Travelling in India

There are no restrictions on bringing cameras into India. If they are for your use, you don’t have to declare them.

Public transport—Delhi has a new metro, plus an extensive bus system. You may find, though, that hiring a taxi or auto-rickshaw (cheaper) gives you more freedom and more value—since those drivers will serve as your fixer, translator, etc., for no additional cost.

The cheap hotels are all in Paharganj (Old Delhi, near the Red Fort). Any guidebook like the Lonely Planet will point you in the right direction. You can also wait until you arrive to book a room—it’s always best to see it before you reserve it (cleanliness, noise, condition of the bathroom, etc.)

i travel to India frequently, and have just returned from a 2 weeks’ trip. i usually take my 2 cameras, a digicam, a laptop, lenses, sound recorder etc with no problems whatsoever. nothing to declare either as these are my personal possessions. in some domestic airports, you may have to go thru a hand search because of your gear, but nothing more onerous other than that.

always check your hotel room before you pay for it. check for hot water, a/c (if available), stuff like that.

cheers,

There is a hotel on the Main Bazaar Road in Paharganj, just round the corner from the cinema which is also on a main road. Hotel Namaskar I believe it is called. has a huge tree in front and down the street heading toward the road that takes you to Connaught Place there is a neat little temple. I happened to like that place best when I visited, but that was ten years ago. Dont rush out of Delhi before you tour a bit of it if you can. It is a fascinating city.

When in town, an “auto” is the way to travel: cheap, fredom and available everywhere. Next option would be a taxi. BTW, tell them to use the meter. When it’s “broken” get another auto or taxi. You’ll get stiffed otherwise. If you know for sure the price is too high, just give what you figured the price would be and walk away. My wife lived in Hyderabad for 2 years and travelled the same route at least twice a day. She knew the price would be between 20 and 25 rupees. She didn’t bother to ask for a meter. She just gave 25 rupees and walked away, much to the annoyance of the auto driver who would scold and yell, until his fellow drivers would tell him my wife comes and goes twice a day and knows exactly the price.

Also, ask the driver whether he knows the place you want to go, especially if it’s a specific building or district. Usually they’ll say “yes, I know” and often they don’t. No problem, as long as they ask around and find the place quickly. If, however, it’s taking 5-10-more minutes while the meters runs and he’s going this-way-that-way, asking-here-and-there, and not finding your destination. Tell him to stop, offer 75% of the meter price and see if he accepts. If he doesn’t and tells you to pay the meter price, insist that 75% is enough as he lied to you about his knowledge. If he persists, walk away, and see how quickly he’s going to accept the 75%. I’ve find it’s often necessary to be tough like this with auto drivers as a foreigner in India but you must if don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on transportation. It adds up quickly.

When going from town to town, the train is a fab way to go. At the train ticket office there’s usually a window for credit card payments. The queue here is usually much shorter than anywhere else. If you’re travelling with a women, there’s a women’s queue that’s also shorter than others. You could reap some benefit from finding the “foreigners” ticket office if you only have foreign currency, though I find that the prices for locals (in local curerncy) are better. :) Having a local buy the tickets is also helpful. Third-class sleeper class is a good deal. You’ll meet lots of middle class Indians, have a bed to sit on and sleep in, and it’s not as crowded and dirty and hot as the lower classes. BTW, I prefer to take a top bunk. Also, bring a lock-and-chain (often even available from vendors outside the station) to fasten you bag/ backpack/ suitcase to the bed. Lock your bag/ backpack/ suitcase with a padlock and wire mesh. Keep your valuables inside your bed. Sleep on top of them.

I’ve had no otruble with locals or crime in the times (nearly 4 months over a 2 year period) that I spend in Hyderabad (hardly a tourist spot). I could safely walk around with my camera backpack and cameras in the most crowded of places (the market near Shar Minar is very crowded, as are the bazars in Secunderabad, for isntance) and never felt like I was a target. For vendors yes, for pickpockets no. Delhi was a different matter. In the bazars, streets and markets of Old Delhi, I never felt safe enough there to keep my backpack on my back. I always carried it in front of me. But Delhi is a tourist spot. New Delhi gave me a better feeling outside the very touristy areas, but Old Delhi is much more interesting and more photogenic. Red Fort is a great site to visit, as is the dsitricy right opposite from it.

Thx for the information, it will be useful.

Good luck, Bernard. India is a photographer’s dream…there’s a good photo every direction you turn, just about everywhere you go. It’s an orgy of colors, scents, sounds, and stories. Everybody is on a hustle, but that’s how people survive. Hustle back. If someone tries to overcharge you, do him one better, offer him one-fourth of the price. The people are also wonderfully open and warm, if you will meet them on their terms. Buy some local clothes (at least one kurta — the long shirt). Wear it over jeans just like the au courant young MPs in Delhi.

Hallo Bernard, zoals velen u reeds verteld hebben, rickshaw en taxi zijn echt wel aan te raden … en India is super fotogeniek ….De busberbindingen zijn ook goed, maar wel crowded …. als je de weg van de Ganges volgt neem genoeg tijd voor Varanassi, die plaats is echt wel de moeite speciale sfeer , breng er zeker een nacht of 2 door Zeker ! … je gaat er goeie foto’s kunnen maken … probeer ook te focussen op één onderwerp misschien en daar een verhaal rond te maken …bv in Varanassi zijn er heel veel mensen bezig met joga enzo (jonge mannen) kan je een mooi verhaal over maken, weet ook dat wanneer Indiërs de weg niet weten (ook de bestuurders van de ricksaw , ze je verkeerd (op een andere plaats ) gaan droppen … je ziet het meestal aan hun eerste reactie … een kleine twijfel ….
(nog iets kleins : als ze ok bedoelen (dus ja willen zeggen) , schudden ze met hun hoofd van links naar rechts , precies zoals ze bij ons zouden zeggen van "ik weet het niet goed "…) kan handig zijn !
India is echt heel tof ! Je gaat je echt amuseren …. weet ook dat een vierde van de prijs , als ze je iets willen verkopen, nog altijd genoeg is ….

succes !

THx,

I have another question. Does anyone have some experiences with mail service in India. I would like to sent dvd’s (photo) at home as a backup.

Postal services are fine as long as you send from the main post office in the major cities. Send by priotity and/or registered mail; never opt for the cheapest solution. My wife once had to wait 3(!) years for a box of books to arrive from India to Mongolia.

welcome to India. about Indian Postal Service- “Speed Post” is available for your DVD cDs (should be well packed). other wise go to any DHL,DTDC,or other known private curier services for safe despatch.
Enjoy India
subhamoy

welcome to India. about Indian Postal Service- “Speed Post” is available for your DVD cDs (should be well packed). other wise go to any DHL,DTDC,or other known private curier services for safe despatch.
Enjoy India
subhamoy

Registered post is the way to go, if you prefer the post. Or private couriers are available, but place your bet only on known couriers as Subhamoy has said. Once we’ve lost a package of magazine subscriber records worth one whole year – thanks to a local courier guy who could not trace where the hell that package went!

But then again, all other correspondence and packages have always arrived safely and on time. So don’t be bothered much :)

Have fun while in India! There’s a lot to enjoy – just watch your money, people tend to misguide foreigners into paying much more than the real price. Be a little… um… hard nut to crack, esp. when it comes to money.

Enjoy!

A late entry, but maybe the information is still pertinent.

I’ve entered at Mumbai twice, and each time, my 3 cameras were questioned. The first time, saying “personal use” cleared things quickly. The second time, though, I needed a 20-minute discussion, and what finally seemed to back them off was that registration form I fill out for U.S. Customs. Just having something official from a customs office seemed to satisfy them, even though the form had no standing in their country.

I carry the 3 cameras in one carry-on bag. Maybe that attracts attention? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I am Based in New Delhi. Meet up when you get here.
Tashi
Phone 9873718377