Before the trip.
To get a visa beforehand is compulsory in India. It's cost a lot amount of £100. In addition, the photo required for visa is different ensure you get the correct size passport visa photos.
Vaccinations must get it for your own health and safety from your GP.
The tickets cost around £487
From London to Mumbai return in Air India.
Advantage in Air India it allows luggage of 40kg which is good for Asians or like me family members will get me a lot of gifts especially food items.
Make sure register for miles online comes in handy once in a while.
Disadvantage in Air India
If you are like British Indian who doesn't speak Hindi at all. For me, automatically mature ladies start talking to me in Hindi and ordering me do this and that. Oh my god was such a nuisance.
Suddenly, in flight mature man fainted front of me me literally I was shocked. Flight attendants made an announcements "is there any doctor abroad?". In my opinion, I think they should make it compulsory all flight attendants to be trained first aid in case of emergency for example this case.
Food was average.
Day 1
Already tired reached Bombay earlier than I expected the flight landed one hour earlier.
I had to catch another domestic flight from SpiceJet Bombay to Mangalore. I had to wait more than 10 hours in the airport which was hell to me. Luckily, there is free wifi which you have to register and if you have a good friend like me who kept me company through Skype.
Make sure you have exchanged money beforehand if you get hungry in the airport comes in handy. Airport food are expensive and confusing. If they mention cheese it will be added do not presume it will be typical European style cheese as its completely different trust me I was surprised and felt sick. Same goes for cream in the coffee.
Immigration was processed no problem was efficient.
There was security checks of my luggages and hand luggage for customs checks. My mum placed in my luggage small gold piece equivalent of 10 grams. They made me open my luggage s up. Oh my god, they check through everything with so many questions. For example, I had watch gifts, they would ask me the value of the watches. They explained we are not allowed to bring the gold piece and stated I have to pay amount of 3000rs (£30). It's due bad economy in India they have restricted on bringing gold to India.
But I had a problem has only rs 2000 and £10*2note. I told them if possible I can pay mixture. They refused to accept indian rupees, they wish to be paid in foreign currency. I stated them I can pay them by bank card. After so much hassle they accepted £20 note. I was relieved but suddenly security guy said pay through under the table. I was like WTF pardon my language as I studied law degree I have strong sense of law and order as this came as a shock for me.
Day 2
Finally, they opened the counter. I had total 32kg luggage and 9kg hand luggage in Air India London. SpiceJet allows 32kg luggage and 7kg hand luggage if you are coming from International flights. SpiceJet is the cheapest domestic flights in India and plus allows more than 20kg luggage. The counter said the luggage is 36kg and hand luggage was 10kg where I have to pay rs.3,000 (£30). I was surprised and started arguing with him how could this be possible?!. I told him to take my luggage off and see the scale of luggage weight. It was 0.60gram already. I started shouting at him saying its fault of weight machine. Than he wrote down in a piece of paper saying "please, calm down there are customers who could hear you. We have to make money. Pay only rs.2,000 I will let it go, which I agreed.
Finally, reached my destinations with further one hour drive to my grandmas house.
Day 3
Dentist visit removed my extra tooth and cleaned my teeth total charge of rs, 4,000(£40). Still cheaper compared to London dentist.
Rickshaws are very cheap for rs. 100 (£1)you could go around but ensure they charge you by meter first.
Restaurants food locally for 50rs (0.50pence) you could have a nice meal. Do check hygiene first.
Temples: ensure you dress appropriately traditional clothes you could buy always bargain.
Shopping always bargain is the key as they know you are foreigners will charge you higher prices.
No comments:
Post a Comment