slivka.com > Trips > 2011 India Trip
April 18-29, 2011: India Trip

Ben's high school friend Andy Simkin was finishing his 3 year posting to Chennai in July, so this was Ben's last chance to visit Andy in India. Ben's friend Prashant had been encouraging Ben to visit him in Hyderabad for several years. And if you're going to visit India, you must see the Taj Mahal. So the outlines of Ben's trip were set: 2 days in Chennai, 3 days in Hyderabad, an overnight in Agra and 2.5 days in Delhi.

Read Ben's observations on India.

By the numbers:
* 1000 Indian Rupees (INR) = US$22.50.
* 19,849 air miles, 41.5 hours in flight.
* Low temperatures were nearly 80F, high temperatures were nearly 100F.
* 12 Rupees (24 cents) = lowest cost for a street vendor coconut.
* 7 auto rickshaw rides (at least).
* 14 videos on www.youtube.com/benslivka/.

Top news items in India during this trip:
a) 2G scam by former telecom minister A. Raja.
b) Religious figure Sathya Sai Baba dies.
c) Pakistana actress Meera Simhan and her former mentor/producer Mahesh Bhatt trade accusations.

Trip highlights: Texas Fiesta charity announcement event, Mahabalipuram stone carvings, DakshinaChitra outdoor historical museum, meeting India's top women basketball player Geethu Anna Jose, Birla Mandir temple, Charminar mosque, Falaknuma Palace -- best meal of the trip, Golkonda Fort, Chowmahalla Palace, Salarjung Museum, The Nazim's Museum, Mecca Masjid -- 2nd largest mosque in India, Tomb of Akbar, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Bukhara restaurant and best wine of the trip 2008 Gaja Langhe Rossj-Bass, Red Fort, Jama Masjid -- largest mosque in India, Indian National Museum, Humayun's Tomb, Baha'i Lotus Temple, and many auto rickshaw rides.


Note: There are 2,135 pictures, with 205,709,655 bytes of thumbnails and 5,036,123,529 bytes of full-size pictures.
Mon Apr-18 SEA->FRA
Tue Apr-19 FRA->MAA, Chennai, Andy and Bess
Wed Apr-20 Auto rickshaw, Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Temple, Restaurant, St. Thomas Church, Texas Fiesta, Andy and Bess Dinner
Thu Apr-21 Chennai walk, Mahabalipuram, DakshinaChitra, hoops, France/Thailand dinner
Fri Apr-22 MAA->HYD, Ista Hotel, Birla Temple, Falaknuma Palace, Golkonda Fort, Little Italy restaurant
Sat Apr-23 Jayabheri, Chutneys, Chowmahalla Palace, Kangan Restaurant
Sun Apr-24 Birthday, Salar Jung Museum, Nizam's Museum, Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad House, Sahib Sindh Sultan
Mon Apr-25 HYD->DEL, Delhi->Agra, Tomb of Akbar, Gateway Hotel
Tue Apr-26 Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Agra->Delhi, Oberoi Maidens Heritage Hotel, Bukhara restaurant
Wed Apr-27 Red Fort, Jama Masjid, National Museum
Thu Apr-28 Humayun's Tomb, Baha'i Lotus Temple
Fri Apr-29 DEL->FRA->SEA

Last updated Friday, September 14th, 2012.
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