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Indian Sub-Cont. From Kathmandu to Colombo, and Islamabad to Dakha, one billion smiles, treck in the Himalayas, bathe in the Ganga, dance to Hindi pop ! Namaste !

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Old 10-31-2007, 03:47 PM   #21
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I spent no more than $10/night for any accommodation, and that was only in the big cities. Most were under $5 per night because I was in the boonies. Although that was with an exchange rate of Rs 44 to US $1, and it's now at Rs. 39.50 to US $1 ( ). You probably won't spend more than $10/day for food on the very high end and $3/day on the low/more normal end. This depends entirely on where you are and your personal fastidiousness with dining establishments. For me, I wasn't willing to risk eating (too much) street food because I was only there for a couple of weeks. Had I been there for a month or more, sure, bring it on! Plan on spending about $3/day (depending) for bottles of water. Use this for everything, including brushing your teeth. Especially in areas around the Ganges, and MOST especially during the monsoon, DO NOT consume any tap water. Keep your mouth closed in the shower-- assuming you're lucky enough to get one, that is!-- and don't accidentally rinse off your toothbrush under the faucet. I tied a rag around the tap in bathrooms to keep myself from automatically doing that. Which I did once anyway, and promptly went out and bought a new toothbrush. (Yeah, that's being pretty damn picky, but I didn't get sick, so whatever.)

Also, another thing to consider is that many places charge different admission prices for foreigners; for example, the Taj Mahal has a difference of almost US $15. Sucks, but it's true.
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Old 10-31-2007, 07:22 PM   #22
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Ya, all museums will charge you at least 10x more for being a foreigner. It sucks.

I spent much less than Space virgin mentioned, for food and room. But I also really tried to budget myself and stayed in some real shitholes. Also, I ate the street food, but I was very picky. I didn't eat meat, and I made sure everything was cooked really well. I did get sick though, but that was in Darjeeling where they didn't even have street food. I dunno what did it to me, restaurant food, water somewhere, not sure.

India uses the MSRP system pretty strictly, so you don't have to hassle too much for any packaged food items. Just look at the label.
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Old 10-31-2007, 07:29 PM   #23
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Sweet. My professor told me that I should make my budget utilize the whole 6000 dollars, since it's available. It's nice to know that if I do go, I won't have to worry about skimping every 50 cents as I have done in other places! I also anticipate getting sick to be part of every trip, and I've never had it too too horribly (or time dims those memories, more accurately. )

Any idea on transportation costs and otherwise? And did you guys find any particular guidebook more helpful?
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Old 10-31-2007, 08:11 PM   #24
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Wow, you're gonna live like a queen for $6k!

Ummm, I think I remember paying 640 rupees for a 2nd class sleeper train from Kolkata to New Jaipur (not sure of spelling, known as NJP). Then 100 rupees to Darjeeling in a sharejeep. Then 200 rupees to Gangtok in a sharejeep. Sharejeeps should cost a bit less when its not monsoon season, they upped the price due to landslides, and holy poop I had my share of them. Of course I travelled a lot more than that, I just can't remember what I paid.

I used a Lonely Planet India, it worked. There might be better though, I think there's one just for northern India.

Keep the questions coming, this was only a few months ago, less actually, so its still fresh.
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Old 10-31-2007, 08:24 PM   #25
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6K including flights and visas and it's taxable though. But still it'll be sweet - I could put money towards new equipment (like ahem camera lenses) in my budget too - I do need to come up with a quasi-viable budget to submit with my proposal. Oh I also get to pay myself summer wages of up to 400 dollars a week out of that 6000.

You guys are awesome help. I'm sure I can put in a thank-you beer out of that budget if this happens and if we ever meet up.

Umm...I could totally look up visas and things myself...but any proof of onward travel required? any comments on language issues? I'm thinking that if I'm in Kathmandu beforehand it would be best to fly into Delhi?

And Legitikick I did read your India travelogues and greatly enjoyed them.
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Old 11-01-2007, 04:01 AM   #26
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Visas are not expensive, it's about $60 or so for the 6-month tourist visa and is valid for however long FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE, not from date of arrival in India. The maximum stay is 6 months at a time although that won't affect you. Language barriers won't be a problem, the British were there long enough to leave a pretty lasting impression even in small villages. From Kathmandu you could fly into either Delhi or Kolkata, it would probably be about the same price either way.

The tourist visa for Nepal is different, I believe that is given to you when you arrive there.
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Old 11-01-2007, 10:00 AM   #27
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Yeah, Nepal is visa on arrival. That's if you can find someone working at the time. It took us a while to find someone, and then they just gave us this blank stare and asked what we were doing there. $30 + 100 Indian rupee baksheesh (bribe, those bastards). It's 30 days I think, but easy to extend.

Even after being taxed, and the flight, you've got plenty of money to play with. This part of the world is SO cheap.

I think I did have to show proof of onward travel for India, not for Nepal.
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Old 11-22-2007, 11:40 AM   #28
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Hey, Wow, Sounds like one hell of a trip This may interest you this program on LinkTV originally for BBC Its called Holiday in The Danger Zone with Ben Anderson. This clip is about the Ganges
http://www.linktv.org/video/1767
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documen...s/rivers.shtml
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Old 11-22-2007, 07:08 PM   #29
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Thanks for the links!

I need someone to prod me into writing my proposal...hopefully I'll get it done this weekend.
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Old 02-22-2008, 11:24 AM   #30
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Just a random bump because I'll take all the good vibes I can get - I have a phone interview this coming week sometime, since the committee wants to talk to me in person (or as close as they can get) before rendering a final decision...I'm hoping this is a positive rather than negative situation.
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Old 02-22-2008, 01:50 PM   #31
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:Good vibes:

Our Meetup Queen has as her plan B the Camino de Santiago.

Win-Freaking Win.

Buena suerte chica,

--Joey
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Old 02-22-2008, 03:05 PM   #32
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Very nice...I doubt they'd bother with an interview unless you were on a pretty short list of finalists. You're gonna wow them I'm sure!
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Old 03-13-2008, 12:33 AM   #33
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Aight, the official announcement, as I have posted elsewhere...

I had a slightly tweaky-out day and got extremely fidgety while waiting for my phone call, and was on conference call with three members of the committee for about 15 minutes, in which they asked me a lot of questions that I really didn't have answers for but attempted to answer anyway. I felt so shitty after the whole deal (possibly because I was in the middle of midterms and running to Spain the next day) that I fled into the shower and cried for a good bit post-interview.

Anyway, a couple of days later I checked my mail in Granada and
there it was! The letter of acceptance! I get 6,700 dollars to go to India this summer and will be following the Ganges for 9 weeks. I´m going to start things rolling once I get back to Italy on Monday, but it is happening! It's a quasi unbelievable experience and all still surreal, but I think it will be amazing once I get over the regular nerves.
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Old 03-13-2008, 01:16 AM   #34
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Congartulations!! Thats awesome....
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Old 03-13-2008, 11:31 AM   #35
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Congratulations!! That's so exciting! I just got back from India last month so if you have any questions feel free to ask. I may not have a lot of answers but I'll definitely try! :D
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Old 03-15-2008, 10:20 PM   #36
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Sweet!!! I'm so glad you got it.

Haridwar and Rishikesh, the two main cities near the source of the Ganga, are apparently wonderful. If you're going to do a dip in the river, you might as well do it here, because you certainly don't want to do it farther down river (especially not in Varanasi!).

I'm in Kerala right now, relaxing on a beach and sweating my ass off in the humidity. There are bazillions of coconut, mango and banana trees, cardamom, tea and coffee plantations and fucking beautiful beaches keeping me company. It's quite nice, I have to say.

Do you have my phone number? If not PM me and I'll send it to you, we can have a good chat about your trip.

w00t!!!
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Old 03-16-2008, 01:42 AM   #37
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Thanks guys!

I will probably get my fill of Ganges-touching up in the Himalayas, yep. Maybe dip my little toe in when I get to Ganga Sagar. I might have your phone number, Jeanie...when do you get back to the US? I might give you a shout when I get back to Italy.
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Old 03-17-2008, 04:16 AM   #38
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I'm getting back to the US on April 9, but I have an Indian phone number and also a UK number (for when I'm in Turkey and Greece).

Oh, and by the way, the newest edition of Lonely Planet India (published September 2007) is already sadly, sadly out of date. That's both because of how long it takes to publish a guidebook and how fast India is growing. The section on Varkala is almost useless.
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