to attempt driving there yourself.

The 1/2 hour is due to a desire to have a single time zone for the whole of India while minimizing aberration from solar time.

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Some people drink their own urine for health reasons.

That, and curry is hotter than Reon Kadena taking a shower ala a Youtube video that I h… excuse me.