ATM at the Dabolim airport?

Hi - I wonder if anyone can put my mind at rest?

I am only thinking of taking a bit of sterling as i want to use my Nationwide card to take out some money from an ATM as there is no charge and you get a really good rate apparently.

Is there a handy ATM at the airport where i could get some rupees? I don%26#39;t really want to have to get travellers cheques if i can help it?

I go tomorrow and am so excited....

Thanks in anticipation!

ATM at the Dabolim airport?

there is a money exchange at the airport but only change a small abount of cash as rate is very poor, not sure about an ATM machine. just take a bit more sterling for the fist days till you get your bearings unit you can use your card.

Have a great time we go sunday. See you are a fellow Boltonian

ATM at the Dabolim airport?

Hope this reaches you in time. I%26#39;ve been back home less than a week so you can treat this as very up-to-date info! When you get outside at Dabolim, turn right and there is an ATM on your right after a very short distance. We used our NW debit card there and in resort with no probs at all. BTW, did you know that NW will be starting to charge for ATM withdrawals soon - the meanies! Currently, the rate you get is the bank rate of the day which is much better than exchanging money of faffing with TCs. have a great time. i%26#39;m very envious. Any other Qs, please feel free to ask.

Thanks so much - you have definetley put my mind at rest!

We used it in Turkey last year and it was a great way of getting money out and a much better rate than the hotels could offer - plus saves alot of messing about with TCs

Did you stay round the Betalbatim/Colva area?

What is the weather/humidity like at the moment?

Did you fly with Monarch?

Any info is great as we haven%26#39;t been before - sorry for all the questions!

no probs with all the Qus. i used this forum a lot before i went so it%26#39;s nice to be able to help people for a change. we stayed in cavelossim in the south (brilliant). weather was in the low-mid 30s and i found the humidity ok but then again, we didn%26#39;t do much. the heat/humidity can be pretty draining so don%26#39;t plan on doing something every day unless you%26#39;re used to such temps. hope i%26#39;ve answered all your Qus but when i clicked on reply, it only shows your original post and i can%26#39;t remember all your Qus now!

ah, missed one. no, we didn%26#39;t fly monarch. we few with kingfisher via mumbai (via bangalore on the way home). i%26#39;d really recommmend kingfisher. it may not be direct, but it%26#39;s a great airline, good leg room, food and service, plus all of our flights were spot-on timewise.

Thanks so much for all the information. I love the heat it%26#39;s just the humidity i sometimes struggle with?

Went to Cuba last May and you felt like you were in a sauna and permanently wet through!!

Will look into the Kingfisher flight as it sounds like a good experience.

I will report back on my holiday when i get back - thanks again! :0)

No probs at all. have a great time and if you have any more questions before you do, don%26#39;t hesitate to ask. i know how i felt before i went to goa for the first time - now i feel like an expert even tho i was only there for 2 weeks! It%26#39;s easy when you know how!

New tax in Delhi airport also for transit passengers??

Hello forum posters,

As I%26#39;ve seen there is a new tax of 27$ per departure from Delhi airport. As I know we need transit visa to go from arrival to departure, we%26#39;ll have that paid and taken care of, for both ways.Now, is this tax also for people just changing planes? This is making travel through Delhi very expensive and not worth.

We bought and paid our tickets already, for May, going to Nepal, trekking to Mustang, so cannot change these tickets without paying penalty. Is there any way not to pay this tax??

Appreciate your answers.

New tax in Delhi airport also for transit passengers??

I do not think transit passengers have to pay departure tax, but you should email the airline you are travelling with and ask them. I am of the opinion that you will not need to.

New tax in Delhi airport also for transit passengers??

I should clarify here, transit passenger means you do not leave the airport transit lounge and cross customs. I just noticed that you have a transit visa that does enable you to leave the airport (whether you do so is immaterial), so in your case they might ask for the tax. Best clarify with airline, as I said above.

Thank you, Brave1

As we fly into Delhi with RJ and onto Nepal with Jet aurlines, we have to get our luggage and exit the arrivals going straight to departures. Therefore we need transitvisa. The airline didn%26#39;t include anything in the ticket, as this tax is new, and they said we might have to pay anything. I just think that 27$ for passing through is very much.

On our way back it is the same, arriving late afternoon, leaving in the middle of the night,without exiting into the city. Any suggestions who can have answers except the airline?

Try the Delhi airport website. I think Dilli_billi posted it sometime back, but you can find it on Google search. Mind you, you may not get a correct answer unless you are actually there, so prepare to pay the tax. If you don%26#39;t have to pay it, then good for you.

Let me know what happens because I am interested to know the outcome.

Thank you again, Brave1.

I left my question on the form I found at the airport-site, maybe I%26#39;ll get an answer.

We%26#39;ll be travelling in May, so the latest I%26#39;ll update you after our return.

Helping a Children's Home - a few guidelines

Interested in helping a Children’s Home? Then read on:-

There are an estimated 18 million children in India for whom the street has become home. These children enjoy no protection, security, attention or care from responsible adults; they are forced to survive on their own, often in some of the most dangerous environments in the country. Children as young as five work as low-paid vendors or porters, or scratch a living by picking over waste dumps, looking for anything to sell for food.

Although some of these children have irregular contact with their families, others are completely abandoned, orphaned or are runaways. They are subject to abuse, neglect, deprivation, malnutrition, and exploitation; they have little or no access to medical care and are often the victims of easily prevented diseases such as tuberculosis, polio and measles. They are outcasts from society: preyed upon by criminal gangs, ill-treated by the law enforcing authorities. For the majority, there is little hope.

There are many Children’s Hostel’s in the Kovalam area and some are better than others. Unfortunately, not all are Government Registered and therefore the children MAY NOT be looked after according to the Government Guidelines.

Some unregistered homes are set up purely to line the owners pocket and only for the holiday season. Once this ends, the children are either sent back home or ‘dumped’ back onto the streets. Other homes are set up and the owner has a large, well kept house, land in another area, and/or a large bank account whilst the children live in poor conditions. Some have even allowed the owner to profit and then just abandoned the home leaving the children to fend for themselves. In others the children are mistreated, unfed, uncared for, and generally unwanted.

All the above examples I have witnessed in varies parts of India and I know people who have tried to help at homes and ended up being ripped off.

If you plan to help a children%26#39;s establishment then ask around for advice and information about the place, and when you visit ask to see the registration details. Here are a few tips:-

Have a good look around and a general look at the children. Do they look healthy? Are their arms/legs covered in a rash and are they itching? What about their clothes? What about the smell? Is there anything cooking in the kitchen area? How about sanitation (government regulations state that there should be 1 bathroom per 8 children.)? Is the hostel mixed (boys and girls)? Again, to be registered Government Regulations only permit boys OR girls. How many of the hostel owner’s family are living at the hostel? Too many means too many free loaders.

Arrive unannounced so you can get a true picture of what it’s like and how many children they have. If the numbers are low and the owner tells you that ‘X’ number have gone home check if it is school vacation as it has been known for some homes to ‘round-up’ local children to make the home look fuller.

Is it called something like Sleepy Boarding Home? This is a made up name and any establishment with that name is purely coincidental. Boarding establishments come under different regulations and are not legally allowed to accept visitors, gifts, and/or donations. A Boarding establishment is classed by the Government as a place where people stay (for a fee) and not a Charity. Simular to the YMCA.

An ORPHANAGE should be a home for orphaned/abandoned children with the odd 1 or 2 from poor families, and a HOME/HOSTEL should be for children from poor families with the odd 1 or 2 orphans.

If you get the wrong feeling at any establishment then don%26#39;t give anything, don%26#39;t offer to do a return visit, and make an excuse to leave. An example of a badly run Home can be found at:-

…yahoo.com/32/…tnl-lost-innocence_1.html

The police and courts have this year been doing suprise checks on unregistered establishments that house Children. They have been looking for sign%26#39;s of neglect, checking the accounts, checking where the moneies come from and goes, and making sure that they are following the Government Guidelines. Needless to say, some have failed and been closed.

Thomas Cook will allow people to take an extra 20kg of items to donate to a home providing that you send them details of the establishment that you want to help. You will need to get the Registration number and a copy of at least the 1st page of the Registration Document. This needs to be sent/fax/handed to Thomas Cook before you arrive at your departure airport. Thomas Cook will then issue you with a reference number to be quoted at your departure airport.

IMPORTANT NOTE:- Whilst I have stated that I have seen the neglect in some establishments for children, by writting the above I have NOT named any such institution and therefore CANNOT be accused of doing so nor can I be accused of relating any of the above to any specific establishment.

There are many good homes in the area but please do be aware of the above.

Regards

Paul

Helping a Children's Home - a few guidelines

A comprehensive and useful entry Paul.

KR

K

Helping a Children's Home - a few guidelines

Thanks

At the end of this coming week (27th March) the annual 2 month school vacation starts. Because of this we will have no children at our Home. This will also happen in many other Homes and Hostels but unlike ours, they may still have a few children present. Schools will be closed but there will be some NGO%26#39;s still operational even if low on numbers - after all, not many children would like to go to or attend class if thier friends are all on holiday.

We try and place our children with a family member, be it one or both of thier parents, grandparents, or aunt %26amp; uncle. This way they do not become institutionalised and/or forget about family life.

On Saturday 28th March we will be having a special holiday lunch along with payasam:-

spicelines.com/2008/07/recipe_creamy_indian_…

Also on this day we are expecting our final visitors for this season.

Then on the Sunday we will transport all the children home, at our own expense, to help save the families further hardship.

Our children will be back around the end of May as schools reopen on June 1st.

However, anyone is still welcome to visit us and anyother establishment as I am sure they will be happy to see you.

Regards

Paul

Happy Children%26#39;s Home - Helper

Goa to Kerela

Does anyone know how long it takes from Goa to Kerela and if getting a taxi is the best way?

Thanks

Goa to Kerela

It is a very long way from Goa to Kerala, with an entire state (Karnataka) in between. Please look at this map.

mapsofindia.com/maps/鈥ndia-political-map.htm

While there are motoring enthusiasts who do travel by road from Goa to Kerala (we hope to do from Mumbai to kerala some time), it becomes a holiday in itself, with stops in between, all generally well planned. You would not want an aggressive driving schedule so it could take about a day and a half at least.

If you fly from Goa to Cochin (Kochi) which is somewhere in the middle of Kerala, the shortest direct flight takes 1 and a half hours.

Please see www.MakeMyTrip.com to see what I mean.

If you take a train (Rajdhani recommended) it takes about 3/4 of a day to reach. Please see www.irctc.co.in

Just today, someone had a look at fares by train AC 2Tier from Cochin to Mumbai and air fare deals and said the difference was not significant enough to offset the time and convenience factor and she is opting to fly.

It is better to hire a taxi once you reach Kerala. It is not such a small state as Goa and you should decide where you wish to go over there.

Depending on time and mode of travel which appeals to you, you could seek further specific advice here, where ther are lots of experts who are normally more than happy to help.

Goa to Kerela

If you do want to travel by Train the best possible train starts at 19.30 hrs and reaches Ernakulam/Cochin on next day 10 AM so that would be approx 15hrs overnight journey. AC 2 Tier costs Rs. 1200 one way per person.

+MNGLA LKSDP EXP *MADGAON 19:35 ERANAKULAM JN 10:00

For Indian Railways FAQ check my Inside page at

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293860-c63603/India:鈥?/a>

If unfamiliar with the country it makes sense to first have a look at the konkan railway map and the kerala rail map before looking at train timetables, in order to understand station names and where they come

mapsofindia.com/maps/india/konkanrailway.htm

Please google ';rail map of kerala'; to get the stations for kerala

Part of the charm of travelling that route by train is the fabulous scenery on the madgaon - mangalore stretch. If you wish to see the scenery, it makes sense to do that stretch during daylight hours and put up with other inconveniences

Dear Bragg86 ,

getting a TAXI , isnt the best way considering the travel time and teh cost ,unless you want to stop in between , take breaks at destinations along the konkan coast of India

the trians that run between Madgoa and Ernakulam ( cochin ) are as follows

daily trains : -

train number 2618 - Mangala - lakshadweep express . it departs madgoa station at 19:35 and reaches Ernakulam junction ( south station ) at 10:00

train number 6345 , Netravati express departs from madgoa at 22:50 and reaches Ernakulam Junction at 14:05

train 2618 has less ( 2 hours approx) travel time compared to train 6345 Netravati Express

on tuesdays and saturdays:-

you have OKHA express , train number 6337 , that deaprts madgoa at 7:15 and reaches Ernakulam junction at 22:50

on Saturdays :

you have 1097 Ernakulam Express , departs madgoa at 13:25 and reaches Ernakulam at 4:20

and

929 kochuveli special train that deaprts Madgoa at 1:20 and reaches ernakulam town ( north station) at 10:50

you can book your ticket online at www.irctc.co.in

best regards%26#39;

Deepak Dayanandan

Hi we did it the other way round,flew from Trivandrum to Goa with Kingfisher,it%26#39;s like a bus service stopping 4 other places to pick up,but the seat pitch was great and they brought a meal every time we took off, only had the one curry.We went on the 26th of Feb till the 5th of March, then went back to Kerala.

shiseido

vc

Monarch Flight MON 4502 21/03/09 & 28/03/09

If you are due to fly to Goa on the above flight on either of the above dates, I am reliably informed that the flight will not go via Bahrain as Bahrain is having runway repairs at certain times until March 31st 2009 - the plane will instead, land in Larnaca, Cyprus to refuel - passengers will not get off the plane. If you want to but duty free, buy it in Manchester, you won%26#39;t be able to buy it elsewhere on the outbound journey.

Regards

Andy.

Monarch Flight MON 4502 21/03/09 %26amp; 28/03/09

Thanks for letting us know,we%26#39;re flying out on 28/03.Will this create much of a delay? I ask this because we%26#39;re first timers

Monarch Flight MON 4502 21/03/09 %26amp; 28/03/09

No, shouldn%26#39;t be any different flying time - main thing to hope for is an on time departure from Manchester.

Andy

We are on the flight 28/3/09 manchester back 12/4/09 on the return we do stop at bahrain if you have been before with monarch via bahrain do you know if we can buy duty free there too , thanks and not many sleeps now can%26#39;t wait ....

If the runway repairs don%26#39;t overrun any further, the return flight will stop in Bahrain %26amp; you%26#39;ll be able to buy duty free - I%26#39;m not sure about liquid duty free, booze etc as from memory that did get a bit awkward at one point but it may have been on the outward journey?

Andy.

dont forget outside ec you are only allowed 2 litresd of spirits and 200 cigs each into manchester. Theybare getting quite strict! we got stopped in manchester but hadnt anything over the limit. Cheers!!!

dont forget outside ec you are only allowed 2 litresd of spirits and 200 cigs each into manchester. Theybare getting quite strict! we got stopped in manchester but hadnt anything over the limit. Cheers!!!

probably sounds like a stupid question but if the flights stop at bahrain and you get duty free what currency do you use?

Kim

Hi they take sterling,hope this helps.

Hi there - we fly out of Manchester this Sunday.

Do we get off the plane in Larnaca or do we have to stay on?

I am really dreading the flight as i have heard it is really cramped and was hoping that at least we would be able to get off at some stage?

Regards

Audrey

We flew on the same flight on March 1st. We stopped at Larnaca because of runway repairs and stayed on the plane for less than an hour. Coming back on March 15th we did stop ar Bahrain and it was nice to stretch our legs but if you want to shop be quick! You have to take all your hand luggage with you and then go through security.... By the time we had done all that and ordered a coffee we were called to board again!

Daily bus service from Pune to Vashi?

I have got a job with a good company in Vashi, I live in Pune near the Mumbai Pune expressway. I am recently married, I am confused whether I should live in Vashi or should I travel daily to Vashi from Pune. Since the job is 9am to 5pm I think this is more convenient. My wife is working so she cannot move.

Is there a daily transport service? Does reliance provide bus service?

Daily bus service from Pune to Vashi?

There are several bus services from Pune to Vashi but for commuting daily I%26#39;m not sure.

I have a friend who works and lives in Vashi during the week and returns home for the weekend.

Are you talking about Reliance industries? I doubt their transport/bus service extends to Pune.

Daily bus service from Pune to Vashi?

HI,

Talking abt Reliance Ind in DAKC. If there is no bus service option then my husband would have to live there and come to pune on wekends. but if you can get info on bus service as well as flat rentals der it wud b gr8.

Thx

Leh From March 25 to 30 2009

WE are palnning a trip from 25 to 30 march 2009 to Leh . We are acouple with 2 kids age 12 and 07.

How will be the weather ,wud the hotels with heating ,eating places be availablee or not

The tickets have been booked .

everybody please advise .Shud we go ahead or postpone the trip by amonth or so albeit with apenalty of rs 4000/ Which hotels will be open?

wud the pongdang lake n other facilities avallabel with jeeps on hire??

Please urgently advise.

Leh From March 25 to 30 2009

Jullay,

I will not advice you to visit ladakh in March because this is not the right time to visit ladakh.

Try to postpone your trip till May, best time to visit ladakh is May June July.

For more information check this link:

http://visitladakh.com/about-nature.html

Join us at Facebook:

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43100589365

Thanks and Regards

Rohit