India The Lonely Plant And The Impossible Mission To Navigate In The Chaos

On my last trip to India I was much wiser then in the first trip that was ten years ago. This time I ignored almost completely the Lonely Planet recommendations regarding accommodations and reasonable places to eat. Well I read what they said, sometime the time that has passed from the printing of the last edition to the actual visit was not enough to change the entire picture, as in restaurants becoming crowded by tourist with LP books, prices increasing in an unreasonable way, and other nicer places that were open or developed on the meantime. When you backpacking in India the most important rule is to always ask the other backpacker that return from the destination you are about to go to where to go, they have already checked all the recommendations for you. If someone just coming back or arriving with you to Kerala says he heard about home stay or any other idea, go for it, this is the chain of information in India. It is easier to change guest house after a day or two if you other places with reasonable prices and conditions than to stick to the list of the Lonely Planet. If you’re on the train or the bus try to ask the other tourists were they are going to stay or if they know someone that have been to that site already and know all the restaurants and guest houses. You can even discover amazing places if you follow advice of fellow backpackers, if you are there for more then few weeks you can allow yourself to really be adventurers that half the fun. You usually reach the best places, both restaurants and guest houses (where possible try home accommodation it is usually great) if you take a chance. charukesi mentions correctly one of the problems, the Indians visit usually for a day, they rush through some temples and then back to the buses and out. It happens in Hampi, In Munnar, in Rishikesh, in Varanasi and in many other places. Backpacker stay in these places for weeks at a time and the Indians rush through them as if they’re hair is on fire. It is not the places themselves it is what you’re trying to get out of them. If you need recommendations following eight months of backpacking in India just ask.