There are so many places I'd like to see but don't think I have enough time to do it. I'd love to visit the mountains, especially the Ladakh area near the Tibetan border. As well as some of the villages and markets. I like to see how different cultures live. I'd like to take a boat cruise one day. We will definitely have to pick out a few things to do for our first visit then return in a few years to see more.
I'm starting to feel the same way, Tabitha. I think I'm going to have to pick one region to focus on and build an itinerary of things to do that are within a couple hours of that region. Maybe the hubby and I can budget long-term so that we could travel there every two or three years.
Yes, it can even get a bit overwhelming because you want to take it all in and savor everything, all while taking snapshots so you can hopefully preserve the moment, even just in pictures. I like to experience how the locals live too, and generally avoid the tourist-y places.
That's the problem with travelling in a limited day time. So I think to remedy this, you need to decide which place you want to visit the most then just come back for the other places. When we travel, we choose the place we want to see the most, then the restaurant we want the most and the thing we want to do most. It helps if you live in the place and you can visit one region at a time. But for travellers like us, we usually live outside that country. And it's truly difficult to decide which place to visit first.
I agree Brianna. I'm having such a hard time making a 'final decision' about where to travel on our first trip to India. Every time I think I've decided for sure, I come across some new site that I just 'have to see'!
There is never enough time to see everything whenever you are on vacation. I usually spend more time running around trying to see it all, and not enough time relaxing and enjoying it. You just have to make a plan, stick to it and then plan to visit again to see different parts.
Not having enough days to do everything will always be a dilemma for travelers. I remember on my very first trip abroad, my companion and I would wake up very early and go home very late at night just so we could cover as much ground as we can. Curiously, we never get tired with that set up. Even with only few hours of sleep, we seem to be energized each day. Also, on that first trip we tend to take A LOT of pictures. That took up a lot of time. Thus, over the years I learned to just take enough pictures and explore and be at different places to make the most of the vacation.
I have this same complaint just about everywhere I go. You know you've picked a good destination when there is so much to see and do!
I am finding the same problems and issues. I want to visit so many places, see too many sights, and do way too much for the time we'll be there. I have no idea what I want to see or do more. I need to try and modify my wants list for the time I'm there. This one is going to be hard. I don't want to go home and regret not seeing something that was on my list.
I think that's one of the things that happens to me with a lot of vacations I plan - trying to fit all the things I want to do into my itinerary can be tough! I often have to remind myself not to cram too much in, because it isn't much fun if you feel rushed through everything. I would suggest picking certain things that are absolute must-sees for you, and not overdoing it. You can always plan a trip back if there are things you want to do but don't have the time!
This is an excellent strategy if it suits your style. My friend is like you, and she loves those bus tours where you race from site to site and spend about twenty minutes there before taking off again! I can do that with her but I like the odd day to catch my breath.
There is too many places that I want to see in India. I think this happened to me when I visited China. I chose two regions to visit. There was too much to see and do. I fear I'll have to do the same when I visit India. Otherwise, I will spend most of my time traveling from one region to another.
Oh, we didn't do the bus tours. We actually just did it on our own. Sure, you'd think that there were probably many occasions wherein we got lost. But to our minds, wherever our feet take us, we can't truly consider it as such because it's an entirely new place. Actually, it wasn't our initial plan to do it that way. It happened accidentally. From the airport, we got off at the wrong bus stop. As we didn't have enough cash with us. We just decided to walk until we find our hotel. It could have been traumatic for us, being at a foreign place, but it actually encouraged us as we saw so many things while walking. We wouldn't have seen those things had we not literally walked. It was a fun and tiring experience. Haha, but that was almost 9 years ago. Over the years, I too learned to catch my breath and enjoy the scenery.
I am just starting to plan my trip and I'm already overwhelmed by the number of things I want to do and see. I'm just going to have to narrow it down to one small region of India and see as much as I can there.
Narrowing things down to what's feasible is truly wise. Let's face it. We ourselves have not explored our own country even if we've lived there for X number of years. So, there's definitely no way we can cover everything in just one trip. So yeah, it's better to narrow things down to what you most want to see and so you won't have regrets with your travel. If I may share, the first thing I do when I go travel abroad with a couple of friends is to ask everyone at least 3 of their Must-See or Must-Try in the country we are visiting. I gather all of their replies and come up with an itinerary that will hopefully cover everyone's list including my own. It's been my rule since so no one will have regrets once vacation is over.
That's a great idea Tabby, and I imagine some things feature on more than one person's top 3 'must see/try/do' list, which must make planning easier.
I understand the curiosity to see how different cultures live. However, trying to do too much in one vacation minimizes the experience. I think the idea of two different trips is good. Once to see the mountains, and country culture. Then a second to focus on the cities, markets and technology. That way you don't find yourself traveling more than experiencing. Personally, I would start near the Tibetan boarder, but you have to choose which interest you the most.
I have experienced the same thing when I visited Singapore for 3 days. I thought I allotted more than enough time given the fact that it's so small, hardly any different from a large city. But I was so wrong. I've realized that if you really want to know a place, you have to stay for 2 weeks to a month for maximum exploration and enjoyment. India's so very large with so many ethnic groups and sub-cultures. If I were to visit the place within a few days to a mere week, I'd have to zoom in on historical spots and areas of distinction along with local cuisines I'd like to try. This narrows down your choices. You have to keep a list too so as not to be side-tracked.
Well I think that this has been my experience with every trip that I have ever been on, but it certainly did seem to ring a little more true when I visited India. It was mostly towards the end of my trip when I ran into some people who were from a place close to where I live, and they asked if I had seen all the stuff they had and I hadn't and I realized I really missed out on some good spots.
It would be fantastic to be a travel writer. That way you can stay as long as you like, and just have to cover everything you do as well as you can. But it is hard to pick and choose what to do and see, understanding that you are losing out on opportunities. A big problem is getting paralyzed with indecision or regretting your choices. Just pick, have fun, and make memories. Maybe you can return and get a chance to see what was missed.
Visiting the mountains was one thing that I really missed out on. Then I start thinking about all of the other things that I missed out on, and wow you are so right, there just is not enough time in the day, and not enough days. I did see a lot of what I set out to, so it was a success, but I did miss out on some. I could have planned better, but I just wanted to see The Ganges River so that consumed two of my days that could have spent elsewhere.
I think a lot of people plan a trip to India and then realize there is so much more to do than they had originally thought. Never be afraid to plan a thousand return trips! As for your first trip, pick out things that you really love to do in general, that way you'll be comfortable in exploring.
India is a vast country with innumerable attractions. The worst mistake you can do while planning your trip is to pack too many activities in a short time. Narrow down your trip to one specific area and spare the rest for another time. Remember, no matter how long you plan to be in India, it will never, ever, be long enough.
India is a large country with vast cultural differences in each region, so there is a lot to cover and see, for which you need more than a few days if you want to see the whole country. You can plan to take your time and visit each region at different times, which would mean several trips to India, or you can plan an extended vacation and work your way from one end to another by planning well. I have only been able to cover the Northern regions thus far. I really want to go South because it has its own beauty with the mix of European influences down there.
It always seem like vacations are never long enough. If only we could do travelling forever, eh? Whenever I travel to new places, and if I feel like I haven't explored all the places to go to, it's either I extend my vacation or I come back another time for a second visit. Even a third, or a fourth visit.
You can never see enough of all those places you mention in a single trip. The best you can do is concentrate on one or two regions in your first trip then plan another trip to visit the places you didn't explore in the first tour.
I know the feeling. I'm currently planning on backpacking through Europe, and it has so many countries, tourist spots, significant places. It is very obvious that I can't visit them all (unless I somehow won the lottery in the next few weeks), so I just make a list of things I want to see, make points so you can visit two places quickly, and when you really can't get to all the things you do want, make sure to prioritize, and start eliminating. That is the only advice I can give, unless you somehow manage to get enough money to actually travel everywhere.
If I want a nature trip, I think I would need a week for that. Easing myself out of so much stress would require total immersion in my surroundings. Trekking would probably take a day and more to appreciate the scenery and then camping out to sleep under the stars. Journeying to swim at a waterfalls will also take effort because of the terrain but the swim will wipe out the exhaustion. A walk in a public place like a bazaar or a market will be a total feast for the eyes as well.
Unfortunately, there is not enough days to do everything. But, don’t try to do everything. Just try to focus on one thing at a time. You need to focus on what is in front of you. Don’t compete with people. Compete with your self. Stop trying to do a bunch of stuff to make you look for people. Look good for your self.
You have to make a map listing every place you want to go, because they might be closer than you think and you can actually save time going to 2 or more locations in a day.
Visiting India there is most definitely not enough time to tour every city and/or place that you want to that why most people make an agenda when visiting India and stick to you to accomplish all of the viewing cities and places before their trip comes to an end! There are many scams in India just to mention a few starting with finance scams, like majority if not all countries have and political scams and corporate scams, just to mention a few! No one country can be trusted past a certain extinct, that why I tell people to stay focused and keep your eyes and ears opened and trust no one!
I think that is something that most of us who do a lot of travelling have to deal with all the time. The fact that there is usually more things to see and do than we have time or money for on that particular trip. I find this very frustrating, but I've learned to deal with it by choosing to focus instead on the fact that now I have some things that I definitely know I want to do on my next trip.
