Following are Frequently Asked Questions about our trip to India, with background information to help you plan your trip.

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Discover India: Frequently-Asked Questions about Jewels of India

The vast subcontinent of India has many treasures and we will explore a few of its jewels. From the sights of Delhi to the Taj Mahal, we'll focus on the art, architecture and history of this fascinating and sometimes contradictory land. The abundance of fascinating temples, palaces and forts can easily overwhelm visitors but we will take a leisurely pace, resting at five star hotels and concentrating on five areas that we can enjoy with ease. We'll spend two days near the Ranthambore National Park, a primary conservation area for tigers. We will also explore the lovely "pink city" of Jaipur. Our last stop is at Udaipur where we take an excursion to the temples of Ranakpur, a 15th century delight of columns and carvings.

This FAQ page is intended to accompany other pages about this trip and about our company. Some of the answers below may include links to other other sites; please use the BACK key of your browser to return to this page.

Contents:

• How do I get to India?
  
• When should I plan to arrive in India?
  
• For what date should I book my departure flight from India?
  
• What is included in the extension to Varanasi and Khajuraho, and what is the cost?
  
• I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
  
• Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
  
• Is it any problem if a straight friend joins me on a trip?
  

How do I get to India?
As of late 2008, non-stop flights between North America and Delhi are offered by Continental (from Newark), Air India (from JFK), and American (from Chicago). Air India offers 1-stop flights to Delhi from Los Angeles, Newark and Chicago, but only on certain days of the week, and India's Jet Airways flies New York and India via Brussels. Delta and others offer additional non-stop flights between North America and Mumbai (the Indian name for Bombay), but these will require an overnight stay in Mumbai and a domestic connection to Delhi. Many European airlines also offer non-stop flights between their hubs and Delhi, and Northwest flies between Amsterdam and Delhi.

When should I plan to arrive in India?
We have reserved a hotel room for everyone starting on the evening of Day 1 (the starting day for the trip), and the first group activity is a city tour of Delhi starting the morning of Day 2. Most North American travelers will leave home on the day before Day 1, arriving Delhi late evening on Day 1 or early morning on Day 2. (In 2010, this means departing North America on February 23 and arriving Delhi late on February 24 or a little after midnight on February 25.) If anyone wishes to arrive a day early to be refreshed for our touring, we can reserve an extra hotel night for you.

Those taking part in the Varanasi / Khajuraho extension should plan to depart home on February 19, and arrive Delhi on February 20 for one night in Delhi, one night in Varanasi and two nights in Khajuraho, before returning to Delhi on February 24, the first included tour night.

For what date should I book my departure flight from India?
Our trip officially ends with breakfast on the morning of Day 12. However, since many international flights from Delhi depart very late at night or early morning, there are no group activities scheduled after noon on Day 11, allowing for departures on Day 11 or Day 12. In 2010, Day 11 is March 6 and Day 12 is March 7. (Our Farewell Dinner will be in Udaipur on Day 10.)

What is included in the extension to Varanasi and Khajuraho, and what is the cost?
For those participants who have a little more time to spend in India, we are offering a four night pre-tour extension to Varanasi and Khajuraho.

Varanasi (once called Benares) is visited daily by thousands of Hindi pilgrims who come to bathe in the sacred Ganges River. During our tour we will see many of the ghats (bathing sites) from both the shore and from a boat, and we will also visit nearby Sarnath, where Siddharth Gautama, the original Buddha, gave his first sermon.

Khajuraho is famed for its 1000-year-old Chandela Dynasty erotic temples, which have been better preserved than most other ancient temples due to the city's remote location. During our tour of the city, we will see that the sacred and the profane were one when this city was at its peak of prominence.

The extension price includes one night in Delhi, one night in Varanasi, and two nights in Khajuraho, as well as breakfast each day; inter-city transportation by air (Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Khajuraho), and by bus & train (Khajuraho-Delhi); local transportation and guided tours in Khajuraho and Varanasi.

The extension price for February 2010 is:
$2380 per person in double occupancy
$2830 in single occupancy

Please note that due to the limited transportation options to these cities, our itinerary is subject to change, but we will ensure that you are able to experience the highlights of these two historic cities.

I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
Most of our trips draw more single travelers than couples. When couples do join us, it's usually because they're looking forward to interacting with a gay group; if they wanted a holiday by themselves, they wouldn't have signed up to travel with us. Furthermore, the activities included with our trips serve as natural ice-breakers. Within a day, you'll be traveling with friends.

You don't need to pay the single supplement if you're traveling alone. We'll be happy to match you with a roommate. Pay the single supplement only if you want a bedroom to yourself.

Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
No. Most people who travel abroad with us don't speak the language. But we encourage you to brush up on any language skills you have that are relevant for the area you're going to, and to learn a few basic phrases, such as hello and thank you, in the local language. You'll find even a few words make a big difference in your interactions with local people.

Is it any problem if a straight friend joins me on a trip?
Each year we designate more of our trips as being for "gay men, lesbians, and friends." so we encourage any of our straight friends who enjoy traveling with an open-minded group to join these tours.

In addition, many of our trips are designated for gay men only or for gay men and lesbians. The company was founded because, even these days, gay men and lesbians sometimes encounter a cool reception from people who aren't gay, and many of us would rather take a vacation in an atmosphere where that's not an issue. Our groups are also mostly small and intimate (some with as few as six participants) and the camaraderie is as important as the scenery. So while we occasionally welcome friends and family to join us, we tend to keep our groups essentially for gay men. It has been our mission since the start and we still believe it is important to offer trips for men to be together without the pressures they may experience at home (in smaller cities) and in their jobs. At the same time, we also acknowledge a wider mix of participants and personalities can also make for a great trip and are willing to consider anyone who wants to travel with us.

So your friend is certainly welcome to travel with us. We think you'll have a great time, and the kind of people who come on our trips will enjoy having a friendly but wider mix of participants and personalities.

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