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Submitted by agent212 on Fri, 2006-07-07 15:48.

Dear Sustainable Travelers

Can anyone suggest a more or less sustainable way of traveling to India (and back)? I would like to visit some Jatropha-Biofuel plantations, however this engagement for renewable energy would be somewhat relativised by flying.
In 2003 I tried to reach India via the transsib railway, but finally I had to take the plane from Hong-Kong to Dehli as passing Burma or Tibet seemed to be too difficult, especially as it was winter. Now there's the new railway to Lasha could be interesting. Would a short cut through Kasachsthan instead of the transsib be possible? Or does anyone know a more or less safe way via the middle east / Iran? If there would be any ferry between Iran and India, the risky Pakistani borders could be avoided.
Does anyone have any experience in such a travel or want to join me this automn or next spring? Actually I only have about 3 weeks of holiday this automn, but I would like to survey the status of Jatropha cultivation as soon as possible (regarding Jatropha see www.svlele.com). I'm looking forward to your advise!

Best regards
Henry

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Comment by: kandath
Posted on Fri 20th October 2006
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Your overland India plans !

Hi All,
I went through your comments etc here in connection with travelling to India overland with interest. As I have taken the decision of re-locating to India already I cannot contribute here usefully at all. But I can offer you further help in discovering India and travelling throughout this great nation as I work in the tourism sector here in India. Feel free to check my personal website - http://www.kris-sreekandath.com and our company website - http://www.doveholidays.com to know further about India and us.I wish you all a great holiday where ever you are. Take care and God Bless!
Cheers,
Kris

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy!"

- Abraham Lincoln

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Comment by: steve
Posted on Tue 18th July 2006
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India by Rail - more on the previous

The book my mate was talking about is called 'A Fortune Teller Told Me' by Tiziano Terzini. The Fortune Teller in question told him it was dangerous for him to fly - so he carried on as a travel writer in the Far East without flying. Everything suggests this is a great read, I shall be checking it on my next suitable journey.

Needless to say, the pal in question (a great guitarist called Sheldon King, find him on myspace) is in India now ... but he flew so that really doesn't count for much.

The book I just had returned didn't help much, tho' it was great for rail around India (if maybe a bit dated) , 'India by Rail' by Royston Ellis. I just looked for a new edition on Amazon and the last one's 1997, tho' it's a bit of a classic anyway. There's another book by the same title, by Silas Sandeep, but no reviews. Anyone read it?

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Comment by: agent212
Posted on Thu 20th July 2006
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Flying without wings

I have read this book from Tiziano Terzini when I was travelling the transsib railway until Hongkong last time - it's a fascinating book. Unfortunately I am not a journalist having so much time just to find a way through Asia. However I think I will try whatever possible within 4 weeks next spring.

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Comment by: steve
Posted on Fri 14th July 2006
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India by Rail

1: There's a book someone was telling me about (I've forgotten the title and just EMailed my mate to ask... but he's gone to Oz in the meantime...) about a guy who did a round-the-world on surface transport only. When I find out, i'll write about it (and i'll note it here).

2: Personally I think the railway to Lhasa is a tragedy and part of the deliberate attempt by the Chinese government to drown Tibetan culture. At the moment i'd find it hard to even take that train (even if that wasn't of course what I was doing)
. I'll probably get over it but it's something I'm upset about at the moment.

[lawd, that sounds almost Emo !]

3: Someone's just given me back another book that might have some ideas in, i'll have a look...

4: It's an ambition of mine to walk from Tibet into Nepal, maybe via Mansarovar Lake or one of the other Siva holy places. Anyone done that?


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Comment by: Steph
Posted on Wed 12th July 2006
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India By Rail
If you haven't already, you might want to check out www.seat61.com - a wicked website that tells you all there is to know about travelling anywhere in the world by train, and the new railway to Lasha does sound amazing...
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