This week, we will explore the possibilities for travel within South Asia. South Asia is a vast region comprising the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. This article will focus on India; a country that, while it has many internal transportation options, can be exhausting and frustrating to travel around for the uninitiated. I hope that this article will help prepare you for some of the difficulties that you might encounter in your travels around this part of the world. There are a lot of things to see in India. It is advisable, however, to be realistic in your plans. Travelling all the way to India to spend most of your time on trains and on bumpy bus journeys will probably not proove satisfying. In order to maximize your travel time, it is a good idea learn a little about the region before your departure. The best way to do so is to purchase a good guidebook, such as Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. By doing so, you should be able to plan most of your trip before you leave. However, do remember to leave some room for flexibility in your plans. India is the kind of country in which you never know what might be around the next corner. So do allow some time for lingering in your plans!
As in the previous 3 articles in this series, I should remind students and teachers to get some kind of identification card. Details about the International Student Identification Card (I.S.I.C.), recognized widely around the world, can be found on the Council Travel website. Whenever you buy bus, train, or plane tickets, it is always worth checking whether you can get a discount with your I.S.I.C. card.
Train travel is a fantastic way to explore India. The country's railways are legendary and a train journey in India can be a real adventure. There are many sites on the internet devoted to Indian Railroads. Take a look at Rail in India to get a sense of what Indian train travel is all about. For more practical information, you could take a look at The Railway Timetable, the Indrail Pass site, or Indian Railways Online.
For those who have the money and desire to taste luxury, there are various Palace on Wheels tours that allow you to indulge yourself as if you were a Maharajas. The train has 14 imperial style carriages, restaurants, bars, and is elegantly decorated with paintings, carved furniture and regional handicrafts.
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