Backpacking, India
I've always wanted to do this, and I've decided to start putting money aside for it.
- When would I plan on leaving?
- After I've finished my degree, which would be in about 3 years. I would still need to find a travel companion though.
India
And if it is possible, I would really be curious to venture into Pakistan for a few weeks.
Time
I was thinking 6 months of travels. But maybe also a couple of months of volunteer work first.
Travel Itenarary
I really want to see * Madras (= Chennai) * Bombay (= Mumbai) * Goa * Delhi * Rajasthan (Udaipur, Jaipur, Johdpur) but I haven't looked into this too closely yet.
Money
Expenses are * Airline/Railway/Bus tickets (most of which can be determined in advance) * Transportation in and around the country * Accommodations * Food * Sight-seeing and museums * Incidental expenses
Day spendings
[http://www.indianbackpacker.com] says you can live on 650Rs a day, which is the equivalent of 10€. * Accommodations: Rs 400 * Food: Rs 100 * Transportation: Rs 50 * Sight-seeing: Rs 100 * Total: Rs 650 That would be 300€/month, to be sure it might be safer to plan 400€/month
Flight
Just a few examples, depending on the travel itenarary a different airport might be more convenient. * Munich - Delhi usually has one stop. * Lufthans = ~ 700€ * British Airways = ~ 600€ * Emirates = ~ 500€
- Munich - Chennai usually has one stop too.
- Lufthansa = ~ 900€
- British Airways = ~ 950€
- Emirates = ~ 500€
Volunteer Work
Experience with volunteer work
Safety
Areas of Conflict - General Security - Stampedes from Lonely Planet
Several Indian regions are prone to conflict; Jammu and Kashmir (as distinct from Ladakh) are subject to political violence and travellers should seek consular advice before entering any area bordering Pakistan. Similar advice should also be sought before travel to Assam, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur in northeast India. There are militant groups operating sporadically in some rural areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa.
A stampede at a Hindu temple in Himachal Pradesh on August 3 killed 140 people, many of them children attending a religious festival. The incident happened after a rain shelter collapsed on a mountainside trail. It is the third fatal stampede in India this year - travellers should be extremely cautious at large gatherings and festivals.
Foreigners in the western state of Rajasthan should be aware of ethnic conflict in the region. In June, at least 40 people were killed in clashes between security forces and ethnic Gujjar protesters. On June 18, the Gujjar community reached a peace deal with the Rajasthan State government and this is expected to relieve tension, however travellers in both Delhi and Rajasthan should stay alert and avoid getting caught up in any public protests.
Travellers should remain alert wherever they travel in India, particularly in big cities and when attending large public gatherings. Deadly bomb attacks have occurred in Mumbai, New Delhi , Jaipur and Hyderabad over the past couple of years, with a series of bombings killing 13 in Uttar Pradesh in November 2007. Political and sectarian tensions occasionally boil over into street violence.
Check out Safe Travel for updated government warnings or the Thorn Tree travel forum for some good advice from travellers. Severity: High-level alert