Tips for a trip to Delhi?

[Robbo73]

Hi Folks
I'm off to Delhi with work for 10 days from 20th to 30th...basically it means I've got a weekend free. I did toy with Nepal or Agra but decided to stay in Delhi and capture some of the culture there.

Looking for recommendations - never shot away from home. Any advice for my first real outing gratefully received - especially where to go and where not to go in New/Old Delhi and any hints on when lighting may be best. On my list so far is:

• Red Fort
• Humayun's Tomb
• Qutb Minar

Apologies if this isn't the right place to post - couldn't see anywhere more obvious to discuss overseas trips !

 

[glennyong]

Hi Folks
I'm off to Delhi with work for 10 days from 20th to 30th...basically it means I've got a weekend free. I did toy with Nepal or Agra but decided to stay in Delhi and capture some of the culture there.

Looking for recommendations - never shot away from home. Any advice for my first real outing gratefully received - especially where to go and where not to go in New/Old Delhi and any hints on when lighting may be best. On my list so far is:

• Red Fort
• Humayun's Tomb
• Qutb Minar

Apologies if this isn't the right place to post - couldn't see anywhere more obvious to discuss overseas trips !

i see.... from Qutb Minar to Agra is like another 3hrs ride.

December cold season. bring lots of cold wear.

Taj Mahal. as usual many people.... :bsmilie:
Qutb Minar is nice place to go. but make sure the day that u are gg. has no one commiting suicide there.. cos when i was there. someone commited suicide and yah. area was closed.

some other places within Delhi.

- Lotus Temple (Combination of 3-4 Religion in one Temple)
- Republic Square. nice long stretch of road to take.
- Along the streets are fine.

BUT DO NOT buy those lemon drinks there... super dirty.. i drink and became "merlion" for 2days.

alot to take note la..

 

[Ah_Seng]

Can i recommend makan instead?

Try the mutton in Karims located in Old Delhi. Soft and tender mutton....:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[glennyong]

Can i recommend makan instead?

Try the mutton in Karims located in Old Delhi. Soft and tender mutton....:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

and !!

INDIAN GINGER TEA !!!

eh.. so special ah.. u will miss it like crazy when u come back.....

and my reason for me to fly back will be the TEA... nothing beats having tea at 5.30am wearing fbt shorts and army singlet there.. hahahahahaha.......

their Paneer in spinach sauce.. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Ah_Seng]

Chai !!! Chai !!! Chai !!!

Chai for you sir?:bsmilie:

 

[cannonball]

i think the street scene beats the monuments anytime....

brings lotsa of sweets to hand the streetkids, to make them smile and capture their smiles..
dont give $, if you will be surrounded by more kids..

 

[glennyong]

i think the street scene beats the monuments anytime....

brings lotsa of sweets to hand the streetkids, to make them smile and capture their smiles..
dont give $, if you will be surrounded by more kids..

do not give anything. they will horde u... sweets they will demand for cash la...

i did once... and i got swarmed lor..

 

[icecube4u]

Hi Robbo,

Am from Delhi (working in Singapore) so here are my 2 cents worth -

Photogenic Locations

1. Qutab Minar
2. Akshardham monument - Built without steel and made entirely of sandstone and marble. A new temple but really huge. Both day as well as night shots can come out to be really nice
3. Delhi Haat - This is a place where they have shops from each and every state of India. The shops sell not only the local food of the state but also handicrafts made by hand from rural areas in those states. It's a good way to support the local artisans plus they make very good gifts at a resonable price. You get a feel of the whole of India plus it seems to be a dating spot for couples so you get to see good looking indian gals

For just one weeknd - The qutub Minar and red fort are in opposite directions, so travelling to both places on a same weekend will mean you won't have a lot of time left for other activities. Distances are killing especially if you hit a bad patch of traffic; (though traffic conditions have improved hell of a lot in the last 2 years)

If you want to go for having a taste of the local street life and some delicacies, the Old Delhi area (around the Jama Mazjid and Red Fort) are nice to be in.

I have a ton of friends staying there so if you need any help / guidance, you can let me know.

November end would mean cold temperatures so take warm clothing. Doesn't snow but i guess temperatures could be around 15 - 25 around that time. Check before you leave. Barely rains in that season.

If there is anything else i can help you with, let me know. If you could let me know the hotel you would be staying in, i could tell you palces to be in within the vicinity of that hotel.

Days are shorter so expect good light for photography between 9ish - 5 during the day.

Where not to go - It's a 10 day trip; There are enough trouristy kinda places to cover so you'll hardly get the time to wander into places where one might need to be extra careful. Just try not to wander far from public areas at night as a precaution. Am not saying you will die, but no harm in being careful...or make sure you have someone local with you.

FYI - Local emergency number for Police is 100.

Cheers,

Ice

Hi Folks
I'm off to Delhi with work for 10 days from 20th to 30th...basically it means I've got a weekend free. I did toy with Nepal or Agra but decided to stay in Delhi and capture some of the culture there.

Looking for recommendations - never shot away from home. Any advice for my first real outing gratefully received - especially where to go and where not to go in New/Old Delhi and any hints on when lighting may be best. On my list so far is:

• Red Fort
• Humayun's Tomb
• Qutb Minar

Apologies if this isn't the right place to post - couldn't see anywhere more obvious to discuss overseas trips !

 

[icecube4u]

do not give anything. they will horde u... sweets they will demand for cash la...

i did once... and i got swarmed lor..

Glennyong is right. Don't encourage them. They look worth every ounce of attention and sympathy. But they could send a wrong message and invite a few minutes of trouble. Infact inspite of being a help, it just encourages them to beg even more.

So try and avoid that.

 

[Robbo73]

Thanks all for the advice - been to India a couple of times before but only really tourist spots (Kerala and Goa). Really looking forward to it. Am from the UK so 15-25 is t-shirt weather !!!! Will be sure to pack a jumper or two.

Ice - top advice, many thanks. I'll be staying at the Radisson, New Delhi for the training & conference. Thanks especially for the tip on the market, I do like to make it a point to take some craft work away and show some support when I go visiting. Nice to know I won't die...very reassuring :bsmilie:

Cheers

 

[glennyong]

ok some pointers..

Delhi Haat is good place to shop. very very nice and secure place. but if i can remember correctly, u will need to purchase a ticket to get in.

but the best thing is that u can get some of the items which are priced reasonably.

i was in town, with a row of shops. i cant remember the street name, but it was in front of macdonalds.

a shawl was gg for 1000rps !!!!

and when i went to delhi haat. i got a better designed and better quality shawl at 200rps. of course after much bargaining...

if u want to get those marble sovenirs go direct to agra for it, esp those outside the Taj Mahal. very good pricing they gave me.

never buy marble sovenirs there... u will be experiencing someting called chop chop chilli chop chop... which means u get cheated to buy something of a extremely low cost item at super high prices...

never give beggars money, clothes or anything. just leave them alone....

and do not believe the weather predictions too much. Delhi is freaking cold during the december - jan periods. i was there during Jan. freakishly cold at night, and the morning too, but the rest of the day was good and nice..

for me i felt safe there bcause i had 2 guards walking with me.. hahaha.. they are wearing their army uniform thats why.... lols..... thats the treatment u get for being a friend with someone high up in the military posts.. haha...

handicrafts, delhi haat is nice place. and theres a place called Textile Emporium. dun go there.. also another chop chop chilli chop chop place.

try their macdonalds... something interesting... hahaa..McMaharaja Burger.. aka chicken Big Mac.. :bsmilie: i see if i can post some pictures from the place..

 

[icecube4u]

Thanks all for the advice - been to India a couple of times before but only really tourist spots (Kerala and Goa). Really looking forward to it. Am from the UK so 15-25 is t-shirt weather !!!! Will be sure to pack a jumper or two.

Ice - top advice, many thanks. I'll be staying at the Radisson, New Delhi for the training & conference. Thanks especially for the tip on the market, I do like to make it a point to take some craft work away and show some support when I go visiting. Nice to know I won't die...very reassuring :bsmilie:

Cheers

Anytime dude.
So Radisson it is - Right next to the international airport. Qutub Minar is near by (around 25 minutes drive) so you can go there.
As Glennyong said - there is a ticket for the entry to the Delhi Haat, but it's only 15 Rupees i guess (60 -70 odd cents). The place opens up till around 9 or 10 so you can be at ease when you go there.

There is another road (Called Janpath) which is very famous with tourist for the handicrafts stuff but you'll get it at a much reasonable price at Delhi Haat.

Glenn - I'll agree - I love the Chicken Maharaja Mac (Big Mac's cuz).

FYI - Agra is a 3 hours of 100 kmph drive from New Delhi. Within Agra the roads are bad so it can drive you crazy. The Taj makes it worth it but i doubt if you'll get the time.

 

[glennyong]

15rupees is the local rates...

i went there as tourist.. IIRC, they charged me like 70-85 rupees... :dunno:

but went in and gt a few stuffs la.. hahaha..

Macdonalds.. the curry pie... aka looks like apple pie with curry inside.. hahaha... interesting stuff for you to try. :bsmilie:

french fries taste different from those in singapore also..

Agra was ok when i was there during Jan. i stayed at the Grand Royal Palace or something. but not grand at all la... :bsmilie: but cosy enough thou.... hahhaa... 4 of us in one room.. crazy man...

but one bad experience with the coke there... my friend almost died there ok! he open and drank the coke. and later he realised theres a rusted nail inside... imagine if that thing went down his throat.. :faint:

Taj is nice place to go. must goo.. Red Fort also...

but if u are in the town. and dun mind wasting some time for history. so see the Lights and Sound show at the fort. dunno where la... i will check the name of the place for you.

i went and i was like sleeping through it, while my friends all listening..lol...i appreciate history. but the lights and all..induced me to sleep la.. and the weather so nice too.. :bsmilie:

 

[glennyong]

thinking back. 10 days really not very little. i was there in india for like 18 days... managed to see alot of things thou.....

but try to put the big visits in front. so u will not compromise your visit. the smaller ones can come abit later and will not matter too much if u didnt get to go.

Taj, Red Fort, Qtub Minar is those must go places.

places like Rajpath, Haat, all these can do abit later.

January 26, the RDP is the best.... see all their missiles and tanks and soliders and cadets march up and down....

and i was super lucky to be able to meet the president at his residence and of course receive some nice stuffs from him...

eh. makan at his place was.. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: better den any 5 star hotel here ok ! :bsmilie:

 

[Robbo73]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Packing my bags soon for the Sunday evening flight. If I get any pics worth sharing, I'll be sure to post.

Thanks again

 

[icecube4u]

Must say you know quiet a bit about the place. Even though i was born there, I haven't gone aorund as much in India as i have the rest of the world. With a camera in my kitty, it's now that i've started appreciating the colors of life there.

Good one Glen

thinking back. 10 days really not very little. i was there in india for like 18 days... managed to see alot of things thou.....

but try to put the big visits in front. so u will not compromise your visit. the smaller ones can come abit later and will not matter too much if u didnt get to go.

Taj, Red Fort, Qtub Minar is those must go places.

places like Rajpath, Haat, all these can do abit later.

January 26, the RDP is the best.... see all their missiles and tanks and soliders and cadets march up and down....

and i was super lucky to be able to meet the president at his residence and of course receive some nice stuffs from him...

eh. makan at his place was.. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: better den any 5 star hotel here ok ! :bsmilie:

 

[glennyong]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Packing my bags soon for the Sunday evening flight. If I get any pics worth sharing, I'll be sure to post.

Thanks again

yeah!! sunday yeah ! hahaha.... remember yah. keep ur wallets and passports in front.

Singapore Passports is worth $5000SGD there ok....
IC is worth $1200...

hahahaa.. becareful ah... :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

US passports i dunno.. hahaa.. but thats what i heard la... :bsmilie:

go there. mus bargain.and when u bargain. make sure u start with 40% of the price first. and then work ur way up....

and psst. i bought a shawl. very very nice. my mother like it alot. guess hw much i paid for it... 120 rupees. and that shopkeeper initially asked for 800rupees.... :bsmilie:

BARGAIN yah ! true singaporean spirit..

like wad russell peters say..... cannot do business with chinese sure die.. :bsmilie:

 

[glennyong]

Must say you know quiet a bit about the place. Even though i was born there, I haven't gone aorund as much in India as i have the rest of the world. With a camera in my kitty, it's now that i've started appreciating the colors of life there.

Good one Glen

dun like that sayy... india is very interesting... i was lucky thou. managed to see so many things. of course including meeting so many diplomats and big crabs (star star generals) there... hahahaa...

ok.. for the TS. these are the places i've visited.

Red Fort - Light and Sound show (super zzzz)
Sarojini Nagar - shopping (bargain..... if cannot get good price walk away..sure to get better pricing else where)

Qutab Minar + Lotus Temple (Lotus temple cannot talk inside, cannot take pictures inside yah !!! ) remember

Agra, Jaipur -- Taj Mahal and some King's tomb nearby... dunno the name. kinda forgot.. but it was huge la.... Get the marble stuffs there. i got my mini marble boxes at 500rps each... i mean shops outside the taj yah!

Rajpath - for Republic Day Parade

Singapore High Commission - hahaa.... if u can go thats good... lol... i went in anyway, and the guards salutted me... :faint:

Rashtrapati Bhawan - Meet President. :faint: if he is there ok ? :bsmilie:

Delhi Haat. - Tourist pay more for entrance.... aha.. bargain like mad inside.

things to try inside Delhi Haat:

A) Singapore CHow Mien
b) Vegetarian / Chicken MoMo (Chinese Dumplings)
c) Singapore chicken rice
d) Singapore fried rice

and some "singapore" stuffs there.... make sure u take some pics of it.... hahaha i was luffing my butt off when i saw someone of my group ordered the "Chow Mien" hahah...

hmmm.. did i miss something out ?? :embrass:

 

[redstone]

Wah... everyone's jealous...

 

[glennyong]

Wah... everyone's jealous...

save up and go there lorrr..... :bsmilie:

now fly to india very cheap leh... stay there also cheap .... no problems one... save up $1500 and u can fly there and spend like a king.... for like 1 week la.. hahaa.