Nagpur India

[endoman]

Been invited to India to give a lecture or two at a conference. It's in Nagpur, which the maps show me is in the middle.

Anyone any ideas as to what I should expect? I think it must be a big venue as I'm told there will be over 1000 delegates, so quite a large audience to speak to!

Never been to India so any pointers most appreciated, the trip is not until next February.

[Arfie]

Did you talk to Pete about when he went?

I think his advice would be pack a suitcase full of pot noodle, immodium and toilet rolls

Arfie

[DIVE BUDDHA]

Originally Posted by Arfie

Did you talk to Pete about when he went?

I think his advice would be pack a suitcase full of pot noodle, immodium and toilet rolls

Arfie

thats sounds a hygenic place then >?

[endoman]

I've read that not a lot of places have bog roll. Bit like Wales :-)

I will have to go into training and spend a week eating curry beforehand

[Ahoy]

Take the opportunity, it will be amazing... Check your immunisations are current (FCO website) and take immodium and some packets of tissues in case there's no loo roll...
S.

[dryan]

I work a few months a year over there, both north (Delhi) and south (Bangalore).

Decent hotels are ridiculously expensive ($250 a night minimum low season), food in main western chain hotels is usually fine.

Just make sure whatever you get is HOT temperature wise. Ive only been ill once (well lasted a week or so, but you dont need the details!), but it was my own fault for eating a kebab in the Jaipur sheraton that wasnt super hot.

Particularily at the moment you will see the 2 faces of India, the new middle class with money to waste at retail on fashion and eating out etc and the poor that are literally everywhere.

Be prepared to see whole families with no clothes sat on the street in front of 5 star hotels.

Strange place, been working over there on and off for 5 years now, never can get my head round how people in 2008 can worship cows, and believe in gods for every possible thing, yet work in IT.

There are cows (well they look like oxen with big horns) everywhere, even in the city centres walking down the street.
Oh and the McDonalds only do chicken burgers, no quarter pounders there!

Im sure theres a scuba diving god, must find out that one.

Its fun though, you should definately go to experience it.

On another note, i was in Karachi Pakistan earlier on in the year at the yacht club for dinner when i saw 2 divers appear from one of the boats, they had been spear fishing and had quite a few grouper i think.

They had been on the Balocistan coast in about 18 metres of water and the viz was 3 meters! Maybe they read YD??

[KeyLimePie]

Never been to Nagpur, but Feb should be a really nice time of year to go - not too hot or humid. It's not really close to any of the main tourist centres (at least the triangle of Jaipur, Agra and Delhi). If you do have a bit spare time when you are there, try to see one of the main sites. Internal flights are cheap. The roads are interesting - if you fancy a few near death experiences give them a go. Either way it is exciting

Expect massive contrasts in wealth. As has already been said, expect to see families living on the street outside hotels, around train stations and elsewhere. The slums can be very sobering to experience, but you may not come across them. You may also need to get used to being hassled, either by people trying to sell you something (it could be anything), or offer to carry your case etc, get you into a rickshaw or taxi etc (be prepared to haggle and never get in without agreeing a price). Quite frequently they'll try to add on extras too, anything from tourists sites, to emporiums where they get free stuff, to prostitutes, all for a few extra rupees. Expect to encounter beggars too. The latter can be really quite difficult on a personal level. Standards of hygiene outside main hotels can vary significantly. Don't expect any toilet paper outside so always best to carry something.

However, it is a fantastic place, very difficult to describe if you haven't been. I love it, but I know it is just too much for some people. You'll need to get some jabs. I wouldn't bother with malaria where you are going, but I know others do.

Enjoy your time there.

HTH

Dave