Okay, so 45 days to go I've finally gotten round to purchasing my Indian visa. They say to leave at least 6 weeks for this so make sure you don't leave it to the last minute.
Apply online here. There's a couple of things you'll need:
- You passport with 2 blank pages
- An Indian sized passport photo (5cm x 5cm)
- £95 in the bank
The form itself is pretty simple, though I'd recommend saving the temporary number at the beginning just in case the system crashes (which happened to me three times.) A couple of the questions are slightly strange: "Visible identification marks" to which I answered one of my more obscure tattoos; "countries visited in the last 10 years" which threw me a little bit, but I'd recommend just making sure that all of the countries stamped in your passport are listed.
Print two versions of the form and sign both, include two indian-sized passport pictures, and send all them along with your passport to the address at the top of the form (this will vary according to your embassy office.)
I got confused and thought I needed to make an appointment and go into the office. You don't, so don't get caught up in that. I've just got to pray now that it comes back to me in time...
Booking trains in India
Now this question is a little harder to answer. In fact, it's a bloody minefield which has sent me on a wild goose chase around the internet.
First things first, go here: www.seat61.com/India It's a very detailed guide that is worth investing some time into digesting.
If you want to book individual journeys then http://www.cleartrip.com/ is a good site, though setting up an account IRCTC is a slight nightmare. Another alternative is the Indrail pass; for a 21 day unlimited travel pass you're looking at about £132, which may be more expensive in the long run than booking separate trains however, if you go down this route an agent will book all of your trains on your behalf before you even leave the country. This route gives you piece of mind; or at least seemed to be the most attractive solution for us. http://www.indiarail.co.uk/
We're opting for Class 2 AC on just about everyone's recommendation. Top tip here: if possible request a top bunk, that way you won't be hassled quite so much on board (sure, I'm not saying this from experience just yet; but I'll get there.)
Next stop?
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