We have definitely opted for the slowly-slowly form of travel. We tend to land in a place for at least a week, preferably a couple of weeks. That way we get to know people better, and garner a real feeling for a place. We visit some of the tourist spots, but not all of them, preferring to balance that with mingling with locals. We also pick just a few destinations out of the zillion available, preferring to see a few in depth rather than many more albeit superficially.
Slowly-slowly travel helps logistically. We have more time to figure out transportation, or even lodging. Sometimes we come into a place and take any guesthouse the first night, moving the second day once we establish our bearings and know where we want to locate. Also some travel, especially train reservations, must be arranged in advance. We are very flexible, frequently adding or subtracting days from our itinerary so we do not buy tickets ahead of time. By being in a place a week or more, we can usually still get onward tickets as we begin to sense what day we will be ready to leave. Once in a while that fails us (like the train ride out of Varkala, where there is no local reservation office and the train was full), but it generally works out pretty well. Other people may prefer to map out all of the travel at one time (and get discounted rates on the train, since it can then be booked as one longer journey), but we prefer the flexibility even if it also adds some uncertainty and hassle.
Transportation in India is like anywhere --the trains work very well, the buses are never as promised but do get you there, and the taxi drivers are dishonest. That seems to be true in all of Asia and Africa , and for that matter are taxi drivers in New York City any better? Traveling by trains is always preferred. Otherwise, when booking a bus it is best to check it out the day before and see the actual bus to know what you get. We are always promised a big new bus with just two seats to a side, heading directly to our destination without stops. Frequently that turns into an older bus with a much tighter three seat configuration, seats that are broken and do not recline, and stops every few minutes as people climb on and off. Also the reserved seats often degenerate into people piled in the aisles and on each others laps as the operators simply continue to sell tickets no matter how full the bus becomes. We haven't really figured out how to guarantee good bus rides. Sometimes, you just have to accept whatever you get. The good news is that invariably the buses get you where they say they will.
It is actually easier to get proper service from a rickshaw driver than from the bus company, mostly because there is just one person you talk with and he doesn't get paid until you are satisfied. You learn to be very firm and clear. Never get in a rickshaw until you have agreed on a price. Never listen to their advice about a "better" guesthouse, or that yours burned down, or the riot in that part of town, or their offers for a shopping tour. I often follow along with a map and compass while they drive and if we seem to be headed the wrong way we protest loudly so they know to behave. If the rate changes while traveling, we don't pay the extra. We have even bailed out part way if the driver becomes too difficult. But the good news is that you can remain in control of the situation by simply refusing to pay. Arguing or hostility does no good, but a firm repetition of the same sentence over and over while keeping money in your pocket seems to do the trick.
You can travel in India on any budget, from under $10 a day per person, to several hundred dollars. We are definitely near the bottom end of the scale, preferring to trade off comfort and convenience for the ability to extend the trip longer. That means most of our guesthouses are rather dingy, often with shared toilets and leaky plumbing. The promised hot shower is there only about half of the time, otherwise it is cold. We carry our own bed sheets, since sheets are usually missing or dirty. That works for us. We are not traveling to see the hotel rooms, and in fact many of these places have more of a family atmosphere where we get to know the proprietors. But most people will want to upgrade a bit. Instead of paying our $3-5 per night for a double room, you can get a quite comfortable room for $15-25. That will get you a nice clean room, clean linens, private bath, TV with BBC, and air conditioning. The hotel will have a restaurant with proper hygiene. There are also western business hotels and resorts which charge $100-300 a night, but there is little additional value there.
Food can be a concern for western travelers. If you are on a short stay, you do not want to spend a few days ill. That means you will pick only the restaurants frequented by western budget tourists. Since most of the places you want to travel are on the tourist circuit, there are always restaurants catering to westerners. They will have a largely western menu, and they will take precautions such as rinsing all vegetables in iodine water, or treating with UV. They are easy to find in any tourist guide book. Figure $10-20 per person per day to eat this way. Again, there are also the western business and resort places. Here you will pay as much for a meal as in the west, or maybe more since some of it is in fact imported. But what's the fun in having a French chef prepare a beef steak in India ?
There are also numerous street venders, often with delicious local favorites. You will get a real sampling of the local fare on the street. Unfortunately, sanitation is sometimes just one bucket of water that is never rinsed all day long. Dishes are just dipped into the dirty water, swish and wipe, and presto --they are ready for the next diner. Sometimes food is cooked ahead and sits until it is sold. So you need to be careful. Usually you can see the food preparation and cleanup methods and know whether to give the place a pass bye. Often the street vendors are so busy that they seem to stay ahead of sanitation problems --they never clean the pan, but it is back on the heat constantly and doesn't need it, or while the food is just sitting at room temperature it is being served so fast that it is only minutes old anyway. Often it is a real treat to eat on the street, getting the local food. You certainly can save money --you could eat for $1-3 a day. We mix some restaurants and some street food, figuring the occasional "digestive day" (less than one a month) is offset by the opportunity to sample more foods. We also find that our tolerance has grown, and we worry less and less.
Another concern is adaptability to the local diet. We enjoy the local food, and don't much crave our "normal" diet. That is not usually the case. Most travelers enjoy sampling local fare, but will want their normal food, whatever that is, once in a while. That is available at the big-end business hotels and resorts, so if you expect to need the comfort of occasional familiar food, then budget accordingly. In fact, our planned budget included staying a few days at five-star western resorts. We planned that contingency just as assurance that if we really just get tired of traveling we can check in and be pampered for a few days, refreshed and ready to resume our travel. So far, we haven't needed it.
Regarding what to bring, start with the advice of bringing nothing. Don't bring anything "just to be sure". Error the other way, only bring things that you are positive are required and cannot be purchased locally. Every toiletry item and medicine is available locally, don't bring an enormous kit to lug around. Laundry service is ubiquitous, so don't bring much more that you can put on your body at one time plus a set at the laundry. Local clothes are inexpensive, comfortable, and conform to local standards and customs. Forget the big rain coat. If it is really wet, stay indoors. We carry tiny traveler's umbrellas, which work for both rain and sun.
We have a bunch of camping gear. Tent, stove, water filter, etc. This is useful in Europe , North America and Australia , and in fact is the only way to travel for an extended period of time on a tiny budget. It is of no use in Asia or Africa , and ought to be left home or shipped ahead. The exception might be the water filter --too many travelers buy the mineral water in the plastic bottles and the litter mess is a huge problem here. We pump all of our own water. It might save us a little money, but the real point is to eliminate all of those bottles.
The digital camera has worked well for us, though just barely. Finding internet cafes with USB, Windows XP, and writable CDROMs has been difficult. Finding places to make digital prints for friends has been even more difficult. Digital cameras are not as rugged as mature film cameras and we have both repaired and replaced the camera, at considerable expense. On the other hand, the camera and digital film for over seven hundred pictures fits in my pants pocket! We now have many thousands of pictures at a fraction of the cost of film, since our cost is just that of computer time to burn CDROMs. Newer cameras include better video and audio --we have recorded dance performances that would be flat with still photography, and we wish we had the audio to record bird calls, music and other sounds. With time, digital cameras will only make more and more sense for travelers. For now, they make sense for long-term computer-savvy travelers.
What you do bring you want secure. Do have locks on your luggage. Do wear a money belt and keep everything of value in it, including airline tickets and valuable papers.
Probably the best advice is to pack plenty of patience. We see travelers upset when the power stops and they lose their email, or when the hot shower is cold. What's the point? Frustration simply comes from a mismatch between expectation and reality. It is far easier to change expectations. You could travel with a tour group, on private buses, with private catering, in resort hotels. You would see the sights, but learn nothing of the local culture (except the pseudo-culture shows at the resorts). We prefer to be immersed in the local culture, learning more about it as well as our own. It demands patience, tolerance and acceptance, and helps you develop these traits. You learn to be observant, not judgmental, and in doing so you learn so much more about yourself and others. That is the path that we have chosen for our journey.
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