India in December

Regarding visas - we did it all online, no visits to consulates, or sending passports to visa companies, etc.

e-visa

It was quite straightforward and you are sent a confirmation email which you print out and take with you. On arrival at immigration we didn't need to show the piece of paper as it was all on their computer system.

We have seen on the e-visa web site that we need to send a photograph that meets a particular standard. How did you take your photos for visa application?

Sorry disagree with immodium,unless you are going on a bus journey and cant 'go'.

Immodium bungs you up and keeps whatever has caused the problem 'in'.

I would go easy on the ice, have seen how they deliver it? , in a dirty piece of sacking drawn along the ground, on on a bicycle.

If you have problems, 'Curd' or 'Dahi' yoghourt to you and me with flat coke will help.

The only time I had dreadful diahorrea, was when staying in a 'heritage' hotel.

Street food is fine if its something like pakoras which have jut been cooked, and are piping hot, possible served in newspaper, as Fish and chips used to be here.

I have been travelling in India for over 20 years, and only twice have I had the runs, 1st I have mentioned, 2nd was dodgy ice cream. 2 days in my room which had a balcony with a book and the loo nearby.

Noona we rented a flat in the south, doing our own cooking, it was fine.

Jaipur has a bad reputation for scamsters, so beware.

I can't remember if I took a digital picture then uploaded it onto the laptop, or took a picture using laptop camera.

I had trouble trying to size the photo to fit the requirements so forwarded it to a friend who re-sized and sent it back and voila all was fine!

The application is a bit long-winded with lots of pages to fill in but you do get a reference number somewhere along, so if you leave the application for some reason and go back in it saves the info and you don't have to start at the beginning again.

We always take Ciprofloxin as well as the usual Imodium and anti sick stuff. A packet of straws I felt was useful if you want to buy a canned drink as they are often stored in not very clean surroundings. Always check that you open the bottled water if buying in the street as there used to be a tendency for refilling used bottles. I take sachets of 4711 wipes. My standby.

Don't worry about Delhi Belly, I got it, hotel called doctor and he gave me a quick injection, I was better in a couple of hours and it cost about £12!

I would recommend India to everyone. We had a wonderful time doing the Golden Triangle with some added extras like the Golden Temple at Amritsar and the evening ceremony at the border with Pakistan. If you do that, take your passport so you can go in the VIP area. We have so many wonderful memories and would do it all again.

Thanks Riverwalk, Stansgran, Jollyg and Nonnie. All advice really appreciated.

We went to the other side of India, Calcutta, Darjeeling, Sikkim in October, a few years ago. I took cotton/ linen clothes. In the hotels you can get them washed and pressed for practically nothing. The ironing put mine to shame. My husband has very sensitive digestion and lots of food intolerances and so took rice cakes and, a suggestion from a friend, tins of mackerel! They stayed untouched and he did not have any bother while there!
Have a lovely time Noonie,Nonna, Aquagran and anyone else going out soon. Very envious!

Sadly I wont be going our for the first time in 15 years to our flat in the S.

Now got osteoporosis, and the indian pavements are in as bad a state as ours here in UK.

Calcutta is my favourite city in India.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=92iZCp75Mpg

Street food, called pani puri in the S, different in the N.

Not my taste however

Went with Cox and Kings in Nov 2013 They were excellent .Golden Triangle,Jaipur,Varanasi (glad we didnt miss that) Uidapur and an add- on to Amritsar (highlight of trip).Be prepared for the squalor-I remember seeing a tent city on the outskirts of Jaipur just below an amazing palace hotel .I had expected poverty but not the mess .The driving is awful .And our guide's attitude to those less priveleged was well...shall we say 'interesting' We had some lively discussions.
I have IBS and was a bit anxious but none of our 9 strong party was ill.Took the obvious precautions and didn't touch meat .Hotels were fine (we stayed in one palace one and met the Rani, who was beautifully dressed and the epitome of graciousness)and laundry is indeed very cheap and fast ..Its a real culture shock but was so glad we went .Some of the architecture is Amazing .The countryside not so much until we got to the Aravelli (?spelling) hills

I got the trots once, in Agra. We did the elephant trip up to the fort, which was terrifying.

In Delhi town centre, we got lost and had to take a rickshaw out!

We went to Bombay, too, briefly (Delhi airport was fogbound). Our bus to the airport was so clapped out we had to get out and push it.