Going to India (2 weeks for work) Gurgaon/Delhi

[btmacken]

Any Mags been over to India for work? I'm leaving on Friday for two weeks, never been. Any spots I should hit up?

[Hugh Conway]

Two weeks in Gurgaon? Any time off?

Delhi-ish
- Chandni Chowk for the full on market, watch your pockets
- Red Fort
- Qutb
- Jama Masjid
- Lutyens Delhi
Long Daytrip/Overnight by car/train
-Agra (Fort, Taj Mahal) + Fatehphur Sikri
Weekend overnight (by plane)
- Leh
(plenty of other places you could spend the weekend but Leh's the mountains and reasonably accessible by air w/o the shitshow of Srinagar)

[btmacken]

Two weeks in Gurgaon? Any time off?

Delhi-ish
- Chandni Chowk for the full on market, watch your pockets
- Red Fort
- Qutb
- Jama Masjid
- Lutyens Delhi
Long Daytrip/Overnight by car/train
-Agra (Fort, Taj Mahal) + Fatehphur Sikri
Weekend overnight (by plane)
- Leh
(plenty of other places you could spend the weekend but Leh's the mountains and reasonably accessible by air w/o the shitshow of Srinagar)

Nice, noted. Yes, 2 weeks in Gurgaon, but I will have the weekend and my hours are kind of at the mercy of what I want them to be. Still trying to decide if i want to take the 4hr trip to the Taj. I almost would rather just roll around Delhi and get into trouble. Would like to see some Cricket (or partake) if possible.. I'll have to check in with my outsource guys on that one though.

[Alaskan Rover]

Crikey!! You're damn lucky!! I've never been to India, but have worked with so many Indians (mostly Punjabi) that I feel I know the country. The science world is literally filled with Indians. I Would like to go there!!

Not sure how much free time you have, but when I used to do work in Korea, I'd take and extra week or two off, after the work was over and just travel around by backpack. A blast. See if you could work out some additional days off after your 2 weeks of work is done. That would give you WAY more options including the Taj.

If you could manage it and have a taste for urban adventure, I'd actually head to the depths of Calcutta...just to take in the human masses that make the place famous. From what my indian friends say, New Delhi is by comparison quite first-worldly.

I know you're trying to see if you'll have time to see the Taj Mahal...but from EVERYONE I've heard who's seen it, it truly IS out of this world. They say it's best to go EARLY in the morning when the light is perfect and the masses of tourists haven't arrived yet.

No, I'm not envious! Not a bit!!

--

[btmacken]

Crikey!! You're damn lucky!! I've never been to India, but have worked with so many Indians (mostly Punjabi) that I feel I know the country. The science world is literally filled with Indians. I Would like to go there!!

Not sure how much free time you have, but when I used to do work in Korea, I'd take and extra week or two off, after the work was over and just travel around by backpack. A blast. See if you could work out some additional days off after your 2 weeks of work is done. That would give you WAY more options including the Taj.

If you could manage it and have a taste for urban adventure, I'd actually head to the depths of Calcutta...just to take in the human masses that make the place famous. From what my indian friends say, New Delhi is by comparison quite first-worldly.

I know you're trying to see if you'll have time to see the Taj Mahal...but from EVERYONE I've heard who's seen it, it truly IS out of this world. They say it's best to go EARLY in the morning when the light is perfect and the masses of tourists haven't arrived yet.

--

Nice thanks. I can't swing an extra week or anything, (wish I could, but the wife wants my ass back asap). Good to know on the Taj. Zip Trip will take me there by car from my hotel for right around $150 bucks, so it is probably in the cards.. but again I want to know what the masses say on it due to my limited time. I do like taking photos though so it would almost be a shame if I didn't get some Taj shots.

[FJ62]

Having spent a long week in Delhi a few years back, I highly recommend you go to the Taj Mahal. Get there early (as noted), but it's totally worth it.

I don't have much advice beyond that. Went for a wedding and was literally stuck in a house/ compound most of the time (our driver showed up sporadically but week-long wedding festivities meant we could barely leave the city). I know folks who went out to the countryside and had a grand time...

But the Taj was a highlight. Red Fort was cool, too...but there's nothing quite like the Taj Mahal.

Only other advice... don't take a big DSLR. Get a small point & shoot that will fit in your pocket. You'll end up taking a lot more shots as it won't be such a hassle. A bunch of folks will be coming up to you the whole time anyhow... it's better to not look like a total tourist (as I did).

Honestly, I had some of the best Chinese food in my life in Delhi, but I thought the Indian food was better here in the States. Go figure.

[Shorty_J]

Spend as many days as you can playing frogger as practice of the skills you will need to cross the street.

I'm not sure if you've ever been to Asia before, but I'm in Mumbai on business right now and my head is on a swivel any time I'm near a road (or something that someone might try to use as a road).

[climberevan]

I have to chime in and say that the Taj is in fact worth the trip. It's a total tourist trap and scams abound, but like the Grand Canyon & Angkor Wat, it's just incomparable. Brave the touts and scammers and go for it. The Red Fort is actually really cool also, and nearby. Your proposal is very expensive by Indian standards, but frankly probably worth it if you trust them. Going to the Taj Majal the kind of thing that can spiral quickly into tourist scam hell. Be aware that they will try to take you to an absolutely crappy (and very overpriced) restaurant along the way, but if you are firm you can get them to keep going and just hit up some awesome street stalls once you get there.

Otherwise, just wander the streets and let your mind be blown. Delhi is amazing. Be sure to eat lots of grubby street food with kids making chappati over open flames on the sidewalk. The giant vats of fresh yogurt you'll see are incredible as well. The best food to be found will definitely be on the street--the restaurants at the hotels are especially awful. If anyone offers to take you to the "country club" or golf club or something like that, refuse--the worst food I've ever had was at one of those in Delhi. The one in Kathmandu rivaled it, though.

Count me as jealous, as well.

[Hugh Conway]

Honestly, I had some of the best Chinese food in my life in Delhi, but I thought the Indian food was better here in the States. Go figure.

not sure what price level you were eating at (ime mid-range and above was underwhelming) but there's tons of food stalls that'll sell you great things for a pittance that are far better than almost any Indian place stateside. Many places have dishes (or whole menus) that you just won't find in the US.

Delhi's sprawling, polluted, and has some nasty traffic. There's plenty to wander around and see over the course of a couple weeks (note: not necessarily much worthwhile after business hours), but I'd suggest leaving for somewhere else - Agra has the Taj, which is what everyone will ask about, and it is awesome (imo, it's really nice if you spend the night so can see it at sunrise/sunset) - but there are other nice places to go. Leh is awesome high himalaya, there's beaches to the south, hilltowns, tons of places.

ime I preferred a dSLR w/handstrap because of the lack of shutter lag and availability of fast lenses; plenty of things are rather dark and dim.

[btmacken]

not sure what price level you were eating at (ime mid-range and above was underwhelming) but there's tons of food stalls that'll sell you great things for a pittance that are far better than almost any Indian place stateside. Many places have dishes (or whole menus) that you just won't find in the US.

Delhi's sprawling, polluted, and has some nasty traffic. There's plenty to wander around and see over the course of a couple weeks (note: not necessarily much worthwhile after business hours), but I'd suggest leaving for somewhere else - Agra has the Taj, which is what everyone will ask about, and it is awesome (imo, it's really nice if you spend the night so can see it at sunrise/sunset) - but there are other nice places to go. Leh is awesome high himalaya, there's beaches to the south, hilltowns, tons of places.

ime I preferred a dSLR w/handstrap because of the lack of shutter lag and availability of fast lenses; plenty of things are rather dark and dim.

Yeah, the suggestion for a non DSLR got me nervous and rethinking, but I'm gonna bring it to the Taj.. Also, all I've been told is don't eat the street food, but you guys seem to think it is OK? One other thing.... the "chemists" over there.. can I pick up some stuff for extra curricular activities.. (thinking it is like Tijauna?) or not so much.. I know I'll have plenty of King Fisher beer to drink either way..

[XXX-er]

don't forget the lomitil

[Hugh Conway]

Also, all I've been told is don't eat the street food, but you guys seem to think it is OK?

The advantage of streetfood is you can see who's preparing it and how. I've gotten sick in India at tourist area tourist restaurants and a mid-range hotel, not from street food (over the course of several visits, not all at once!). If you do get sick Cipro + Immodium.

Don't really know of a good bar to get pissed in in Delhi, maybe a "Gentleman's Club"? aka an old colonial club not a stripjoint? Not really a great beer drinking country

[schuss]

Also, from what I've heard most people get sick the first time they're there, so just plan on a day or two of downtime next to a toilet.

[mud]

Skip Red Fort, see the Taj, and listen to Hugh on street food and the Bazaars. Other then that I would try to skip any tourist trap and catch a cricket or futbol game.

[BFD]

I thought Jaipur was worth a visit. The street food was good. I would advise moving on if the proprietor drys your plate on his shirt.

[hev]

if you have local guides you should check out the mosque in old delhi. it's a part of the city that dates back to the 4th century. don't go unless you have someone local to take you though. There's an incredible resteraunt back there too that is the best food in the city. can't remember the name though.

I saw cannibis growing wild outside of delhi, but it was all male. only beer I drank was at the airport.

[Hugh Conway]

if you have local guides you should check out the mosque in old delhi. it's a part of the city that dates back to the 4th century. don't go unless you have someone local to take you though. There's an incredible resteraunt back there too that is the best food in the city. can't remember the name though.

You mean Jama Masjid? It's worth a visit (of note, close to the red fort - I thought some of the Mutiny exhibits were intersting) but I've no idea why you need a local guide. If touts/whomever harass you go about your business/ignore them/tell them to fuck off. Don't get flustered

India's one of those love/hate places.

[hev]

Karim's...totally possible to go on your own, but it would be very easy to get lost in the alleyways.

[Buke]

I only spent a few days in India but it was enough that I've dreamed of going back ever since. For a first timer it will either be a life altering awesome experience or you'll come home wondering why anyone would ever want to visit there.

If you want something different than the typical Taj Mahal experience look into spending a weekend in Mussoorie. It's a hill station outside of Dehradun. The hill stations are where the British waited out the sweltering summers during colonial years and now they're where the middle and upper class Indians go for recreation. It would make a good weekend trip if you plan it right. You'd want to take an overnight train on Friday out of New Delhi and then possibly hire a car to bring you back Sunday night. Mussoorie is full of boarding schools. When I was in Afghanistan I met American aid workers that sent their kids to school there so there's enough western influence that an American fresh of the boat can get around without any trouble. Don't worry though, there's enough India there that you won't feel like you're missing out on the experience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mussoorie

[Shredhead]

Spend as many days as you can playing frogger as practice of the skills you will need to cross the street.

I'm not sure if you've ever been to Asia before, but I'm in Mumbai on business right now and my head is on a swivel any time I'm near a road (or something that someone might try to use as a road).

No shit. If you really feel like living on the edge, try driving?