Is this crazy?

Old Jun 23rd, 2016, 05:00 PM
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Is this crazy?

I posted before that my son will be in Jkarkand, Ranchi area in March. Is this itinerary crazy? still have lots of time. Fly from Newark to Delhi. Stay in Delhi 1 or 2 nights then fly to Jodphur. Stay 3 nights then fly back to Delhi to Ranchi. (Hopefully there is a direct flight). I may have to stop in Kolkata and if so stay there 1 night. Stay Ranchi 3 nights and then spend next 10 days in Nepal and Bhutan.
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Old Jun 23rd, 2016, 05:28 PM
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I'm not sure what you mean by crazy or which part you're referring to. It appears that, yes, you go through Delhi from Jodhpur (JDH) to get to Ranchi (IXR). It also appears that there are few flights to Ranchi and you'll have to spend a night in Delhi. It looks no better adding an additional connection. At least that's how it appears on the site I use to research possible routes: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/
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Old Jun 23rd, 2016, 05:29 PM
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Yes, it is crazy.
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Old Jun 23rd, 2016, 06:32 PM
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Spending ten days in Nepal OR Bhutan is not crazy. Making a side trip to Jodhpur doesn't make much sense to me.

You do know that visiting Bhutan is pricey? There is a minimum amount you have to spend, and you have to have a guide.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 12:02 AM
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I have no opinion on the craziness of your proposed journey, but there are plenty of flights from Delhi to Ranchi that you won't find on matrix.itasoftware.com . ITA do not show the low cost carriers like IndiGo, GoAir etc. (nor Southwest in the USA). Google flights will show these (which is odd, since they own ITA). I took several flights on IndiGo earlier this year and found them to be excellent. Buy the ticket on their own website. It's well worth paying the few $ extra for "fast forward" express line privileges on so on.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 12:05 AM
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No absolutely not and your itinerary looks good. And yeah if you are opting for flying as your travelling mode than its good because all the destination you have opted located at fairly distance. But if you have time then road trip with rental cars en route Jaipur from New Delhi would be a good option. Other than its good. have a great trip.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 08:02 AM
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Someotherguy, I just tried google.com/flights for JDH-IXR in March and am not finding the flights you mention. What am I doing wrong? If there's a better site than ita I'd like to know it. Please advise.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 08:10 AM
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"road trip with rental cars en route Jaipur from New Delhi would be a good option"

I trust you mean with car and driver, because otherwise that advice is dangerous nonsense. Suggest you go back to driving your cab.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 09:06 AM
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What is crazy about your plan esthete you think you can visit both Nepal and Bhutan in 10 days. Choose one.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 10:16 AM
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your plan is literally and figuratively all over the map. Have you been to Kolkata previous? If not, IF you go it deserves more than a night.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 06:30 PM
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Thanks..yes I know it isi all over the map. That is why I am looking for help. I so appreciate any suggestions. I have done Golden triangle and Mumbai but did not go to Jodphur which I regret. A travel agent mentioned Nepal and Bhutan as being closer to my son. Cost is not a huge factor but wear and tear on us is. I am looking at this as once in a lifetime trip with my daughter. We do need to be guided, on this forum and literally in India.
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Old Jun 25th, 2016, 07:05 AM
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Bhutan might be just perfect for you then. You are required to use a Bhutanese travel agency and you will be accompanied at all times by your guide. While your local agent can hook you up with a Bhutanese agency, it will cost you less to go directly with a Bhutanese agency. I'd spend all 10 days in Bhutan. Look at trip reports on Bhutan (go to the top of the page and view by country).
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Old Jun 27th, 2016, 07:16 AM
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10 days in Bhutan maybe too much. What is minimum number of days to get feel for country.
thinking know of visiting son for 2 days then going to Bhutan. back to Kolkata for 2 nights and then ending in Thailand for 1 week. Then fly back to usa.we have 25 days but we need to include travel in that. Would still love ideas!!
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Old Jun 27th, 2016, 08:07 AM
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Two nights somewhere is just one full day. It takes three nights to give you two full days. That wouldn't be enough time for me in Kolkata... or for me to visit my son if I had one. But I assume you know what time you need.

Ten days in Bhutan would be a fairly standard short trip. The people I know who have gone have spent at least two weeks. Look at the websites of some Bhutan agents and see what you think. Do pick up a guidebook or two on Bhutan.

Have you been to Thailand? What is your plan for a week in Thailand?

What kinds of ideas are you looking for?
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Old Jun 30th, 2016, 06:24 AM
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I have changed my plans. I will visit my son for few days. Then do south India. Then fly to Bangkok and then thinking north Thailand and Laos.
I have 3 weeks...
do people recommend North thailand and Laos...I think adding the beaches would be too much.
J
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Old Jun 30th, 2016, 06:48 AM
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You previously mentioned your daughter's "severe food allergies". Is one of the foods peanuts? If so, I wouldn't take her to Thailand where peanuts are probably in every kitchen and cross-contamination is inevitable.
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Old Jun 30th, 2016, 07:10 AM
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Again, I think you have too many destinations for the time you have. You could spend all three weeks in South India, but now you are adding Bangkok, Northern Thailand and Laos. Pause and consider what you want from this trip - none of us can tell you that. Once you know what you want, we can be more helpful.

BTW, March would be a very bad time to visit Northern Thailand. Burning of croplands means it will be smokey in northern Thailand and in Laos.
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Old Jun 30th, 2016, 07:33 AM
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And, as I posted on your other thread, March is a bad time for southern India.
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Old Jun 30th, 2016, 10:08 AM
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MmePerdu that is a good point about the peanuts and yes that is one of her allergies.
so south India too hot in March?
Thailand no good due to allergies and crop burning. Laos sounds magical but I did not know about burning of croplands.... I maybe back to the drawing board.
I want to see wonderful sites, visit villages, experience culture and food...I don't want to be exhausted going to too many places. I thought I was narrowing it down with Northern Thailand and Laos. Maybe I stay in India!!! But where to go?? India then end in maldives??
J
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Old Jun 30th, 2016, 11:27 AM
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One way to not be too hot is to go up, higher altitude. Relatively close to your son, I think mentioned already, is Darjeeling - Tibetans, Nepalis & tea growing. And a place I like very much, nearby Kalimpong. Nice & cool with not much rain in March. A bit warmer, Gangtok in Sikkim, a bit more rain. Then warm up in Calcutta/Kolkata. All fascinating places in a pretty small corner of India, very different from one another. You wouldn't be bored for a minute.
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