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April 1, 2011 Trip
I went on this 18 day trip to India and it was one of my life's highlights. It is an incredibly interesting journey and I recommend it.
The most difficult part of this trip is the travel time (we are from Southern California) getting there and coming back . . . but once you arrive in New Delhi, Tauck is there to meet you and your worries are over.
This was my first Tauck tour and I was not disappointed. I can not imagine seeing India any way other than the Tauck way. You stay in super-nice hotels and you generally have delicious and quality meals. You travel about the cities in newer motor coaches. Our tour director was excellent.
Before leaving for this trip I couldn't decide what to do about what shots to get and what medicines to take. I went to a travel doctor and got Hepatitis A, Tdap and typhoid shots; and an Rx for malaria pills and Cipro (never used the Cipro). I'm not really sure how necessary any of that was and I only got a couple of mosquito bites and never got sick.
A few people did get temporarily sick and there were always doctors available in the hotels if needed. But I think if you are careful to use hand sanitizer a lot and be careful with what you eat you'll be fine. There was only one place we ate for lunch that had some flies buzzing around the lunch buffet, so in a case like that you only eat the hot foods.
Some things I wish I had taken with me: more candy to give the children and beggars, more snacky food (for me) like peanuts and granola bars, a little laundry soap to wash clothes in the room (laundry service in the hotels is very expensive), lots more AA batteries for the camera, and my American Express Platinum (or Diners Card) for entry to the "Carnation Room" in the Mumbai Airport.
Some things I'm glad I did take with me: Pepto Bismol tablets (a doctor I know who travels internationally pops one every day for preventative purposes), pocket size hand sanitizer (and refills), candy to give to kids and beggars, sunscreen and hat, good walking shoes, iPod (to play audio books, make Skype calls, take photos and video), psyllium husk fiber.
Things I didn't really need: Jacket for dining (even though you're staying in 5-star hotels, a nice short sleeve shirt is adequate), computer (all the hotels have computer rooms and generally, with exception of free WiFi in one hotel, internet costs about $5 for 30 minutes either on your own computer or theirs).
I came back from India with an appreciation of how great our lives are in America. If I'm feeling blue, I think about my trip to India and say, "Thank goodness I live here and not there", and I feel good again. I would definitely recommend this trip. Tauck is excellent !
The most difficult part of this trip is the travel time (we are from Southern California) getting there and coming back . . . but once you arrive in New Delhi, Tauck is there to meet you and your worries are over.
This was my first Tauck tour and I was not disappointed. I can not imagine seeing India any way other than the Tauck way. You stay in super-nice hotels and you generally have delicious and quality meals. You travel about the cities in newer motor coaches. Our tour director was excellent.
Before leaving for this trip I couldn't decide what to do about what shots to get and what medicines to take. I went to a travel doctor and got Hepatitis A, Tdap and typhoid shots; and an Rx for malaria pills and Cipro (never used the Cipro). I'm not really sure how necessary any of that was and I only got a couple of mosquito bites and never got sick.
A few people did get temporarily sick and there were always doctors available in the hotels if needed. But I think if you are careful to use hand sanitizer a lot and be careful with what you eat you'll be fine. There was only one place we ate for lunch that had some flies buzzing around the lunch buffet, so in a case like that you only eat the hot foods.
Some things I wish I had taken with me: more candy to give the children and beggars, more snacky food (for me) like peanuts and granola bars, a little laundry soap to wash clothes in the room (laundry service in the hotels is very expensive), lots more AA batteries for the camera, and my American Express Platinum (or Diners Card) for entry to the "Carnation Room" in the Mumbai Airport.
Some things I'm glad I did take with me: Pepto Bismol tablets (a doctor I know who travels internationally pops one every day for preventative purposes), pocket size hand sanitizer (and refills), candy to give to kids and beggars, sunscreen and hat, good walking shoes, iPod (to play audio books, make Skype calls, take photos and video), psyllium husk fiber.
Things I didn't really need: Jacket for dining (even though you're staying in 5-star hotels, a nice short sleeve shirt is adequate), computer (all the hotels have computer rooms and generally, with exception of free WiFi in one hotel, internet costs about $5 for 30 minutes either on your own computer or theirs).
I came back from India with an appreciation of how great our lives are in America. If I'm feeling blue, I think about my trip to India and say, "Thank goodness I live here and not there", and I feel good again. I would definitely recommend this trip. Tauck is excellent !
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Comments
Thanks so much for posting about your recent India tour with Tauck. We are going next March 2nd on our 18th Tauck Tour and doing the 12 day India Tour to satisfy my husband's bucket list of all the modern Wonders of the World. Thanks for the suggestion of candy for the kids. Did you know that the pepto-bismol tablets were given to the Peace Corps in the 60's to keep the kids from getting sick in the jungles of Africa. We were in Egypt/Jordan late 2009 and we took pro-biotics and a pepto-bismol tablet with every meal. We were fortunate as you were in India and didn't get sick.
Tauck has some really wonderful trips and now that you have gone on one, you will be getting all their brochures. Check them out on Facebook, also.
Sheila
On one hand, you are traveling such a long distance that you might as well do the whole 18 days. And the 18 days do seem to go by quickly; in a flash your trip is over and you are home.
The only "bad" part of the extended part of the trip was our long day traveling from Udaipur to Cochin, and particularly the long layover in the Mumbai airport. Here, we were on our own in buying our lunches (and Tauck reimbursed us) but the choices were poor; and this is where I had wished I had my American Express or Diners Club cards to get entry into the Carnation Room where the food was good (so I hear).
But in weathering the "bad", (and this was part of the experience of travel in India), we were able to see the beautiful southern part of India; and we especially enjoyed going to Kumarakon, walking (independently) through the village and meeting the friendly residents and their children. And then our subsequent return to Mumbai was very interesting to me and going to Elephant Island; and the rooms and views at the Oberoi Hotel are fabulous.
. . . so I am glad I did the 18 days. But if you only have time to do the shorter version you'll be be getting an adequate flavor of India. Hope this helps.
Thanks!
Suzie
We are on the March 2, 2012 trip, 18 days, and would like to hear from all that have taken this trip.
Looking forward in hearing from you.
We're on the March 2, 2012 tour, but will leave you on the 12th day and are also from So. California. This will be our 18th Tauck Tour. My husband was supposed to do this three years ago and had to cancel, but our friends went and said it was a fab tour. So, I'm going with him this time. Email me at scorpiosheila at yahoo dot com and we'll talk. We're off to Russia on Tuesday, but I check my email.
Sheila