My India, my way

India, incredible India!

Well, after a bit more than two weeks on the road already learned some tricks and India becomes easier and more enjoyable. Better and better!! Thus will tell about what I’ve been doing, my paths, experiences, costs, transportation and maybe it can be useful for someone in the future.

I arrived in Delhi and stayed there for two nights, what was enough for me once it was my first step in the country and it’s a very intense city. From there took a train to Amritsar (250Rs/ 11hrs) to visit the Golden Temple, what’s more than worth! Spent only one night there – what was enough, but two nights would also be ok.

From Amritsar took a train to Pathankot (60 Rs/ around 3 hrs) and connect it with a bus to Dharamsala (100 Rs/ 3 hrs) – worth to comment that meet some people who made the same itinerary by bus and it seems to be better. From Dharamsala you have to take a public transport or taxi to go to upper Dharamsala, which is called Mcleod Ganj – where the headquarters of the exiled Tibetan government are based. This is where Dalai Lama lives and teaches.

Mcleod Ganj is amazing and peaceful and it’s like a little part of Tibet in India. The faces, culture, everything will make you think you are in Tibet. I felt so comfortable there, meet so many good people that ended up staying for 10 nights when expected it to be only for few days. Do not regret at all! The town is at 2000 meters and surrounded by mountains; on the background you can see the picks with snow, there’s a waterfall and the water is amazingly freezing; it’s also possible to access some other villages from Mcleod and many tracking paths to spend one or few days. Really recharged the batteries there and it was really hard to decide moving away.

Decision made I headed south, to Jaipur – for that I needed to combine two buses, one to Delhi (600 Rs/ 11 hrs) and another one to Jaipur (211 Rs/ around 7 hrs). In Jaipur spent another two nights and once again could taste the real, crazy and busy India J. Again it was worth and two days were enough for me.

After that the next destination was Pushkar – for that took a train to Ajmer (50 Rs/ around 2 hrs) and a bus to finally arrive in Pushkar (12 Rs/ 30 min).

As I have just arrived cannot tell much about the place, nevertheless the first impression was very good and I’m pretty sure I’ll love this town!

Few tips about places to stay and costs:

Delhi:

ASHOKA OCEAN GUEST HOUSE (4589, main bazar – phone 23588575): 250Rs/ night for double room.

Amritsar:

Golden temple guest house: they offer free accommodation and even free food and chai tea!!

Mcleod Ganj (Dharamsala):

Freedom Palace (everyone knows this place): 150Rs/ night for single room.

Pushkar:

Lake View guest house (located on the main road, easy to find): 100Rs/ night for single room.

Cannot forget to thank all the people I meet on the way so far. All of you were amazing and helped me somehow :) specially the three “chicas” from Chile, las dos morras (Bea and Anita), Juan (known as Dieguito or peron) and the german couple Rafa and Mona (hope I spelled it correctly!).

Ciao!