Recent content by paudu

Well, this is probably going to seem obvious to everyone, but as it's just occurred to me I thought I would share it. My husband will be working during our stay in India, and his employer has already set up several different options for transportation, tours, dinners, entertainments, and...

The latest development in our trip planning is a formal dinner to be put on by my husband's employers. Everyone will be wearing traditional formal outfits and I'm very excited about learning how to wear a sari properly. My question is, what is the formal clothing for an Indian gentleman?

If you will be at a hotel, the concierge would probably be able to help. If you are working with a travel agency to book your trip, you might check with them to see if you can set something up in advance.

What is the opposite of spontaneous? That's me. I am making plans, backup plans, and emergency plans for every possible contingency. "Chance favors the prepared mind."

That sounds just lovely! I'm afraid I'm no artist, but the idea of sitting with a sketch pad and capturing the color and beauty of the culture is very appealing.

If you like the sarees, you should buy several, since there will be so many wonderful choices, and the price is much better than in the US. I plan to get as many as I can.

We finally got the hotel information from my husband's work and it is the Sheraton New Delhi. It looks nice from what I see online. I just wondered if anyone could give me the local perspective - is it known as a good hotel? Is it easy to get to places for dining, shopping, etc., or do you have...

Rather than trying to plan around train schedules, I am leaning toward just hiring a driver for trips like the Golden Triangle tour. Are there any Dos and Don'ts for tipping drivers?

I haven't thought about travelers cheques for years! I remember there used to be Amex offices everywhere, and now I don't know if there's even one in my city. I'm going to look into that.

My bank sends me an email whenever an international charge comes up on my card, so I can confirm that it is or is not fraudulent. It's actually a good idea, and you may be able to set up this kind of a notification system with them.

Great list, and just what I needed for weekend planning. I've already added Landsdown and Mussoorie to my original itinerary of Jaipur and Agra. I just need more weekends so I can include more of these places.

This is more complex than I'd imagined. I am glad of Chahal's advice, since I sometimes do hand out money to "beggars" here in the US. Now I know not to do so in India.

I assume there are some major film festivals in India - where do they take place, and at what time of year? Do they feature mostly Indian films, or are they international?

After reading the extensive travel guides in this forum, I've come to the conclusion that most of the silk production occurs in South India. Unfortunately, my visit will be limited to Delhi and areas nearby. Are there any areas of North India that are known for beautiful silks?

I think my Indian friends here in the US would laugh to read this - they hate it when I use the word "chai". I have learned that chai is just tea, and everyone in India has their favorite chai.