Incredible India ! Where to go , Where to sleep , where to eat , where are the best places.What to do and what not to do. Food, hotel,activities, tours , money, transports...and people. Gym , insurance, mobile phone, health, internet ,computers...
Jaiselmer stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples are finely sculptured. It lies in the heart of the Thar Desert.
Camel is a mean of transportation, of course! Many tours in Jaiselmer are available. Beware which one you choose. Some cheap tours in India does not worth it.
The town is covered by a think layer of sand.
Women working at construction site. In Rajasthan, women wear different kind of "sari" than those that we normally see at the other part of India.
The old city or the fort is a bit 'run down' and not very well maintained. The jain temple is worth a visit though.
What to see: Desert
The desert looked it the sand wave. There are some small merchants carry some cold drinks all the way to the desert in order to sell it to the tourists who are on their camel/desert safari. Price is of course slightly inflated, but still reasonable.
Sunset at the desert.
Sunrise at the desert.
What to do: Desert/Camel Safari
Good sun protection is very important for camel safari! After days or even just one day of riding on the camel, it is normal to feel sore all over the body!
Most part of the desert is actually looked like this, with a little bit of the plants growing.
Water feeding time for the camels. You will feel grateful to no ride on the camel after a couple of hours!
What to eat: A bit of sands ...
The camel man or the safari guide is the cook. Eating a bit of sands from the desert won't do much harm!
Where to Stay: Above of the well, under the open sky.
We slept on top of a piece of cement on the well, not realising that, until the guide removed that piece of the cement. Sleeping under the moon and open sky, in the middle of desert is an amazing experience. These two hungry and skinny dogs had been following us all the way half way when we were in the desert, waiting to share a bit of our meal and water.
Jophur is the second largest city in Rajasthan. The city is known as the Sun City for the bright, sunny weather it enjoys all year. This means, it is real real hot during summer. It is also referred as the Blue City due to the indigo tinge of the whitewashed houses around the Mehrangarh Fort. The old city of Jodhpur is surrounded by a thick stone wall.
i heard a few theories of why the old city is blue: 1. The colour blue absorbs very little of the sun’s heat and this keeps the houses cool. 2. They started out as just being painted blue to mark the presence of a brahmin, but when it was discovered that the blue pigment used was an effective mosquito repellent, everything suddenly went a little blue around here.
Mehrangarh Fort is just around 125 meter above the city. It was an easy climb up just from the one of the small walking path around the city. Beware of dogs!
The fort spreads over an area of 5 sq km in the heart of the city. This 7 gates fort is a beautiful landmark in Jodhpur. I would said, this is the best fort in my whole journey in India. Magnificient, beautiful and well preserved.
What to see:
The narrow small street in the old city. There are many shops and activities going on in these small streets.
Donkeys prove to be a useful mean of transportation in the small alleys.
Small street performer with a huge turban in the fort. Don't forget to pay for his entertainment services.
What to eat:
The mangoes from the street stalls or bazaar. Sweet, fresh and cheap.
What to do:
Shopping ...
Join the local for a snack or drink : pakora, bhaji, chai ... (forget about the coffee though. It will taste like tea.)
Enjoy the luxury of beard shaving and massage by the barber. He could do eye liners and ears digging for your as well!
One of the most romantic cities in Rajasthan, Udaipur is also known as the city of lakes. The marble palaces, beautifully laid out gardens and the lakes make Udaipur seem almost like a mirage in the desert.
The founder of Udaipur, Maharana Udai Singh, was overcome by the misfortunes that his old capital of Chittaurgarh had to face due to repeated attacks by the Mughal armies. On the advice of a holy man, Udai Singh shifted his capital to the banks of Lake Pichola- the city was named Udaipur after him.
Udaipur is famous for it's Lake Palace, which covers an entire island in the Pichola Lake. Many of the palaces have been converted into luxury hotels. Some of the best Udaipur Heritage Hotels are :Amet Haveli ,Fateh Garh , Fateh Prakash Palace, Inder Prakash ,Jagat Niwas Palace, Jaiwana Haveli, Kankarwa Haveli, Karohi Haveli, Laxmi Niwas Palace, Mahendra Prakash, Mewar Haveli, Hotel Natural, Rangniwas Palace, Hotel Shikarbadi, Shiv Niwas Palace, Shree Jagdeesh Mahal, Wonder View Palace . These are some of nice Hotel in Udaipur. The city of Udaipur is know to provide ood accomodation in India. Some luxuary hotels are available in Udaipur, India. Here are a few to help you to compare:
Lake Palace, Trident Udaipur and Udaivilas.
Udaipur has some Deluxe Hotel which is a good price. Here are some hotels that are available in udaipur, India :
Hilltop Palace,India International, Lake Pichola, Oriental Palace Resorts, Panna Vilas Palace, Paras Mahal, Radisson Plaza Resort, Raj Darshan, Rajputana Resorts, Ram Pratap Palace, Royal Retreat, Shilpi Resort, Udai Kothi, Vishnupriya.
Udaipur offers a nice range of cheap accomodation for an Indian city. Some of the best cheap accomodation in Udaipur are :
The best way to save your rupees is to choose a cheap accomodation in Udaipur. India got a wide range of cheap accomodation:
Balunda House, Haveli on the Lake, Mountain Ridge and Pahuna Haveli.
Please contact me for my personnal advices.
Standing on the east bank of Lake Pichola is a massive series of palaces built at different times from 1559. The balconies of the palace provide panoramic views of "Jag Niwas" (the Lake Palace Hotel), Jag Mandir on one side and on the other the city of Udaipur.
Where to Stay: Lake Palace The Lake Palace is now a luxury 5 Star hotel. If you can't afford to stay here, there are many many small hotels and motels within walking distance at a very affordable rates. (Low season: 80- 150 Rp for lake views room, up starts at least at 300 Rp during high season.)
People in Action:
i haven't see many women doing construction job. But over here, children and women both take part in the building construction.
There are a lot of activities going on by the lake. People bathing, washing, swimming ...
The devotees heading to the temple. Some temple like this one, allowed only Hindu to enter.
What to do:
Join the local to bath and swim in the lake!
What to see:
i think the colorful trucks look very sharp and interesting. i linked bright color with sari and the trucks looked like wearing their sari.
Mumbai, formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtr. The city is the second most populous city in the world with approximately 14 million inhabitants. Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment centre of India. The city also houses India's Hindi film and televison industry, known as Bollywood. Mumbai's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a better standard of living, attract migrants from all over India.
The best way to enjoy Mumbai is by having a nice hotel to calm down. I just came back from Mumbai with a very unpleasant experience behind me. I had 6 hours to kill and had been hussled into booking into a hotel rather than staying at the airport: the Hotel "shuttle"took me there only to find out that the fee was 9900 rupies- no choice of rooms were given. The hotels'name: hotel Solitaire! Room given had airco running on one speed only blowing me off my bed. Complains got to nothing. I stongly recomment against using this hotel.
There are many hotels in Mumbai. Mumbai Hotels are from different range of prices.
Ascot Hotel can be found at 38 Garden Road in Mumbai. Located right in the middle of Colaba, it is a wonderful location for any traveler who wants to explore the sights. The rooms are spacious, modern, clean and (most importantly) cool – which means you can retreat to your oasis of calm after a hard day of sightseeing. Staff is accommodating and friendly, the breakfast is basic but plentiful and if you are still hungry there are plenty of places in the vicinity to choose from.
Residency HotelResidency Hotel is located on the corner of DN Road and Rustom Sidhwa Marg. Another hotel with a central location (located in the Fort of Mumbai and just 20 minutes away from Colaba) it can serve as a great base for further exploration. The rooms are basic but clean with fridge and water provided (although to be on the safe side you might want to buy your own water). If the hotel restaurant does not meet your expectations breakfast-wise there is plenty of places to choose from in the area. Excellent for any traveler looking not to overstretch their budget.
Chateau Windsor Hotel can be found 86 Veer Nariman Road. Located a short distance from the Marine Drive and about half an hour on foot from Gateway of India it means you can explore the sights comfortably during the day and enjoy the sunset views in the evenings. Chateau Windsor Hotel might not look like much on the outside but it does have all the qualities that make a good value hotel – clean, comfortable and spacious rooms with affordable breakfast and good location. If you want to treat yourself you might want to invest in an executive room, which also represent good value for money but offers more luxurious surroundings. Breakfast can be had on the roof top terrace but there are plenty of places in the area to choose from.
Hotel Suba is located at Apollo Bunder (minutes away from the Gateway of India). The central location means Hotel Suba could serve as an ideal base for any first time visitors looking to explore as many attractions as possible.Since the hotel went through a revamp recently the rooms are spacious, clean and comfy while the staff is accommodating. Breakfast is basic but because of hotel's central location there are plenty of restaurants, cafes and shops to choose from in the area.
This Hotels are not cheap. The best way to find some cheap hotel is by walking in the streets and looking for cheap guests houses.
Something Different from Back Home ...
Dharavi is routinely called "the largest slum in Asia," home for one million souls, where as many as 18,000 people crowd into a single acre (0.4 hectares). Ask any longtime resident—some families have been here for three or more generations—how Dharavi came to be, and they'll say, "We built it."
Here, the traffic never stops and the horns always honk. Its location has also made it hot real estate in Mumbai, a city that epitomizes India's hopes of becoming an economic rival to China. In the narrow lanes, it is very easy to get lost in the slum. Ask the children for help!
Haji Ali Mosque. This early 18th century shrine contains the tomb of HAZRATH HAJI ALI, a Muslim Sufi saint. One legend says that he was an Afghan mystic who lived and meditated here. He specifically ordered that after his death , his casket should be cast off into the sea off the shore of what is today Pakistan. However , the casket surfaced intact at the spot where the shrine is today. The Haji Ali shrine is located on a small island on the Arabian Sea. There is a walkway which connects the shore to the shrine. This walkway is the only way to enter the shrine and it can be used only during low tides. High tides and monsoon rains completely cover the walkway. Although it is a famous Muslim pilgrimage site, non-Muslim visitors are welcomed.
Dhobi Ghat, literally means washing place in Hindi, from Dhobi - literally meaning washerman or one that does laundry and Ghat - generically meaning a large open space. Typically in India, Dhobis call on regular clients, collect their dirty clothes and then take them to the Dhobi Ghats. At the famous Dhobi Ghat of Mumbai, India, which has rows of concrete wash pens, each with its own flogging stone. The Dhobi sloshes dirty linen into a soapy water mixture, thrashing them with the flogging stones, and then puts the linen into huge vats of starch. After which being dried, they are ironed and delivered to the owners. Now India likes washing machine. There are many models and brand of washing machines in India. There is many people that Iknow that did buy a new washing machine in India.
Crawford Market. It is fun to compare the market from the one back home. Actually I like to compare things. The insurance company in India are now very attracted with some western policies.There are fruits, spices, kitchen untensils and a wide selection of different products just under one roof.
People in Action:
It is not uncommon to see people, children especially, wash themselves up by the street. Beauty is now very important in India, especialy in Mumbai.
Beauty Clinics and Slons in Mumbai have internationally trained staff, offer personalised hair cuts, colouring consultancy, spa scalp & hair treatment system, rejuvinating facials, stimulating & energising footbaths, Aroma therapy and anything to make you a little more beautiful. Below is a list of the best beauty and health clinics in Mumbai.
Here are some nice place to visit to refresh your day with Indian Beauty centers!
Urmila's ,Sushila Vaswani's Shaman Beauty Salon ,Shahnaz Hussain Herbal ,Kit N Sam ,Berkowits Clinic ,Vandana Luthras Curls & Curves,Clarabelle ,Enrich Salon ,Fingers Hair & Beauty Salon.Hakims Aalim Hair Lounge ,Nalini & Yasmin Sagar Fortune,Neelam Natura ,Shahnaz Shop, The Taj Salon and Urmila's Hair & Beauty Salon .
It is interesting to see the cow carts/carriage, bicycles, car, auto-rickshaw and any other form of tranportations to be on the same road.
What to Eat: Do not really know what is the name of this, but it is a kind of common food that people sell in the train. Chick peas with onion and lemon. It taste very good and sometimes it can be spicy. The merchant will wrap it with newspaper.
What to Drink:
Many small merchants are making their living from selling snacks or drink by the street. Do not miss the masala chai (tea with milk).
What to Do:
Sunbathing with the sea birds and children at Chowpatti Beach.
Where to Stay: Taj Mahal Palace & Tower (if you can afford :)
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower is a prestigious luxury hotel located in the Colaba region, next to the Gateway of India. This iconic 105-year old heritage building was commissioned by Tata. It was in the eyes of the world as one of the targets of Mumbai 2008 terror attack. If you can't afford here, stay at at the Salvation Army nearby then. But beware of bed bugs there.
Camel is a mean of transportation, of course! Many tours in Jaiselmer are available. Beware which one you choose. Some cheap tours in India does not worth it.
The town is covered by a think layer of sand.
Women working at construction site. In Rajasthan, women wear different kind of "sari" than those that we normally see at the other part of India.
The old city or the fort is a bit 'run down' and not very well maintained. The jain temple is worth a visit though.
The desert looked it the sand wave. There are some small merchants carry some cold drinks all the way to the desert in order to sell it to the tourists who are on their camel/desert safari. Price is of course slightly inflated, but still reasonable.
Sunset at the desert.
Sunrise at the desert.
Good sun protection is very important for camel safari! After days or even just one day of riding on the camel, it is normal to feel sore all over the body!
Most part of the desert is actually looked like this, with a little bit of the plants growing.
Water feeding time for the camels. You will feel grateful to no ride on the camel after a couple of hours!
