India Info & FAQ

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This section is aimed at a European / American audience, and is intended to be an extended answer to FAQs (frequently asked questions) that delegates may have. It is written from the perspective of my (Alistair Sutcliffe's) experience plus contributions from others who have visited India recently.

Delhi and Conference Location

The conference will take place in the Habitat World Convention Centre http://www.habitatworld.com/ which is located near the centre of New Delhi. Delhi is in fact two cities side by side. Old Delhi has been around for 2000 years give or take a few, and has Mogul-era sites such as the Red Fort, narrow streets, temples and numerous bazaars. New Delhi in the government capital built by the Brits around 1910; it contains monumental Raj architecture (designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens), now housing the Indian Parliament, President's residence, government offices and so on. The conference centre in Lodi Road is on the edge of the Embassy quarter which, as you might guess, has large streets, posh houses and luxury hotels.

Delhi is a city of 15 million (circa – no one is exactly sure), the inner city being circled by a multilane highway. The airport is about 20 minutes' taxi ride (15 miles) from the conference centre and hotels.

For maps, further information and details on sites to visit have a look at: http://www.delhi-tourism-india.com/delhi-info/tourist-bureu.htm or http://delhitourism.nic.in/publicpage/onarrival.aspx

Travel and Visas

Delhi is an 8-9 hour flight from Europe and about 18 hours from the USA depending where your flight connects. Time differences depend on summer time changes and are in the order of 4-5 hours ahead of UK/Europe and 9-10 hours ahead of East Coast USA.

You will need a visa for your visit. Apply to the Indian High Commission, Embassy or consulate in your country: for UK folk http://www.hcilondon.net , for USA folk http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/default.asp or http://www.india-visa.com/chicago.htm; this site also has links to most other Indian embassies.

It is simplest to apply for a tourist visa.

You can apply for a visa by post but allow at least 3 weeks for your application to be processed (they advise 15 days but better to be safe than sorry). If you are in a hurry there are commercial 'get you a visa quickly' services who can usually supply a visa within 5 working days but charge circa £30 for the favour — for the UK http://www.north1visas.co.uk/india.htm. Google India and Visas to pick up a similar service in your country.

Usual travel advice: make a photocopy of all important documentation and keep them separate from the originals.

Health and Safety

Health before travel: consult your doctor for advice of course, but a quick guide is that you will need jabs and tabs for malaria, typhoid and hepatitis A. Check you have an up to date Tetanus as well. Travel insurance is advisable.

Health in India: contrary to popular opinion, a few simple rules will avoid the Delhi belly problem:

Water is ok if it has been boiled so don't worry about chai (tea). I personally eat nearly anything in India including veg and fruit unless off the street or at train stations, and I have never had any problems. I stick to beer: Kingfisher is excellent.

Safety: India is not a dangerous country, in fact you are probably safer in Delhi than you are in London or New York. Indians are peaceful people so the chance of being the victim of an aggressive attack is fairly close to zero. However, India is a poor country and you (to a poor Indian's eyes) have money written all over you, so take sensible precautions. Watch out for pickpockets, scams and cons. Don't go out carrying large amounts of cash. It is safer not to give to individual beggars on the street; this sounds unkind, but the individual will rapidly become a crowd. If your conscience worries you give a sum to a reputable charity instead.

Language

Most people in Delhi speak some English, and in most hotels, restaurants and tourist areas, language (for English speakers) should not be a problem. You will find that you have to listen carefully to get used to the accent. Be patient and speak slowly so they can understand your accent.

Getting About

Two modes of transport are recommended: Taxis are usually black saloon cars with a taxi sign on top; these charge approximately 150 rupees for an average ride (10-15 minutes or 4-5 miles). Negotiate you price before setting off; taxis do have meters but they frequently don't work. Auto rickshaws (autos or tut-tuts) 3-wheeler scooters with a cabin on the back. Autos take two people max, give you the full Delhi traffic experience and charge about 30-50 rupees for an average ride (generally shorter 5-10 mins, 2-3 miles). Negotiate the price before you set off and don't be shy about haggling, as they will probably try to overcharge you. The Delhi traffic experience demonstrates the skill of auto, car, lorry and bus drivers, and bike, rickshaw and other road users who all avoid each other while doing 40 mph in a three-lane highway to optimise space usage down to millimetres while avoiding the occasional holy cow. In theory, India drives on the left. Most hotels do an airport pick up and drop off service - recommended for the nervous!

Other transport

Car hire is not recommended; you don't have the same skills at optimising road usage as they do. Bus: I admire your courage. Train: not really useful in Delhi, although there is a brand new metro line from the airport to downtown. Outside the conference, if you want to see India and meet the people, I can thoroughly recommend the trains. Travel first class, which guarantees comfort and English-speaking companions. You have to reserve your place and book you train ticket in advance. Planes: India now has budget airlines, so flights are cheap, but beware of overbooking. Make sure you get into the boarding queue early.

Culture

There is no point trying to summarise Indian culture. The usual tourist guides (Rough Guide, Lonely Planet, Fodors) give you an introduction. For more in-depth reading I suggest the Wikipedia entry is a good place to start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_India.

Indian people are very polite and will always try to help foreigners. This has one serious drawback: when asked for directions people will describe the route, even if they haven't a clue which way you should go, as it would be impolite to give you a negative answer. Hence it is useful to ask a sample of three or more and hope for some consensus.

Money

The Indian currency is rupees. The current exchange rate as is around $1 to 45 rupees or 1 Euro to 57 Rs. ATM machines are quite readily available for withdrawing cash and the best way to get money. Most USA and European cards work. Take US $ or Euro / GBP to convert into rupees (small notes too).

Power

Most 5* hotels will have UK/US travel adapters, but it is probably worth getting a power adapter before you go (old style UK round pin).

Communications

Internet is widely available and cheap. Phone – Mobiles – GSM will work but it costs around $2.50 a minute to make or receive calls! Hotels charge a bomb for phones also, so seek out the cheaper options which are readily available.

Trips and Tours

There are endless possibilities. M y recommendation if you only have one extra day is the Taj Mahal; there is an express train to Agra (location of the Taj) about 90 minutes away from Delhi. If you have a little more time (5-6 days) the Rajastan trail (Jodpur, Jaipur, Udiapur) is worth considering; a luxury tourist train goes this way. If you have yet more time then travel further afield in India by the railways; it is a wonderful way to meet the people and see the country. Go first class: it isn't expensive, and it does guarantee comfort and English- speaking fellow passengers. You will need to book your trip and reserve seats for all journeys.