9 Cities in 15 days in India Part 1
by
Jia Shin Lee
- March 05, 2017
Migrated this old post from my old blog because I really wanted to share my experience in India.
It is our first trip together, when we were just a couple, Ricky made the arrangements to travel to Northern India, 9 cities in India within 15 days. It was an amazing trip, I'm glad he dragged me along although I was complaining the entire trip because I've always been a city girl but if you love mother nature this is the trip for you. It was surely an adventure, driving right beside cliffs, hiking up moutains, slept without heater during winter, learnt how to start a fire as well.
Here are some precautions to take, before going to India we consulted our GP and took a hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine. You'll also need to get your visa done at the Indian Visa Application Centre @ Straits Trading Building, No. 2, Lebuh Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur. We were also advised to drive cook water and try not to take too much of the street food because the concern about cleanliness but nevertheless there's a large variety of incredibly delicious cuisine, different kinds of curried vegetables, breads, rice, chutneys, cheese and endless exquisite sweets made from milk, sugar and wheat which we enjoyed so much, I gained a total of 7kgs when I got back.
Here's the itinerary.
Day 1 - New Delhi 新德里
Day 2 - Agra 阿格拉
Day 3 & 4 - Amritsar 阿姆利則
Day 5 & 6 - Dharamsala 達蘭薩拉
Day 7 & 8 - Manali 馬拉里
Day 9 - Tatapani
Day 10 - Sarahan
Day 11 - Reckong Peo
Day 12 & 13 - Shimla Day
14 & 15 - New Delhi
Day 1 - New Delhi 新德里
Our first authentic Indian meal upon arrival in New Delhi. There's a The food was just finger lickin' good, the panner (cottage cheese) was different from the ones we have in KL and I love it so much.
New Delhi never sleeps, the city is busy all day long, the air pollution level is also really high. For the first night, we took a stroll into Old Delhi, it's a little bit scary because it seems like we were the only chinese couple around and there wasn't any travelers in the area. You feel kinda weird stranded in a place where you're not familiar with no taxi and no one speaking english. and we had to walk quite a distance to find a tuk-tuk to get us back to the hotel.
Day 2 - Agra 阿格拉
Taj Mahal is located Agra, it's a 5 hours journey from New Delhi. A tour could be easily arrange at the hotel and it's cheaper than booking them online. I was really excited to see my first seven wonders of the world.
Do not fall for the photographers scam. We wanted our photographs to be taken but the tour guide do not provide such services in Taj Mahal he'll introduce you to a group of photographers, they will show you the price & package of 15 - 35 pictures. So we chose the 20 pictures package in the end he printed 35 pictures and insist that we take take and the price was different! So be careful!
Day 3 - Amritsar 阿姆利則
Catch a train from New Delhi to Amritsar, it took us 6 hours. We booked our tickets online via www.trainman.in this is easier because they do have a rather complicated trails which was very confusing. I was really excited to go to Amritsar because we had book a tour for the Golden Temple and Wagah Border.
Made it just in time to visit the Golden Temple before sunset. Upon entering the premises, you'll have to take off your shoes, wash your legs and wear a head covering. The temple floors are made out of marble and it was difficult for me to walk because I am not still not used to the cold, at the end of my tour my foot began to numb and I couldn't really feel them anymore. Despite my numbing toes I had a really great experience learning about the religion and enjoying the temple.
There is also a belief, whoever takes a dip in the lake surrounding the temple, gets rid of their bad karma, even though it is winter but I still see people taking a dip in the pond.
The Golden Temple also has a soup kitchen, it is the world's largest free kitchen. The soup kitchen provides Food is serve to all visitors regardless of faith or religion. Blessed to be here I was also given a chance to volunteer to stack up chapati's in the soup kitchen.
Dinner at Vinsa Our Herritage, Near Jallianwalabagh, Amritsar.
We stayed at Hotel Indus, it was near the temple and the restaurant was on the roof top and that's where you get to enjoy the amazing view it the morning or evening.
The Wagah border closing 'lowering of the flags' ceremony was a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force) and Pakistan. The border is approximately 1 hour from town.
Personally I felt that it was great show, watching the changing of guards on the Indian - Pakistan border, there will be lots of cheering and singing from both parties and displaying patriotism.
Our last night here in Amritsar, Ricky brought me to this famous indian restaurant, Crystal.
Amritsar is a holy city so it's really difficult to get alcohol, especially when you're staying near the temple, the nearest place you could get beer is near the Amritsar bus stop, btw do give naan and beer a try, it's just damn good!
It is our first trip together, when we were just a couple, Ricky made the arrangements to travel to Northern India, 9 cities in India within 15 days. It was an amazing trip, I'm glad he dragged me along although I was complaining the entire trip because I've always been a city girl but if you love mother nature this is the trip for you. It was surely an adventure, driving right beside cliffs, hiking up moutains, slept without heater during winter, learnt how to start a fire as well.
Here are some precautions to take, before going to India we consulted our GP and took a hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine. You'll also need to get your visa done at the Indian Visa Application Centre @ Straits Trading Building, No. 2, Lebuh Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur. We were also advised to drive cook water and try not to take too much of the street food because the concern about cleanliness but nevertheless there's a large variety of incredibly delicious cuisine, different kinds of curried vegetables, breads, rice, chutneys, cheese and endless exquisite sweets made from milk, sugar and wheat which we enjoyed so much, I gained a total of 7kgs when I got back.
Here's the itinerary.
Day 1 - New Delhi 新德里
Day 2 - Agra 阿格拉
Day 3 & 4 - Amritsar 阿姆利則
Day 5 & 6 - Dharamsala 達蘭薩拉
Day 7 & 8 - Manali 馬拉里
Day 9 - Tatapani
Day 10 - Sarahan
Day 11 - Reckong Peo
Day 12 & 13 - Shimla Day
14 & 15 - New Delhi
Day 1 - New Delhi 新德里
Our first authentic Indian meal upon arrival in New Delhi. There's a The food was just finger lickin' good, the panner (cottage cheese) was different from the ones we have in KL and I love it so much.
New Delhi never sleeps, the city is busy all day long, the air pollution level is also really high. For the first night, we took a stroll into Old Delhi, it's a little bit scary because it seems like we were the only chinese couple around and there wasn't any travelers in the area. You feel kinda weird stranded in a place where you're not familiar with no taxi and no one speaking english. and we had to walk quite a distance to find a tuk-tuk to get us back to the hotel.
Day 2 - Agra 阿格拉
Taj Mahal is located Agra, it's a 5 hours journey from New Delhi. A tour could be easily arrange at the hotel and it's cheaper than booking them online. I was really excited to see my first seven wonders of the world.
Day 3 - Amritsar 阿姆利則
Catch a train from New Delhi to Amritsar, it took us 6 hours. We booked our tickets online via www.trainman.in this is easier because they do have a rather complicated trails which was very confusing. I was really excited to go to Amritsar because we had book a tour for the Golden Temple and Wagah Border.
Made it just in time to visit the Golden Temple before sunset. Upon entering the premises, you'll have to take off your shoes, wash your legs and wear a head covering. The temple floors are made out of marble and it was difficult for me to walk because I am not still not used to the cold, at the end of my tour my foot began to numb and I couldn't really feel them anymore. Despite my numbing toes I had a really great experience learning about the religion and enjoying the temple.
There is also a belief, whoever takes a dip in the lake surrounding the temple, gets rid of their bad karma, even though it is winter but I still see people taking a dip in the pond.
The Golden Temple also has a soup kitchen, it is the world's largest free kitchen. The soup kitchen provides Food is serve to all visitors regardless of faith or religion. Blessed to be here I was also given a chance to volunteer to stack up chapati's in the soup kitchen.
The Wagah border closing 'lowering of the flags' ceremony was a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force) and Pakistan. The border is approximately 1 hour from town.
Personally I felt that it was great show, watching the changing of guards on the Indian - Pakistan border, there will be lots of cheering and singing from both parties and displaying patriotism.
Amritsar is a holy city so it's really difficult to get alcohol, especially when you're staying near the temple, the nearest place you could get beer is near the Amritsar bus stop, btw do give naan and beer a try, it's just damn good!
