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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 25, 2014 - 01:09pm PT
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Never been, but I'm in the beginning stages of planning a trip for next year. It won't be a climbing specific trip, but I'd like to at least bring my shoes. Hampi springs to mind in that regard.
Any places/regions that you feel should be included?
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Mar 25, 2014 - 01:24pm PT
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I spent 6 months in India on 2 different trips back in the 80's.
Hampi is one of the most amazing places I have been to anywhere. Great scenery, beautiful rock carvings and temples. I think Badami has a developed climbing scene as well.
Rajastan is another highlight.
I would stick to south India if you only have a month. More friendly vibe than the north. Look upon India as more of a cultural than a climbing trip and be sure to visit some temples or go to some festivals.
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nature
climber
Boulder, CO
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Mar 25, 2014 - 02:16pm PT
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I was in southern india for 6 weeks the beginning of 2011. Hampi is incredible for many reason (just never take a government bus anywhere!).
Just remember it takes a long time to get from point A to point B. Always opt for the first class train ticket (ten bucks instead of five) and never take the government bus anywhere [there's an echo in here]
take a little baggie of chalk as you won't find any there (though you can rent a pad and shoes in Hampi)
If for some reason you head to Mysore let me know as I can connect you with someone there that will help you out.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Mar 25, 2014 - 02:23pm PT
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I liked 2nd class trains because of the interaction with the locals.
This statement is of course negated on very popular main lines.
Buses are a lottery, some are OK but can be horrible.
I have met many people who have spent years travelling around the world. When asked their favorite countries the reply is usually "Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion then India"
India is like many different worlds (in space and time) coexisting at once.
One Brit even bought an elephant then spent a year travelling from village to village!
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 25, 2014 - 05:05pm PT
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Thanks for the info, bump.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Mar 25, 2014 - 05:24pm PT
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I was there for only about 3 weeks in 1992 and all that time was spent in the north. I would definitely like to go back and visit the south though. Kerala looks awesome. Having said that, the place is so heavy with cultural and architectural significance that's it's hard to focus on just one place. If I had to do it again though, I'd stick with Rajastan: Varanasi, the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Udaipur, Jaipur. Just lots of terrific stuff. Khajarajo (sp?) looks cool too, though hard to get to. Didn't make it to Goa, but everyone I know either loved it or was kind of meh about it.
Part of it depends on what's important to you; what's on your short list and what time of year you'll be traveling. Sounds like you've got lots of time to research and get ideas. I'd totally disagree about a "favorite" place destination though. Totally rewarding and amazing, yes. Easy to travel there, absolutely not. It's hot, crowded; you may get sick,very sick possibly. People may be aggressive (financially) toward you since you're a westerner. It will challenge your world vision and sense of equity. Everyone I met who stayed there any length of time seemed a little touched. I met one guy who spent six months in a town and could only tell where to get a good lassi; another girl told me about a conversation she had with a horse just by looking into its eyes. Most people, myself included, were actually kind of relieved to be leaving. I'd love to go back, but it's certainly a kind of roll up your sleeves and roll with the punches kind of destination.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Mar 25, 2014 - 05:46pm PT
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I like the South better but everyone has their own perspective on India. Some folks hate it and bail. I think it is easy to travel around due to the large number of hotels, trains, buses, much easier than Africa. Comfort travelling is another story sometimes but the difficult times have some of the most enduring memories.
You think the touts are aggressive? Try Havana where everyone is desperate to get convertible pesos.
You will never be bored in India.
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John Duffield
Mountain climber
New York
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Mar 25, 2014 - 05:56pm PT
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BITD, I got stuck in Korea and my roomate had been in India for 2 years. He'd left with $600 and still had 200.
I'd left also with $600 but had only done 3 months in other Asian places and I only had 40 left.
In 2009, I went climbing in the Indian Himalaya. I have an article on Summitpost.
India is the craziest country there is. But amazing. Be ready for anything.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Mar 25, 2014 - 07:57pm PT
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I'd like it if you could get a picture of the back of the Taj Mahal.
We've all seen a million pictures of the front of the place, but I'd like to see what the other side looks like. Back where they keep the dumpsters, and where the employees park.
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John Duffield
Mountain climber
New York
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Mar 25, 2014 - 07:59pm PT
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That's the Gardner at the Taj Mahal, in my photo.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Mar 25, 2014 - 08:19pm PT
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Easy enough to walk around behind the Taj Mahal and well worth the quiet time.
You're looking across the river plain. Looking at a different world. We saw a loaded camel train crossing the river. And no dumpsters, at least not in '82. Not a bad back door view of the Taj either.
Yeah, the Taj is spectacularly beautiful. I found the Agra Fort, down the road a bit, more interesting. Great views of the Taj and the river beyond.
As in most faraway lands, walking through the places where the ordinary people live is more interesting to me than the 1000 photos a minute tourist sights.
One of the things that amazed me in India is the antiquity of some of the buildings. Fort built upon temple upon temple ruins, going back 2000 years or more. Alexander the Great was a latecomer. What we call India/Pakistan/Afghanistan had immense and well organized civilizations while my European ancestors were still wearing bearskins and living in wood and mud huts. They've rebuilt entire cities atop the skeletons of previous ones.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 25, 2014 - 09:56pm PT
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You could get lost in this place.
Be careful...be very careful.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 25, 2014 - 10:00pm PT
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Well that probably wasn't very helpful.
Might I suggest the Italian alps instead? No? Okay.
9 years and counting ( I know crazy eh?) I have a few ideas if you want to hear them.
Send me a note when you're ready and I'll share a few.
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nita
Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
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Mar 25, 2014 - 10:04pm PT
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Delhi Dog!
9 years!!..Dang, miss you guys living here full time...Snow tonight in Truckee..Snowed most of the day in Lassen.
Rain, thunder and lightning right now...yowza..i should shut down the computer...
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JMC
climber
the land of milk and honey
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Mar 25, 2014 - 10:44pm PT
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Mr. Dog, where do you live?
I'm on the east side of the Yamuna, in Mayur Vihar.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Mar 25, 2014 - 10:50pm PT
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1.3 billion people, 1,700 tigers....nuff said.
edit:
Population of India in 1900 (275,000,000), tigers in 1900 (40,000).
trending badly
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Sanskara
climber
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Mar 25, 2014 - 10:54pm PT
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I want to know more about the getting lost part.
What exactly would you be referring to?
I am sure climbing yoga and religion will bring me to India sooner or later. It really is just a matter of time really. All three are very very important to me and kinda ll encompassing evn in the states.
I tend to get lost though or rather hyper focused ;)
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 25, 2014 - 10:57pm PT
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Donini's right, not enough tigers!
JMC...south Delhi sort of...Anand Niketan (New Delhi area) a couples blocks from the Indian Mountaineering federation. Look me up sometime, maybe do a little climbing on the IMF wall.
Count down Nita!
We're getting close, and it's so nice to hear that at least some parcipitation is happening there.
Miss you and andy a lot.
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Mar 25, 2014 - 11:26pm PT
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Look out for bad drivers, when you use public transport. If the driver seems incompetent, get off at the next stop.
We hadn't thought much about this last part, until the "super-deluxe" bus we were on fishtailed, from going too fast and then braking on a corner, left the highway and smashed apart a small brick building. This was traveling between Agra and Udaipur. The guy across the aisle from me was killed, as was the woman sitting in front of me. My girlfriend ended up with a fractured C5, though it wasn't diagnosed properly until we had to get back to Canada, 3 weeks later. I'll spare the Taco my nightmare Indian hospital stories.
I know this could happen anywhere, but its more likely in places without good driving standards. As mentioned already, be careful.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 25, 2014 - 11:56pm PT
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^ word.
India has the worst (I know we had a thread all about that at one point but I still maintain that...and I've driven in many many countries).
Bummer about that experience KS.
and
...my hospital stories suck too
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Mar 25, 2014 - 11:59pm PT
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Try to work Varanasi into your itinerary. Amazing place with deep cultural significance.
Yeah, Varansi is cool. I did Calcutta, Darjeeling, to Varanasi. Calcutta is a sh#t-hole, but worth seeing.
Never been to Delhi. Although my folks used to live there. Didn't have great things to say, but they came from Hong Kong And Milan, Italy.
The trains there are a trip! I woke up with 2 buddies in a cabin with 12 Indians (family) sharing our bunks. Umm...
Once you get into the country like Darjeeling and Varanasi, things get more tame, or wild, but sh#t you'd prolly like better.
I only got one weird rash on my leg from something unidentified. Also, when you enter the hills, you enter the different governance of India. At least that's how it was in 1986. Socialist part of the country, may have changed now.
Up in the mountains near Varanasi, the drugs were easy to score too FWIW. I was in high school at the time. Just be careful, some people will try to set you up!
Stay out of the f*#king Ganges!!!! If you have to touch it, wash up!
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 26, 2014 - 12:09am PT
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Depends on where you go in blue.
Up river in the hills the Ganga has some very nice boating/fishing/swimming.
And, shoot the Indian's will tell you it's fine-pure holy water. Heck they should know right? They drink it and bath in it, and float away in it.
:-)
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Mar 26, 2014 - 12:14am PT
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And, shoot the Indian's will tell you it's fine-pure holy water. Heck they should know right? They drink it and bath in it, and float away in it.
:-)
I think they have some inherent immunities working in their favor.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Mar 26, 2014 - 12:22am PT
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The most sick I have ever been was in India... and every time I went, trying to be careful about what I eat and drink (being sheltered by my Indian in-laws), I still mimicked a firehose. That was just became the normal health baseline for each trip. I used to consider that I was fairly tough, drinking water from public glasses in Russia and not getting sick when others were sick enough to abort their trip, but India is a different matter.
I guess I never stayed more than 4-5 weeks (always in an urban middle-class setting), and never gave up trying to be careful, to just develop a proper immunity. Maybe start practicing now, and figure out whatever drugs the travel docs recommend?
And be prepared for a sea of humanity like you've never seen before.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 26, 2014 - 12:36am PT
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"I think they have some inherent immunities working in their favor."
and endless amounts of parasites.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Mar 26, 2014 - 12:43am PT
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I've been stabbed by Malaria, Typhoid, and Gamma-Globulin shots more times than I'd like in my travels.
Maybe it's better now?
f*#k...is it any wonder I avoid the 3rd world now? Although, India is prolly much better now. Maybe?
Turkey and Egypt were pretty nasty too....
EDIT: and endless amounts of parasites.
Well, yeah, once you adapt to them. For some reason, those bugs just utterly mess with Western immune systems. For a while.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Mar 26, 2014 - 12:50am PT
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The most sick I've ever been was in India. I had been traveling about one month in Nepal before, including doing the Annapurna Circuit, so I assumed I had built up some immunities. So I blithely ate some somosas that someone was selling out in front of the Red Fort. Big mistake. An even bigger mistake was taking some imodium so I could take a six hour bus ride the next day. I felt like an inflated intertube of puke and diarrhea, ready to burst at the seams, which is pretty much what happened when the imodium wore off. Really, really ugly.
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Guernica
climber
bright places
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Mar 26, 2014 - 12:57am PT
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My 2 rupees worth of advice is that if the concept of public cremations strikes a chord in any way within you, you must absolutely make it to Varanasi. Hard to explain the vibes amidst all the filth, beauty, and craziness, but that one city alone (one of the oldest in the world if I'm not wrong) would be a worth the trip all the way there.
And, uh, beware the opium lassis...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Mar 26, 2014 - 01:00am PT
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What we did, while leaving from Hong Kong on a class trip for our Senior year, was to take as many crackers and Peanut Butter as possible. We knew this was going to happen.
It worked pretty well. We ate minimal local foods. One of the foods one night was after we scored like 2 ounces of weed. We ate the weed with the PB and crackers in weed-sandwiches.
Good times...
I'm serious about the jar of PB though. And Crackers. Actually serious about that weed too, but that is to taste. Optional...
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John Duffield
Mountain climber
New York
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Mar 26, 2014 - 10:51am PT
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I did see a rat run across the floor in the hospital in Leh. My visit cost only 1 cent though, so it was ok. The prescription was $8.00. The U.S. Doc I showed it to, said it was exactly the correct medication and to keep taking it. But here it would cost $120.00.
Here's a typical Indian street scene in Leh. Leh is a great place to get acclimatized. It's a mountain town with plenty of dayhikes.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 26, 2014 - 02:20pm PT
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So, plan on GI dysfunction?
Great advice so far, thanks!
My GF wants to visit Dharmsala(sp?) to hear the Dalai Lama speak, but that's way in the north, and I'd like to visit the south primarily. Is that feasible in a few short weeks?
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John M
climber
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Mar 26, 2014 - 02:32pm PT
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I really dig that so many people have traveled and know about places beyond where they live. I grew up in a town where people did not travel more then 75 miles from their homes their whole life. My health isn't that great, so places like India or Africa are mostly just a dream for me. I love photos and stories because it makes it more real.
I spent part of last night looking through Delhi Dogs photos. Great stuff. Love the people shots and the streets scenes.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Mar 26, 2014 - 06:21pm PT
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Dharamsala
I haven't been there. However my ex-wife and a neighbor friend have both been. It sounds like a marvelous place to visit. It's in the Himalaya "foothills" at 1500 meters. Spectacular surroundings (from the pics I've seen).
I have visited two Tibetan Buddhist temples in Nepal. Definitely worth the time and effort. And don't be in a hurry (d'oh!)
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Mar 26, 2014 - 08:24pm PT
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Stay out of the f*#king Ganges!!!! If you have to touch it, wash up! God yes. You've got all manner of human activity washing into that river, not to mention the corpses being cremated at its edge. One of my best moments was riding in a boat upriver just taking in this awesome slice of humanity. It was really chill and riveting at the same time.
Then there's the water. It's remarkable all the people bathing at the ghats and kids swimming it in. One of them splashed me and the water hit me in the face. Really, really gross, especially if you let your imagination run wild with whatever pathogens might be dripping off your chin. I think that was the only time I got really angry the whole trip.
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sempervirens
climber
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Mar 26, 2014 - 08:39pm PT
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Yeah. I enjoyed many refreshing swims in the Ganga during my stays in India in the 80's. I did see a lot of things going into that river, vultures, bloated cow carcasses with vultures on them, washing vehicles with lotsa suds, etc. Faith? I had faith that I could survive and thrive swimming. I did not have faith in surviving drinking that water, and did not drink from the river, no faith.... no survive, eh. But there's a lot of healthy Sadhus and Hindus who drink and thrive. My swimming had only positive effects. Excessive smoking of hash is another story. Anyway,go to India.
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 26, 2014 - 08:54pm PT
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The Ganges is the purest river on the planet ......
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Mar 26, 2014 - 10:04pm PT
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^^ pretty much the Hindu belief right there.
Thanks for checking those images out John and for the kind words.
Brandan, Dharamsala is a pretty neat place though if you've been to Nepal you've pretty much been to Dharamsala. As far as seeing HHDL you'll have to check the dates on his website to even see if he'll be there then. And actually Macloud Gang (sp?) is the town where his residence is and is the place most people talk about when they say Dharamsala ( a large town down in the valley not the place most end up visiting). Also most of his teachings up there are in Tibetan so that might be a challenge though you can get translations through a local radio setup. Better to hit him up somewhere else when his teachings are in English. We've been with him several time now including up there and it is a pretty cool experience as is the Karmapa Lama.
You can take a plane up there then taxi up the hill and stay in some fairly inexpensive places so yes it is doable from the south but it will cost you a bit of coin. Go online and check.
Of course there are always trains...
South India as mentioned is mellower then north and there are plenty of cool things to see. However much depends on the weather and the time of year you plan on going. Hot, rainy, may be likely. The best time down there is your winter. Still the north ( and east and west!) have much to offer so don't necessarily count that out.
You can see and do a lot in one month.
Let me know when you have more Q's
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Mar 27, 2014 - 08:41pm PT
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The Ganges is the purest river on the planet ......
Yeah, spiritually maybe! That why they throw their dead in there. Not so healthy for people with immune-systems not adapted to that.
All I'm saying...
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sempervirens
climber
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Mar 27, 2014 - 09:00pm PT
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Delhi Dog, Thanks for the photos, they're full of heart, like India.
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