Honeymoon in Kerala

Hi

We are thinking of going to Kerala on our honeymoon in November this year. Can only find it in 1 brochure and it flies from Manchester whereas Gatwick would be more suitable for us. Does anyone know which other tour operators do it. Also we are thinking of staying at the uday Samudra. Any advice please.

Thanks in anticipation

Honeymoon in Kerala

Hi EssexDreamer

As you have found out, the only tour operator doing holidays to Kerala is Thomas Cook. Like wise they are only flying from Manchester.

Have you considered a DIY holiday - a schedule flight and book the room seperately? My flight to Trivandrum cost me 拢326 inclusive of TAXES. The Uday has rooms from 拢500 for 14 nights so total would be about 拢1200ish. Not sure how that compares to Thomas Cook and you may be able to get cheaper flights and/or rooms - especially if you just turn up, after all, they have 171 rooms, and November is not peak season.

Regards

Paul

7 Handy things to take with you

A few handy things to take with you:

ear plugs (especially for towns/cities)

fresh wipes (toilet paper, forget it)

soap/hand disinfectant

flip flops (for the shower,toilet)

a door hook (the ones you can hang over the door - never a place to hang anything - bag/camera)

mosquito repellent

Enjoy the trip!

reptiles

Baywatch resort all inclusive ?

We have booked to stay at baywatch resort for 2 weeks in Jan 2010, we booked all inclusive but i can not find any info on what this includes ?

Has anyone stayed there all inclusive or has an info to help ?

Thanks

David

Baywatch resort all inclusive ?

we stayed at the Baywatch last Feb. Couldn%26#39;t fault the hotel - really enjoyed it. I don%26#39;t know that I%26#39;d go all inclusive, there are so many cheap places to try around the area that it would be a shame to limit yourself. A 10 min. walk along the beach takes you into Benaulim with a choice of beach shacks or restaurants in the village

Coimbatore, Mysore, Kerala

I%26#39;m off in late march for a wedding in Coimbatore. I%26#39;ll have a week following to get back to Mumbai for my flight out, and was thinking of spending all the time in Kerala (with a possible pre-Kerala detour to Ooty or Mysore) -- sanctuaries and houseboats.

I%26#39;d appreciate suggestions for any specific itineraries, places to stay or get see/get houseboats or any other ideas.

I%26#39;m a light-footed and adventerous traveller, so I%26#39;m open to any suggestions.

Thanks very much!

Coimbatore, Mysore, Kerala

Hi

Coimbatore - Ooty - Masinagudi - Gudalur - Waynad - Cochin could be a possible route. 1 day at Ooty, 1 at Masinagudi, 1 at Waynad and the rest at Cochin / Kumarakom / Allepy may be a good option. At the best, you can use this as a start point to build on your itinerary.

Rajan

dona sylvia resort

anybody got any info on the dona sylvia

dona sylvia resort

Hi richie, what sort of information is it you%26#39;re after? Have you been to their website at www.donasylvia.com? And there are some great reviews on here too.

tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g775971-d4788…

dona sylvia resort

thanks for that

Richie,

Here is a thread on the same subject from earlier this season.

tripadvisor.co.uk/…14289411

Richie,

Here is another thread on the same subject from earlier this season.

tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g297604-i6045-k2…

also reviews.

tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g775971-d4788…

Hello Richie,

I will be flying with my hubby to the Dona Sylvia on the 21st too. It really looks fantastic doesn%26#39;t it. Can%26#39;t wait, only 18 more sleeps!

it does look good maybe we will run into one another there

Charity will get the first round in......;-)

and second if u r really lucky :)

can taste it already

Mmmmm, cool drinks in warm sunshine, heaven!

buying fresh meat?

Have now booked to stay for 6 weeks for Xmas and New Year flying with Kingfisher again, yippee!!

We are self-catering and can%26#39;t afford to eat out every night, does anyone know where we can buy fresh european-style meat from in either Candolim or Calungute please?

buying fresh meat?

Chicken - Royal Foods - top of Calangute High Street then turn right onto the Candolim road and it is a few metres down the road on the right hand side. Just ask, everyone knows where it is. The chickens are very small here, don%26#39;t expect Sainsburys sized ones. You can buy legs, breasts and whole chickens. Eggs and bread from the same shop.

Buying beef in Calangute is difficult (in my opinion)it is sold from open shops and to be honest I can%26#39;t stand the smell of it. (yes ok I am veggie but my OH is not and I have always cooked meat for him)

We buy beef from Ajay%26#39;s shop in Mapusa, good butchers above an English type store and the meat is very clean.

Fish from Calangute market - be careful with the prices as we get charged ';skin tax'; if they can get away with it. Watch what the locals pay and offer the same.

Veggies better from Mapusa but Calangute ok, just a couple of rupees more and the quality not quite as fresh. Get to know the people who run the stall then you will pay the correct price.

buying fresh meat?

Hi runti

There is a market in Calangute you can see the butchers on my pictures at 5:10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP0ZbBtVZ2o

Never looked for meat in newtons supermarket in candolim but they sell a lot of other things that you might want it is worth a look but if you can buy it outside it may be cheaper.

Sorry can%26#39;t look at your youtube, with the speed of the internet here it would take all night to download it. Will look when back in UK.

Yes you can buy meat in Calangute market but shall I say they it is not the most hygienic of places to buy meat.

Nobody I know buys it from there almost everyone goes to Mapusa to shop No 9 or Ajays.

Havn%26#39;t shopped in Newtons but did go in to have a look and noticed lots of fridges and freezers across the back wall, don%26#39;t know what is in them though.

By the way the ready cooked chicken tikka pieces in Royal Foods are good - nice in one of their garlic french sticks - OH quite often has it for lunch.

A couple of shops away from Royal Food is a take away (or sit outside) English food place that always seems to have people sitting eating there. Prices look good too.

psoriasis treatment

Nice hotel near Santana in Candolim (Child friendly)

We have booked into Santana Beach resort for a fortnight at Easter and my brother, his wife and 18mth old child have now decided to join us for a week (living in India). The Santana is unfortunately fully booked now so we%26#39;re looking for a reasonably priced but nice place for them to stay (preferably as close by as possible) - 3 Star preferably. Any ideas welcomed but particulary ones that people with small children have stayed at. Thanks.

At present am looking at Phoenix park and Highlands? Using otbeach at the moment, are there any other accomodation only sights that are cheap that people know of?

howtowipecleancomputer

skylark colva

Hi

Does anyone know if you can hire a fridge at the above, also is it quiete at night ie no barking dogs.

Thanks

LM

skylark colva

No barking dogs that I noticed. Some of the bigger rooms have fridges. Mine didn%26#39;t, but I didn%26#39;t ask if I could hire one either (not sure where I would have put it if I had...).

skylark colva

Thanks for your quick response.

We did visit the hotel in December but forgot to ask. We asked how much to go in the other block at the side of swimming pool, they had fridge %26amp; aircon. However it worked out at an extra £30 per night, so thats a no goer.

We usualy like a cuppa as soon as we get up %26amp; in an afternoon but with no fridge milk will go off. I%26#39;m sure we%26#39;ll survive until we get downstairs to the cafe.

Thanks

LM

If it%26#39;s any help, I bought some powdered milk in the supermarket. I couldn%26#39;t find any unsweetened though, so next time I%26#39;ll take some from here. I like a cup of tea in the morning. Tate%26#39;s opens at about 8am, and I%26#39;m normally up a good hour before that.

Thanks for the tip never would have thought to take powdered milk, will do now though.

When you stayed at Skylark recently did you visit any new restaurants/shacks worth mentioning.

Thanks

LM

Not really, I don%26#39;t think. Tended not to eat in Colva a great deal though. I quite like Sagar Kinara at the end of the road. Food at Tate%26#39;s is nursery bland yuk. Went to the Crow%26#39;s Nest which was very good, and Kadji%26#39;s (which I%26#39;ve probably misspelled) which was also excellent - both a long-ish walk along the road that the Skylark%26#39;s in, away from Colva. Viva Goa at the other end of Colva was also very nice, but again, it%26#39;s a bit of a hike.

a couple questions re colva

Hi

Can anyone reccomend where to get a good massage, (not the beach), prefer a profesional, when we go to Candolim use Tara%26#39;s.

Also is there an ATM in Colva?

Thanks

LM

a couple questions re colva

I%26#39;m told there are five ATMs in Colva, but I%26#39;ve only found two of them. One%26#39;s on the left walking up from Skylark in the bank, and the other%26#39;s on the right quite a bit further up.

Please recommend tiger sanctuaries

Hi,

I want to visit tiger sanctuaries in April 2009 but not sure which ones to pick. Ranthambore, Khana Corbett or Bandhavgarh or some others. I want to see at least 2.

I would be grateful if people can help me choose which ones to visit and also where to stay. I would love somewhere that is eco friendly and %26#39;natural%26#39; with good service.

Looking forward to the suggestions.

Thanks

Please recommend tiger sanctuaries

If you want to see two, Kanha and Bandhavgadh would be a better option in my opinion. April is quite dry and warm in MP so you should have a decent chance of spotting a tiger. If you want to see elephants in the wild as well, then Corbett is your only choice out of the four. My advice to anyone going to India to see Tigers or Lions for that matter is this: Do not rush around looking for the big cat because if you do you will miss seeing almost all other animals and birds and if at the end of the day you haven%26#39;t seen the tiger you will leave feeling empty and disappointed . Instead spend time (ask your guide to show you) looking at the other species that way if you do not spot a tiger you will have had a great outing and taken lots of great photos and if you do see the big cat it will be an added bonus. Good Luck!

Please recommend tiger sanctuaries

A combination of Kanha and Bandhavgarh is the logical choice since these two sanctuaries have high tiger densities, they are located not far from each other; and they are different in character. Bandhavgarh is smaller with high tiger density, Kanha is larger with more variety in sighting. As a combination, they are good. If you are flying in to Delhi, you can fly into Jabalpur and drive to these sanctuaries. You do one sanctuary, and then drive to the other (about 7 hours). Try to get at least 5 nights in total; 6 would be very good.

April is the best season for sighting; the forest sheds its undergrowth and the tiger is more visible. Also it is summer and the animals gather at the waterholes as other water sources in the jungle dry up. Have fun!

I have a different view for Tiger sancturies. My recommendations are Ranthambore %26amp; Corbett, as they%26#39;ll give you two different kind of experience.

Ranthambore is an oasis nestled in rustic Rajasthan and the tiger population here is growing. Moreover there is a beautiful fort inside the forest on the hills.

Corbett is situated in the Kumaon foothills and is famous for tiger spotting

Kanha %26amp; Nadhavgarh are similar forests as they are situated on the same geographical belt. If you choose to visit Kanha/Bandhavgarh, any one of them will suffice as you%26#39;ll not be able to differentiate between the two.

Both Ranthambore and Corbett have excellent Ecotourism lodges and camps. You may stay in Raj era buildings of the Forest Department also.

My opinion Ranthambhore a must visit place .

deepak

Thank you all.

Any recommendations where to stay in Ranthambore or Khana or Bandhavgarh?

At Ranthambore you may stay at:

Oberoi Vanyavilas (Super Swish 5 star place)

Aman-i-Khás

Tiger Den Resort

Tiger Moon Resort

Sawai Madhopur Lodge

Sher Bagh Camp

although I haven%26#39;t stayed there yet, I am staying at Jungle Mantra in Bandhavgarh in March and so far they have been fantastic in sorting things out for us. first class service. I suppose it depends on how much you want to spend per night. I have heard great things about this place too. But until I have been there myself i cannot provide my view of the resort just on the amazing service I have recieved so far.

Briony

Hi

We visited both Bandhavgarh %26amp; Kanha in January and had a brilliant time.

As well as birds, sloth bear, etc we had 1 Leopard sighting and 7 sightings of tigers during our 3 days in each of the areas. We stayed in Bandhavgarh %26amp; Kanha Jungle Lodges and can%26#39;t find anything negative about either. I want to go back

Izzy.

We visited Bandavgarh and Kanha last year and it was well worth the visit. We saw tigers at both sanctuaries but you need to give neough time ( and trips) to allow for adequate sightings of various animals.

Since there%26#39;s a direct train from Ranthambhore to Katni (for Bhandhavgarh) the two of these make a sensible choice.

Ranthambhore safaris are pre-bookable, April is already getting busy although still plenty of jeep safaris available.

Bhandhavgarh gives you the option of tiger sighting by Elephant but apparently its not brilliant.

Sim Card up for grabs.

First come first served.

Just returned home Friday, got a Airtel sim card with i think 166inr is left on it.

If you PM me your ADDRESS, i will post on.

GOOD LUCK

Sim Card up for grabs.

Can i have it please.

my address is 264 Freebie close.........lol

Sim Card up for grabs.

Trust you not to help me with a post code!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL

Its gone.

Damn....just trying to find my postcade to........

Taffy...did you have a good holiday?

Are you going to post a report.....please?

Susie.x

taffy i live on owtfornowt lane any chance i can have it

slumdog

Just been to see Slumdog Millionaire,aaaah all those poor little kiddies,sniff!

Thought it was really good and i Iknow it only shows a fraction of what happens to many kids out there.

Must say tho it makes me wonder what Chris Tarrant gets upto behind the scenes,lol.

Chris

slumdog

I%26#39;ve seen it three ties now - it%26#39;s great... Thankfully mst of our kids don%26#39;t have things done to them to beg but they do have a hard life (drunk fathers, drunk mother for that matter, physical %26amp; sexual abuse, unfortunately it%26#39;s pretty normal for many children in India....

Thanks

Rob

slumdog

I agree...great film...have you watched the documentary of the REAL slumdog millionaire, Vishal Netke...that was a really good watch too!

Susie.x

I read an article in the Daily Mail about the real Slumdogs,it makes your heart bleed.Our kids are so lucky in this country,well most of them.

Chris

Susie,when was that on.

Chris

Hippychick, i%26#39;m not sure sorry, my sister has that sky thingy where you record it.(I think?)..I watched it at hers yesterday!

He was a tuk tuk driver, and when he won a million, he bought a new tuk tuk, a fridge and tv, but still lives in the same 1 room with his family...

Was really interesting!

Susie.x

Hi Susie,

that sounds really interesting,I don%26#39;t have Sky only cable.Perhaps it will be on there one day.

He really splashed out then,lol.

Chris.

Hi

Slumdog Millionaire goes a long way in showing what DOES happen in India. Unfortunately, the only ones who have/will benifit are the adult stars. All the children are now back living in the slums and nothing has really been done to improve thier lives. One of the child actors family has even been made homeless and their house, along with others knocked down.

Like many things in Inida, once the novelty has worn off, who cares..... Take for instance the accident a few months back when 9 school children aged from 6 to 9 were killed outside thier schools. What%26#39;s been done? Nothing.... It%26#39;s over and forgotten about.

Whilst many choose to %26#39;forget%26#39; I (like many others) am trying to improve the lives of some of the less fortunate. If I was to post our web page link (http://happychildrenshome.blogspot.com) then this post would probably get removed. Therefore I will not.

Regards

Paul

Happy Children%26#39;s Home - Helper

psoriasis treatment

skin whiteners bleach creams

Safeguarding your valuables when staying in beach hut....

Hi!

We are going to Goa 9.apr and plans to stay in beach hut but where to keep our valuables when we are at the beach or out dining?

Safeguarding your valuables when staying in beach hut....

Hi

Most sensible people dont take valuables with them.

Safeguarding your valuables when staying in beach hut....

We left our valuables (passports etc) in the hotel safe when we stayed in Agonda overnight but if you%26#39;re spending all your time at the beach hut that%26#39;s not possible and you%26#39;re likely to have a camera or some valuables with you anyway. There was a padlock on our beach hut and you could always take an additional padlock from home for extra security.

well, i need to take passport, money and camera don%26#39;t I??

normail people usally brings this items on vacations.

safe/reliable taxi driver

Hi all, just returned from my second time in goa. I used a taxi driver called john. he is based at the riverside regency in baga but will pick up from anywhere. He gave us a very good service while in goa this time. He is a driving instuctor in monsoon season so knows the roads well. below are his contact details.

9822178574

Highly reccommended!

safe/reliable taxi driver

Hi

Martin1982 can you post his charges so that people can judge if they are correct.

Incidentally by the standard of driving here being an instructor is no recomendation.

safe/reliable taxi driver

hi there, Yes, he did say it was a very challenging job, lol. Like most of the taxi drivers, if you say that you will give them your business for your whole stay then you will get better rates. The rates below relate to us giving john our business for whole stay.

Baga-Calangute 100rps

Calangute-Candolim 100 rps

Calangute-Mandrem 600rps return

Calangute-Panjim 500rps return

Calangute-palolem 2000rps return (overnight)

In Panjim john took us around the shops and also too the river cruise and waited to take us back to the hotel(7 hour trip).

Most other drivers quoted between 2400-3000 rps for palolem return. John will look after you.

Keep on haggling, lol

thanks martin

we%26#39;re off to baga on sat for the first time, cant wait! the more info we can get the better.

going to have to make some notes cos my little brain is getting rather full!!!!!!!!

lyn

malaria tablets

can anyone say if travelpharm is a good place to buy antimalaria tablets.thanx

malaria tablets

Yes...I used them to buy mine, cheaper than the high street and very good service.

Susie.x

malaria tablets

if you want malorone though, boots on line are the cheapest.

BOB

Yep, Travelpharm are brilliant for the usual anti malarials!

chattai beach huts-agonda

hi all,

we are 1st timers to goa and would like to %26#39;do%26#39; the beach hut experience for my birthday.anyone stayed or have info on the chattai.can you suggest somewhere you%26#39;ve been and enjoyed.

many thanks sian

chattai beach huts-agonda

bump

chattai beach huts-agonda

Hi Vectra,

have stayed at romance cocohuts in agonda.

they are up and running again following an owner change and revamp.

we had a great time there.

but there are a few places all in a row and everyone%26#39;s happy .

enjoy

ian.......

Hi,we stayed at Chattai in December and the huts are good but definitely more expensive than others of the same quality.I did a post on it but am rubbish at doing the %26#39;bump%26#39; thing lol. Anyway as i posted last time Chattai are good ,the food is good and the service is good but they are a bit formal and not as laid back as we would have liked,plus they don%26#39;t have any sea facing huts if that is what you want. My advice is to arrive in Agonda and stroll along the beach until you see huts you fancy and then book in. For example we found a fantastic place about halfway along the beach called Sandy Feet where we ate twice,the food was superb and they had great huts and a very welcoming ambient atmosphere,we will definitely stay there next time,hope that helps.

Hi... we stayed in Agonda. fantastic !! we were 1st timers. ok for your birthday I would stay at Blue Lagoon. www.Bluelagoongoa.com location is great..very romantic. we paid 1000, but again varies.. we stayed Valentines night.

As for huts. Chattai look nice, I ate there. but totally agree, walk along beach, there are lots of lovely ones. The ones on the net tend to be more expensive. Sandy feet, agree look nice. Shanti I have photos of, very lovely! I have their number and e mail. more expensive but well worth it, and have a couple with a 1st floor loung area to watch the sunset and relax. even for a night a or 2.. then move some where cheaper. (it was still only about 1500 a night!)

also better to look for yourself when u get there and see what negotiation you can do.. prices vary so much depending how busy they are.

I have lots of photos!

regards. Karen

Hi just returned fom agonda

we stopped at madhus huts next door to sandy feet,

madhu got excellent restaurant and huts actually on beach, also look out for hatching turtles there was one nest laid when we were there due to hatch in a couple wks time, we were fortunate and saw 23 baby turtles head out along sand to big ocean, hope they made it :}.

Pls advise re getting from domestic to international

Hello, my daughter is travelling on her own. She will fly from Goa on Jet Airways, arriving at the domestic terminal at 3.15 pm. She flies out with Singaporee airlines at midnight (back to Australia). I%26#39;ve been checking TA re the shuttle bus but would appreciate some more clarification. Please advise me how easy it is to locate the shuttle bus, and any other tips you can offer to help make this transfer easy for her. She will have luggage (a back pack). I guess there are coffee shops and so on in the domestic terminal where she can fill in this long time. Any other information would be very welcome. Thanks so much. Vicolivia

Pls advise re getting from domestic to international

It%26#39;s very easy to find the shuttle bus once you come out of the terminal. Baggage is not an issue. Tell her to ask any airport official. Also, she should avoid talking to anyone else once she comes out. Tell her to head straight to the bus.

Pls advise re getting from domestic to international

Sandy, thank you. This is very reassuring. We have been concerned about how manageable this would be. I have yet to book the domestic fliught, but am looking at jet Airways. Thanks again.

When she gets off the Goa flight, there is a bus that will take her from the plane to the domestic terminal. Just follow everybody inside the terminal, and the shuttle bus desk is an island in the middle of the concourse where she comes in.

Not sure whether she will need to collect her luggage at the domestic terminal or whether it will be booked through - ours was booked through, but we were also travelling out of Mumbai on Jet.

There are coffee shops both in the domestic and international terminals, but there is a lot of building work going on at the international terminal. There is one upstairs in the domestic terminal that has comfy sofas - that%26#39;s where I%26#39;d head for, at least for a while.

Thank you, too, Kate. I%26#39;ll email her these comments. I think she will have to collect her luggage from the domestic flight. I am very pleased to get these helpful and simple directions!! Thanks again.

Sorry, should have said before... She needs to show her onward flight ticket/booking email and get a numbered ticket from the desk, and then the buses are boarded according to ticket number - so at busy times someone won%26#39;t necessarily get on the next bus.

If she%26#39;s going to be staying in the domestic terminal for a while, then she should get the ticket nearer the time she wants to go to the other terminal. She probably needs to allow at least 2 hours at the other terminal for checking in and security.

Of course her other option is to go straight to the international terminal and get a free courtesy bus to one of the nearby 5-star hotels and hang out in their coffee lounge....

The Jet ground staff are the among most courteous and professional team I have seen. They will help her. The Inter-terminal transfer service is free and available every 30 minutes, round the clock. The airport website says that domestic passengers first need to collect their baggage and produce their confirmed tickets before they can avail of this service.

- Deepa

You%26#39;ve all been so helpful! Now I am having a problem making the on-line booking for her! I%26#39;ve just posted a question on the India TA forum about this issue. Using her card, I have been able to book Kingfisher for her (Chennai to Goa). Now I am trying to book Jet airways, Goa to Mumbai. It lets me put in all the details, and then will not proceed with the final payment acceptance stage!! Is Jet airway known for having on-line booking issues? It seems a really efficient site, until the very last stage!

Hi

might be worth checking if you need visa just to land in india, might be info on visa thread

listview bug

kingfisher flights to goa

hi, any one used this service yet, london mumbai goa return. any information pls.

kingfisher flights to goa

I know a couple of people who have used kingfisher and they have had nothing but praise for them,i have booked with them for December, the price of the flights is also very good, i am sure someone will come along and tell you all about them.Gel

kingfisher flights to goa

I think yuo get 45kg luggage allowance as standard - can anyone confirm?

Just looked on the website for luggage allowance

flykingfisher.com/travel-assistance/baggage/…

Yes 45kg luggage allowance, 34in seat pitch,the food is surposed to be good as well, Gel

hi recently booked return trip out dec26th 2009 return 15 january 2010 paying 486 pounds return not bad do you think ?

Yes, you definitely get 45k baggage allowance - I said before I had no idea how you%26#39;d deal with it if you were travelling on your own.

I%26#39;ve done the Heathrow-Bangalore-Goa route if that%26#39;s any help.

was that with kingfisher and how much you pay pls?

Yes, with Kingfisher and about £320. I think that was a promotional fare in January as I%26#39;ve been looking for November and it%26#39;s considerably more expensive!

hi been looking at kingfisher can only get the prices in $ am I looking at the wrong site

No, that%26#39;s the right site. If you book direct with Kingfisher, then you pay in US dollars unless you live in India. I booked through an agency.

psoriasis treatment

Security

Question for all those folk just arriving home from Goa. This time last year security at all UK airports had been upgraded and it took ages and ages to get through.

What it like this year, espacially at Manchester...is it any better than last year?

Security

Hi iaintwoeyes,

May not be of much help to Manchester flights but:-

On my way to Goa in Nov Gatwick security was OK and moved through very quickly outbound. On arriving back in December we flew FC and the plane was travelling on to Manchester. As we were disenbarking our luggage was removed and after the normal 15min walk our luggage was already waiting for us, which was a 1st at Gatwick.

I travelled three weeks ago to Spain from Gatwick and in the South Terminal there is alot of building works going on around the security and x ray machines so there were fairly long ques for the time of year, to go through as they seem to have halved the machines in use and removed the ceilings!!!! They have also installed more new shoe checking machines.

Boo

Security

I think a lot depends on the time of your flight and how busy the airport is. We flew out from Manchester with First Choice (not to Goa but longhaul) at the end of January and went straight through. No queue at check in and no long queues at security. Much better than when we flew last year and at least I didn%26#39;t have to take my shoes off. Always fly in sandals as it%26#39;s so hot when you arrive and hate walking around on the dirty floor in my bare feet lol.

We never had any problem at Gatwick as far as security goes but customs as we arrived back was out in force and they were pulling lots of people over. We were stopped and asked various questions bearing in mind that my hubby had wheelchair assistance and went through a different exit.We had three large suitcases for the two of us. He asked us what we had in our cases but we only had the right amount of cigs and 2 litres of spirits. He seemed to know what was in the cases as we pointed to the right amount in each case and he let us through when he found that there was a third person. There must have been between 15-20 custom persons on duty and they were ready to stop. I have not had this before.

Hi, We had the complete opposite at Gatwick on the way home. No security checks - only passport control - and no sign of any customs officers either. Goa on the other hand was very tight. Had to show our passports etc about 5 times and then our hand luggage was checked on the way to the plane after the security checks..We didn%26#39;t mind - better safe then sorry.

Cheers everyone! On the whole it looks a lot better than last year then.

I remember queuing for ages and ages at the security at Manchester airport. This year, I%26#39;ve got tickets to the VIP Lounge....dont want to miss out by queueing up for ages.

LOL...at the airport in Dabolim airport having to show your passport 5 times. Jobs for the boys!

Just what is the point of all that?

We flew into manchester on nmonarch from goa 6th jan. and there were loads of security. We gotpulled in and he asked what we had, ltre whisky, 400 cigs itold him he said okay and we went through. this is the first time we have seen this at manchester, we landed about 5pm. I think they are tightening up more.

Price of T shirts

Ok i know i wne t last year but i always felt i was paying over the odds for items even though they were still cheap.

What sort of price should i be paying for a T shirt for instance?

Price of T shirts

Hi Pete

Try 100 rps.....

Price of T shirts

Is that a price they are likely to sell at or is that just a hopeful price?

It all depends where you shop,if you buy from beach sellers,shops in resorts or from tourist places like the anjuna or the night markets you will pay through the nose,if you buy from clothes shops in towns and villages away from the coast you will get the local fixed marked price and of course it depends on your taste too,for Rs300 I usually manage to get flip flops shorts and a t-shirt,its basic stuff but i like plain clothes without badges or prints so its good for me.

Just got back, we buy with the local stalls, all averaging 200inr over xxl= 250inr. These prices i paid this week.

At the side of Newtons supermarket in Candolim there is a cd music shop who does these t shirts http://www.tantrauniverse.com/ very good quality and they make great presents, only 295 rps each too.

Hubby usually gets pretty good quality t-shirts from Anjuna for R150. There%26#39;s a great shop in Calangute near Luma supermarket that does humourous tees and I think they%26#39;re around 300 - 350 if my memory serves me correctly. You can see some of the designs on the following website if anyone fancies a look:

www.motichoor.com/index.php?cPath=31_37

They are the same type Meerkat, I`m a sucker for a good t shirt, they are top quality so I would expect to pay 150-180 rps for a fake from the beach .

Hubby loves them too feelthevibe :) They are excellent quality. He%26#39;s had one of them for about 5 years that he still wears frequently and it is still holding strong! Love the %26#39;Mary had a little lamb, it was delicious%26#39; tee!

I bought the mental inside one in Mumbai in 1999 and it is still in good order if not a bit tight these days :(

I bought 3 billabong good quality cotton t. shirts on Mapsa market, for 70 rup.each! They have washed brill.

Boots Suncreams - *** Special Offers Now On ***

Been into Boots this morning and all the suncreams are now 1/2 price or BOGOF

WOO HOO....Saved a fortune!!

Thank you Boots xxxx

Boots Suncreams - *** Special Offers Now On ***

Drats. Already got mine and paid a fortune. Me and ny impatience!

Boots Suncreams - *** Special Offers Now On ***

thanks for that i,m sure everyone will be rushing to boots lol,i already have a couple of years supply when asda had a deal on nivea suncream just 2 pounds a bottle

All suncreams, or just Boots?

Don%26#39;t bother! Get to Goa, and buy %26#39;Care Plus%26#39; in any shop.

Very cheap, and very effective!!

And, no excess baggage, or having to lug it thousands of miles............ carbon footprint!!

Thanks Ian :) Got mine in there a couple of days ago as I was waiting for the BOGOF offers to come in. They also have BOGOF on selected Ambre Solaire and

L’Oreal Solar Expertise Lotion for Kids.

thanks Iain, as I need to replenish my stock for our next Goa holiday in December for 6 weeks.

But can someone please recommend a suntan cream/lotion that will make my legs tan - this time my face and body tanned lovely except my legs which are still pale.

Especially if its on half-price or bogoff in Boots!!

Hello runtiger. I have the same problem! This time though, my legs did change colour and I used Piz Buin once a day stuff. They also changed colour years ago when I used P20, but I haven%26#39;t used that for a few years. Everyone thinks OH and I take separate holidays. They must think I holiday in the Arctic.

Hi always use Piz Biun 15 factor OH has 25 as he is pale skinned. Legs always tan as well.We have never burned while using this.Hope this helps Gel

Superdrug have BOGOF%26#39;s on too

How strange? My legs never tan either. I even got called a white chicken by one of the market vendors at Anjuna last year. Still trying to work out where the chicken bit came from though?????????????

Stupid Question about Visas

Dear all,

I am off to Goa in April (fingers crossed). I see they have done a number of things to make getting a visa easier. I was wondering if you could still go and queue up outside the High Commission in London and get the visa done on the same day?.

thanks

A very confused Dizzy

Stupid Question about Visas

Hi Dizzy, sorry you can no longer get the visa on the same day as previously. If you want to go in person, you need to go to one of the application centres, not the High Commission and collect your visa around 3 working days later.

Stupid Question about Visas

Thanks - good job I didn%26#39;t get down there at 6am like before lol.

So does it have to be done online?. Its that simple because I%26#39;m not to good on these things?. How long does it take?.

All stupid questions I know.

Hi Dizzy, if you do it online, you can get an appointment time to save yourself the hassle of queueing. Some people have got their visas without doing it online, some haven%26#39;t, so who knows for sure. Seems to depend on who deals with your application at the time. The online application really isn%26#39;t that difficult as long as you have all the information to hand and follow the instructions. The form is pretty similar to before. If you need any help, just shout.

The form takes around 40 minutes, yeah I know, slower than handwritten! If you go in person, it will be around 3 days before you can collect and you can track the progress of your application online.

If you live in London it is fairly quick now to

give your visa application in person. Only took

me about 10 minutes though it was in Xmas week and virtually empty. Only a 20 minute wait to collect it 3 days later. Much quicker and less chaotic than previously at the High Commission.

Dizzy

No questions are stupid unless you know the answer.

Ask away!!!!!!!!

Thanks - just nervous something will go wrong!!!! LOL

hi dizzy i printed forms of computer for my friend as she has%26#39;nt got one and she filled them in by hand.she got them back in 7 days.her brother in law sent for his visa using forms that he had from last year and they were returned today saying they were the wrong forms.(he would;nt be told)so it%26#39;s cost him 2 lots of posatge. but as meerkat says some hand written forms have been returned.

Thanks to a very helpful Meerkat 20 and spending two hours on my computer I now have VISA%26#39;s. WOOHOO. Alittle p%26#39;d off that they charged me ￡8 per visa to process my card (working for a bank I know it doesn%26#39;t cost that much).

Huge thanks again to Meerkat 20.

If anyone is out in Goa on the 11th April I will see you then.

X

So glad you%26#39;re sorted Dizzy and happy to have been of help :) and thanks for the PM :) Have a great holiday in April!!!

I have to admit to being somewhat nervous about our passports being back in time. Sent them on 23rd Feb for travel on 4th April. I have tracked them with Royal Mail who say that they arrived in Birmingham on 24th Feb. I was hoping that they would be back by now as I filled out all the forms on line and send the passports with all the necessary documentation. On line the tracking system just says that I have created the applications. Can anyone recommend how long before I get my hubbie to make a trip to Birmingham to try to locate them?

Lynda

parenting message board

Going South

I am staying in Candolim and have accomodation there for the entirity of our 2 week stay. However I fancy going South to investigate some of the beaches and food there- I have heard it is paradise.

Where do people suggest that is nice? White sands etc etc! How would I get there? Too far for a motorbike? How much in a taxi? Can anyone recommend a place to stay- 2 star is fine as long as its clean!

Thanks

Going South

HI Claire,

There is quite a lot on this forum about where to stay etc... and as with everything, depends what you are looking for.

I have just come back from Agonda with my boyfriend. it was perfect. There are so many different places to stay.. we stayed in basic huts on the beach, for 700 rupees a night.

Agonda is nearer than Palolem and far far nicer, in my opinion! Very clean beach, very few people on beach, lots of places to eat.. fantastic food. It cost 900 from the airport.

www.bluelagoongoa.com is great for a night of 2... we stayed in a huge tent with double bed. around 1000 a night

If you want a better quality %26#39;hut%26#39; - Shanti, on Agonda beach, have fantastic 2 storey ones, for around 1500... I have the e mail if you need it and photos. Very nice, clean and fab food too! They use bottled water to wash all the veg etc and for ice...

Karen

Going South

Hello Taxi takes around 2 hours..50 miles...about 20 pounds and there are many places to stay but I think as before said Agonda..try Moonsoon and ask for Maya... is lovely as is Patnem beach..try a place called Home for a fabbie breakfast..go to the point and ask for Raga for a great massage and some relaxing Yoga..Batticuter (can%26#39;t spell!) for something different re food and bed.Do go it worth every minute of your time....and some..O and for a hotel and good food the Oceanic...

Hello can you give me the details of Shanti in Agonda?...I am looking for a place I saw when I was in Agonda it had lovely huts and I think that might be it..was it on the beach along a road!!!..how vague is that..anyhow thanks in advance

Thanks, that is helpful.

I have researched Agonda beach and it does sound lovely.

Will I need to book accommodation in advance as it will be xmas time, ir will it be ok to just turn up?

If you are staying over night I presume you find another taxi, different from the one you came down in, for the return journey?

Hello as nice as it would be just to turn up and be casual!!..I think at that time of the year it will be very busy so bookng may be a good Idea..You can ask your taxi driver if he would like to come and pick you up again the next day as it is work for him.... there will be no problem getting a taxi down there back north..It%26#39;s always nice to have a taxi driver you feel comfortable with..remember to check out prices before you go any where....We will be in Agonda in December at a place called Monsoon. Cheers.Gill

Thanks Gill, I thought that would prob be the case re booking! Do you have any details for Monsoon?

I have found a nice place called Madhu Coconut Beach huts in Agonda that have good reviews- I have emailed for prices but as yet no reply.

We are looking for somewhere cheap and cheerful as we have already paid for accomodation as part of our package deal so in effect will be paying twice for the nights we are in the south.

Sorry I have no details re monsoon...I just wait for Maya the woman who runs it to contact me at her leisure!!..There are other places but I don%26#39;t know their names..I shouldn%26#39;t worry about finding some where you have plenty of time...We stay also on a beach called Patnem its near Palolem and its really pretty..there is a place there on the beach run by a Swiss guy[very clean] which has huts and yummy yummy food...How much do you want to spend per night..I know of another place it%26#39;s where we often stay called the Oceanic and that can be book on their email after the 1st of June..can%26#39;t remember how much it was per night I%26#39;ll check for you..I like it because it%26#39;s quiet..and the food is great..Its in Patnem or at least along that road..It%26#39;s exciting planning isn%26#39;t it..Gill

Hi, Monsoon is next door to where we stayed at Royal Palm.we had breakfast there every day as they had %26#39;proper%26#39; coffee, large plunger!

Madhu does have a good reputation but there are far better huts - I didn%26#39;t go inside but we eat there a few times. He is one of the only ones on the net which is why lots have heard of him.they seems a little more expensive too.. for that reason. let me dig out Shanti%26#39;s number - Bobby. there are lots of gorgeous huts along the beach.. so yes it could be any which you meant!

PM me your e mail and i%26#39;ll e mail you the photos I have of Shanti.. regards Karen

We stayed at Madhu Cocohuts in Agonda 2 years ago and several other forum members (including DE Goanjock) have also stayed there so they have had quite a few mentions on this forum. Our hut was basic but fine and had a lovely sea view. The food at the restaurant/hut was brilliant and very reasonably priced.

cheap (ish) homestay/hotel in Backwaters?

Staying in Varkala, and visiting Cochin end of March/April. My 6th trup, but looking for a change of scene...Would love recommendations for cheap(ish) place to stay in Backwaters, either Appelpy or Cochin. Would prefer picturesque to luxury - but prepared to pay more for an outstanding location/food/culture. Don%26#39;t want a houseboat, but to be off the beaten track. Many thanks!

psoriasis treatment

Anyone Travelling to Kerala April 09?

HI There, I am going to Cochi on April 15th, I had a tour booked for Kerala but it just got cancelled - 5 weeks out! now I am stuck, is anyone travelling there at that time?

I am 33yr female, traveling solo, and would like someone to team up with for a mini tour about 7 days or so... any tips?

Anyone Travelling to Kerala April 09?

Its going to be very hot then. Maybe you stay at home

Anyone Travelling to Kerala April 09?

I%26#39;ll be leaving on the 11th, sadly...but it will be my 4th trip to Cochin. I have always stayed in Fort Cohin, not Enarkalum - so can%26#39;t advise on that. Have always found people friendly, and felt pretty safe, even travelling on my own. Two or three days should do, and I%26#39;d go to the Kashi Art Cafe and hang out and talk to other travellers...you never know what they might suggest/places to visit etc. I%26#39;d get the train to Varkala (about 5 hours)and stay on the North Cliff (lots of guest houses at 300 rps upwards) and again, you may well meet some people to hook up with there. Would really recommend Thomas%26#39; in the Backwaters (in the LP guide) - fabulous, unforgetable beauty, especially at this time of year, rather than the very expensive house boat option...

Hope you have a fantastic time, I%26#39;m sure you will.

Thank you very much for the advice.

I hope you have a great time over there

Umaid Mahal - is this a good place to stay???

Hello people,

This will be my very first visit to Jaipur and needed some help from you guys!!! I am travlling in April...

I was thinking of staying at Umaid Mahal (because of a good deal) there are 7 of us travelling, 4 adults and 3 children (8, 13, 14 years old).

1) Is this hotel in a decent location and is there stuff to do around there? We will have our own car with us that we are hiring out.

2) Can we still go to the Chowki Dhani during the evening if we are not actually staying in the villiage?

3) Can we get Elephant Rides from anywhere nearby?

4) Do you reccomend this hotel or can is there an alternative that someone may suggest?

Thanking you in advance for your help...

Dr J

Umaid Mahal - is this a good place to stay???

In answer to your Qs -

1 - The hotel is in Bani Park which is quite central but a residential area. Since you have a car you should not be worried about having to stuff around. The sightseeing is a bit away. Just use the car.

2 - Yes you can go and have dinner at the Chokhi Dhani even if youre not staying there

3 - Elephant ride is at Amer Fort

4 - Whats your budget for the hotel per room per night?

Umaid Mahal - is this a good place to stay???

Thankyou for the quick reply.

We are looking at getting 2 rooms (3 adults per room as i have been told that my 13%26amp;14 year old need their own beds).

I am looking to spend approx £50 per night per room so in total £200-£250 (Rs. 15,000 - Rs. 18, 750).

3 of the people going with us are from Delhi - do you think that they would get a better rate?

Thanking you again

Dr J

forgot to add those prices are for all of us in total ...

UKP 50 is a good budget. Look at Alsisar Haveli - www.alsisar.com or Narain Niwas - www.hotelnarainniwas.com. Theyll match your budget if this is for the off season upto September. Remember business is bad now so you should be able to squeeze the hotels.

Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Udaipur

I am ariving in Delhi in April and wish to spend 2 nights there before travelling to Agra for a night. I thought I might head to Jaipur and Udaipur before flying to Goa for a week. Could you please advise what is the best way to get to Jaipur and then onto Udaipur. I have about 5 days to get from Agra to Udaipur and would like to see as much as possible in that short time frame. Any hotel recommendations would also be much appreciated.

Cheers

KB Australia

Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Udaipur

According your time frame I would like to advice you below schedule for most possible to see in short time.

Day 1- Delhi (hire a car with driver till Udaipur airport for city to city drive and local sightseeing)

Day 2- Delhi

Day 3- Early morning drive for Agra and explore the Taj Mahal and afternoon drive for Jaipur, overnight at Jaipur

Day 4- Jaipur

Day 5- Drive for Udaipur on rout visit the Pushkar, overnight at Udaipur

Day 6- Udaipur

Day 7- Udaipur to Goa (via Mumbai) it is the best possible way to cover your choice full destinations in shortest period, about hotel it will be depend on your budget (three to five star, what ever your choice) have a nice trip to incredible India!!

Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Udaipur

I would not drive Delhi-Agra -Jaipur in a single day as this is 10 hours on the road. You says 5 days after Agra? If so total 8 days as foll -

1 - Delhi

2 - Delhi

3 - Delhi to Agra driving or morning train

4 - Agra to Jaipur driving via Sikri

5 - Jaipur. Evening train to Jodhpur

6 - Jodhpur to Udaipur via Ranakpur

7 - Udaipur

8 - Depart

What budget do you have for hotels? No point asking for recommendations without giving your budget.

If you have only 5-6 days, then one possibility is the following:

Day 1: Delhi

Day 2: Drive/train Delhi-Agra, sightseeing, overnight Agra

Day 3: Drive Agra-Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri

Day 4: Jaipur sightseeing

Day 5: Fly Jaipur-Udaipur, Udaipur sightseeing

Day 6: Fly Udaipur-Delhi-Goa

Do puppies lose their

atm

Can anyone tell me if there are ATMs in Munnar?

Thanks

atm

Dear Traintraveller5 ,

there are two ATM%26#39;s at Munnar just near one another at Munnar town , near to Krishna Spices

ATM%26#39;s of Federal bank and State bank of Travancore

best regards

Deepak Dayanandan

car hire

Is it recommended (and sensible) to hire a car in mumbai to travel to Lonava laand do we have to hire a driver as well as the car? if so, does anyone have any good companies they would recommend. We will need the car for about 10 days to travel to Lonavala and then around and about. Thank you.

car hire

You can hire a car, yes, and it is only 2-3 hours from here.

Cars in India are hired from ';garage to garage';. If you hire from Mumbai, you will need to pay for the car to come back empty. Do you wish to retain the car for 10 days? That will be a waste of money I think.

Better to take the train to Lonavala and back. Hire vehicles locally there for use within Lonavala.

car hire

You could also take the bus to Lonavala. Very convenient! Just wanted to know, do you have any specific work in Lonavala for 10 days? It%26#39;s a very small place where you can enjoy for 2-3 days at best, if on a holiday.

Agree with Sandy. The buses are much more convenient than the trains, and the Volvo buses are really comfortable. Check redbus.in and other such sites for bus timings, bookings etc.

For local travel in and around Lonavala you can also rent an auto rickshaw or a jeep, or any other vehicle by the day, depending on where you intend visiting. Some of the smaller roads in that area are pretty bad.

Thank you for the advice. we are actually going to Goa for a week then a week in Lonavala where we hope to travel aroung the locality, the waterfalls, Pune etc. any ideas of place to visit would be appreciated! Will probably just get a car when we get there and get the bus from Mumbai.

thanks again.

I feel, that if you want to stay for a week, you should stay in Pune or Mumbai instead of Lonanvla. There%26#39;s nothing much in Lonavla. It%26#39;s actually a days trip from Pune or even from Mumbai. At best, you could stay for one night.

From way to Loanavla, You can visit Matheran, a hill station for a day or two just 2 hours from Mumbai. Little ahead fro 2 hours,you can visit Loanavla %26amp; khandala another hill station for 1-2 day. And finally for 3-5 day you can visit India%26#39;s Education/cultural hub, pleasant city, Pune. You can visit Mahabaleshwar Panchgani 3 hours from Pune for 2-3 days. In a week period you may cover 5-6 places, erally worth seeing.

Lonavala is located at a distance of 110kms from Mumbai, barely 2 hours away by road.

A number of State Transport buses are available from Mumbai to Lonavala. Most Buses start from the Dadar bus station. The ';luxury Volvo'; buses are a good option because they are well priced and very comfortable.

Among the attractions in Lonavala I felt Tugauli, Lonavala and Bhushi lakes are worth visiting, you can also visit Walvan Dam. The ancient Buddhist rock cut caves of Bhaja and Karla, are also worth visiting.

But hiring a taxi gives you is very much hassle free and very helpful in reaching destinations in your own convenient time. You can check this list of call taxi operators in Mumbai …88db.com/mum/… who I am sure will help you out.

Hope it helps!!

6 Hours in Delhi

We will be connecting through New Delhi later this month to visit Nepal and will spend a few days in central New Delhi. I am looking for suggestions for sites or activites close to the Int%26#39;l airport on the return connection that are quick and easy find within a 6 hours layover. The idea is to avoid these places in our first trip through.

Can we store large backbacks in the airport?

6 Hours in Delhi

Let me add we will arrive about 1600 and depart around midnight. I read the other options for staying at the airport, but had hoped that arriving earlier in the day would help.

6 Hours in Delhi

I suggest you to go straight to airport after your dinner, maybe at Connaught Place which is central part of Delhi and you can do some shopping as well, you have to report 3-4 hours before your flight these days due to tight security.

Nothing much to see near the airport.

Ram

If you manage to get out of the airport within an hours time you could just about manange to catch the Qutab Minar at sunset (around 6.15 pm).

Else head to Dilli Haat for some last minute shopping and snacking - this is open till 9 in the night.

psoriasis treatment

Hotel Near to tidel park MAthus vs Tidel residency Vs Reside

Dear ALl,

I have an NRI frined visiting India and im staying in a hostel in Tiruvanmiyur, For me its best if the guest stays in a hotel near tidel park as he shall be workign there. Any good places in range of 1000 to 1500 Rupeees in this area?

I heard that there is Tidel residency in Tiruvanmiyur but some reviews are not so good about it. I want to know about the hotel Mathus Inn i kottivakkam as well? Pleae guide me as hes gonna come here in less than a week...

Regards

laks

Hotel Near to tidel park MAthus vs Tidel residency Vs Reside

Hi Laks

I am not sure if there can be one in the price range you talk about near Tidel Park, but let me check if there is any and revert

Rajan

Slumdog Millionnaire?

Hi,

Who has seen Danny Boyle%26#39;s Slumdog Millionnaire. If you have seen it, what did you think of it?

Slumdog Millionnaire?

Fab film...must see..bril.

We saw it before we had booked for India, although id already made my mind up and sent off for visa. I thought hubby wouldnt want to go after seeing the film, but if anyting he became more enthusiastic!

And its just won ';best film';

Slumdog Millionnaire?

Seen it, not one to sit and watch films but because of Goa thought i must see it,i really enjoyed it.

11 DAYS TO GO.

Fantastic film..Great insight into life in Dharavi the largest slum on earth and also the place where our high street clothes are made,Makes me feel a little guilty sometimes.Ive been to Mumbai many times but never visited the Dharavi area,I think it would be fascinating.It was good to see That Danny Boyle used local kids for the film and also used the Hindi language.

This film is based on book Q and A by Vikram Swarup - if there are any copies left you can buy it in Oxford Book shop near the church in the middle of the road in Calangute. Think it was about 350rps. Since the film was released I have a waiting list of people who want to read the copy I bought 2 years ago.

Whisper - you can buy a good copy of the film from the beach sellers for 100rps. Don%26#39;t buy from the young kids - they are getting covers and putting blank cd%26#39;s in them.

Two interesting websites

www.realitytoursandtravel.com/slumtours.html

doing this in a couple of weeks so will let you know what it is like.

…blogspot.com/2007/…ethics-of-what-i-do.html

an interview with the guy who runs the tours.

As Jeera says above, you can buy copies from the beach sellers, there is one particular guy on Candolim Beach who actually has a portable DVD player so you can see the copy.

And if you only pay 100rups you dont mind if its not perfect but watchable.

Brilliant film, and Danny Boyle is from Bolton

Dear Jeera -

You posted a link above to an interview with ';the guy that runs the tours';.

That is an interview of me, actually.

Female :) not male.

I was asked about the ethics of taking people to slums, and wrote that piece as a response.

- Deepa

Fantastic film,loved it.4 sleeps.

Dear Deepa, respect to you and thanks. x

Its a great piece of writing Deepa.I have experienced the beggars at traffic lights but not yet had a chance to see the more industrious hard working third side to the life of mumbais poor.

Rob

what are the top hard disk brands

Footwear

Hi Thinking about going on a couple of trips, Elephant and spice plantation. Her indoors is wondering what footwear is best. Will the good old flipflop be ok or are trainers needed.

Footwear

Personally I would recommend trainers. The falls can be pretty damn slippery on the rocks so your OH will need something with a bit of tread. I wear trainers for the elephants ride too.

Footwear

Sorry, just realised you didn%26#39;t mention the falls but there you go, a bit of extra information if needed lol! Still say trainers though!

How about the spice plantation lol?

Didn%26#39;t I mention that? You being a cheeky Charity lol (again)?!

Just trying to be helpful lol.

If you are going in the water with the elephants take a pair of crocs so that you can wear them in the water. If you go for the power shower you will have to take all footwear off but you will get pretty close with your crocs on they are also good for the beach.

we went in our crocs, they are good for flying in! We wore them a lot during the day and are good for going on the beach and in the sea. They are cool to wear, and also prevent the red dust from stainng your feet. Go on just try a pair to wear!!!L%26gt;O%26gt;L

Lots of fake Crocs in Goa but if you want real ones Crocs have opened a shop near to Sportsman Bar in Calangute. Lots of choice and depending which you buy are a couple of pounds cheaper than UK.

Hiking sandals are good %26amp; a lot cooler than trainers.

I got some from decathelon which were about £30. I don%26#39;t know if they%26#39;ll have them in stock this time of year though.

I always take a pair of hiking sandals that have removable heelstraps. Have them on when you need a secure footing, off when you need to keep slipping them on and off (beach, temples, going in %26amp; out of room/hut). They are absoutely perfect and I don%26#39;t bother taking any other shoes at all. Not particularly pretty, but who cares (and anyway, more attractive than crocs which are b****y ugly IMHO)

Booking jet airways problem usingcredit card from Australia?

Hi, can any one help me? I am trying to make a flight booking (from Australia) using my Australian credit card, via the Jet Airways web site. It lets me put in all the details, and then, instead of accepting the payment, it says it cannot proceed. It seems ';geared up'; for using Australian cards, as the price is quoted in AUS dollars. I have successfully used the same card for Kingfisher airline. Can anyone help - is this usual with Jet Airways? Should I keep trying? After I try about 3 times, it says I have ';exceeded maximum number of tries';. Any advice please?

Booking jet airways problem usingcredit card from Australia?

It is usually not a problem.

Two options:

1. Wait a couple of hours and try again, just in case this is a technical glitch.

2. Book through an online portal. I use makemytrip.com, but I think you can use expedia or others as well.

- Deepa

Booking jet airways problem usingcredit card from Australia?

Hi again, is makemytrip reliable? Do they send an E ticket to your email adress? My daughter will not necessarily have access to a printer. Does she just arrive at check in with her Credit Card, and no need for a paper print out? Thanks so much - again!

Hi again, is makemytrip reliable?

Yes they are, it%26#39;s a popular portal, and I have personally booked at least 10 of our holiday tickets with them without any trouble.

Do they send an E ticket to your email adress?

When you book the ticket there%26#39;s a page at the end of the process which it allows you to print. In addition, they send an email ticket. Your daughter needs to print in Australia and take it, or she can go to an internet cafe somewhere and print it, but she needs a print out.

My daughter will not necessarily have access to a printer. Does she just arrive at check in with her Credit Card, and no need for a paper print out? Thanks so much - again!

You cannot enter ANY Indian airport without a valid ticket, either an e-ticket printout or an actual ticket. She has to keep a printout in her hand, to show at the airport entry gate to the security guard even prior to checkin. She will also need to show her passport to the security guard. At checkin, it%26#39;s the same thing.

- Deepa

Yes, she definitely needs a paper copy. What I do is take one with me and also email a copy to myself* at a webmail address (yahoo, hotmail etc) - then I can always access another copy if I need it.

*Along with all the details I need to access my online banking (disguised) and a scan of the important pages of my passport!

stymied as to how to do this: Agra, Jaipur, Runthambare

Would appreciate any help trying to figure out if the following is doable:

Leave Mumbai on a Friday morning.

Would like to visit Agra, Jaipur and Runthambare (if not Runthambare, can you suggest alternate wildlife area that would work)

We are flying out of Mumbai at 1:40 PM on the following Tuesday, so this would have to be accomplished on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday (I assume we should get back to Mumbai by Monday night for the flight out the following day?)

I am looking for help to know if this is feasible; if feasible, how to travel from place to place; if any particular suggestions re: where to stay, eat, etc. so much the better.

Thanks so much.

stymied as to how to do this: Agra, Jaipur, Runthambare

Fri - Fly Mumbai-Jaipur, Jaipur sightseeing

Sat - Drive to Ranthambore, evening safari

Sun - Morning safari, drive to Agra

Mon - Taj by dawn, drive to Delhi airport, fly to Mumbai on an evening flight reaching Mumbai

If your flight out is on Tuesday night, then I suggest the following variant:

Mon - Taj by dawn, Agra Fort, drive to Delhi, overnight Delhi

Tue - Delhi sightseeing, afternoon flight to Mumbai to catch connecting flight

Agra-Delhi is 4.5 - 5.5 hours driving, FYI.

stymied as to how to do this: Agra, Jaipur, Runthambare

Can you give advice re: the driving aspect of what you recommended? Is train out because it takes too long?

How do I get a driver out of Jaipur?

As you can see, I%26#39;ve never done this before!

What month are you coming to Ranthambhore? Remember the sanctuary is closed from June to September. Can you take a train Thursday night from Bombay? Will save you time and money.

So the plan could be -

Thursday late evening train to Agra

Friday morning arrive Agra. Sightseeing and drive to Bharatpur. Night in Bharatpur

Sat - Drive to Ranthambhore. Anoon safari (book well in advance on the website - www.rajasthanwildlife.in)

Sun - Morning safari %26amp; drive to Jaipur. Sightseeing %26amp; night in Jaipur

Mon - Full day sightseeing %26amp; evening flight to Bombay

What budget do you have for hotels per room per night?

Also in response to your later Q - How do I get a driver out of Jaipur?

Ask any of the Jaipur based members of Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators to organise the car for you to meet you at Agra and be with you until Jaipur. See www.ratorajasthan.org

We are coming soon! Hence my panic re: getting the details of this ironed out.

We are talking about Friday March 20th through Monday the 23rd (leaving Mumbai on Tuesday the 24 at around 2 PM).

I would like to get started as early as possible out of Mumbai that Friday (20th)...

I just don%26#39;t know anything at all about hiring cars and drivers -- and also don%26#39;t know anything about the various domestic airlines so would appreciate anyone%26#39;s thoughts on the best (or worst) in terms of service and reliability.

Many thanks.

No need to panic. Here are the steps you have to take -

1 - Finalise your plan - Im afraid you do not have enough time for Ranthambhore. I suggest the foll plan -

20th - Fly Bombay to Jaipur. Sightseeing %26amp; night in Jaipur

21st - In Jaipur. Sightseeing %26amp; night

22nd - Drive Jaipur to Agra. Sightseeing %26amp; night

23rd - Drive Agra to Jaipur %26amp; flight to Bombay

2 - Book your flight tickets online. If youre abroad you can use Expedia, Travelocity etc to do so. Some Indian websites also accept foreign credit cards. Try www.cleartrip.com or www.makemytrip.com

3 - Use the query form on the RATO website (www.ratorajasthan.org) to get quotes for the car %26amp; hotels from RATO members. The query gets sent to all the members and youll can pick an dchoose the best quote. Mention your budget for the hotels per room per night

You should be all set in a couple of days!!

lost all my photos

hi everyone,been back just over 2 wks from my 1st visit to goa and im still gutted,i took some wonderful pics ie,sunset,elephants,dolphines,boat trips,crocs ect.WHAT HAVE I DONE PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON ON My camera and deleted all pics.i was wondering if there is anyway i could retreive these pics back of my sd card.I havent looked at the dame camera since it happened.any ideas would be more than grateful other than go back to goa and take them all again i cant wait till november.while im thinking can anyone tell me what the ticlo resort and the nizmar resort ht is like in calangute.Lorraine.

lost all my photos

It can be done have a look at this and give it a try

http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/60

lost all my photos

OMG how brilliant is that will save for future reference thankx

I haven`t tried it yet but will be doing at some point this week, I copied last years pics onto a cd and can`t open them, hope it works.

mrstrelly,

I think your fisrt idea was favourite....return to Goa and retake pics..

Serously though, i feel gutted for you, hope the advice works, please let us know!

Also, you say it was your first trip, we havent been yet and was wondering if you would do a trip report?

Many thanks %26amp; gd luck with photos

Susie.xx

We stayed in the Nizmar on our first trip to Goa. We loved it there but I think it has gone all inclusive now. The location isn%26#39;t bad, it%26#39;s not right in the centre of Calangute, probably not a bad thing, and there is a lot more going on in the area than there was in 2001.

We ended up in the Ticlo over Christmas about 3 years ago. The location is pretty good, on the Baga road and a short walk to Calangute centre. However, the room we got was a dump - and we have stayed in some very basic hotels in Goa. We stayed 4 days before we gratefully accepted an invitation to stay at the Highland Beach Resort in Candolim. We may have been unlucky with the room we were given but based on our one and only experience we wouldn%26#39;t recommend it.

Hi mrstrelly.

Hope you get your pics back.

The Nizmar is sound, stayed there twice before and i believe you can get it on old style B%26amp;B again.

About 10 min walk to beach or high street.

If you would like any more info send me a PM

T%26amp;J

Did you get your pics back from the dead?

i have just completed it :) i would advise anybody to have a go at it. i would like to say thank you to feelthevibe i will be posting a report in the next day or so.

kind regards

lorraine x

Hi mrstrelly, we have recently come back from Goa and my husband has done exactly the same as you with his camera, so he will definitely be giving that web site a go.Will let you know how we get on.

I%26#39;ve saved that to my favourites for future reference, just in case. Thanks for that feelthevibe.

That%26#39;s great that it worked Mrstrelly :)

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santiago hotel

Anyone stayed here lately ALL information welcome

what was the food like?

what night is buffet night?

what did the entertainment consist of?

thankyou

santiago hotel

food was fab! there are two restaurants one is chinese/thai and the other is indian/european you order off a menu, there is one night which is buffet night think it was a sunday that is amazing too with lots of choice. The only thing I would say is DO NOT GET THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE! it was disgusting! but everything else was very nice and the ice cream was brill. You can go for breakfast which is down in the chinese restaurant they have loads of choice fresh fruit, cereal, fry up etc etc. they have a snacks menu round the pool with sandwiches and things on that you can have all day between meals then they have a buffet lunch. I really enjoyed my stay here and would recommend it to anyone. the entertainment was .......amusing! but I don;t think it was meant to be! ha ha ha locals singing with a indian/pub singer voice it was erm interesting!

Hope you enjoy your stay!

Kim

santiago hotel

Hi,has anyone else got a review of this hotel,

We are off there on the 4th of April for 2 weeks

Hi we are going there for 2 weeks on the 4th of April,

Has anyone got a review for me

Here are some recent reviews from another web page hope these help.

holidaywatchdog.com/15099-Calangute-Santiago鈥?/a>

hi jellybabe2 just returned from 2 excellent weeks at the santiago cannot praise this hotel enough the rooms are basic but all u need is there clean beds, hot showers and the best staff we have ever encountered at any hotel we have stayed at i am sure u will feel the same as we did about this hotel enjoy your stay regards carol

Hi jellybabe2, Best hotel in Baga, just spent 2 weeks in the Santiago,rooms basic and kept very clean, hope you get room 132 the cleaning boys fold your towels into swans and boats. Food is good and varide,evening entertainment not to bad, the staff are absolutley brilliant they make the hotel. I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll have a brill holiday.

PS. Look out for Evil Edna on the way in to the hotel, she%26#39;s the one in the clothes shop, and ask for Gassa in the taxi stand. Enjoy Regards Allan

finding duvet covers

Finding Like-Minded Travellers in Mahabalipuram

I%26#39;ll be visiting M%26#39;puram over Spring Break, and I%26#39;m hoping to get together with other American/Western travellers to swap tales and compare notes. Can anyone point me to hostels, cafes or other spots where I%26#39;m likely to find similar wandering souls?

Thanks

Finding Like-Minded Travellers in Mahabalipuram

There are quite a few %26#39;tourist spots%26#39; like Shore Temple, Arjuna%26#39;s penance, Krishna%26#39;s butter ball etc at M%26#39;puram which are full of the tourist crowd - especially from the west.

While there are no speicific hangouts at M%26#39;puram itself, you can meet up with them at any of these spots or some of them hang around at other spots like Crocodile Farm, Fishcove, Dakshin Chitra etc on the way to M%26#39;puram and Pondy.

Rajan

Finding Like-Minded Travellers in Mahabalipuram

M%26#39;puram is not that large so the chances of meeting up with other travellers is high. There is a main road which runs right through the town/village and here you will find eating places and rooms for rent.

Look out for the places where the stone carvers work. There are usually a few young chaps that like

to hang out there and try their hand at the carving.

Enjoy your time there it is a fascinating area to visit.

southall travel

anyone book with southall please

reviews please

southall travel

Yep, I%26#39;ve used Southall Travel. There%26#39;s not much to say, really. They were cheaper than Kingfisher Direct, emailed everything to me and that was it really. I%26#39;d use them again.

southall travel

I used them.. fine. phoned, they were helpful.. paid in 2 halves, they asked for it that way anyway. e mailed everything.. I%26#39;d use them again

Booked with them, no problems, all done via email, would definately book with them again.

Have used Southall Travel, everything fine! Cheaper than going direct when we booked. Would use again

Unless we book on line we use Southall Travel. Have used them for years and never had any problems, very efficient and helpful on the phone as well as via email.

We normally book direct, but we have used S Trav in the past. Found them very helpful, and prices were good. Would use them again - no prob.

Ditto all of the above.

Assam tourism - please help!!

I am intending to travel to Assam - Guwahati, Kaziranga, Haflong and Jatinga. I just want to know if the weather wud b pleasant during December - any floods during that time?? Also, is it safe to travel to these places cos I will b travelling by myself.

is it worth doing the steam safari from lumding to haflong/badarpur?

thanks

Assam tourism - please help!!

Dear sagu,

The best time t visit North Est India is between September and April. After mid April the monsoon starts.

It is safe to visit Assam during this season.

If you need any further information please do contact me

raktim

Palmarinha Hotel

Does anybody know the difference between the standard and superior rooms at this hotel?

Thanks :-)

India to Nepal transit at Delhi airport

Hi

I am travelling to Delhi in the next few weeks .I am actually en route to Kathmandu .My flight with Virgin from London arrives in Delhi at 11am .We then have a flight with Air India to KTM at 13.40 pm .I know that I do not need a visa to enter India if we just stay in the transit area in the airport and wait for my flight .I just need to know if this is quite straightforward .According to Virgin they cannot arrange for our luggage to be transferred onto the next flight so I guess we will have to go through immigration and collect our luggage to check in for the Air India flight .I just don%26#39;t want there to be an issue as we have no visa .Has anyone flown this route before and if so is it pretty easy to do the transit process without a visa and be able to check in for another international flight ?

Also another question !!

On the way back we want to stay in Delhi for 24 hours .We know we do need a visa for this ..trying to do the online application is difficult to say the least . We would like to get a transit visa which according to the site is 拢15 and is valid for 72 hours but it actually won%26#39;t process through the system meaning the only option is going for a tourist visa which adds up to 拢46 + postage which seems lot for 24 hours .Can you only get this 72 hour transit visa if you visit the high commission in London yourself ?

Many thanks in advance for any information

India to Nepal transit at Delhi airport

As I%26#39;ve done this a few times, both to Bhutan and to Nepal, I can tell you that you need a transit visum with double entry.

You have to collect your luggage, exit the aitport, go one floor up and enter the departure hall. I know this is not fair, but you need a visum. Last time before boarding my flight to Delhi they checked if I had a visum to enter, otherwise I could not enter the plane. It is expensive and in my opinion a waste of money, but better not playing with the rules.

I get my visa at my travel agent, again, a double-enrty transit visum is arranged, this is cheaper than a tourist visum. You can stay 72 hours at one time in India with it.

psoriasis treatment

my computer wont turn on

Hadoti Palace Hotel - Anyone got any information

Legendsandpalaces kindly suggested The Hadoti Palace as a possible accomodation option for Bundi, on another thread.

This has come as a surprise. It doesn%26#39;t appear in LP or Rough Guide and a search of Tripadvisor shows that it has never been mentioned on this site until today!!

Anyone have any information on it? It has a swimming pool, is a little bit out of the centre of Bundi, but appears to have aircon rooms, restaurant and bar. It also seems to have some connectin to a vintage car museum.

Any enlightenment would be much appreciated, since a swimming pool in Bundi would be ideal, providing the hotel was OK.

Hadoti Palace Hotel - Anyone got any information

I have also just searched Lonely Planet%26#39;s forums and India Mike and again this hotel has NEVER been mentioned.

Hadoti Palace Hotel - Anyone got any information

Tread warily, see my recommendation for where to stay in and around Bundi. Always be extra careful of anywhere in India with the suffix ';Palace';...

Though I have been told, on good authority, that Hadoti Palace is fine 3 star property, I have not visited it %26amp; therefore unable to comment. The hotel has been opened only a couple of months back. The suite rooms are still under construction. However, the lobby, restaurant, swimming pool %26amp; rooms are functional. In any case you have options in Bundi for overnight.

25 miles south is Kota with Umaid Bhawan Palace, which has well appointed rooms %26amp; a good restaurant. The Palace was designed by Sir Swinton Jacob. Brij Raj Palace locates on the river Chambal %26amp; offers nice views from it%26#39;s rooms, period furniture.

If I were you, however, I would stay one night in Bundi %26amp; another at Bhainsrorgarh, 25 miles west of Kota. This property locates on the spur of a high plateau %26amp; looking down from the window of your suite, the river flows no more than 200 feet below! Incidentally, it is this route which the Brits took in 1812, when the feudatories were brought under protection of the East India company!!

A walk in the village of Bhaisrorgarh is equally rewarding...you will see the elderly Brahmin with his pink turban %26amp; equiline aryan features, the brave Hara with peircing eyes, the Marwari with his red tie %26amp; dye turban...the village belle stealing a look at you from behind a cusped window...what to talk of the the sunset or sunrise!!

That sounds very interesting. What is the property called in Bhaisrorgarh?

www.bhainsrorgarh.in

Tom,

I think it%26#39;s www.Bhainsrorgarh.com (not .in).

I%26#39;m also planning to spend time in Bundi (3 nights) this coming April so I%26#39;ll be interested to see what you settle on. At the moment I%26#39;m veering towards Bundi Haveli.

Steve

Haveli Braj Bhushanjee is best option to stay in Bundi, this 200 years old building with original murals and nice decoration vitualy on every surface.

Testfully decorated rooms and Excellent Food.

Hi rkmbnd,

On what do you base your assessment of Braj Bhushanjee. Have you stayed there?, and if so how recently?

Steve

The problem for the Braj Bhushanjee is the ridiculouse prices. They want 3 - 5000 Rs for a fairly average room in a average Haveli in a town that is off the tourist trail in the height of the monsoon! This is far more than equivalent hotels are charge in much more popular, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.

Consequently I think we will be staying in the Bundi Haveli.

I stayed in Haveli Braj Bhushanjee in 2006 and again in Jan 2009. It is an exceptional family run hotel, charming and high quality interior, rooms are very nicely deocrated and very well maintained, bathroom was very very clean with lot of hot water.

In any noraml haveli in Rajasthan the price ranging from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 5000. And if you want good quality of rooms and such a nice view, as this haveli has, you have to pay some extra.

One very important, this haveli is just below the palace, and views from the terrace are excellent. This kind of view you will not find in Bundi Haveli !!

Would like to have a suit and/or a dress made in Kolkata

Hi,

Have been reading quite a few of the excellent answers to people%26#39;s questions re Kolkata. One that I didn%26#39;t find a recent answer to was if anyone could give some uptodate info on where to go to find a good taylor that could make a suit in a couple of days. Also how much it ';should'; cost and if there is anything else I should think about in that regard. Like do I buy the fabric there or separate? If so where? I will go to Kolkata first week in March and stay at the Oberoi if that helps with location of taylors. Thanks a lot :)

Would like to have a suit and/or a dress made in Kolkata

Hi,

I suggest you purchase the material yourself from the Raymonds showroom in Lindsay Street, and get the suit done by Delite or any of the other fair sized tailoring establishments on Free School Street. Thats what I do. Alternatively, you can drop in at Burlingtons Shop on Free School Street (I believe its now run by the designer Komal Sood and her husband) and opt for a pre-cut dress which they customise for you.

Buy the material from either Raymonds or Reid and Taylor. Don%26#39;t buy any other cheaper brands that the shopkeepers push for sometimes. You will regret it later.

Would like to have a suit and/or a dress made in Kolkata

Thanks for quick reply. Will take your advice. You are an excellent source of information. Just a quick follow up question - could you give me a rough idea of how much it would cost to have a suit done where you suggest?

For a good suit, good material and quality tailoring, I would say about Rs 10,000 - 15,000. I would budget 150-200 Pounds or something like that.

Of course, you can go more expensive quality but this is just a ballpark idea.

Everywhere I have mentioned is within a 10 min walk from the Oberoi grand.

You could also go to Colour Plus and they will adjust an off the peg for you, speedily with 1st class tailoring. My husband has a number of suits from them. But Reid Taylor is also good. Barkat Ali on Park Street, is also good providing a wide choice of materials to chose and will cost about 拢250 for a made to measure suit.The can also do shirts. This is not far from Flurrys as a land mark for you