Recent content by Steve Dawson

It certainly looks and even smells fairly polluted in places. I've never felt the need to enter the actual water itself and I would personally avoid it. There are many smaller rivers that flow into the Ganges that are clean and clear but they become tainted further down in their course. Theres a...

Thats a fairly good price for a breakfast. I would think the actual range of options available would depend on the size of the hotel. The more guests that are present, then the more variety there should be avialable. I've received similar deals in the past in smaller hotels, in India as well as...

In England there is a vast array of different types of Naan available, catering to many different tastes. Its also true that no two naans seem to be the same when you're eating in restaurants. I have attempted to make it myself but I'm afraid I'm not much of a baker and it did not go well. The...

A wonderful guide, and wonderfully written too. Several times during my youth I went to Goa, and your description of the beautiful beaches brought the memories flooding back to me. Many people are only aware of the more hedonistic side of the Goa region, with its legendary beach parties, and its...

Thats a great guide. Even though I've spent a large amount of time in India, and have been many times, I never quite understood the tipping culture in India. The cultures who all live there are sometimes so diverse that Its hard for a foreigner to understand all the finer points of some social...

I've never had this problem and I would have encountered it by now. I've found a visa or mastercard is accepted all over the World, India is no exception to that. Any additional fees levelled by the website that arranges your ticket should, legally, be declared at the time of purchase, so if...

I would definitely avoid drinking the tap water in India, if you're caught out and unable to buy bottled water for any reason, the tap water should be fairly safe if you boil it vigorously for at least 3-5 minutes, any quicker and you might as well not bother, it takes that long to entirely...

Lifeguards are not that common in India in my experience, but I avoid tourist beaches where they will most likely be. If your friends cannot swim, or if they cannot swim well, they should avoid taking any risks in the water. Even if there is a lifeguard present where you are, theres no guarantee...

Its when you get a ticket for a quiet, often rural, station thats between two other busier stations. As the other stations will be better connected, a RLWL ticket will get you on the train as a priority, but still after those with a GWL (General waiting list) ticket, as you have less...

The investment required to make driverless cars a reality is expensive and needs to be very thorough in order to make the system as safe as possible, it requires sensors in the roads so that the car knows where it is, a GPS is not sensitive enough for the job. It'll be some time before it's even...

I can't say I've gound that to be true. I'm English and wouldn't dream of driving in an Indian city, its confusing and chaotic and no-one should really attempt it if they are not used to it. Out in the countryside its a lot better, I have driving in more rural areas when I've had another driver...

Its hard to ignore them, but its true that the only way you can really help the beggars, is by offering food, or clean water. Often they will only accept money which shows their real level of need. You have to toughen yourself up to it, there are a lot of big criminals behind the begging...

I don't recall seeing fishing cruises in Indian coastal regions but I'm not a big fan of fishing so would probably miss them anyway. I thought it was more of an industry than a tourist industry in India but theres probably some opportunities for tourists. The local guides or the hotel you are...

I'm also English Pwarbi, and although the English apparently invented cricket, we don't stand a chance on the international scene. Several friends have commented how amazed they are that cricket is so big in India (and pakistan). Its more or less the national game and the Twenty20 is the premier...

I've never been a fan of eating red meat, its not actually all that good for you as there is too much protein within it for your body to cope with. A regular diet of it without adequate exercise can lead to heart or digestive system problems over the long term. As an interesting aside, the best...