tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33671105287033863192024-03-13T04:20:20.761-07:00Backpack IndiaGaneshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-26861247453129054042019-02-20T08:27:00.001-08:002019-02-20T08:27:37.003-08:00Countries Visited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://matadornetwork.com/travel-map/d77645ce95c994ea3eb3bb50d0eb570f-1550679961" title="Ganesh’s Travel Map"><img alt="Ganesh’s Travel Map" src="https://d36tnp772eyphs.cloudfront.net/travel-maps/d77645ce95c994ea3eb3bb50d0eb570f-1550679961/my-travel-map.png" style="max-width: 100%; width: 100%;" /></a></div>
Ganesh has been to: <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/middle-east/united-arab-emirates/">United Arab Emirates</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/austria/">Austria</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/belgium/">Belgium</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/central-america/belize/">Belize</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/canada/">Canada</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/switzerland/">Switzerland</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/central-america/costa-rica/">Costa Rica</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/germany/">Germany</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/finland/">Finland</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/france/">France</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/hong-kong/">Hong Kong</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/central-america/honduras/">Honduras</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/india/">India</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/cambodia/">Cambodia</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/laos/">Laos</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/mexico/">Mexico</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/malaysia/">Malaysia</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/netherlands/">Netherlands</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/central-america/panama/">Panama</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/caribbean/puerto-rico/">Puerto Rico</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/singapore/">Singapore</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/caribbean/sint-maarten">Sint Maarten</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/thailand/">Thailand</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/united-states/">United States</a>, <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/caribbean/us-virgin-islands/">U.S. Virgin Islands</a>.<br /> Get your own travel map from <a href="https://matadornetwork.com/travel-map/" target="_blank">Matador Network</a>.</div>
Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-52748674438258163922013-11-17T08:12:00.000-08:002013-11-17T14:03:59.967-08:00Money for Travel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For all those backpackers who would like to go round and round the globe non-stop, there is only one challenge. Money for travel. Many crack this puzzle their own way, savings, living frugally, social security and just plain debt. Here is a way to capitalize on your travel experiences for those who like to share their travel stories. There is a lot of appetite for travel content , reviews and suggestions online. A blog could help you make money, it certainly helped me. while it is possible to make a lot of money if you are an accomplished writer by being a travel writer, blogs help small time folks who have a unique experience or information ,make a bit of money that would add up to something. Mind you, this may not being you $1000 a month , but hey, something is better than nothing.<br />
Here are my stats:<br />
My travel blog http://backpack-india.blogspot.ca/, has 20 posts. Most of these are what I write to capture details of my trip which I would forget if I didn't write it down. Blogs to share with my family and free storage for pictures. This was viewed about 3386 times and has made me $34.69 so far. But throw in my other blogs on <a href="http://iyer-kitchen.blogspot.ca/">cooking </a>, <a href="http://pmpminute.blogspot.ca/2011/06/sample-it-pm-resume.html">career</a>, <a href="http://yoga-library.blogspot.com/">yoga </a>and <a href="http://krishna-garden.blogspot.com/">gardening </a>it really adds up.<br />
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There are many sites that tell you how to set up a Blog account and monetize it with Adsense. Start a blog today and start making money. Even if you don't end up making a ton of money, it would pay for a meal or two with a nice cold beer someday. Good Luck!<br />
You can also <a href="http://mindfieldonline.com/referral/e47eae0a">complete surveys</a> and make $1 per survey. Itt is not easy money and surveys can take as much as 10 min. Here is a link, <a href="http://mindfieldonline.com/referral/e47eae0a">check it out</a>.<br />
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Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-67262950244331276062013-02-05T08:40:00.002-08:002013-02-05T08:40:11.337-08:00Last Minute India Train Reservations and Foreigner quota<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So you know the date, you know the train you want to travel on and you finally found the site to make your reservation, only to find that there is no confirmed reservation on the train. This happens and happens a lot. Here are a few tricks that can help.<br />
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1. Last minute "Tatkal" booking for additional fee. Tatkal tickets can be booked for all classes except First A/C up to one day in advance. The booking opens at 8am the previous calendar date before the scheduled departure of the train. <a href="https://www.irctc.co.in/tatkal.html">More info</a>.<br />
2. International tourist quota. In certain major tourist areas, you can access the "International Tourist Bureau" which will book tickets against a special tourist quota. <a href="http://www.indianrail.gov.in/international_Tourist.html">More info</a><br />
3. Waiting List: An ordinary second class compartment will sleep 72 passengers. Trains usually have 18-20 coaches, so there is enough capacity. Waiting list move fast , but only from the station the train originates and in some rare circumstance from an intermediate station. It doesn't hurt to hold on to a unconfirmed (wait listed) ticket. If your reservation is not confirmed you would get your money back.<br />
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Book your tickets at <a href="https://www.irctc.co.in/">Indian railway reservations</a>.</div>
Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-53616807115931168322013-02-01T08:03:00.001-08:002013-03-19T10:15:07.781-07:00Budget for India travel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Most people know India is a cheap country to travel in. No wonder this is a backpackers' paradise. But the economic reforms that India took in the early 90s and the booming IT and off-shoring business has created pockets of wealth. Just like any other capitalistic country, the divide between rick and poor is not very significant and pronounced. As an Indian who lived in India for over 22 years, India today excites me and scares me at the same time, welcomes me and disgusts me at the same time. It is this diversity and extremes that makes it electric.<br />
Most people start the trip in Delhi and proceed to Agra and Rajasthan. This is the well known golden triangle tourist circuit, with an array of services geared for western tourists. Prices can be high. I am from Tirunelvelli, Tamil Nadu a place close to the tip of India some 100 km from Indian ocean. Western tourists are rare, many would not know that a dollar is worth Rs50 and have not eveolved to take advantage of the western wealth (yet). Small cities like these can have good transportation links, nice air conditioned hotels. A near western style Air conditioned room for 2 is $24 and a non-air conditioned for $14 for 2. Places like these have a lot of history , temples and historic monuments, markets that purely cater to locals and authentic villages stone throw away.<br />
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<td>Cities</td>
<td>Accom Luxury</td>
<td>Accom comfort</td>
<td>Accom backpack</td>
<td>Meals western</td>
<td>Meals comfort</td>
<td>Meals backpack</td>
<td>travel comfort</td>
<td>travel backpack</td>
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<td>Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta</td>
<td>$250</td>
<td>$100</td>
<td>$40</td>
<td>$40</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$8</td>
<td>$50</td>
<td>$5</td>
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<td>Trichy, Vijayawada, Nagpur, Pune</td>
<td>$125</td>
<td>$60</td>
<td>$25</td>
<td>Limited options</td>
<td>$10</td>
<td>$5</td>
<td>$40</td>
<td>$5</td>
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<tr><td>Tanjore, Pallakad, Rishikesh, Gaya</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>$40</td>
<td>$12</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>$20</td>
<td>$8</td>
<td>$30</td>
<td>$5</td>
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The cost of beer and public transport tends to be standard across India, however some states have low tariff on liquor making it relatively cheaper. Best best if to opt for comfort accommodation as the costs are for 2 people. Backpack accommodation works best for solo travelers.<br />
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Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-77733214661367380552012-06-13T03:53:00.000-07:002013-02-22T07:02:26.592-08:00Germany by rail in $62 a day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We just wrapped a week long Bavarian adventure on just $62 a day! After months of meticulous planning, our Bavarian adventure started with a stopover en route our trip to India. After weighing in various options of touring Europe including car rental, Eurail pass and conducted tours we settled on the <a href="http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/prices/germany/laender-ticket.shtml">Bayern Bavarian ticket</a>. This ticket priced at 29 Euros for a family of 5 (actually its good for 5 unrelated people), the ticket offered the best value in transportation for the places we wanted to visit. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will answer. Our vacation started in Frankfurt with a train ride to Munich on ICE followed by day trips to Salzburg, Austria, Fussen to visit the Nueschwenstein castle and a stay in a medieval castle in Berg Veldenstein.<br />
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Clearning immigration in Frankfurt was not a very pleasant especially with a severe jet lag, but was not very bad either. Within 60 minutes we cleared passport control and collected our bags. The walk to the ICE terminal took about 10 minutes. The train ride was comfortable and fast, however I must concede, it wasn't as exciting or as fast as TGV, perhaps because of the mountainous terrain of the Rhone valley.<br />
We stayed at the Four Points Sheraton, Munich central. It was a quick 15 minute walk to the hotel from the train station. We had opted for a studio room which had a stove, microwave , sink and a refrigeration. After dropping the luggage we took a quick shower and consulted our good friend google for the nearest grocery store. Aldi was around the corner and after a quick trip we were back with a dozen eggs, cheese, milk, canned beans/peas/Veg, rice , yogurt , bread and water all for about EUR 10.<br />
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We spent rest of the evening walking around historic Munich. We ended up buying a Munich MVV card for<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"> € </span></span>10.20. Also we decided to buy the Bayern ticket from Munich central on our way to the hotel so that we could use public transit to the train station the following morning. The kids and us were very tired at this point and we intentionally kept this day busy so that we would fall asleep all night and would have a fresh day in Salzburg the following day.<br />
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Day 2 began with Dad making eggs and toast for breakfast and rice for picnic lunch and mommy getting the kids ready. The Bayern Bavarian ticket is valid from 9am to 3am the following morning, so our first possible train to Salzburg (using the pass) was at 9:42 AM. We were out the door at 9am and we were glad we left early. Munich central is a huge station with about 28 platforms. It could be as much as 15 min walk to the train depending upon where you are in the station. The train ride to Salzburg was very scenic, with quaint little villages and their churches surrounded by lush green pastures with the mighty Alps in the background.<br />
We had a few locations we wanted to visit in Salzburg at our own pace. The Mirabel Gardens, the old town, Hohensalzburg fortress and Nonnberg Abbey. As I had injured my tendon a week before the trip, we bought a bus card for
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">€</span> 4.2 (child
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">€</span> 2.1) at the tourist office right outside the train station. Also we quickly picked up some fresh banana and fruit cups at a grocery store right on the train station. A coffee and fresh croissant got us started to our first stop, Mirabel Gardens. After identifying several sound of music lcoaitons, we had our lunch of Yogurt rice and potato chips with freshly squeezed orange juice. We started our leisurely stroll across the river and into the old town with our cameras clicking away non stop.<br />
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Tough Salzburg old town is very small we were lost quickly even with a map and occasional use of my iPhone. The plan was to go up the fennicular to the fort and walk to Monchsberg returning to the hotel. We never intended to be inside the fort. Somehow we landed on the stairs to the fort. It was a steep climb, but my 4 and 6 year olds didnt have any problem. With a quick pitstop at a beergarden, we ascened to the fort only to find out that entry was
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">€</span> 12 and there was no way around to Monchsberg. After buying the tickets, we went into the fortified castle. It was very different, and had a hint of similarity to the fort shown in the return of the kind (Lord of the Ring). The view from the castle top are stunning and was well worth the money we spent. The breeze at that elevation was quite refreshing. We took the fennicular down and off we went on Bus #5 to the train station just in time to catch the 18:06 express back to Munich.<br />
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Day 3 was a bit harder. The kids were quite sleepy at 9 am. So we had to miss the direct train to Fussen at 9:50 and took a connecting train at 10:50. The train ride to Fussen was the most scenic I have ever been on (on par with a trip from Engleburg to Interlaken in Switzerland). There were buses at the station in Fussen to castles. Remember, if you had bought a Bayern ticket, its valid on the buses in Fussen. We lined up at the ticket office in <span style="background-color: white;">Nueschwenstein</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and bought the tickets for the 4pm tour, which gave us plenty of time to soak in the view and for some nice cold Radler. Radler is half beer and half lemonade. We took the bus up to the castle so that we could view the castle from Marienbruke bridge. The short climb from the bridge to the castle was scenic with plenty of picture spots.The tour itself was bland because we read up all about Neuschwanstein castle months before actually visiting it. The ride back from the castle to Fussen train station was a mess. The buses ply every 40 minutes and it felt like half of USA was there on vacation. After a frustrating 60 minute wait (we were last on the line for the bus that came in 20 min and could not board that one) we finally got on a bus to Fussen and took the train back to Munich.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Day 4: Most of the we spent getting to our Castle Hotel. As usual we bought a Bayern ticket and took a train to Nurnberg and then transferred to Bayreuth. It started to rain as we came to the station. The cobblestoned streets and the incline of the hills effectively broke the rollers on my luggage which made it extremely difficult to get to the castle with the luggage. Once checked in we started to wander the streets of the village and visited a grocery store for some milk and freshly baked rolls. </span><br />
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Day 5: We decided to take it easy and strolled around town. The city has a nice river walk and plenty of bike trails. A cute little church sits right next to the castle and with some pretty exquisite art work. We had lunch at our hotel and drank plenty of local brew - Veldensteiner. I have to say that the host Krestin was extremely helpful. The experience was one of a kind and costed only 82 Euro per night for 2 adults and 2 kids including a wonderful breakfast.<br />
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Day 6: In an effort to save money we bought the Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket for our return to Frankfurt AM Main airport. In hindsight we should have spent the extra <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">€ </span><span style="background-color: white;">40 and booked an ICE from Nurnberg. Instead we took a train to Nurnburg then to Wuzburg, then to Frankfurt and then to flight terminal. It wasnt too bad, but the train journey was not particularly enjoyable.We checked into Holiday Inn express at Frankfurt airport. The hotel was small but nice and provides free continental breakfast.Shuttle costs </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">€ </span><span style="background-color: white;">10.</span><br />
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Germany was absolutely breathtaking and surprisingly affordable. I would highly recommend families or groups of 5 adults to explore Germany on the many afforbale regional passes. The Bayern pass particularly is great value that covers border towns of Switzerland and Austria.<br />
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Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-67326882198914375022012-01-05T13:20:00.000-08:002012-01-05T13:20:39.979-08:00Best ATW fares<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you are looking for a great ATW fares you may be surprised to see that buying a series of one way tickets will give you the bang for the buck, especially if you are in North America.<br />
Several airlines provide free stopovers in their hubs. Here is a typical trip in Summer that costs $4000 , I could get for under CAD$2620.<br />
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Toronto --> Vancouver --> Seattle (by train) --> San Francisco --> Singapore (with optional stop-over in Hong Kong or Seoul for extra $100) --> Bangalore --> London --> Manchester (by train) --> Iceland (Free stopover on Icelandair) --> Toronto.<br />
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From Europe try flying Emirates to India/Thailand with a Free Stop-over in Dubai. Several low cost airliners like AirAsia and Tiger Airways fly in and out of India to SE Asia. From SE Asia fly to US West coast with a stop over in Japan, Korea or Philippines. </div>Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-45973574538773512622011-08-12T10:43:00.000-07:002013-08-19T09:09:08.719-07:00A slice of France in Canada - Road trip to New France.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of the Oldest cities in North America and the only fortified city in USA and Canada, Quebec city could fool you for a European medieval town. This city is a major cultural centre for the French speaking Quebecois and anything east of this city is French immersion. For those living in the Eastern USA and Canada, its a delightful road trip for a week for the price of one trans-atlantic flight. As you drive east of Quebec city the landscape changes to lush green and the road hugging the steep cliffs of the Saguenay fjord. The quaint little villages with a shiny roof church glitters in the valleys. It is always comforting to driving though 300 years of history knowing that a Starbucks is right around the corner with free WIFI to look up what bonne journée means.</div>
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Our trip starts In Toronto with an overnight break at Montreal, the second largest city in Canada and biggest city in province of Quebec. Quebec is linguistically French and is culturally diverse it has been recognized by the Canadian Parliament as a 'Nation within a united Canada'. The journey takes us to the 400 year old Quebec city, a fortified old city that has streets after streets of European charm and genuinely so. The trip takes us deep into the Charlevoix region to Tadoussac where the St.Lawrence river hosts 13 species of whales in the brackish waters. For the those driving back to New England, New York or NJ a visit to Derby Line, Vermont in the border of Quebec and Vermont and a visit to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haskell_Free_Library_and_Opera_House">Haskell Library</a> with the International border running in the middle of a library would make a great photo opportunity and well worth the detour.</div>
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Its is just a joy to stroll the streets of Quebec city. Blocks after blocks of stone buildings, street performers and restaurants. Simply soak in the ambiance and enjoy a cold one or two.</div>
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1. Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral : Located on this site since 1647, this is a UNESCO World heritage site of the Historic District of Old Quebec.See:</div>
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2. Notre-Dame-des-Victoires : <strong>Notre-Dame-des-Victoires</strong> is a small <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic" title="Roman Catholic"><span style="color: #0645ad;">Roman Catholic</span></a> stone church in the Lower Town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City" title="Quebec City"><span style="color: #0645ad;">Quebec City</span></a>. Construction was started in 1687 on site of Champlain's habitation and was completed in 1723 (from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame-des-Victoires,_Quebec_City">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame-des-Victoires,_Quebec_City</a>)</div>
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For the Kids</div>
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1. Volière à papillons de Maizerets (Butterfly Garden). Free admission open from 11am to 4pm. <a href="http://www.domainemaizerets.com/">http://www.domainemaizerets.com/</a></div>
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Don't Miss</div>
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1. Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré : The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a basilica set along the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, 30 kilometres (19 miles) east of Quebec City. It has been credited by the Roman Catholic Church with many miracles of curing the sick and disabled. It is an important Catholic sanctuary which receives about a half-million pilgrims each year, including the Anna Fusco Pilgramage from Connecticut. The peak period of pilgrimage is around July 26, the feast of Saint Anne, the patron saint of Quebec.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Mincho'; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><sup closure_uid_74m21j="251"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupr%C3%A9">1</a></sup></span></div>
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Worth a Visit if you have the time:<br />
1. <a href="http://www.canyonsa.qc.ca/ENG/home.html">Canyon Ste-Anne</a>: Has trails around a 74m high waterfall and a few suspension bridges.<br />
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2. Whale watching in Taddousac.</div>
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Enjoy the sights along the way</div>
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Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-17752992817822225832011-07-04T06:38:00.000-07:002013-02-22T07:09:54.256-08:00Courtallam in Canada<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am from south India and love bathing in waterfalls. Several waterfalls in the southern region have mythical status and in fact are “punya theethams” for many of the temples in South India. Pananasam, Vaanatheertham, Thiruparappu and Courtallam are known for its healing powers as the water flows through fields of wild medicinal herbs before tumbling over the rocks. In-fact Courtallam has a high season, where fans and pilgrims alike travel in chartered buses over 500 kilometres to experience the refreshing waters of the waterfalls. <br />
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Born raised in South India, water and waterfalls have always been a source of enjoyment and fun growing up. This part of my Indian experience was greatly missed in the last 13 years I have been in USA and Canada. Every summer, I drove hours to find a waterfall, fit for a soak. But most of them are barely a waterfall or they are majestic like the Niagara. The ones that bear some hope have signs preventing the visitors to go anywhere near the water, thanks to the liability lawsuits of North America.</div>
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When I had almost given up, I discovered Webster Falls, a nice little cascade in the Hamilton region, some 52 miles North of Niagara falls. I was pleasantly surprised that adults were allowed to take responsibilities for their actions and the result was a waterfall with access all the way to the cascades and the downstream pools. Webster falls is administered by the Hamilton Conservation Authority. This is a popular summer watering hole for the locals especially the people of Indian origin from Mississauga. It felt like India, just a lot cleaner, no pick-pockets and nicer people. I am sure this little waterfall will keep me drawing to it again and again.</div>
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Webster Falls is part of Spencer george conservation area. It is a very popular attraction and the parking lots would be full early on warm summer days. There is a parking and entery fee of $8 per vehicle. A nature trail leads to Dundas peak, which provides stunning views of Hamilton. The park is in a residential area and there are no gas stations or restaurents in the vicinity. If you would like a sandwich for a picnic and your hike, there are a few stores about 5kms away on King St E.(Address for GPS <span class="pp-headline-item pp-headline-address" dir="ltr">38 York Road, Dundas, ON ).</span></div>
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Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-62840235852708753942011-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:002013-01-11T07:50:07.956-08:00India Train Travel 101<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So you have planned your backpack trip to India, you have looked up the trains you will be travelling on and finally you are trying to make reservations and you see all the trains are wait listed. With 1.2 billion people in India, trains are the most convenient and comfortable travel across the country. The over-night trains are extremely popular for many reasons, it saves valuable day time, reduces lodging costs and is generally cooler than the balmy days especially in the steamy tropical South. Indian Railways has over 64,000 km of tracks and carries 25 million passengers daily.<sup><span style="color: #0645ad;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Railways">1</a></span></sup><br />
<span style="color: #0645ad;"><sup> </sup></span><span style="color: black;">There are several classes of travel on the Indian Railways, the most popular are Sleeper class, Second class, 2A A/C two tier, 3A A/C three tier and 1A First-class A/C. A booming middle class following the economic liberalization of India which started in 1991 has increased the demand for 2A and 3A classes which are generally more expensive than Sleeper class. If you are a budget minded back-packer and would prefer the sleeper class of travel the following should help you plan a successful and enjoyable trip.</span><br />
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1. India has several travel seasons. Significant ones are the Summer vacation season, where trains are often more than full and reservations run dry quickly with on the same day it opened up. One can book up to 90 days in advance for any Indian train where reservation functionality is available. The other significant travel time is around festivals which abound in India. Diwali is in late October, Dasara (Nava rathri) in early October, Christmas in late Dec, Holi in March are major national festivals and there are severeal regional ones like Onam in September celebrated in Kerala, Pongal in January celebrated in Tamil Nadu and Ganesh Chathurthi in September celebrated in Maharashtra.<br />
2. To complicate things <a href="http://www.vivahasangamam.com/vs/muhurtham-dates.asp">'Muhurtha days'</a> are scattered all over the year. A seemingly quiet week can turn into an overcrowded train ride with all the gears for a wedding can catch you off-guard.<br />
3. Weekends are always popular for travel and sometimes Saturday nights can be crowded too as many offices work 6 days a week.(Except for Sundays).<br />
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To beat the crowd, always book early. While it is un-ethical to make several reservations and block the seats from those who need it, due to the next to nothing fares and lack of strict penalty for cancellation, you may want to have a back-up reservation on another train or the following day. Following the computerization of reservations and the ability to book-online, several working professionals book tickets 'just in case' and tend to cancel at the last minute and hence while travelling between metros, (eg. Bangalore and Chennai) it is not uncommon for a Wait listed ticket in the hundred or even two hundred to confirm.<br />
For major trains , look up Wikipedia for coach composition. Sleeper class wait lists tend to clear faster than A/C classes as most trains have 10 + cheaper class coaches, but 2 or 3 A/C classes.<br />
Tatkal reservation is a last minute travel tool where you pay a premium for a reservation and it opens 2 days prior to travel date. <br />
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If you have any questions post a comment and I will answer.<br />
More Itineraries and tips at <a href="http://backpack-india.blogspot.com/">http://backpack-india.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://india-trains.41618.n6.nabble.com/" id="nabblelink">India Trains</a><br />
<script src="http://india-trains.41618.n6.nabble.com/embed/f1"></script><br />
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Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-45958039169830708212011-03-25T13:15:00.000-07:002013-02-22T07:12:22.337-08:00First class Indian train<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I love trains and I love Indian trains because of the freedom it offers. You can open up the window and feel the breeze on your face, stand by the door and watch the country move by. Its cheap and many long-distance trains are clean. I enjoy travelling in the first-class (FC) cabin, private but not air-conditioned. Yes, there is some dust and it gets hot, but its not train travel if you don't hear the ta-tak-ta-tak sound that's so majestic, like a hemi engine. <br />
A nice way to beat the heat and to have an enjoyable scenery is to travel in kerala during the day. Parasuram express, runs 634 Km in 14 hours for Rs.169 (CAD$5). If your Indian trip takes to Goa and Kerala along the Konkan coast Parasuram express may even serve as a means of transportation. For train enthusiaists this is a double line broad-gauge trunk line running from Delhi to Trivandrum. Trains are plenty on this line and is quite busy, you may spot long distance trains with 21+ rakes along your journey, majestic mountains and green valleys. Every station stop is an opportunity to get down and relax, buy something to nibble. A word of caution is that, Kerala is rugged and so trains are much faster than buses, which means that there would be plenty of crowd regardless of the day waiting for one of the trains. Generally reservations are not honoured in Second class and Sleeper class during the day. While you could say you have a reservation and fight for your space, it would be heartless to do so with a 80 year old blind woman occupying your seat. It doesn't usually bother me, as I am always at the door, half in the train and half out. If you have a companion, it helps to take turns to sit and watch the luggage while the other has a fun time by the door. Air conditioned classes are recommended to beat the heat if travelling in the hot season and to void the rush, but the door is your only chance to catch some air and drink in some scenery.<br />
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<a href="http://trackin.affiliserve.com/?AID=113884&MID=40345&PID=5986&CID=3084373&CRID=27098&WID=27514"><img border="0" height="60" src="http://trackin.affiliserve.com/bs/?CRID=27098&AID=113884&PID=5986&CID=3084373&WID=27514" width="468" /></a><br />
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If you are a train buff like me, try the Himsagar express , the longest running train in India that crosses 11 states from Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. <br />
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View other Circular India train Itineraries at <a href="http://backpack-india.blogspot.com/">http://backpack-india.blogspot.com</a></div>
Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-49401381168957548802011-03-05T15:02:00.000-08:002013-02-22T07:12:51.127-08:00Taj through the backdoor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Did you wonder where the pictures of Taj with wandering cows, camels and waherman washing clothes in Yamuna was shot form? To get a glimpse of the Taj from behind head to Mehtab Bagh. Bagh is garden in Hindi and Mehtab gardens menas moonlit garden. Mehtab Bagh was designed to be an inetgral part of the Taj. When the waters in Yauma are at reasonable levels, this makes a wonderful spot to view the Taj, free of cost.<br />
Taj Ganj, where many of the tourist hotels are is also a wonderful place to view the Taj, from one of its many roof-top gardens and cafe. <a href="http://www.saniyapalace.com/">Saniya Palace</a> hotel has clean rooms and a great view.<br />
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Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-58468106745681455632011-02-27T13:10:00.000-08:002011-04-18T08:10:58.909-07:00India part of ATW - South India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Start in Mumbai and on to Goa to soak some Sun. Goa is blessed with beautiful beaches and breathtaking churches built by the Portuguese.<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv4cbbR3Xc4">Churches and Convents of Goa</a> is a UNESCO world heritage site. Then travel on to Kerala, the God's own country to relax in traditional houseboats lazyly floating on the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKpKuRtuThA">backwaters of Kumarakom</a>. Next stop on the route in Kanyakumari, the southern most point in Penninsular India where the Indian Ocean, Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal meet. The next phase of the trip is into the heart of Dravidian Tamil Nadu which is beleived to be inhabitaed by the decendents of Africans who walked to South India via a land bridge. The culture, food , language and architecture is very distinct and understandably so, as this region has been continuously inhabited since stone-age. Visit the Dravidian temples of Rameshwaram and Madhurai, the chola temples of Tanjore. Before wrapping up this segment in Chennai take a trip to Ponsichery, the former french colony with calm neaches, eco-tourist resorts and cafe-crem.<br />
<a href="http://trackin.affiliserve.com/?AID=113884&MID=40345&PID=5986&CID=3084373&CRID=27098&WID=27514"><img src="http://trackin.affiliserve.com/bs/?CRID=27098&AID=113884&PID=5986&CID=3084373&WID=27514" border="0" width="468" height="60"></a><br />
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<table><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td width="10%">Day </td><td width="15%">Time </td><td>Place of visit</td><td width="15%">Night Halt</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 1</td><td>5:10 AM <br />
<span style="color: red;">(8:30 PM)</span></td><td>Take the early morning Jan Shatabdi express to get a great view of the majestic hills enroute to Goa. If you would rather sleep on the train there are several overnight options. <span style="color: red;">If continuing from Delhi trip take 8:30 PM train from Vasai Road. Arrival in Goa 7:30 AM day 2.</span></td><td></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td></td><td>2:10 PM </td><td>Arrive in Goa and transfer to Hotel. Calangute is a family friendly beach and is my favourite. Anjuna is idea is you are the hippie type. </td><td>Goa/Train</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 2</td><td>9:00 AM </td><td>Beat the heat and head to the Aguda fort. Then visit Basilica of Bom Jesus,Church of Mary Immaculate Conception and Se Cathedral. </td><td>Spend the night on the beach drinking fenny by candlelight.</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td>Day 3</td><td>10:00 AM </td><td>Anjuna beach and more Goa. Take a sip in the Ocean, have fresh fish on the shack. Rent a scooter and drive around. </td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td>10:50 PM </td><td>Take Netravati Express to Allepy. </td><td>Train</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td>Day 4</td><td>3:25 PM</td><td>Transfer to your houseboat and cruise the backwaters</td><td>HouseBoat</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 5</td><td>N/A in Kerala</td><td>Soak in an extra day in Kerala, in a house boat or in a resort. Try delicious Kerala cusine, an Ayurvedic massage and one of the many temples in this region which is nothing like in the North or the Dravidian temples.</td><td>Train</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td>Day 6</td><td>00:10 AM</td><td>Take Guruvayur Express to Nagercoil (16km from Kanyakumari)</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 7</td><td>5:30 AM</td><td>Transfer to Kanyakumari, enjoy the sunrise, Vivekandanda rock.</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td>1:00 PM</td><td>Proceed to Tirunelvelli by Bus. Visit Nellaiappar temple.</td><td></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td></td><td>9:00 PM</td><td>Take Chendur Express to Chennai (Dep 8:55 PM).</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 8</td><td>11:00 AM</td><td>Chennai.</td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong>If your ATW trip would take you to the beaches of Thailand, you may want to skip Goa and spend an extra day in Tamil Nadu which is very unique evern within India. Visit the chola temple, the tallest Granite structure in the world with exquisite carvings and the Grand Anicut built in the second century. Here is the modified itinerary.</strong><br />
<table><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td width="10%">Day </td><td width="15%">Time </td><td>Place of visit</td><td width="15%">Night Halt</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 1</td><td>11:40 AM</td><td>Take Netravati Exp (16345) to Allepy. </td><td>Train</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td>Day 2</td><td>3:25 PM </td><td> Transfer to your houseboat and cruise the backwaters</td><td>House Boat</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 3</td><td>N/A in Kerala</td><td>Soak in an extra day in Kerala, in a house boat or in a resort. Try delicious Kerala cusine, an Ayurvedic massage and one of the many temples in this region which is nothing like in the North or the Dravidian temples.</td><td>House boat or resort</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td>Day 4</td><td>00:10 AM</td><td>Take Guruvayur Express to Nagercoil (16km from Kanyakumari)</td><td>Train</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 5</td><td> 5:30 AM</td><td>Transfer to Kanyakumari, enjoy the sunrise, Vivekandanda rock.</td><td></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td></td><td>1:00 PM</td><td>Proceed to Tirunelvelli by Bus. Visit Nellaiappar temple.</td><td> Tirunelvelli</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 6</td><td>7:50 AM</td><td> Take Guv Chennai Exp (16128) to Trichy.</td><td></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td></td><td>2:27 PM</td><td>Arrive in Srirangam. Visit Sr.Renganathan Temple, The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9uQ2SZyOeI">Rock Fort</a>. Shop in the busy Bazars and enjoy a suth Indian Dinner. Small cities like Trichy, your accomodation $$ would get you a nice room in a hotel with a pool.</td><td>Trichy</td></tr>
<tr><td>Day 7</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td>Enjoy the hotel and the pool, its been a long night last-night.</td><td></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td></td><td>Noon</td><td>Take one of the many passenger trains or a bus to Tanjore (aka Thanjavur). The ride takes aproximately 2 hours. Visit the UNESCO world heritage the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cruwhRpBcwo">chola temple</a> Bihadeeswarar temple and Fort.</td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td>10:10 PM</td><td>Take Chennai Exp (16176) to chennai/</td><td></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#eeeeee"><td>Day 8</td><td>5:20 AM</td><td>Chennai. Get ready for the rest of your ATW trip , Chennai is served by British Airways, Jet Airways (to New York), Lufthansa, Emirates to Dubai, Singapore AIrlines, Malaysian, Air Asia and many more to Pacific.<br />
Or continue on to the Coromendal coast.</td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-3472387567187705432011-02-25T18:05:00.000-08:002011-04-18T08:12:55.745-07:00India part of ATW - Desert West<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you are doing India as part of ATW trip, here are some itineararies that would give you the most coverage and experience. You may fly into and out of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Kolkata . Delhi and Mumbai are generally very well connected with Europe and Chennai and Kolkata are well connected to SE Asia, altough its not uncommon to find pacific flights from Delhi and Mumbai and european flights from Chennai. The general touristy India trip invariably involves Delhi and Rajasthan. Infact most people think Delhi and Rajasthan is India. The south is generally prestine and untouched especially Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram and Madhurai while Kerala is gaining popularity among Ayurvedic and beach tourism. The east coast (Coromendal cost) is the road less travelled even by many Indians who fancy going to Delhi, Rajasthan and the hill stations of the North. North East is mysterious and generally off-mimits due to some un-rest however can be the most rewarding for adventure seekers and nature lovers North East can be a very rewarding experience. As always my trips starts and ends in a train, those wonderful rumbling monsters that haul you economically overnight. The tour stops in a Metro area evrey 7 days so that you can get your luxury fix in a hotel with a nice pool and fine spirits.<br />
<a href="http://trackin.affiliserve.com/?AID=113884&MID=40345&PID=5986&CID=3084373&CRID=27098&WID=27514"><img src="http://trackin.affiliserve.com/bs/?CRID=27098&AID=113884&PID=5986&CID=3084373&WID=27514" border="0" width="468" height="60"></a><br />
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</div><div><table border="0" width="100%"><tr> <td width="20%" bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Day</td> <td width="15%" bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Time</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Place of Visit</td> <td width="15%" bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Night Stay</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Day 1</td> <td>9:00 AM - 9:00 PM</td> <td>Delhi Citi tour. Visit <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv92sveebF4'>The Red fort</a>,<a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGkdCjobEp4'>Qutub Minar</a>, India<br />
gate and Chandni Chowk. I strongly recomend a fixed price<br />
guided city tour.</td> <td>Delhi</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Day 2</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">9:00 AM - 9:00 PM</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Agra and Taj. I strongly recomend<br />
guided tour as this is the most touristy area in the country.A guided tour means no hassle and maximum coverage with the protection of your tour guide. Make sure you get dropped in Agra. Visit the <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmiCDTlAI28'>Agra Fort</a> and <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37l11UzbvvA'>Taj Mahal</a></td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Agra</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Day 3</td> <td>5:10 AM</td> <td>Jaipur. If your package tour does not take you to Jaipur, take Af Aii Intercit (12195)Express to Jaipur.<a href="http://www.cleartrip.com/trains/results?from_city=Agra&to_city=Jaipur&class=FC">(Other trains)</a> </td> <td> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> </td> <td>9:30 AM</td> <td>Arrive in Jaipur<br />
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Visit <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSxqB0fPkc8'>Amber fort</a>, <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNKuvaB8SPA'>Hawa Mahal</a>, Citi Palace, Jantar Mandar.</td> <td> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> </td> <td>5:00 PM</td> <td>Take Ranthambore Exp (12465) <a
href="http://www.cleartrip.com/trains/results?from_city=jaipur&to_city=Jodhpur&class=FC">(other<br />
trains)</a></td> <td> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> </td> <td>10:30 PM</td> <td>Jodhpur</td> <td>Jodhpur</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Day 4</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">9:00 AM- 9:00PM</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Jodhpur sightseeing. Visit <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=966WwBh5F7U'>Mehrangarh Fort</a></td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> </td> <td>11:00 PM</td> <td>Take Ju Jsm Express (14810) <a
href="http://www.cleartrip.com/trains/results?from_city=Jodhpur&to_station=JSM&class=FC&date=dd-mm-yyyy&adults=1&children=0&male_seniors=0&female_seniors=0">(other<br />
trains)</a></td> <td>Train</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Day 5</td> <td>5:00 AM</td> <td>Jaisalmer. Visit <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx-fi5k_vXs'>Jaisalmer Fort</a> the only living fort in Rajasthan and Sam dunes</td> <td>Jaisalmer</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Day 6</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">11:15 PM</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Unwind a bit and sleep in till<br />
night.<br />
<br />
Take train to Jodhpur</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Train</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>Day 7</td> <td>5:20 AM</td> <td>Arrive in Jodhpur<br />
<br />
Shopping and wrap up. </td> <td> </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> </td> <td>7:00 PM</td> <td>Take Bkn Ddr Sf Exp (12489) to Mumbai</td> <td>Train</td> </tr>
<tr> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Day 8</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">12:15 PM</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE">Arrive in Mumbai.</td> <td bgcolor="#EEEEEE"> </td> </tr>
</table><iframe width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=201014512545643946737.00049d218ec871763333c&ll=19.47695,81.210938&spn=39.087881,56.25&z=4&output=embed"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=201014512545643946737.00049d218ec871763333c&ll=19.47695,81.210938&spn=39.087881,56.25&z=4&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">India - Segments</a> in a larger map</small><br />
</div>Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-47754240604037534682011-02-24T13:29:00.000-08:002011-04-18T08:11:56.415-07:00Circle India Train trip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Here is an itinerary I have been wanting to do for a while, a trip that covers all regions of India, all by train and under $50 a day all expenses included. Starting in Delhi the tour covers the Majestic Mughal forts, the princely state of Rajasthan, sun kissed beaches of Goa with a visit to 17th century basilica, relax in the serene back-waters of Kerala, travel to the southern most point in the sub-continent where the Indian Ocean Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal meets. Take the road less travelled tot he southern Dravidian temples in Tirunelvelli proceeding to the temple town of Bhubaneswar and end the journey in New Delhi.<br />
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India a mysterious, colorful, diverse country with thousands of years of history takes years to comprehend and months to experience. Its a country of countries with micro culures and climate from East to West and North to South.<br />
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Delhi, the capital city of India is a melting pot of cultures with its unique identity.Delhi is said to be one of the oldest existing cities in the world, along with <a href="http://www.blogger.com/en/Damascus" title="Damascus"><span style="color: #002bb8;">Damascus</span></a> and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/en/Varanasi" title="Varanasi"><span style="color: #002bb8;">Varanasi</span></a>. Legend estimates it to be over 5,000 years old. Over the millennia, Delhi is said to have been built and destroyed 11 times. The oldest alleged incarnation of the city shows up in the Indian mythological epic <i>Mahabharata</i> as <b>Indraprastha</b>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(A list of contributors is available at the original article on </span><a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Delhi"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wikitravel</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.)</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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This trip covers North, West, East and Southern regions in modest detail.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=201014512545643946737.00049cf5352ede6f51d6b&ll=18.312811,79.277344&spn=39.339802,56.25&z=4&output=embed" width="640"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=201014512545643946737.00049cf5352ede6f51d6b&ll=18.312811,79.277344&spn=39.339802,56.25&z=4&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Circle India ON</a> in a larger map</small></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 764px;" x:str=""><colgroup><col span="2" style="width: 48pt;" width="64"><col class="xl33" style="mso-width-alt: 3145; mso-width-source: userset; width: 65pt;" width="86"><col class="xl25" style="mso-width-alt: 12141; mso-width-source: userset; width: 249pt;" width="332"><col style="mso-width-alt: 3291; mso-width-source: userset; width: 68pt;" width="90"><col span="2" style="width: 48pt;" width="64"></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td class="xl29" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; width: 48pt;" width="64">Day</td><td class="xl29" style="width: 48pt;" width="64"></td><td class="xl31" style="width: 65pt;" width="86">Time</td><td class="xl30" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Place of visit</td><td class="xl29" style="width: 68pt;" width="90">Night Stay</td><td style="width: 48pt;" width="64"></td><td style="width: 48pt;" width="64"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 1</td><td>Mon</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.95833333333333337">11:00 PM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Arrive in Delhi</td><td>Delhi</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 2</td><td>Tues</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.375">9:00 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Delhi Local</td><td>Delhi</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 3</td><td>Wed</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.25">6:00 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Departure for Jaipur (260 kms /<br />
6 hrs)</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td colspan="2" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.5">12:00 PM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Arrival at Jaipur - Jaipur sight<br />
seeing upto 5.30 PM</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="68" style="height: 51pt;"><td colspan="2" height="68" style="height: 51pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl32"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Places Covered : <span class="font6"><br />
</span><span class="font5"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="font7">Birla Mandir, Albert Hall, Hawa Mahal ,<br />
Jantar Mantar, City Palace, .Jal Mahal, Amber Fort (Mirror Palace) <br />
<br />
(enjoy Elephant / Camel ride)</span></td><td>Jaipur</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 4</td><td>Thurs</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.22916666666666666">5:30 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Departure to Agra(240 kms / 5<br />
hrs) Agra</td><td>Train</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td colspan="2" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.39583333333333331">9:30 AM</td><td class="xl24">Fatepur Sikri</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td colspan="2" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.4375">10:30 AM</td><td class="xl24">Depart to Agra</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"><td colspan="2" height="34" style="height: 25.5pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.47916666666666669">11:30 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332" x:str="Arrival at Agra. Sight seeing upto 4 PM Places Covered: 1. Taj Mahal 2. Agra Fort 3. Sikandra ">Arrival<br />
at Agra. Sight seeing upto 4 PM Places Covered: 1. Taj Mahal 2. Agra Fort 3.<br />
Sikandra </td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"><td colspan="2" height="34" style="height: 25.5pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.79166666666666663">7:00 PM</td><td class="xl26" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Hwh Ju Express (12307) <br />
<br />
Dep 20:10</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 5</td><td>Fri</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.29166666666666669">7:00 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Arrive in Jodhpur</td><td>Train</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td colspan="2" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl33"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Sight see Jodhpur</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td colspan="2" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.78125">6:45 PM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Leave for Goa</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="51" style="height: 38.25pt;"><td colspan="2" height="51" style="height: 38.25pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"></td><td class="xl33"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Surya Nagri Exp (12479) <br />
<br />
Surat ARR 7:30 AM Conect<br />
<br />
Trivandrum Express 3:45 PM</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 6</td><td>Sat</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.3125">7:30 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Madgaon</td><td>Goa</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 7</td><td>Sun</td><td class="xl33"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Old Goa</td><td>Goa</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 8</td><td>Mon</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.95138888888888884">10:50 PM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332" x:str="Netravati Exp (16345) ">Netravati<br />
Exp (16345) </td><td>Train</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 9</td><td>Tues</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.64236111111111105">3:25 PM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Allepy</td><td>Boat</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 10</td><td>Wed</td><td class="xl33"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Allepy</td><td>Allepy</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"><td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">Day 11</td><td>Thurs</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.47916666666666669">11:30 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Kanyakumari Exp (16526) <br />
<br />
Dep 11:30 ARR 17:00</td><td>Kanyakumari</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 12</td><td>Fri</td><td class="xl33"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">See Vivekananda rock, Susindram,<br />
Nellaiappar Kovil</td><td>Nellai</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td class="xl27" height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 13</td><td class="xl27">Sat</td><td class="xl34" x:num="0.40277777777777773">9:40 AM</td><td class="xl28" style="width: 249pt;" width="332" x:str="Cape Howrah Exp (12666) ">Cape<br />
Howrah Exp (12666) </td><td class="xl27">Chennai</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 14</td><td>Sun</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.77777777777777779">6:40 PM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Arrive Bhuvaneshwar</td><td>Bhuvaneshwar</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 15</td><td>Mon</td><td class="xl33"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">BBS local sight</td><td>Puri</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 16</td><td>Tues</td><td class="xl33"></td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Puri Konark</td><td>Bhuvaneshwar</td><td colspan="2" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;"><td height="17" style="height: 12.75pt;">Day 17</td><td>Wed</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.47916666666666669">11:30 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Rajdhani</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"></td></tr>
<tr height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;"><td height="34" style="height: 25.5pt;">Day 18</td><td>Thurs</td><td class="xl32" x:num="0.44097222222222227">10:35 AM</td><td class="xl25" style="width: 249pt;" width="332">Arrive New Delhi<br />
<br />
Tour ends</td><td colspan="3" style="mso-ignore: colspan;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-70863644848046955052010-05-14T09:55:00.000-07:002010-05-14T10:02:59.268-07:00Big banyon tree , BangaloreIf business takes you to Bangalore be sure to check out Dodda Alla or the Big Banyon. This tree is 5 acres wide and growing. Pretty peaceful place and a nice escape form the pollutions of the city.<br />
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<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8hjHsBr7Etk&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8hjHsBr7Etk&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-52344835504005947382010-05-12T06:48:00.000-07:002013-02-22T08:02:42.497-08:00Dubai StopOver<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well technically this is not an Indian backpack vacation, but a free stop over on the way to India. For many North American travellers to India from the east coast there is a hop somewhere in Europe or MiddleEast. One of my visits to India I took a stop over in Dubai while flying Emirates. Ask me any questions and I will try to answer, the trip is fresh in my memory.<br />
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Arrived at Dubai international from Bangalore at around 1pm. Emirates picked me up to my complimentary room at Le Meridien. Once in room quickly grabbed some maps and booklets and hired a cab to go to Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. The Mall itself was sparkling new with retailers from all over the world. I didnt like the prices too much and so didnt buy much. The aquarium is impressive (just like the one in Mall of America in Minneapolis). The gold souk in the mall is nice but not anything like the real gold souk. After roaming around end to end a couple of times I headed out to see the Burk Khalifa. The sun was shining right behind the tower, so was hard to get good shots. After a certain height every tall building looks alike (yeah yeah I still like the CN tower OK?), but the very thought that I was near the tallest building in the world was exhilarating.<br />
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I was debating if I should hang around to see the musical fountain, but then decided to find the Metro station. Dubai Mall metro station is now open and is very walkable to the Mall. Since it is brand new directions were not good and I ended up going around the Mall (which is huge), but did not regret the walk. I bought my 4.5 AED one ride ticket and went to the Union station. Took a cab to the Abra station by the creek. The wind from the creek was refreshing and the sight was soothing. I took an abra across the creek to Old Souk. Sorry didnt I tell you what an abra is? Its a traditional arabian boat, powered ofcourse which seats about 20 on the sides. <br />
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Shopping in the old souk was nice, lots of street vendors and I would say its better than in India<br />
Most garments are imported to Dubai from India, but the lack of exercise duty and taxes makes them cheaper than in India. What Dubai advertises is true, it is cheap but you need to bargain hard. After an hour of walking and shopping I found a nice little restaurant by the water and ordered a shisha. I got mint flavor molases soaked tobacco and smoked away in joy. The experience is nothing like smoking a cigarette, it was aromatic mild and equally poisonous.<br />
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I walked back to the abra station and crossed the creek and headed to the souks - gold and spice. The spice souk did not interest me, the markets in India are just like this one. But the gold souk took my breath away. Definitely worth a visit and purchase. I was amazed and literally flabbergasted. Time flew in the souks and it was close to 11pm. My half a day trip is over and next time I am returning for a 3 day trip. The Emirates free stop-over was good value, I did all this and took back merchandise for $160 (CAD). Not bad :-)</div>
Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-56486757122929836802010-01-08T11:13:00.000-08:002010-01-08T11:13:11.434-08:00Sites to see in IndiaHere I composed some of the sites worth seeing in India.The Blue Markers are UNESCO heritage sites. Green markers are significant places to see according to me. Red markers are UNESCO parks.<br />
<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=106717418082360518317.00047c995b2021421a5aa&ll=19.719426,83.096252&spn=17.873661,20.520143&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=106717418082360518317.00047c995b2021421a5aa&ll=19.719426,83.096252&spn=17.873661,20.520143&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">INDIA UNESCO Heritage sites</a> in a larger map</small>Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-20988031429635583092009-12-22T08:31:00.000-08:002009-12-22T08:34:45.560-08:00Tips for a SE Asia tripIf you are planning to fly to SE Asia say Singapore, Malaysia, India from Europe or East Coast, consider a third country airline which allows a free stop-over. For example a Dutch traveller from Amsterdam to Singapore can get a free Dubai stop-over while flying Emirates, or a India stop over by flying Jet airways (from Brussels). The fares are often cheaper than non-stop service on Singapore airlines or KLM.Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367110528703386319.post-72150861641519489912009-12-22T06:25:00.000-08:002009-12-22T06:27:29.576-08:00Backpack IndiaAround India on a budget<br />India as you may have read in guidebooks is vast and varied. There are so many things to see and experience and it all depends on what you are interested. I am throwing some of my ideas if you are interested in culture and geography. Indian Railways is one of the wonders of the world (according to me of-course). The longest train is hinsagar express , runs from Himalayas (Him) to the southern most trip and costs $20 - $50 and takes 3 days. You can see the landscape change , the people and their costumes change the food change in a slow pace. If you want to see some geographical diversity start at the Himachal with glacier clad mountains to Jaisalmer with desert and snow dunes to Kerala a tropical backwater wonder to coral reefs of Lakshwadeep to Mangroves of sundarban. If you had the time you can do a circle India by train or buy a India airline pass. If you are into culture start with Delhi with the Mughal forts to Rajasthan with the Havelis and palaces to Goa the portugeese influenced churches to temples of south India to Orissa the least travelled jewel on the bay of bengal to Sikim a mini orient with monastries. The potential is unlimited and you can drop anywhere from $50 a day to $500 a day. Delhi, Goa, Mumbai, Agra, Chennai, Bangalore are all good places to hook up with a fellow traveller. There are several cheap no frills airlines serving major indian cities to Orient and you can squeeze in a trip to Malaysia, Singapore for about $200 round trip. I wouldnt blame you if you just spent your trip in Goa on a beach, I hear this is going to be a snowy winter. Good luck and have fun.Ganeshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16997397727970831219noreply@blogger.com0