NationStates Jolt Archive

It's time for my annual planning of a big holiday, which then never seems to happen. Except this time - I've saved up, I've got a confirmed time for it and it's merely a matter of picking where I go. And since uni (at least this one) is likely to be finished for me by the end of this year, I have no more time to do it later. So it'll happen.

Chances are I only have about 8 or 9 weeks, which limits things. A previous incarnation of this holiday had included a trip on the Trans-Mongolian railway, but given that it will be winter, and Mongolia pretty much shuts down then, I've decided to go another time.

The plan at the moment is to go to Japan and spend two weeks there, which seems dreadfully short. I'd just get a railpass and otherwise live like a bum in hostels and guest houses to save cash. So for the resident experts: what would you go see in that time? Tokyo and Kyoto seem given, I've also heard that the Japanese are big fans of a place called Takayama.

Then I'd catch a plane to Beijing and make a train trip down the coast towards Hong Kong. Three weeks is all I'm likely to have. I've been before with a tour, so I've seen most of the touristy places already, which leads me to think that maybe it would be a better idea to not go to China and extend my stay in Japan and India.

With India, the idea is again to do everything train-based. Calcutta - Darjeeling - Mumbai was the plan at the moment. I don't know whether many people have been to India and can say anything the Lonely Planet Guides don't, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

It's a pity that time and money constraints are what they are, because it means I'm unlikely to make it to the US (or indeed back to Europe) this time 'round.

So anyways: hints, tips, comments, suggestions, advice?

India.

First of all, never drink the tap water. Always buy bottled or if you must, boil it.

Places to visit: Well I've only been to Delhi and the Punjab region and my family decided to take us on a tour of the biggest Sikh temples of the Punjab. A week of travelling but it was kind of cool.

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is a must but go at night when there are no crowds and the temple is lit up. I'm not religious but it really is a calming place.

If you can get to the Taj Mahal, it's worth it. Always book first class, air-conditioned accommodations on the train. It's not that much more and you'll appreciate the reserved seat. I think you'll enjoy India, though.

I'm not high on Japan, but I would give the Tokyo Ginza a visit. If you can get to Kyoto, there are a number of truly ancient castles. Most of what you see around are reconstructed after the Second World War. Hiroshima is an interesting visit, too. Peace Park, the anti-nuclear museum, the A-bomb dome -- all are good tourist sites.

India.

First of all, never drink the tap water. Always buy bottled or if you must, boil it.

Places to visit: Well I've only been to Delhi and the Punjab region and my family decided to take us on a tour of the biggest Sikh temples of the Punjab. A week of travelling but it was kind of cool.

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is a must but go at night when there are no crowds and the temple is lit up. I'm not religious but it really is a calming place.
I second the Golden Temple. Also, try to get to the Waga-border and watch the colors retired.

If you can, get a couple of Z-packs of antibiotics. They can be extremely useful. Also, stick a roll of toilet paper into your luggage. Indian hotels are very hospitable, but they skimp on tp.

Drinking precautions include -- drink beer, not water. Kingfisher is good. If you must drink from a glass, use a straw. Eat well cooked food. Despite it's tempting look and smell, stay away from the yogurt that sometimes accompanies fried veggies. Stay away from any other dairy, too.

Watch what brand of bottled water the hotel sells. Buy that in the street markets. Make sure the top is really sealed and not just put back on.

The cool thing about India is that it's like a dozen countries in one. The various regions are substantially different in just about every way possible, environmentally, culturally, etc. I've never been there, myself, but would love to go.

skip Japan go to Korea instead.

Japan:

Tokyo: Go to Shibuya, Asakusa and Akihabara. Easily by Gunza subway line. Try the Tokyo Tower only if you are interested in that kind of thing.

Kyoto: Golden Pavilion, or other temples if you like sightseeing. Maruyama park.

Osaka Castle, or Nagoya castle if you are into castles.

Each prefecture has its places of interest, so it is up to you which one do you visit.

India was fun.

Jaipur, Agra(the Taj), and Mysore are a good run.

The Nagerhole(sp) Tiger reserve is good. Make sure you let it be known you want to see a tiger. A "motivational" gift does help.

The Buddhist caves at Arangabad are worth seeing. They have a great stone market down below them.

There are other spots but it depends on where you are going.....

For Japan, yes, the rail pass will get you around nicely. Since you're coming by in winter, I wouldn't recommend Takayama unless you like snow, lots of snow (That said, Takayama is a very cool place to visit if you want to see how Japan was back in the day, it's just that it's in the Snow Country and usually they measure it up there in meters).

Some good places to visit would be Tokyo (Shinjuku, Asakusa, the Ginza, Ueno, pretty much anywhere), Yokohama (Get to the port area where there is a huge shopping mall, ships, and of course Yokohama Chinatown), Osaka (Osaka Castle and the food, gotta go for the food), Kobe (Another Chinatown with even BETTER food), Kyoto... God, you could easily spend just two weeks in Kyoto, Nara (Japan's ancient capital, go to Todaiji and see the largest wooden building in the world as well as Houryuuji, the oldest wooden building in the world), Hiroshima (The peace park as well as Miyajima), and if you want something a bit off the beaten path with a rich history, try Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Oh, and I also highly recommend Nagano, but I might be slightly biased.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I reckon it's always exciting to plan trips, my only problem is that I can't find anyone I know who a) wants to go, b) has the money to go and c) has the time to go.

For Japan, yes, the rail pass will get you around nicely. Since you're coming by in winter, I wouldn't recommend Takayama unless you like snow, lots of snow (That said, Takayama is a very cool place to visit if you want to see how Japan was back in the day, it's just that it's in the Snow Country and usually they measure it up there in meters).
I don't mind snow. The question is whether the various sites and stuff still make sense in that weather.

Oh, and I also highly recommend Nagano, but I might be slightly biased.
I'd gladly drop by, but only if I get to couch surf. :tongue:

By the way, I read on the web that a few people have been recommending a place called Koya-San, where there's temples that you can spend the night in. Do you know anything about that?

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I reckon it's always exciting to plan trips, my only problem is that I can't find anyone I know who a) wants to go, b) has the money to go and c) has the time to go.

Well I fit a) for sure, b) depends on how you travel, I tend to be a bare bones budget type (hostels are splurging :p) and c), well when were you thinking of going (winter is a little broad)?

Well I fit a) for sure, b) depends on how you travel, I tend to be a bare bones budget type (hostels are splurging :p) and c), well when were you thinking of going (winter is a little broad)?
b) I don't have the money to splurge on anything. An advantage are the overnight trains, they're sleeping and moving combined! And Chinese train tickets look ridiculously cheap from what I can see here...
c) Basically as soon as my finals are finished (some time early November) to mid-February (depending on whether I'll be unemployed at that time, or whether grad programs with wherever I find a place start then)...I hope I can make the Harbin ice festival, it's a few days late for my liking.

For Japan in general:

It's quite possible to do on the cheap, especially if you have a rail pass. I can certainly recommend a range of cheap places here in Kansai...

I'd say skip Osaka Castle, in favor of Himeji Castle.

The Kansai area can be done in a week or less. From my location in "lovely" Osaka, you can do Osaka 1st day, Kyoto in 1 or 2 day trips, Nara in 1 day trip, Hiroshima in a day trip, and then hit Koya-san (more below). If you were coming in Summer, I'd say take 1 day to hit a Hanshin Tigers baseball game...

By the way, I read on the web that a few people have been recommending a place called Koya-San, where there's temples that you can spend the night in. Do you know anything about that?

Heheh. I certainly do - I did the temple stay the last weekend in March.

This is where I stayed: http://muryokoin.org/

More or less what you get is a stay in a traditional Temple guest room with very fancy Japanese meals, usually strictly vegetarian. Morning services are early (around 6-6:30).

It's a bit expensive, but it's possible to get by free, if you're willing to work hard the whole day. If you're up for it, let me know here and I'll send a telegram with more details.

Here's more information: http://www.koyasan.or.jp/english/index.html

Be sure to read up on the mikkyo, if you go.

I don't mind snow. The question is whether the various sites and stuff still make sense in that weather.
Actually, yes. The stuff was built for that kind of weather so seeing it with the loads of snow, you can appreciate how it was made and why, more.

I'd gladly drop by, but only if I get to couch surf. :tongue:
Sorry, no couch. ;) Still, in all honesty, Nagano does have a lot to recommend for it if you happen to be in the area (And Takayama is right next to the town where I live).

By the way, I read on the web that a few people have been recommending a place called Koya-San, where there's temples that you can spend the night in. Do you know anything about that?
Haven't been there myself, but I can tell you that everyone I know who has spent the night at a temple anywhere else in Japan has highly recommend it as an unforgettable experience. The two things to be aware of is that the food is STRICT vegetarian fare because of religious convictions. The second is that there is always a 'fee' for the temple in question. Sometimes its meditation, sometimes its morning prayers (And by morning they mean sometime between 4 and 5 am'ish) and sometimes it's copying sutras. As long as you're aware of this, they are wonderful. It's people who think its a youth hostel who tend to get into trouble.

b) I don't have the money to splurge on anything. An advantage are the overnight trains, they're sleeping and moving combined! And Chinese train tickets look ridiculously cheap from what I can see here...
c) Basically as soon as my finals are finished (some time early November) to mid-February (depending on whether I'll be unemployed at that time, or whether grad programs with wherever I find a place start then)...I hope I can make the Harbin ice festival, it's a few days late for my liking.
Speaking of trains and budgets in India, watch out. The lowest fares are going to get you room in or on a boxcar.
http://embarqblog.wri.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/india-train.jpg

Speaking of trains and budgets in India, watch out. The lowest fares are going to get you room in or on a boxcar.
http://embarqblog.wri.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/india-train.jpg

Indian ingenuity at its best. that is one palce i bet the train company can turn a profit.

Indian ingenuity at its best. that is one palce i bet the train company can turn a profit.
Figure the outside riders are probably paying a couple rupees, tops, for the ride.
It's run by the government, too, so I'm sure whatever profit is made, is later squandered by the bureaucracy.

But if you don't get a reserved seat -- first class is usually affordable -- it's all general admission. I paid 6 rupees for a first class ticket from New Delhi to Bhatinda, Punjab. Overnight trains are a little more, but I've never used one.

Maybe skip India and focus on Japan, China, maybe Singapore/Taiwan/Hong Kong?

Figure the outside riders are probably paying a couple rupees, tops, for the ride.
It's run by the government, too, so I'm sure whatever profit is made, is later squandered by the bureaucracy.

But if you don't get a reserved seat -- first class is usually affordable -- it's all general admission. I paid 6 rupees for a first class ticket from New Delhi to Bhatinda, Punjab. Overnight trains are a little more, but I've never used one.

a quick look online shows they have 8 different gauges (5 commonly gauges) in use.

Maybe skip India and focus on Japan, China, maybe Singapore/Taiwan/Hong Kong?

India is not meant for everybody.

If you like order, things right away, personal space, things to be clean, and don't like to be stared at.......it's not for you.

Personally; I had a great time when I was there and would go back.....

I keep telling you South Korea is the place to go.

India is not meant for everybody.

If you like order, things right away, personal space, things to be clean, and don't like to be stared at.......it's not for you.
And I do, so it's not. India is quite far down on my to do list, though I wouldn't not go if someone payed for my trip. :p


Personally; I had a great time when I was there and would go back.....

Yeah, I know others who have enjoyed it as well. I just don't think I'd be one of them.

An update...

In doing more research, I found that I probably only have time to do two places. I've decided to go with Japan and China, and leave India for another time. Actually, from what I've found out, you'd need 8 weeks or so at least to do India by itself.

I also found out that flights from Japan to Harbin are stupidly expensive, so I'm considering catching the ferry to Vladivostok (which again leaves from quite close to Nagano...) and take a train from there. I've always wanted to see Siberia in winter, and this might be my chance. :tongue:

Then Harbin - Beijing - Qingdao - Xi'an - Chengdu - Kunming - Guilin - Shenzhen - Hong Kong

So that also allows me to extend Japan to at least 3, maybe 4 weeks.

In doing more research, I found that I probably only have time to do two places. I've decided to go with Japan and China, and leave India for another time. Actually, from what I've found out, you'd need 8 weeks or so at least to do India by itself.


You do. However, you really should try to do that sometime. India's an amazing place, with so much to offer. We could all benefit from a trip there.

Okay, I'm pretty much settled on the rough schedule now. It will be between late November and mid February, and I plan to keep things low-cost as far as transport and accommodation are concerned.

I'm putting the call out for anyone who think they want to go, because I think it would be more fun (and slightly less intimidating, for that matter, though the jury is out on whether that experience wouldn't be worth it in itself...) not to do it alone, and none of my friends have the cash/time/inclination to do it. So if you've always wanted to see Japan or China or both, and you think you can make the trip, or part of it, drop me a TG.

Ya know, I'll agree with Greed to a point that Korea'd be a good stop-over, especially the way you're coming.

Ferry from HK to Jeju, Korea for a week, then 3 weeks in Japan...