Kerala, Heaven On Earth

If you are traveling to India then house boating along the backwaters of Kerala is a MUST. Kerala is a state in Southern India that is very peaceful and is a nice weekend get away. It's not very crowded so it's refreshing to get out of the hectic city life. Best time to go is from November to March as it won't be too hot.


We flew from Hyderbad to Kochi (also spelled Kochin, Cochi, and Cochin), there are a ton of airlines that fly here, some non stop, and some will stop along the way in Bangalore. The best option is to fly out Friday night, stay the night in Kochi, then get up early Saturday morning and drive two hours to where the house boats are. Most major cities will have flights to Kochi.


We took a house boating tour via Eco Tours Kerala http://www.ecotourskerala.com/Houseboats.htm and it was FANTASTIC!! You can check out the rest of our pics by clicking on the photo below.


The guy in charge of this tour is named Kencey George +91-481-252-4447 or Mobile +91-944-643-9252, just give him a call, he was very responsive. We couldn't get a flight Friday night so we flew in Saturday morning, Kencey arranged a ride for us from the airport in a nice air conditioned car that fit 5 people and the driver.

The houseboat tour we did last 22 hours, from 10am Saturday to 12 noon on Sunday. The boats in Kerala are all pretty much the same but before you book one have them send you a picture of it so you know it is good quality. Our trip was great, they made Kerala style lunch when we arrived, it was very tasty, and they caught fresh prawns and fish for dinner along with rice, veggie dishes and a few other things. We had some people that didn't like seafood with us and they were fine eating all the side dishes. They also serve tea and coffee when ever you want it and have bottles of water on board. The served omelets and toast for breakfast which was great. We wanted some beers so Saturday morning on the way there we called Kencey and he went out and got us beers, it was amazing service!! On the boat there were 3 men that cooked for us, cleaned up and just took care of us, they were great.
The rooms on board were very comfortable, had AC and private baths and showers (although the water was cold).

Cruising in the houseboat was great, we could lay out on the sun deck, or sit in the shade and read. Very peaceful. It was really pretty seeing all the birds swooping down at the water and watching all the fisherman in the villages. At around sunset they docked to make dinner and we were parked for the night. The sunset was gorgeous as well!


There were a ton of mosquito's so be sure to bring repellent, a sweatshirt, sweatpants and running shoes to cover up. They had the candles that chased the bugs away, but there were a lot at first. At night it can be a little boring if you don't have playing cards or a book, but it was really nice to be out of the city. We had a lot of fun since there were 5 of us to hang out at night.
The best part about this was that the price was amazing, it ended up only costing around $75 (3000 INR) per person even with all the beers and food.

On Sunday Kencey had his driver take us back to Kochi and with time to kill since our flight wasn't until 6:30 he took us to Fort Kochi. This was awesome. It's not a fort like Golconda in Hyd where you walk around an enclosed army base. The fort is just a large area that has a market to shop for jewelery and handicrafts and where people actually live. It is close to the water so there is a fishing village (really cool to watch) and there was a snake charmer on the street with 3 cobras and a python that danced for us. Fort Kochi was a really good time. You only need like 2 hours there until you are bored though.


After that we went to the Kochi airport (there is a sit down restaurant there that has amazing fries) and we were back in Hyd by 8 pm on Sunday. Not a bad weekend at all!

Some other cool things you can do in Kerala are bamboo rafting and elephant bathing or actual elephant safari's. http://www.india-wildlife.net/indian-wildlife-tours/bamboo-rafting-elephant-bathing.html

Hyderabad, Not Just a Tech City

Getting to Hyderabad:
I've lived in Hyderabad, India for 6 months now and I have so many reccomendations for people visiting Hyderabad for pleasure or business. To get to Hyderabad you can fly from Frankfurt internationally on a non stop flight which is the best option via Lufthansa Airlines. Within India, almost every major airport flies to Hyderabad since it is now such a huge tech and business hub. The other nice thing about Hyderabad is that you can now get direct flights to places like Dubai, Bangkok, The Maldives, Kuala Lampur and many other large international airports. Hyderabad is also connected to many nearby cities via train. Also, Secunderabad, Hyderabad's sister city, is only about 15 minutes from the Hyderabad airport and also has a train station.

Hyderabad is much different than other Indian cities because it has a large expat influence with international companies so you will see many large high rise buildings and can go to many non Indian restaurants. Traffic in Hyderabad is terrible during rush hour (after 6pm). There is really only one major road getting people to the office buildings and since Hyderabad grew so fast over the last 10 years the infrastructure has not kept up with the population growth. It is now the 5th largest city in India. The two languages spoken here are Telagu and Hindi. I tried to learn some Hindi but then I realized that most people I am around speak Telagu so it didn't really help.

When traveling to Hyderabad you will fly in to Begumpet Airport. It's in north Hyderbad (apparently they are building an international airport about 2 hours outside of Hyd, that should be open in April 2008). When you arrive you will basically be in the center of the city. Most of the large international companies are located about 30 minutes away (without traffic) in High Tech City. On the way to this area you will drive through Jubilee and Banajara Hills. These are the most affluent areas of Hyderabad where there are many nice hotels, restaurants and shopping.

Places To See:
Charminar is the top place to visit in Hyderabad as it is in the old city. It is 90% Muslim, so don't go there on Friday's as that is prayer day. You should not go alone, take a driver with you if possible that can show you around. It is very crowded and can be overwhelming. Women should dress very conservatively in this area, and hold on to your valuables. If you go around 10:30 am, this is the best time as shops are just opening so it isn't as busy. This area is know for bangles and Indian clothing so if you want either of these this is the place. The actual Charminar is a squarish structure with four towers in the four corners of the square, each of whose sides is 20 metres in length. Every side opens into a plaza through giant arches, which overlook four major thoroughfares and dwarf other features of the building except the minarets. To go to the top expats pay 100 rupees (it is much cheaper for Indian nationals) and you can see a wonderful view of the entire city. It is definitely worth it.

Charminar

Across from the Charminar is the most famous mosque in Hyderabad called Mecca Masjid. In May of 2007 there was a bombing here during prayers and 16 Muslims were killed and 56 injured. It is a beautiful building and is currently being repaired (it is nearly finished). You can't go inside but you can walk very close to it and peer through the gates.

Mecca Masjid

Golkonda Fort is the other main attraction in Hyderabad. It's in west Hyderbad, about 1.5 hours from the City Center. It is where Muslim rulers use to live with their armies for protection. It's very beautiful and from the top has an amazing view of all of Hyderabad. I believe the cost to get in for foreigners is 100 rupees. Once there you will be approached by several tour guides, don't take the ones standing outside the fort. Get one that is inside and hired by the fort. Make sure to negotiate the price beforehand, I paid 300 rupees which was still way too much but the guy started at 800 rupees. I am normally not a tour guide type person but it helps in the fort. The tour guide walks really fast up to the top of the fort so it is a really good work out. If you go when it is really hot make sure you bring water as it is a tough hike.

Golkonda Fort

Hyderabad has a large lake called Hussain Sagar Lake. It has a road that you can drive on around it called Necklace Road. The lake is very close to the airport. There are many parks around here that you can lounge in and just hang out and relax. During October/November during the Ganesh Festival's you can watch people do their traditional drive to the lake with large Ganesha's in the back of trucks and then they drop them in the lake. It's fun and interesting to see people dancing in the streets and celebrating. Also on the lake is a nice restaurant called The Waterfront Restaurant. It has Indian and Chinese food and a great view of the lake.

Every November there is the Hyderabad 10K and Half Marathon Race aroud Hussian Sagar Lake. It's really fun and a great way to get out with the locals and get some exercise. I ran it this year and it was one of most fun things I have done while in Hyderabad. As November gets closer you can go to the web site (linked above) and find out where to register. It was only 150 rupees to register and I got a really nice red dri-fit top. And if you don't want to register you can just show up!

Hyderabad 10K Race

Eating:
Here are other restaurant suggestions, although most are on the high end for India, 500 INR per person. Also alcohol is very expensive in India, $5 - $10 U.S. per drink unless you order beer.

Little Italy - Italian/Mexican (one of the favorites)
Our Place - Indian
Angeethi - Indian
Fusion 9 - Indian/Asian Fusion (one of the favorites)
Mochas - American/Indian Food and hookah bar
The Grill Room - American food with a mix of Indian (you can get a steak here)
Zaffron Laguna - Mediterranean
Hyderabad house - Indian (this is probably more for people that have adjusted to Indian food) very cheap, one in Madhapur and one in Jubilee Hills
Pizza Hut - all over Hyderabad
Domino's - all over Hyderabad
Marriott - all types (great brunch)
Sheraton - all types
Novatel - all types
Taj Krishna - all types
Barista - coffee shop like Starbuck's
Cafe Coffee Day - coffee shop like Starbuck's
Bottles and Chimney - popular bar/club with great appetizers
O Fen Bakery - American type bakery that also serves Italian food
Mainland China - Chinese Food
McDonald's - does not serve beef, some of the chicken sandwiches have some Indian flavor to them (same great fries)
Basil - Vegitarean Italian with Indian influence, also serves Chinese
Peshwari - Indian food
Subway Sandwiches - all over Hyderabad
Baskin Robbins Ice Cream
Tex Mex - surprisingly good Mexican food Plot No 217, road No. 2 Banjara Hills
Q Mart - this is a "foreigners" market, it's very expensive but I can get many things from the U.S. and Europe such as cheeses, meats, vegetables etc.


Night Life:
Bottles N' Chimneys: Loud bar/dance club, but fun, plays a lot of techno, near airport
Liquids: Banjara Hills
10 Downing (Irish type of pub, has karoake nights)
Ahala (at the Taj Krishna) Thursday is the best day to go (this is my favorite dance club, but drinks are very expensive) plays some hip hop and other fun techno mixes
FrangiPani in City Center - loud dance club/bar

Shopping:
About 10 minutes from the airport are two large malls, City Center and Hyderabad Central. These don't have much as far as traditional Indian souveniours, it's mostly high end clothing stores and on the top of most malls are really nice restaurants. I wouldn't recommend shopping at these malls if you are only in Hyderabad for a short time and want to take gifts and things back. I'll get to the best shopping in a bit.

Shilparamam located in High Tech City is an outdoor market (my favorite place in Hyd). It costs 20 rupees to get in and once inside there are so many things, pottery, clothing, shawls, paintings, jewelery, wood and marble handicrafts, toys, and much more. It opens at 11am and stays open pretty late, around 9 pm I think. The weekends are the best time to go as more shops are there so you have many more options.

Handicrafts:
Here are some good places to get higher quality handicrafts (but you will have to pay for it): The Kashmir Emporium: G2, 1302 to 1304, Lake View Plaza, Opp. Taj Banjara Entrance, Beside Tata Motors, Roa No. 1, Banjara Hills
Handicraft - de' - India: G2-A Alpha Business Centre, Near Nagarjuna Circle, Road #1, Banjara Hills (this one is pretty pricey but high quality)
Kashmir Cottage Emporium: #6-3-456/24/1, Dwrakapuri Colony, Near Model House, Pnajagutta.
Saga: Municipal No: 8-2-601/A2, Plot No. 2, Road No. 10, Banjara Hills (this has nice carpets and will ship them back to wherever you live)

Jewelery/Pearls: Hyderabad is known as the city of pearls and it has really nice pearls at good prices, so I really suggest you take a look at some shops.
Mystique Designs: This is a jewelery shop that has all sorts of beautiful stones, you choose the stones you like and they string you a necklace or earrings right there. 8-2-601/G, Road No. 10, Banjara Hills.
Shri Cauvery Pearls: Don't buy pearls here, they aren't that high quality, but they have really nice stones like saffires, rubies etc. to make jewelery with. You can tell them exactly what you want. Shop No. 30, Topaz on Amrutha Hills, Panjagutta.
Swati Pearls: This has great pearls at a good price. 5-8-328/3A, OPP Hotel Anmol International Chappel road.
Vaishnavi Pearls: Don't know the address but it is behind Abbots Market.

Music and Books: Walden Books is a great book store chain in Hyderabad. It has a lot of Indian books as well as international best sellers. Any driver should know where one is. There is a large Walden Books by the airport that also has DVD's and is connected to a handicraft shop called Cottage Industries, it's nice but a little expensive.
Himalayan Books is located near Hyderabad Central and has a decent selection of nice books as well.
Music World has a good selection of Hindi movie soundtracks and regular Hindi music as well as some popular American music and DVD's. Shop No 136 & 137 1st Floor,Babukhan Estate, Basheer Bagh.

Hotels:
I am not an expert in hotels here since I have an apartment, but there are quite a few high end places. If you will be working in High Tech city or near Madhapur you would want to try and stay at the Novotel. But if you want to be more in the action, near the restaurants and clubs, then you would stay at the Taj Krishna, Sheraton Kakatiya, or Marriott. These are all very pricey though. The Taj Banjara is in the action and is slightly cheaper as well as Hotel Green Park and Quality Inn Residency Hotel (these all run about 4000 INR per night, $100). If you are looking for cheap guest houses you may want to check a travel book or lonely planet as I don't have the expertise in this area. This is a good site for some cheaper hotel listings:

http://www.hotels-hyderabad.com/

Tips For Traveling In India

Visas:
Traveling to India when you are coming from a more developed country can be very overwhelming at first. First things first, once you book your flight to India, make sure you get a visa. No one told my husband and I that we would need a visa to come here (we moved from the U.S to Hyderabad) and the first time my husband tried to come he was turned away.

Medications/shots:
-Before you travel to India you will need to see a licensed travel physician that can tell you exactly what shots and medications you need (especially since things can change every few months, you want to have updated info). Unfortunately most insurance companies don't cover this with health insurance so be ready to fork out some serious cash.
-You should go to a physician at least one month prior to travel to ensure you will have to to get all of the necessary shots.
-You will need malaria pills, there are weekly and daily pills you can take. The weekly pills are the easiest. The main concern with malaria (contracted by mosquito bites) will be in rural areas with a lot of standing water. This isn't such a big deal in larger cities like Hyderabad, but it is still recommended you take the pills.
-Other shots that will need to be up to date are you Hep A and Hep B series, rabies (stray dogs), polio, and typhoid. Typhoid is VERY necessary as this is contracted through drinking water.
-Bring cipro for spells of diarreah.
-The CDC web site has helpful information on what is needed:

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationIndia.aspx

Other Helpful Things To Pack:
Plenty of Purell to wash hands constantly to avoid illnesses such as pink eye (very common in India). I also bring my own toilet paper when I travel as most places only have little hoses to rinse but not toilet paper. Other things that I find useful are wet wipes, Advil or Ibuprofin, neosporin, band-aids, hydrogen peroxide, pepto bismal, sunscreen, chap stick etc. Getting things like this in India are not that easy so I carry a little power pack of everything I need.

Drinking Water:
-Do not drink any water that isn't bottled. When you go to a restaurant make sure you ask for bottled water and check that the ice cubes in the drinks are also made with mineral water.
-The water is very contaminated and can make you very sick, a lot of people also brush their teeth with bottled water.

Eating:
-Don't eat food off the street, it normally is not cooked properly and is cooked on unclean surfaces.
-Use your best judgment when choosing restaurants, if it doesn't look clean then you should leave. I always cut my food thoroughly and check that it is cooked all the way through as well.

Street Smarts:
-Before you go anywhere with a rickshaw driver or cab negotiate the price beforehand. Foreigners are like walking money signs so everyone is going to try and hike up the price. Ask more than one driver what the cost should be.
-There are going to be beggars everywhere you go in India. They will tap on your car window, tug at your sleeve and follow you around. Expats get hassled ALL THE TIME, so just be prepared. When you are in a situation where you aren't in a car, hold on to your wallet and your belongings as pick pocketers will be in full force. This is even more important when you are in high traffic tourist areas.
-Stray dogs are all over the place in India, and the best way to avoid being bitten is to completely stay away from them. Most of them are quite friendly and don't mind people, but these are wild animals not like the pets in the U.S. and they can be dangerous.
-When walking around the streets, you will see that there are basically no rules for cars. There aren't very many sidewalks so a lot of time you will be walking where the cars and scooters are driving. You have to be alert all the time as their will be a lot going on. Most of the cars/scooters drive pretty slow because of traffic, but the sheer number of people on the roads is overwhelming. If you have to cross a busy road you may want your driver to accompany you as the traffic will never stop for you, it will just slow down a bit as you bolt across.

What to pack:
-Men dress basically the same as men in the U.S. so no change there. But the women all wear traditional Indian dress, and since you probably don't have any clothes like this you can wear similar things you would wear in the U.S., but be a little more conservative. Best to wear pants every day, avoid low cut tops and tank tops.
-Before you go somewhere ask your driver or hotel if you are going somewhere if it is a traditional area, more Muslim etc. so you can dress appropriately. Your best bet is to always wear pants or capris and a short sleeved shirt. It's pretty much always hot here, so keep that in mind.
-During the winter, Northern India can get pretty cold (50 degrees at night), but southern India will stay pretty warm year round, so pack accordingly.

Travel:
-A lot of Expats that are going to be spending a few months in India will do a significant amount of traveling. Flights in India are not like the U.S. where you have 30 options to fly from SF to LA. There are normally just 1-2 flights per day to any given location (other than large cities like Delhi, Mumbai etc.)
-The best sites to use when traveling are: below:
http://makemytrip.co.in/makemytrip/MMTHome.do
http://www.cleartrip.com/
http://www.yatra.com

-If you are traveling within India e-tickets are available, but for International travel e-tickets are not available. You have to go to a local travel agent, have them book the flight and pay for it through them, they they print the ticket and give it to you.
-If you are traveling to a beach area, bathing suites and beach attire are acceptable. But other parts of India will be very conservative as far as dress, be sure to research where you are going ahead of time so you know what is ok.
-You should also know that if you are visiting a temple, fort or other large tourist attraction there is a different price for foreigners than Indian nationals. And they normally make women cover up when going in the temple, they have to cover their legs fully and arms sometimes as well.