I Missed My Flight! What Did I Do Next?

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

Agra city morning tour (The Fort and the Taj Mahal)

In 2010, Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was conferred the fourth best airport award in the world in the 15–25 million category, and Best Improved Airport in the Asia-Pacific Region by Airport Council International. In 2011, the IGIA was ranked the second-best airport in the world in the 25-40 million passengers category, again by Airport Council International.

I arrived 5 minutes late on the Agra Cantt station platform for train going to new delhi. I thought the schedule posted in website will somehow accurately deliver in actual time that is why I maximized my time but I was definitely wrong. From original sked of 1018H-1310H that becomes 1025H-1355H, my flight time is 1510H. So from nizamuddin station in new delhi, I have to ride the fastest rickshaw going to new delhi ariport express station which is I think the nearest station is the New Delhi. I arrived in the IGI airport terminal 3 at 1505H obviously left by my flight. What a gruesome disaster for a budget traveler, I cannot afford to stay another day here because of job matters.

taj mahal compound

Agra City Morning Tour (The Fort & Taj Mahal)

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

jaipur pink city by night tour

Traveling via train from jaipur with 2 hours delayed departure and arriving via agra fort train station, which is actually beside the famous agra fort tourist spot.

Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, 200 kilometres (124 mi) south from national capital New Delhi. Because 80 percent of the city's sewage flows into Yamuna River, it is 20th most polluted city in India. It achieved fame as this remains a major tourist destination because of Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

agra fort

Jaipur Pink City by Night Tour

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

new delhi morning city tour (india gate, humayun's tomb & red fort)

Arrived in jaipur train station at 1750H via platform #2. Lots of rickshaw drivers awaiting outside asking friendly for my reason for visit. I have to stop getting irritated by them that's why I submitted myself to one of them and asked where is this hotel I booked. He immediately replied he knows it but giving some bad insights on that hotel thinking I will change my mind. I paid 20INR because the hotel is almost 300 meters away the station. I immediately went-out the vehicle directly to hotel entrance. I asked the attendant that I have availed a tour that is affiliated with them. He phoned someone, confirming my tour then he said a van will pick me up on this hotel after couple of minutes.

Jaipur also popularly known as the 'Pink City', is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727. Jaipur is one of the finest planned cities of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaipur

jaipur pink city by night landmark stop-over

New Delhi City Morning Tour (Humayun's Tomb & Red Fort)

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

new delhi international airport arrival

After arriving in IGI airport in new delhi city, the subway going to airport express is just infront of Terminal 3. I notice, while walking towards the metro station, police/military visibility is almost 100% and I don't know why. Even how they frisk passengers its like I'm inside the airport. So again, just like in other airports I have been... after touchdown, go the visa arrival section, then exit the airport going to subway station just infront, simple as that.

Airport express fare from IGI airport station to New Delhi cost only 80INR (php67) for around 18-23 mins travel time surpassing 4 stations. Very, very effective and exactly similar to hongkong's airport express but not on the fare. From New Delhi station, I went to yellow lane for the start of my city morning tour, with minimum fare of 12INR (php10) only. From central secretariat station, the tour went on via do-it-myself basis....

india gate with sandstorm in the morning

Visa-on-Arrival in New Delhi IGI airport

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

India train experience and tips

I confirmed New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport deserves to be named the World's Most Improved Airport in 2012.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed at the 8th India-Asean summit last October 30th of 2010 in Hanoi that there will be visa on arrival facility to nationals of Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines and Laos, to be implemented starting January 2011. Tourist-visa-on-arrival for Filipinos shall be granted by the Immigration Officers at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports and shall be valid for a maximum of 30 days with single entry. This visas are non-extendable, non-convertible and shall only be allowed for a maximum of 2x in a calendar year with a minimum gap of 2 months between each visit.

new delhi airport visa-on-arrival section

airport going to new delhi, connecting via muscat

India Train Experience and Tips

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

India train booking without local mobile number

Railway experience has never been this incredible. Control yourself to get on your nerves or else you may not accomplished a true India travel without finding yourself having joyride on this famous Indian-style mode of transportation. The following is based on Pinoy-style observation, no offense for whatever impact would it had be.

1. book your seat in advance (important) - this is very, very critical and as much as possible maximize the 120 days (4 months) allowance before the travel date. As for mine, I booked and confirmed all my 3 train tickets last April 23, 2012 which was less than a month before my travel date. All of them were wait listed status so I don't know yet what will happen next if on the date itself the tickets is still on the same status. The thought of how long will I wait, do I have to force myself in or wait for another departure is playing in my mind after booking. Wait, I cannot afford that because I have only 1.5 days and train travel took 3-6 hours depending on the stops. confirmed seat slot is essential. Here were the status of that 3 tickets I booked from the date of purchase up to travel date;

new delhi old station going to jaipur

India Train Bookings from Abroad without Local Mobile Number

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

Incredible India solo backpacking in 1.5 days

As of April 2012, India local mobile number is required for processing all train bookings abroad or for any tourist coming outside India. The following updated procedure tells how to book online without actually having it;

1. create an account in IRCTC:

- makemytrip.com and cleartrip.com has a tied agreement to India Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to avoid illegal selling of train tickets. After filling up everything required (with asterisk) just put any 6-digit number for ZIP CODE and any 10 digit india formatted number for mobile number (example: 834949****, this was my random number used, you may used it replacing the last 4 asterisk. Incorrect format will put your email account to junk status. Thus, you have to create new one with another email). Then click SUBMIT. An email from IRCTC will be received from your email within 10mins stating your one-time passwords (OTP) for log-in and email. The third one is Mobile OTP which will be received via SMS on mandatory indian mobile number (with country code starting with 91). Don't worry there is a reliable alternative for this method if you really don't have any local sim card or Indian friend to help you.

registering in IRCTC website

Incredible Solo to New Delhi - Jaipur - Agra in 1.5 days

2nd trip outside my 2nd second home country... jai-ho!

May 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

 -  Mahatma Gandhi

My 13th country to visit, 17th solo backpacking trip, 2nd visa-on-arrival (VOA) encounter outside Southeast Asia and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. An incredible land with incredible culture and tradition for an incredible itinerary and adventure... that is Incredible India, Jai-ho !

Golden triangle tour of India is one of the most popular and well-received tourist circuits of the country. The tour basically covers three of the most famous cities of New Delhi- the country capital, Agra- home to the spectacular Taj Mahal, and Jaipur- the Rajasthani Capital.

The aim of this trip why I could not wait to extend it to other month are;

1. to see and explore Taj Mahal - the jewel of Muslim Art in India

2. to experience the Indian style haggle madness in train escapade
3. to conquer the golden triangle tour in limited amount of time

4. to just get-out of my country of work for stress relieving purposes

golden triangle tour of india (new delhi - jaipur - agra)