--------Original Message-------
Subject: feedback on the trip
From: "Patricia Verdyck
Date: Sat, Mar 3, 2012 at 3:35 AM
To: polytravels@sify.com
Hello Sanjay,
I hope you are doing fine.
As promised, my comment:
The overall feeling about the trip was certainly positive and I surely visited many beautiful places. I honestly very much appreciated your very quick reactions on my call or sms messages. If I give positive and negative comments below, it is to make the next tour planning even better.
The most positive memories that will remain from the tour in North-India:
-The friendly atmosphere, the palace, the market… made Jaisalmer for me the nicest place to stay;
-The drive to the temple of Ranakpur because of the beautiful nature and villages along the road;
-Fort of Jodhpur (impressive + first fort that I saw) and sitting around the fire at Mandore Guest House;
-Jaipur: town where it seemed easiest to see a lot of interesting things at relaxing pace: the Amber palace & Hawa Mahal and the Valley of Galta near Jaipur – nice peaceful place;
-The sense of humor of Rajesh Jangid (Nawalgar) and his "guided tour" to the beautiful haveli's and the best chai makers;
-Relaxed atmosphere at Bundi;
-The drummer at Puskar Lake at sunset;
-The road to Bijapur with the villages next to the road and the changing landscape.
About the hotels:
I very much appreciated that you gave me all freedom to give input on the hotels (my choice of Ramesh Jangid's tourist pension ok for you without any problem) The mix between normal and luxurious hotels was very nice. I am very well aware that it was thanks to your good relations with the managers of the hotels, I often had a very nice room, which I surely appreciated very much.
The hotels I will remember best, apart from Mandore Guest House, are:
Bijapur Castle was the topper of course. The drink with music by the fire in the evening was magic. The room I had, with the balcony to sit on right in front of the room, was super;
Ramesh Jangid's tourist pension: friendly and familial atmosphere;
Bisau palace: quite luxurious;
MPTDC in Orchha: nice unusual stay in the tent, beautiful garden and view on the river Betwa;
About the transport:
-I very much appreciated the "taxi"-services to and from the hotel. It may seem stupid to you to have a taxi if you can do everything by tuk tuk yourself, but being tired it was often a relief not to have to negotiate prices, you could just step in and be sure you were brought to the correct hotel (no worries). Good of you to give me some idea about the price for the rickshaw in Varanasi, as to me (how far is it, what is a normal price?), it is very difficult to know what is reasonable. Good of you to tell me in advance the drive to Orchha was quite far from the station. The driver (with a tempo I think it is called) was a very correct and friendly person. Because he also made the arrangement for the hour I would leave for Khujurahow.
-About the trains:
I would recommend the Shabdi expres to everyone who travels from Agra to Orchha. It was a very nice train journey: well announced, well organized, not too long, clean The berths that were reserved for me on the night trains were absolutely the best (lower and side berth on the last train) Although I know the train journeys were booked to stay within the budget, I would not recommend it to others for more than 1 night. (Of course I do not know how much more expensive the airplane is?). I did not sleep very well, so to me it was very tiring. I arrived late at places where I was only for a few hours and started to see everything in speed tempo, but it was not completely what I had hoped for
If I would do it again:
-I would certainly stay 1 day longer in Jaisalmer. I know you suggested it in the beginning and I skipped it because I thought it was only useful for people who went for the camel drive;
-I would stay 1 day shorter in Udaipur. I tried to go for a walk in the mountains (via Mountainridge), on the last day but unfortunately there was no guide for that day, else the extra day would have been ok.
-On the way to Bijapur, I would stop somewhere to make the day a nice mix of seeing and relaxing
-I know I asked myself not to do Delhi in the beginning of the tour, but now I realize I wasted a lot of time. Coming from Belgium, I was 1 night and half a day waiting on the airport. I did book a room, it was too long to wait with my luggage next to me and no place to lie down. And Delhi in the end, well, I did not see very much of it either;
As you can read: one day I love India, one day I don't, but even after 2 visits it still tastes like more. Hope you appreciate my honest comments..
Kind regards, Patricia
