Two days in... Bangalore or Chennai.

[Monkey Hanger]

Heading off to Southern India for a few weeks in Dec and have the option to fly into one of the two above. Will be looking to stay for max two full days before moving on. The itinerary for the rest of the trip is completely open so I don't really mind which city is the start point.

Any reason for choosing one over the other? Nothing seems to stand out.

Ta.

[Fuzz]

I would definitely pick Bangalore than Chennai - Bangalore has a better climate, being situated in a higher altitude. Chennai is just hectic, hot and smelly. I visited Bangalore and Chennai when I still worked in Singapore and I used to dread having to fly to Chennai first. Even though I didn't want to hold on to predispositioned ideas about India being smelly and hectic, unfortunately Chennai fit the bill. The airport (it might've changed since 2002) smelled like wet rags and dried poop.

Bangalore was a much welcome change after Chennai - I had my first taste of the refreshing drink 'Vasantha Neer' as well: mint, honey, coconut water, with a dash of lime. Really refreshing. From memory Bangalore also has many interesting historic buildings.

[Burbage]

I second Bangalore.

Chennai is a typical rip off every tourist city.

Bangalore considers itself the most advanced and learned city in India and as a result is much more easy going with tourists and visitors. They have real coffee too, unless something has hapened to the India Coffee House, and the taxi drivers and rickshaw wallahs use their meters.

Make sure you visit Ooty while you're in the area. Take the train ride up the mountain. Other places worth going are Trivandrum, Kovalam Beach, and Madurai.

[Aliya]

Bangalore. There are some fab places to visit, palaces and really interesting places, definately. Do a google but there is some fab old palace there - two I think and some other interesting places, too tired to think hard enough to tell you what they are xxx

[azzam]

You should do travel reviews, A. Or be an agent.

[BFG]

Bangalore. By a country mile...

[Monkey Hanger]

Bangalore it is then, thanks all.

[Tas]

two bits of advice.
1. get your visa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay early
2. be prepared for those 24hrs of chucking up continuously, sleeping on the bathroom floor, and bring something for the pain in your chest caused by all that dry retching. (Glass half full aspect to that 24hrs exactly it lasted, which is better than some of my hangovers...)

lov'n India folks .....

[cromasaig]

I spent six weeks in India and didn't get sick once.

Desperate to go back.

[Aliya]

I do have some lovely pictures I took of the palaces but as always they are a bit crooked so won't post them given all the heckling I get

I never get sick but then again I dont eat meat, drink anything with ice or not out of a can and dont eat salad when in Indya.

[BFG]

I spent six weeks in India and didn't get sick once.

Desperate to go back.

Same here - been travelling to India on a regular basis for about 12 years - I always get shouted at by Mrs BFG for (a) putting on weight and (b) wiggling my head. It's addictive...

[Aliya]

I get to wear all my Indian clothes, I loves it. Any nice Indian husbands out there for me???

[azzam]

two bits of advice.
1. get your visa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay early
2. be prepared for those 24hrs of chucking up continuously, sleeping on the bathroom floor, and bring something for the pain in your chest caused by all that dry retching. (Glass half full aspect to that 24hrs exactly it lasted, which is better than some of my hangovers...)

lov'n India folks .....

Oh noo, so sorry. Are you better?

[Burbage]

Watch out for these:

Spoiler: toggle

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[Tas]

Thank you Azzam, a kind word goes a long way. I am feeling better now.

[azzam]

I get to wear all my Indian clothes, I loves it. Any nice Indian husbands out there for me???

No, but perhaps you could invest in a nice Ghanain headdress?


edit:

[Aliya]

. That's not a headress, that's her hair!

[azzam]

Get plaiting then. Will I need a hat?

[slinky]

(b) wiggling my head. It's addictive...

Saw a comedian who did a bit on that recently........had to do with why all women should consider dating Indian men......

[BFG]

Slinky! You are so rude!!!

[slinky]

I'm not rude! It was the comedian who made the joke

[BFG]

I'm not rude! It was the comedian who made the joke

I didn't think that you were the type of lady to understand that sort of thing.

I am quite shocked.

Now, if Azzam had said it.....

[azzam]

Took me ages to even get it.

[Lichtgestalt]

The best thing for me on trips to India was always the flight out

[canuck]

Took me ages to even get it.

I tot you were getting it regular now