India Travel

A traveler’s first-aid kit

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Reaching Nepal from Bihar

Travelers heading from Patna towards Nepal have to cross the border at Raxaul, six hours away by bus. If you want to break the journey at Muzaffarpur you'll find limited accommodation near the bus stand and in the town centre near the railway station. You can then continue to Raxaul by bus or train. RAXAUL itself is an unattractive, grubby town with limited amenities, infested with mosquitoes and flies, so you're better off staying at Birganj across the Nepal border. If you have to stay, the clean retiring rooms are the best bet, but guests have to have a rail ticket

Medical resources for travelers

For up-to-the-minute information, make an appointment at a travel clinic. These clinics also sell travel accessories, including mosquito nets and first-aid kits. Information about specific diseases and conditions, drugs and herbal remedies is provided as well as advice from health experts. You could also consult the Rough Guide to Travel Health by Dr Nick Jones. UK British Airways Travel Clinics Operates several clinics located in London including 156 Regent St, London W1 020/7439 9584 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.15pm, Sat10am-4pm; no appointment necessary). There are appointment-only branches at 101 Cheapside, London EC2 020/7606 2977, and at the BA terminal in London's Victoria Station 020/7233 6661.

Australia and New Zealand

Auckland Hospital, Park Road, Grafton 09/797440. General traveller health advice. Travel-Bug Medical and Vaccination Centre, 161 Ward St, North Adelaide 08/8267 3544.Consultations, inoculations, first-aid/medical kits, post-travel examinations. Travellers' Immunization Service, 303 Pacific Hwy, Lind field, Sydney 02/9416 1348. Offers inoculations and general advice.

Abhivyakti in Rajasthan

The rulers of Bikaner have always objected to commercial exploitation of their heritage, and have therefore forbidden traders to set up shop in the fort. However, the royal principles have been relaxed for a good cause in the case of a handicrafts shop. Abhivyakti inside the main fort gate. Abhivyakti was established/with the aid of funding from the local Urmul Trust and from Oxfam in England. The high-quality rugs, bags, clothes, cushion-covers, shawls and stools sold here are made in 150 villages around Bikaner. In the past, all proceeds from sales of these unique handicrafts went directly to the villagers

Travellers’ Medical and Vaccination Centre

Australia; Level 7,428 George St, Sydney 02/9221 7133; Level 2,393 Little Bourke St, Melbourne 03/9603 5788; Level 6,29 Gilbert Place, Adelaide 08/8212 7522; Level 6,247 Adelaide St, Brisbane 07/3221 9066; 5 Mill St, Perth 08/9321 1977. New Zealand: 1/170 Oueen St 09/373 3531; 6 Washington Way, Christchurch 03/379 4000. General info/health line: it 1902/261 560 (Australia). Inoculations/medications, area-specific advice, list of English-speaking doctors in India, first-aid/medical kits and post-travel examinations. A full rundown of their branches, along with general travellers' health advice.

Clothes and textiles in Mumbai

Mumbai produces the bulk of India's clothes, mostly the lightweight, light-coloured "shirtings and suitings" favoured by droves of uniformly attired office-wallahs. For cheaper Western clothing, you can't beat the long row of stalls on the pavement of MG Road, opposite the Mumbai Gymkhana. "Fashion Street" specializes in reject and export-surplus goods ditched by big manufacturers, selling off T-shirts, jeans, leggings, summer dresses, and trendy sweatshirts. Better-quality cotton clothes (often stylish designer-label rip-offs) are available in shops along Colaba Causeway, such as Cotton World, down Mandlik Marg. If you're looking for traditional Indian clothes, head for the Khadi Village Industries Emporium

What about the water?

One of the chief concerns of many prospective visitors to India is whether the water is safe to drink. To put it simply, it's not, though your unfamiliarity with Indian micro-organisms is generally more of a problem rather than any great virulence in the water itself. As a rule, it is not a good idea to drink tap water, although in big cities it is usually chlorinated. However, you'll find it almost impossible to avoid untreated tap water completely: it is used to make ice, which may appear in drinks without being asked for, to wash utensils and so on. Bottled

Hanuman Chatti of Yamunotri in Uttaranchal

The bleak roadhead for the Yamunotri trek, Hanuman Chatti is connected by bus with Dehra Dun, Mussoorie, and Rishikesh. Some routes require a change at Barkot, 29km short, which has a GMVN Tourist Bungalow and several other basic hotels. Buses and shared taxis (about Rs30) run the last leg up from there along a road which is prone to landslides. Hanuman Chatti itself also holds a large GMVN Tourist Bungalow with good dorms, pleasantly situated down by the river, and a couple of basic hotels up at the bus stand. Most trekkers pass straight through, however, and stay in the

Andhra Pradesh

Although ANDHRA PRADESH occupies a great swathe of eastern India, stretching for more than 1200 km along the coast from Orissa to Tamil Nadu and reaching far inland from the fertile deltas of the Godavari and Krishna rivers to the semi-arid Deccan Plateau, it's not a place that receives many tourists. Most foreign travelers pass through en route to its more attractive neighbors, which is understandable as places of interest are few and far between. However, the sights that Andhra Pradesh does have to offer are absorbing and well enough connected to warrant at least a few stops on a

Rekking in Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh

Unfrequented mountain trails criss-cross Kinnaur, offering treks ranging from gentle hikes to challenging climbs over high-altitude passes. The routes along the Sutlej Valley- punctuated with government rest houses and villages, are feasible without the aid of ponies, but away from the main road you need to be completely self-sufficient. Porters can usually be hired in Rampur. Rekong Peo and the Baspa Valley except in early autumn (Sept/Oct), when they're busy with the apple harvest. (Chini) Almost 250km northeast of Shimla and 12km along a twisting road from Rekong Peo, KALPA can be reached by road, or on foot along various steep

Fort Cochin in Kerala

Addy's. Elphinstone Road. Open Sam until midnight, in a lovely rambling seventeenth-century house, with lanterns, gingham cloths and loads of family atmosphere. The place gets enthusiastic reviews, with a high entertainment rating and praise for the meat dishes in particular, although Keralan dishes and fresh fish are also on the menu. Brunton Boatyard, next to Fort Cochin Jetty. The expensive menu comprises a wonderful collection of dishes designed to reflect all the cultural influences that that have played a part in the history of Cochin: Lebanese, Portuguese, British Raj, Dutch Jewish, and of course, Keralan. Unfortunately, it is a la carte

Eating and drinking North Bengal

Darjeeling has plenty of choice for eating out. The more touristy of its restaurants are around the top of town. Many of the hotels, such as the Windamere and New Elgin, have good multi-cuisine restaurants. The Aliment has an excellent budget traveler friendly menu (you can have a meal for Rs40-100) while Triveni opposite is similar and the Tower View produces excellent home cooking. The New Embassy restaurant at the Chinese-owned Valentino is well worth the splurge. For drinks or light meals, try Joey's Pub,a friendly place on Dr SM Das Road with good atmosphere, or Beni's Cafe on the

Trekking in Ladakh and Zanskar

The ancient footpaths that crisscross Ladakh and Zanskar provide some of the most inspiring trekking in the Himalayas. Threading together remote Buddhist villages and monasteries, cut off in winter behind high passes whose rocky tops bristle with windswept thickets of prayer flags, nearly all are long, hard and high - but rarely dull The best time to trek is from June to September. New areas where restrictions have recently been lifted such as the Nubra Valley and Rupshu (Tso Moriri) are gradually being developed, and Leh- and Manali-based trekking agents are busy exploring new itineraries. Whether you make all the necessary

Trekking from Palampur district in Himachal Pradesh

With its lush tea gardens, alpine meadows and the harsh and rocky crags of the Dhaula Dhar range, Palampur is a good base for some lesser-known treks; the passes north of town offer unrivalled views of the Kangra Valley. An easy four-day hike leads from PALAMPUR over Waru Pass (3850m), the "gateway of wind", via Satchali, Thanetar and Dhog to Holi; continuing for two more testing days to the sacred Manimahesh Lake near Brahmour. From Dhog it's possible to continue east to Barabhangal and as far as Manali. A pleasant but difficult seven- or eight-day trek from PALAMPUR starts by crossing

Fort Cochin in Kerala

Moving northwest from Mattancherry Palace along Bazar Road, you pass wholesale emporia where owners, sitting behind scales surrounded by sacks of spices, may well be prepared to talk about their wares. Keep walking in a northerly direction, over the canal and then westwards into Fort Cochin. The architecture of the quiet streets in this enclave is very definitely European, with fine houses built by wealthy British traders, and Dutch cottages with split farmhouse doors. At the water's edge there's a bus stand, boat jetty and food and drinks stalls. This area and nearby Princess Street (which has a few budget

Islands north of Port Blair in The Andaman Islands

Printed on the permit card you receive on arrival in the Andamans is a list of all the other islands you're allowed to visit in the archipelago. The majority of them are north of Port Blair. Given the great distances involved, not to mention the often erratic connections between them (and the time limit imposed by the one-month permit), it definitely pays to know where to head for as soon as you arrive rather than drift off on the first promising ferry out of Phoenix Jetty. The best way of doing this is to talk to fellow travellers arriving back

Some history of Jodhpur in Rajasthan

In 1459, Rao Jodha of the Rathore clan moved the capital of Marwar state several kilometres from the exposed site of Mandore to a massive steep-sided escarpment, where he named his new capital after himself.The high barricaded fort proved virtually impregnable, and the city soon amassed great wealth from trade en route to the ports of Gujarat. Not surprisingly, the Moghuls were eager to take over Jodhpur, but realizing there was little prospect of that, they presented treaties and riches to the Rathores in exchange for military aid in their onslaught on Gujarat. A marriage alliance between Udai Singh's sister

Practicalities in Goa

Buses to and from Panjim (via Mapusa) pull into Arambol every half-hour until noon, and every 90min thereafter, at the small bus stand on the mam road. A faster private minibus service from Panjim arrives daily opposite the chai stalls at the beach end of the village. Boats leave here every Wednesday morning for the ninety-minute trip to the flea market at Anjuna. Tickets should be booked in advance from the Welcome Restaurant by the beach (Tues-Sun 8-9am & 8-9pm; Rsl50), which also rents out motorcycles and scooters. The post office, next to the church, has a post restante box;

Some history of North of Jaipur in Rajasthan

The first people to settle the lands north of Jaipur, Muslims of the Khaimkani clan, established two small states based at Jhunjhunu and Fatehpur in 1450. Their hold on the region was broken in 1730, when the Rajput Sardul Singh of the Shekawat clan took over Jhunjhunu. Two years later he consolidated Shekhawati rule by helping his brother (already ruler of Sikar) to seize Fatehpur from its Muslim Nawab. Although the area is known as Shekhawati. the Shekawat Rajputs were only responsible for the construction of the forts in each town. The caravan route known as the "spice road" passed through

Maheshwar in Western Madhya Pradesh

Overlooking the north bank of the mighty River Narmada, 91km southwest of Indore. MAHESHWAR has been identified as the site of King Kartvirajun's ancient capital. Mahishmati, a city mentioned in both the Mahabharata and Ramayana. In the eighteenth century, Maharam Ahilya Bhai built a palace and several temples here, giving the town a new lease of life. Today, it's a prominent port of call on the Narmada Hindu pilgrimage circuit, but well off the region's tourist trail. The waterfront ghats that line the river below an old sandstone palace, however, make a quintessentially Indian spectacle. Parties of yatris take holy dips,