My proposed travel to India highlights include night views of Indian temples

beautifully illuminated Indian temple at night

Proposed Highlights of My Upcoming Trip to India

Last week I explained my sneaky plan for an easy trip through India. I discussed why I’m thrilled to finally visit India as well as my fears & concerns about traveling there, particularly as a solo woman.

Since then I’ve publicly asked for any tips, suggestions and advice for staying healthy while eating in India and for staying safe, especially as a solo female western traveler. Many people have pitched in with great advice, suggestions, support, useful websites and good wishes on my journey.

Thank you, all of you, for helping me prepare for a safe, enjoyable trip to India! As a result of your help I’m now fully equipped with my lists of tips, a rubber door stopper (2 actually) and a can of pepper spray. I’ve got my long sleeves, pants & floor-length skirts packed. I’m ready to go! ..and I guess I’d better be because:

In just two days I leave Malaysia to begin my amazing 4-month adventure through Nepal and India!

In this post I detail the wonderful places and experiences I’m looking forward to during my 3+month travels through the Indian Himalayas and the remote Andaman Islands, as well as my trip across Nepal.

Kathmandu- burning ghats

I will start my journey in Kathmandu, where I’ll apply for my Indian visa. Apparently that takes about one week, if all goes smoothly. During that time I’ll explore Kathmandu and surrounds, hopefully by bicycle like I did 12 years ago. This year I’ll be riding a rental bike instead of my own, but wheels are wheels!

HOPEFUL BONUS: I hope to catch a glimpse of majestic Mt. Everest during my flight to Nepal this Thursday, Sept 19^th! I will let you know after I arrive in Kathmandu.

Once my Indian visa is in hand, I’ll go overland by bus, the whole way across western Nepal to reach the Indian border.

Nepali temple in Baktapur

Here’s what I plan to do in Nepal:

1. Visit Kathmandu’s Durbar Square

2. Visit two famous Tibetan Stupas near Kathmandu

3. Make a day trip to the medieval town of Baktapur in Kathmandu valley

4. Visit the burning ghats along the river in outer Kathmandu

5. Listen to traditional Nepali music, live in evenings

6. Buy all my Christmas presents at Kathmandu’s intriguing shops and mail them to the USA

7. Visit Pokhara town and Pokhara Lake, starting point of the Annapurna Circuit trek

8. Ride a bus on some of Nepal’s most scenic & dramatic mountain roads between Kathmandu, Pokhara & Tansen

9. Stay in the medieval cobble-stoned mountain town of Tansen

10. Take way too many hours of bus rides across Nepal’s flat-lands- the Terai

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At long last I’ll reach one of the more remote Indian border crossings at Banbasa, where I’ll step directly into the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakand. (thereby skipping all of India’s major messes around Delhi, Agra & Vernasi) Sneaky!

For two months I’ll travel slowly across mountainous Uttarakand and Himachal Pradesh states. Then I will get myself to Delhi by bus or train (the closest city to the region) and directly fly to the Andaman islands.

Annapurna Range of Himalayan Mountains

Here are the planned highlights of my exciting Indian adventures:

1. Visit three old British hill stations in the foothills of the Himalayas

2. Soak in natural hot springs in the mountains

3. Hike in the Himalayas

4. Stay in a town surrounded by tea plantations

5. Visit Indian weaving factories

6. Stay at a volcanic lake

7. Spend 1-2 weeks in Rishikesh, the town made famous by the Beetles and now a major yoga/meditation center

8. Stay in an Ashram

9. Study Ayervedic medicine

10. Meet some Sadhus – India’s wandering holy men

11. Try some advanced yoga classes (I’ve tried yoga several times, but I grew up as a ballet dancer, so it was too easy!)

12. Witness sunset prayer rituals on the Ganges River, when hundreds of candles & flower offerings are sent downstream

13. Ride an old British ‘toy train’ near Shimla

14. Stay 2 weeks in Dharmasala, home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans in exile

15. Marvel at the Sikh’s most revered temple – The Golden Temple of Amritsar

16. Visit the border of Pakistan (!) where an proported regal closing ceremony takes place daily at dusk

17. Spend one month lounging on tropical powdery-white sands in the remote Andaman Islands

18. Ride a helicopter to one of the Andaman’s most remote islands

19. Take a day-long, escorted bus journey through Andaman island’s wild interior jungles, apparently full of a rather hostile forest tribe who throw arrows at passing vehicles

20. Celebrate Christmas by scuba diving on pristine coral reefs

One other hopeful adventure:

Visit the Taj Mahal –

If I’m brave enough to venture into the real crush of India, I’ve set aside enough time to make a quick side trip to Agra between my Himalayan adventures and my flight to the Andaman islands. The Taj Mahal has been on the top of my ‘to do in my life’ list for at least 20 years, so I’ve got my fingers crossed for myself and my sanity.

Two elderly Indians escort the Golden Chariot during Thaipusam Festival

In addition to all that excitement, I can’t help but also:

* Eat a lot of delicious food and try many Indian foods I’ve never had here in SE Asia

* Be dazzled by non-stop brilliant colors

*Experience daily life on the streets & towns of India (Lord help me!)

*Be stared at, en masse – BOO

* Be propositioned by men and ward off unwanted advances – Double BOO

* Visit many gorgeous temples: Hindu, Buddhist & Sikh Temples; Tibetan Gompas and Muslim mosques

* Experience India’s philosophy on hospitality that: ‘Guests are next to God’

Here I am at Thaipusam Fesitval in Penang

Apparently I’m going to experience the whole gamut of human emotions, to their fullest extent. Apparently I’m about to get incredibly frustrated, baffled, enraged, fed up, overwhelmed… but also filled with joy, wonder, gratitude and love. Dare I say, “Bring it on!”

So, everyone, get ready for many adventure stories, travel tips, destination pieces, perspectives and photos from the amazing countries of Nepal and India! Here I go…

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Meanwhile, you might also want to check out:

My Sneaky Plan for an Easy Trip Through India

My First Impressions of Nepal in 2001

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