First time lone traveller - 24 yr Male - Aug '09

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Hi people.

I wondered if anybody may be able to offer me some advice.

I am travelling to India on 25/08/09 for 2 weeks. I am travelling alone and this is my first experience of this kind. India is an AMAZING country with fantastic traditions, cultural differences to what we have in the UK and some facinating thigns to see, hence the reason I have chosen to visit India.

My only initial plan up till now is to fly into Delhi on the 25th (landing 09:45), spend the first day trying to find somewhere to stay ie a hostel or cheap hotel, and then work through my ambitions from there. Is this easy enough to find accomodation?

I have 1 major thing I would like to do if possible. I am a major football (soccer) fan and would love to go and watch a game or 2 in the crowd of an Indian Premier League match. I go to a lot of games in the UK and would love to sample football from a completely different perspective. Could you advise where it may be best to visit to do this?

Other than that, I'm keen to meet lots of other travellers and hopefully join in activites and adventures along the way for these 2 weeks. Trekking? Swimming? Anything really? I am not worried about travelling but obviosuly being there only 2 weeks and such a large scale country, it wouldn’t make sense making my way half way across India?

I am looking at a budget of around £500 GBP, do you think that this would be suffice? I know it depends on what you do, and i am planning a budget trip so.... cheaper is better.... but anyone who has done something similar, your advice is most helpful?

If you can help with any advice as like I say - this is a debut for me and I'm very nervous, at the same time extremely excited about the prospect - I would appreciate your help ever so much.

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Comments

[vaibhav]

Regarding India
Hi Simone, I would suggest explore bed and breakfast scheme in Delhi or even try for YMCA hostel accomodation inDelhi. Please atleast get 2-3 days of acco before you explore yourself. I am an Indian and have been in Delhi too,Delhi autos and taxi drivers are not that friendly. You can use prepaid taxis /dial-a-cab service initially. Further ,I suggest explore Himachal Pradesh places like Manali,kulu,Lahaul Spiti (this will give you a feel of Tibet too) If you are adventourus and focused only on this then I suggest from Delhi - fly to Leh and spent your time there ...its a different place ,calm quiet and amazingly beautiful...on way back to plains you can try a road trip from Leh- Manali (highest and dangerous but u will then view the best natural beautiful sties en route) And if you want to visit Taj Mahal :- You can do that within a day or two....You can go in evening to Agra ,stay in a hotel in Agra Cantt and visit Taj-Mahal in early morning ,then you can try FATEHPUR SIKRI ..etc and return to Delhi in evening by train or hired cab. hope this helps:) regards, Vaibhav

[Borny]

advice
Wow thank you for your advice it is fantastic. I think what i am going to do is book into a Hotel for the first 2 nights, that way i can grasp what to do from there and gain a perspective. I need to do some research and raelly think about what i want to do in my short space of time. There is so much. I am very adventurous, would love to try things that are extraordinary, see some beautiful places, meet lots of people from all kinds of backgrounds. One thing i would LOVE to do while there is go to a Football game. I love English football and would love to sample the atmosphere in a different country and culture. Can you advise on this? Also one other ambition. I would love to, if possible spend a day, or at least a bit of time in a slum. I aspire to give away my favourtite football shirt to a child, someone who has very little and would appreciate this gesture as an act of friendship and, well admiration for their bravery and amazing strength. Do you think that this might be possible? Finally, i would love it if i could spend 3 or 4 days volunteering with Indian children. I have read about children who's mothers are so poor they have to become sex slaves and prostitutes. I feel amazingly touched by the strength of these children and the power they have to understand this. I would love to help. I dont know if this might be possible, but any disadvtantaged children i would love to just spend a few days entertaining, teaching and just making them smile. Do you know if this might be possible? Thank you so much for your help Vaibhav. Your a big help to me. Kind regards; Simon