Originally Posted by
4halex
Thank you for your reply. I have always wanted to go to India but I did have second thoughts with all these horrid stories about getting deathly sick, and the ordeal of traffic, the smell which seems to be the number one thing everyone tells me. I am going since I don't know how you can see the world without seeing India!! I can't imagine Oberoi and Amanbagh properties to be that tough to handle. Would you ever eat out of the hotels?
Also did you have any type of shots? I was just in Africa and was told yellow fever was necessary and then when I got there not one person had the vaccine.
You should definitely go to India. It is an incredible country but 17 days does seem a bit long for a first time visit. Are you able to reduce the number of days there a little, you might find you enjoy it more.
When have been in India, I have never eaten out of the Oberoi or whatever hotel I am staying in, and even then only eat cooked food, eg. vegetables, meat, etc, and certainly not salads, sushi or fruit. This may sound like overkill, but I have never been sick when in India. These hotels have Indian menus so you are still able to try the cuisine of the country you are in.
You sound a little like me when I first went to India because I was seriously thinking of pulling out (it was also the month after the Mumbai attacks when I went). But I am glad I didn't and it was one of the most incredible travel experiences I had ever had. Having low expectations can sometimes surprise you. In one respect my trip to India was life-changing because I resolved never to complain again after what I had seen there. The point you brought up in relation to sewage and the lack thereof is valid, as you will have affirmed for you when you stay at the Oberoi Amarvilas at Agra (try not to get too high a floor on the left wing of the hotel for this reason).
So you should definitely go. Try to fly or catch the train rather than driving. And as you already are intending, be very careful with what you eat. And I would reconsider a 17 day trip to India for your first time around.