North-Central Plains What to Expect

The best way to meet some locals is to wear a sari. The women and kids will come and talk to you and will re dress you. A major ice breaker!

A gem in the centre of India ... reach there by taxi from Jhansi and stay at the Bundelkhand Riverside Hotel if you can (a property of the Maharaja of Orchha now converted into a hotel) ... the rooms have fabulous views of Betwa River and you can just step from them and reach the banks ... do visit the Jehangir Mahal for some intricate architecture and the Lakshiminarayan temple for some really fabulous frescoes ... and the more modest birthplace of the ancient poet Keshav Das housed in school compound and a bit more difficult to find ... worth fixing up the same taxi guy for getting you into Orchha, sightseeing within the city, and any trips out it, if you are going to Khajuraho for instance...

Famous for the Taj Mahal Agra is most popular with tourists therefore being very crowded. Foreign tourists have to pay way over the odds to get into see the Taj Mahal than Indian tourists, so its worth knowing that fridays are free.

One of the worst cities in India, in my opinion. Get in, see the Fort and the Taj, and get out! The touts are the most vicious I've ever encountered. Yikes!

a door stop to shove on the inside of the door when you are sleeping comes in very handy...gives you a heads up if someone tries to break in so you can have time to grab something to throw or at least yell out!!

Most come here to see the Taj Mahal. Its worth knowing fridays are free. Usually foreigners have to pay above the odds, alot more than Indian tourists to get into see it. Agra is a fab place though and if you like monkeys yo'll be glad to know there is a lot of wild ones running around the streets! Bring some bananas, but be careful of your hand!

A gem in the centre of India ... reach there by taxi from Jhansi and stay at the Bundelkhand Riverside Hotel if you can (a property of the Maharaja of Orchha now converted into a hotel) ... the rooms have fabulous views of Betwa River and you can just step from them and reach the banks ... do visit the Jehangir Mahal for some intricate architecture and the Lakshiminarayan temple for some really fabulous frescoes ... and the more modest birthplace of the ancient poet Keshav Das housed in school compound and a bit more difficult to find ... worth fixing up the same taxi guy for getting you into Orchha, sightseeing within the city, and any trips out it, if you are going to Khajuraho for instance...

Famous for the Taj Mahal Agra is most popular with tourists therefore being very crowded. Foreign tourists have to pay way over the odds to get into see the Taj Mahal than Indian tourists, so its worth knowing that fridays are free.

One of the worst cities in India, in my opinion. Get in, see the Fort and the Taj, and get out! The touts are the most vicious I've ever encountered. Yikes!

a door stop to shove on the inside of the door when you are sleeping comes in very handy...gives you a heads up if someone tries to break in so you can have time to grab something to throw or at least yell out!!

Most come here to see the Taj Mahal. Its worth knowing fridays are free. Usually foreigners have to pay above the odds, alot more than Indian tourists to get into see it. Agra is a fab place though and if you like monkeys yo'll be glad to know there is a lot of wild ones running around the streets! Bring some bananas, but be careful of your hand!

A lot of developments going on - new buildings, road networks. Quite a dusty place though (due to construction, or something else?). Be sure to carry a handkerchief to cover your nose with.

Thanesar is very close to a place called Kurukshetra. For some reason it's not selectable as a location here but it is actually a fairly good sized city. It's an interesting place because it's located on an ancient battleground that rivals Har Meggido in the amount of blood spilled there. It's supposedly the place where Arjuna received the Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Bible) from Krishna at the beginning of an epic battle that's said to have taken place there thousands of years ago. It's home to the largest man made Ghat (pool) in India, maybe even the world i'm not sure but it's huge and really fun to do cannballs into. It looks filthy, it probably is but if you go at night and try not to think about it, you'll live. I did. Oh and if you run into a local guy there named Deepak Sharma....RUN! He will try to talk you into some nonsense that will no doubt turn into a massive waste of your time. Of course if you're into that sort of thing, I will say, you could have an interesting adventure. Oh and if you get into trouble, find the police and ask for Rameshwar. He doesn't speak english at all but he's still really nice (well if you're his friend) and a blast to get drunk with. In fact everyone at his station is like that. Oh and bring mesquito repelent. Lots of it. and a flashlight, the power goes out all the time, more so then other places in India.

Eat at the restaurant for MVP and Krishna Balaram Mandir. The food won't make you sick. Shop Loi Bazaar and always check to make sure the water bottle lid has not already been broken. And don't underestimate the power of the Aryurvedic doctor to heal!

The birthplace of the hindu mythological god Lord Krishna. Do take sun protection during summer months - feb thru july-

go early to the tree to catch all the rush
or late
also, bring a surgical mask for the smoke/dust