India (North) July 2007

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

8 members of the Himalayas team in Northern India

At 17,582 ft - a test of my physical strength !

A vehicle passing through a stretch of no man's land 

The beautiful Pangong Tso Lake near the Tibetan/North India border

The famous Dal Lake of Kashmir

The snowy Himalayas mountain in Northern India

" My 24 days in Northern India & Himalayas (New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kashmir, Leh/Ladakh, Manali, McLeod Ganj & Shimla) - admiring the natural beauty of the great Himalayas range "

Total expenses incurred (24 days) : Rs22,449 = Rm3,788

Indian Airline Flight Itinerary

Booking Date: 2-7-07

Flight No: IC 854

Departure: KLIA 11.35am Saturday 14-7-07

Arrive: Indira Gandhi Airport 15.55pm Saturday 14-7-07

Return:

Flight No: IC853

Departure: Indira Gandhi Airport 00.50am Tuesday 7-8-07

Arrive: KLIA 10.20am Tuesday 7-8-07

Indian Airline flight: Rm1,410 (incl airport tax)

Travel Insurance: Rm126

Visa fee: Rm170

Bus/taxifare: Rm62

Hostel (19 nights): Rs4,120 (Rm371)

Food + Sundries: Rs3,898 + Rs1,608 (Rm495)

Transport:Rs6,483 (Rm583)

Domestic air ticket ( Delhi>Srinagar): Rs4,000 (Rm360)

Day tour (Agra & Jaipur): Rs1,500 (Rm135)

Entrance fee: Rs840 (Rm76)

Currency conversion: Rs100 (Indian Rupee) = Rm9.00

I joined the Hospitality Club in May 2006 after my retirement. While surfing the HC website in June 07, I saw a message posted by a HC member from New Delhi, India a few months ago inviting overseas members to join him for a visit to the Himalaya range in Ladakh, Northen India. As India was my dream country and I quickly posted my interest in the forum advising of my keen interest in participating. After a few email exchanges with the initiator, I was accepted into the team. The rest was history !

As this was my second backpacking trip, I was very excited of the various challenges I might encounter especially taking the jeep safaris to the Himalaya range, unfamiliar territory, poor living environment, high mountain altitude sickness, food hygiene, climatic changes etc.

As a non traveller berfore retirement, my knowledge in free & easy travelling was rather shallow and there was a big learning curve in terms of planning, booking hostels, understanding the public transport system etc. All this while, my sense of direction was appalling; not familiar at all in taking the MRT (mass rail transit) or LRT (light rail transit) trains even in my own country; not even know how to read a compass, so there was some phobia in me doing such free & easy trips overseas. But my passion for travel has motivated me to take up the challenge and after my 24 days in Northern India, I am proud to say I had overcome the hardship, mental & physical stress in completing this adventurous trip of a life time. I am no dinosaur after retirement and as a junior Senior Citizen (50-65 years category), I reckoned I had done well so far.

For this trip, I was eagered to see these places :

1) The Taj Mahal - a great wonder of the world

2) Kashmir

3) The Himalaya range

4) Leh / Ladakh

I started learning to write my travel blog after my Japan trip in May 08. As my Indian trip was done in July 07 and fortunately I still have the travel plan and pictures stored in my computer , I was able to account and complete this dated task for your reading pleasure.

" Life is short. Break the rules. Go travelling "