Reply With QuoteNot sure what those two are made of.............
If one is made of Imodium - take it.
Afternoon all,
I’m off to India, Delhi to be precise in a few months.
I’m just debating which watch to take. I’ve narrowed it down to the following.
Prs22 on bracelet
Prs82 on rubber / maybe an Erika
Any pros or cons of those choices?
I might do some swimming but that would be in a swimming pool not the sea.
Best,
Ben
Not sure what those two are made of.............
If one is made of Imodium - take it.
😂
I picked up bacterial dysentery in Goa many years ago, best diet I ever had, 2 and a half stone in a week!
To be fair I imagine India is safer than London.
For dysentery or watch thefts?Originally Posted by burnside
A bit of both 😂
Take both....sorted.
Sent from my SM-A515F using Tapatalk
But if I take one and happen to see something over there then maybe just maybe I can justify picking it up!
Pah! London doesn't even make the Top 10 dangerous cities in the UK. Don't wander outside the M25 if you want to be safe, or so it seems.
I have worn my z blue, GMT, daytona and YM and never had any worries or concerns. Just don’t fall for the huny traps in night clubs.
There won’t be any honey trap action for me, thankfully!
None for me either; but some of my younger cohort may have thought that their swagger and dance enticed the local ladies.
Be a bit of sightseeing and experiencing the local culture.
But will be keeping an eye out for any watch related bargains and also my other hobby, DE shaving!
I love India - great country. Have spent quite a lot of time there with work over the years. North India has some excellent cuisine but I strongly recommend you turn vegetarian for your time there. The veggie curries are superb and you’ll significantly improve your chances of avoiding the dreaded Delhi belly.
If you’re flying there directly the route usually takes you near the mountains of Afghanistan. The views can be spectacular - example below. Have a great trip (I’m returning next month!)
Thanks for the response.
Yes, I think I’ll be sampling a lot of vegetarian curries. So, looking forward to that. And will hopefully avoid any Delhi Belly related issues. Will be flying direct so will keep an eye out for the scenery.
Any other tips would be greatly appreciated.
We are off to India ourselves in November on a titan travel train journey to Northern India 16 days, so I would love some tips on what clothes to take they say it could be quite mild, also what do you do about a mobile phone SIM card as my Vodafone shop says I would have to buy one when I get there, can I not get one here?what are the toilets like I have a weak bladder, also is it best not to eat salad and meat just have vegetarian food and been told you have to get your currency exchanged when you get there also, how much do you tip, when should we send for our visa is it best to do online I'm crap with computers the trip is my wife's idea not mine she's really looking forward to it, I wish I was back home already but don't tell herI love India - great country. Have spent quite a lot of time there with work over the years. North India has some excellent cuisine but I strongly recommend you turn vegetarian for your time there. The veggie curries are superb and you’ll significantly improve your chances of avoiding the dreaded Delhi belly.
If you’re flying there directly the route usually takes you near the mountains of Afghanistan. The views can be spectacular - example below. Have a great trip (I’m returning next month!)
Firstly, take a deep breath and try not to worry. If you’re on a guided tour you’ll have loads of support when you’re there and they will be used to helping out with all of the queries you’ve listed.
November is a nice time to visit the north of the country and the temperatures won’t be crazy hot. If memory serves me maybe maximums of 30degC and cooler in the evenings and overnight so you may need to light jumpers / fleeces etc.
Currency - yes you’ll need to exchange when you arrive. But that’s straightforward in any major airport. Lots of options, just take undamaged £20 and £10 notes. It’ll take you 10 minutes to do this on landing.
Phone - personally I just sort out an e-sim in advance using Airalo. Depends slightly on what sort of phone you have and how comfortable you are with tech though. It is very easy to buy a sim when you arrive and your guide will be able to help you with this.
I imagine you’ll be in the best available trains / hotels so I’m sure the toilets will be fine. As I mentioned before I would strongly suggest you just avoid meat for the duration of the trip. The veggie food is plentiful and truly delicious. I never miss meat. And yes, avoid washed salads and of course tap water etc.
Finally the visa. The Indian system is quite notorious and it takes a good hour or so online to apply. You then hear back within 72 hours after paying the fee. You’ll just need the tourist visa which is pretty cheap. This is the website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html don’t be fooled into using any intermediaries. I’ve just used the website for a business visa and I received approval with 12 hours. Just do this a few weeks before the trip.
You’ll have a great time. Your guides will be great and will provide lots of support with all aspects of the trip
Thank you so much for the reply you have put my mind at rest a little, so do you have to take English cash notes to India to exchange for their cash or can you use a card to get rupees. Can you use Revolt cards
Yes you can use various cards to withdraw rupees from cash machines at good exchange rates. I’m usually in India for relatively short periods so just take a small amount of cash and exchange as needed. Using Revolut or equivalent would work well for you. But it’s never a bad idea to have some USD or GBP to hand for any emergencies.
I really struggled with India. I am sure some of the specific tourists parts can be nice.
But, I was on a business trip around the whole country for three weeks and sampled all the delights India had to offer.
Delights? Food, and that was it. I went to none of the tourists sights, just proper India, which in most places looks like a semi destructive nuclear bomb had hit it.
What I found was a society generally so extreme in poverty, completely filthy and dilapidated. I came back almost haunted by what I had seen.
Go to India, and no matter how little you have in the west, you realise you live like a king when compared to life in India.
My friend and I did a mix of both, rupees out of an ATM and card for plenty of other stuff.
Typically I think we tipped about 10%.
OP for Delhi, if you want a vibrant spot with a few different places to eat (it did also have western food, but easily avoided) we went to Nehru Place in South-East Delhi and went to a funky gastro pub/cocktail bar with European/Indian fusion food, FIO Cookhouse & Bar. It was excellent, they had loads of funky dishes, food was good and plenty of local beers and cocktails with a twist. I’m sure you’ll get all the chance for traditional Indian, so it was a nice change to that!
Lotus Temple well worth a visit, as was Nazir ka Bagh and Connaught Place for a colonial style shopping area, again with some nice bars and coffee shops to watch the world go by.
Thanks all,
What's the coffee like there?
They've got all the mod cons, excellent showers....
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
I'd agree with this. I went with work to an area just outside Kolkata and my experience was exactly the same.
Thankfully I’m staying on a compound so will have a few mod cons. Hot and cold running water, a toilet and shower and washing facilities.
I'd also add bring ear plugs! The cacophony of horns when you exit your residence is incredible.
It's a country of huge contrasts and fascinating for it.
Headphones and a bit of classical music on the go should help with that.
Spent quite a bit of time in India. What I found was if you are changing money don’t do it at the airport, I found hotels gave you a better rate. If you feel adventurous most jewellery shops would change money for you and give you the best rate.
Delhi belly in India was a walk-in the park compared to Kalimantan, lost 10kg in a week there, had to go to Singapore to get flushed out.
India can be quite cold in the morning and evening and warm clothing is needed. Heating is non existent in taxis.
Near the exit doors of the airport (next to Costa Coffee), there is a Vodafone shop. You can buy a sim there. The sim might be for example 1gb or 2gb but that is per day allowance. The staff often miscalculate change when buying, best to check and the sim has connected.
Don’t buy anything from any street side stall eg food, bottled water or fresh juice. Ever.
The main roads have Dhabas (cafes) and if you stick with the larger busier ones, you should be safe. There are Havelis which are vegetarian and the food quality is really good and much cleaner and modern than the dhabas.
I have noticed Barista coffee chain on my last trip which is ok. I do like the Indian tea from McDonalds.
I visited a Rolex AD in Chandigarh some years ago and the displays were full, with even a Daytona or two for sale. Discounts were available. But then a subsequent visit, there was only a few watches and no discounts.
If you want a relaxing holiday, India is not ideal. My family is from India and I have visited many times. It is enjoyable but not relaxing I would say.
Take a GW-M5610U as it has a decent back light for when you’re shitting your brains out in the middle of the night. And take some decent UK bog roll.
As you are in Delhi, I would highly recommend eating at Bukhara.
Wear any watch in India you like . No real danger of having it mugged.
India is quite humid , I had a monaco which started misting up in India . crown out and hairdryer to heat it up sorted it in 5 mins .
Survival tips ;
Only drink sealed bottled water.
Do not eat cut fruit at buffets , ask for a piece of intact fruit and cut it yourself .
Avoid salads ( anything requiring a lot of manual prep).
Do not stuff yourself with food , your system will be able to cope with the inevitable increased bacterial load as long as you don’t overload it.
Stay hydrated .
Use Uber forget the local taxi cabs , you will be conned automatically as soon as they clock you as a foreigner and they will waste your time arguing if you complain.
Auto riks are fine but make sure they use the meter , if they start to argue just get out and get the next one . One of the few times I had to employ physical violence in India was a rikshaw walla trying to rip me off who came at me with a brick when I refused to pay him a charge betond the meter ( i knew the fare ).
Mumbai is rubbish for Indian food , Delhi is much better especially the muslim places near to the Red Fort.
Butter chicken in Delhi is usually excellent and can often be delivered.
New Delhi people are amongst the least friendly in India.
Ignore all street peddlars , if they mess with you scream madhur chod ( mad ur chode) or ban chod at them and they leave you alone .
Just generally keep your wits about you and don’t be lead or persuaded by anyone who wants to show you something ir take you to a really good shop. Delhi is way worse for this than Mumbai .
Hauz Kaz ( spelling) village is a cool place to go drinking and clubbing in.
I spent some time in the 90's in New Delhi and touring around the North generally. It was an amazing and formative experience. I studied sitar with a local maestro and stayed with a friend in a nice area of town.
The frequency and persistence of beggars and street traders was quite harrowing though. As was the experience of seeing so much poverty. Steel yourself for a constant onslaught when out and about. Watch wise, I would suggest something as low key as possible, like a Casio g-shock. Dress down too. I wore jeans and a T-shirt mostly. I carried a big roll of 5 or 10 rupee bank notes to give away and oil my progress when necessary. I got through a lot of them, but it doesn't work out that expensive for a westerner.
If doing the tourist thing, hire a guide and let them know that you'll pay them a big tip at the end not to be bothered by salesman. Otherwise, you'll be paraded through endless shops being barraged by hard-sell salesman.
Be careful about food and drink. I managed to spend most of my time without Delhi belly, only to get really ill on the flight home after a bad breakfast from a hotel...boy was that unpleasant!
I came back with some amazing memories though. India is a truly incredible place that will delight and shock you at the same time. Not a relaxing holiday, but certainly an interesting one!
variable . Cafe CoffeeDay is a local chain , its about 5/10 .
Starbucks you can find in the swankier malls and areas , costa and nero too . there are gourmet coffee companies who deluver . McDs have their internal coffee pmaces which us reliable enough I’ve found. I did drink blue mountain at a Hilton ir something in Mumbai which cost me about £20 for a double espresso.
I often make cold brew in my minibar fridge and carry it with me in a bottle .
No properly spray it out in the morning , knock back an immodium , take a shower and dtink water and you’ll be right as rain . The trick is not to gorge and overload your system .
Don’t eat street food , the vendors do not wash their hands after going to the toilet , they don’t have the facilities . India is dirty and hygiene in resteraunts is poor you will be ingesting more bacterial load than normal , nothing you can do except live off mcdonalds or starve . Justvassume no ine is washing their hands after using the toilet and whether you then want to eat pounds of food they prepared ? Indian people get food poisoning constantly by the way , discusding it is like the national past time . No doubt you will be told Indians have a strong constitution unlike weak westerners … this is bull. General heath fitness and strength of most Indians is way below most westerners. Many if them struggle to walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath.
Also immeduately take a dewormer like Ovex when you get home , most people in India have worms . Don’t go spreading it to your nearest and dearest when you return .
Happy
As advised - go veggy, only drink bottled water, keep your mouth shut when showering, and again use bottled water when cleaning your teeth!
Not the best advice, I would suggest.
And if you are worried about legionella - hold your breath while you are in the shower too....................
On the positive side during my 3 week business trip around India, I was greeted at the airport by a rep who told me he would organise western food for the whole trip.
I told him when in Rome and went native for the whole time. Best food of my life. Never got ill, but I do like it spicy and I had a few emergency moments.
10years living all over India would say different
Yes use ATMs for cash its fine . Bear in mind you want smallwr notes if you can . If you pay for a 100r transaction with a 500r note you will get ripped off by them saying they only have change for 300 etc etc .
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