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  <data count="18" votes="">
    <location name="Inde" avg_rating="4" content_source="2" created="2007-07-11 21:53:17" creator="35" hidden="0" id="536" inherited="0" latitude="23.7250117359518" longitude="78.134765625" ltp_level="0" merged_to="" modified="2007-07-11 21:53:17" modifier="35" style="1" type="4" votes="10" zoom="4" />
    <trips id="20809" created="2009-11-13 21:19:41" creator_id="72" creator_name="cristina" creator_status="100" default_for_user_id="" description="I'll admit, I didn't go to India solely to meditate, practice reiki, or whatever, but I did dabble quite a bit while I was there.  Even if you're not so much into holistic healing, some of these treatments are actually massages, and who doesn't love a good massage?  This itinerary includes major centers for finding holistic therapies, as well as a couple of places that will get you at your core because of their significance or beauty.

Ease into the search for your inner yogi by slowing down - where better to do this than in Neil Island and Havelock Island?  Spend your days reading books, staring out to see and enjoying an utter lack of communication with the outside world.  From the Andaman Islands, head for Cochin, a major hub for Ayurveda in India.  Kerala in general is Ayurveda central, but Cochin is a good place to start and get recommendations.  

Mysore's Ashtanga yoga center is a world-renowned place to practice that style of yoga.  If you are interested in the notorious Osho ashram, your next stop is Pune - hordes of Western devotees flock here and are distinguished by their tell-tale maroon robes.  Otherwise, go straight to Varanasi.  You could spend months going to major pilgrimage sites in India, but Varanasi is the must-see.  One of the holiest places in India, Varanasi clings to life in the midst of death and offers a truly spiritual experience no matter who you are and what you're looking for.  

Once you've absorbed Varanasi, Rishikesh is a great place to stay for a while.  You'll find scores of centers offering yoga, meditation, reiki, accupuncture, crystals, and everything else you can possibly ask for.  Some centers have been compromised by their drive to profit, but you can still find many good ones - just ask around.  Rishikesh itself is also considered a holy place of pilgrimage.  

End your trip in Dharamsala, another mecca for holistic therapies with the additional benefit of Tibetan massage and many other styles of massage.  This predominantly Buddhist town is home of the Dalai Lama in exile, and you can attend lectures or worship at the temple.  Did I mention that Dharamsala is stunningly beautiful, with many opportunities to hike and commune with nature?  

" marked_deleted="0" modified="2009-11-13 22:00:26.611169" modifier_id="72" privacy="1" static_map_url="http://maps.google.com/staticmap?hl=en&amp;maptype=roadmap&amp;format=png&amp;markers=11.830390,93.056946,reda%7C11.964097,92.999268,redb%7C9.945764,76.275330,redc%7C12.303300,76.645866,redd%7C18.520469,73.856621,rede%7C25.292043,82.981110,redf%7C30.071039,78.258186,redg%7C32.220661,76.318840,redh&amp;key=ABCDABCD&amp;size=123123123x123123123&amp;path=rgb:0x0000ff,weight:5|11.830390,93.056946|11.964097,92.999268|9.945764,76.275330|12.303300,76.645866|18.520469,73.856621|25.292043,82.981110|30.071039,78.258186|32.220661,76.318840" status="0" sum_locations="8" sum_votes="2" title="Finding Your Inner Yogi: Holistic and Alternative Stuff in India" triplocation_id="536" />
    <trips id="20370" created="2009-11-11 21:11:29" creator_id="72" creator_name="cristina" creator_status="100" default_for_user_id="" description="Alright, so this is more of a Golden Pentagon, and it will probably take at least 2 weeks even though you could feasibly do the Golden Triangle - i.e. India's most visited cities of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur - in less time.  But if you're flying all the way to India and spending all that money on a flight, it would really pain me if you only went to these three cities.  At least Delhi has a few historical sites - literally the only thing to do in Agra is the Taj Mahal, and the &quot;Pink City&quot; of Jaipur is more of a dusty brown these days.  Not to mention the fact that they embody many of India's worst traits and show off none of her best.  Really, if the only places I knew in India were Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, I'd be tempted never to come back.  For a real primer to India, this trip combines a cosmopolitan city with some of the nature that is this country's calling card - beaches, desert, hill stations and lush waterways.

Fly into Mumbai, India's most Westernized city, and explore the home of Bollywood and India's emerging economy.  It's a surprisingly progressive place, so you'll have lots of local company at the bars and clubs.  From Mumbai, take an overnight bus to Hampi and relax in a breathtaking boulder landscape - staying on the other side of the river is popular with backpackers, and many rent motorbikes to explore the numerous temples and scenery.  After the parched air of Hampi, the beaches of Gokarna will be a welcome change.  Take a few days to sit around and explore the four beautiful beaches that lure so many travelers into staying for weeks and months at a time.  Afterward, head to Cochin and explore the Fort area before heading off on 2-night boat trip in the Kerala backwaters.  You could do an overnight, but 2 nights is so much better.  And if you still have time, try to squeeze in a couple days in Munnar, a nearby hill station with picturesque tea plantations.  From there, either head back to Cochin and hop on a short flight to Mumbai, or take an overnight bus.

" marked_deleted="0" modified="2009-11-11 23:45:23.232088" modifier_id="72" privacy="1" static_map_url="http://maps.google.com/staticmap?hl=en&amp;maptype=roadmap&amp;format=png&amp;markers=19.024147,72.854118,reda%7C15.335346,76.460466,redb%7C24.050000,88.116667,redc%7C9.935878,76.259951,redd%7C9.945764,76.275330,rede%7C10.100000,77.066480,redf&amp;key=ABCDABCD&amp;size=123123123x123123123&amp;path=rgb:0x0000ff,weight:5|19.024147,72.854118|15.335346,76.460466|24.050000,88.116667|9.935878,76.259951|9.945764,76.275330|10.100000,77.066480" status="0" sum_locations="6" sum_votes="2" title="The Better Alternative to India's Golden Triangle" triplocation_id="536" />
    <trips id="567" created="2009-09-09 21:20:52" creator_id="35" creator_name="adena" creator_status="100" default_for_user_id="" description="From Calcutta, either go to Howrah Station or Kolkata Station and buy a train ticket to Siliguri/NJP (New Jalpaijuri). Here, as soon as you get out of the station, as an auto rickshaw driver to bring you to the Darjeeling Jeeps.  It should coast around 80 rupees to be stuffed into a jeep headed to Darjeeling.

The ride is over 6 hours to the top - when I went quite a few people were motion sick...but it's worth it!

There are a lot of stops along the way, and you may even see the small toy train (that ride takes 9 hours).  Do not get out until you have reached Darjeeling, though.

From there, if you choose to go on to Sikkim and Gangtok, you must obtain a permit...more info to come on that!" marked_deleted="0" modified="2009-09-09 21:42:52.271574" modifier_id="35" privacy="1" static_map_url="http://maps.google.com/staticmap?hl=en&amp;maptype=roadmap&amp;format=png&amp;markers=22.572646,88.363895,reda%7C22.583166,88.341177,redb%7C22.601160,88.384345,redc%7C26.720249,88.424583,redd%7C27.039996,88.263603,rede%7C27.602878,88.466961,redf%7C27.329170,88.616920,redg&amp;key=ABCDABCD&amp;size=123123123x123123123&amp;path=rgb:0x0000ff,weight:5|22.572646,88.363895|22.583166,88.341177|22.601160,88.384345|26.720249,88.424583|27.039996,88.263603|27.602878,88.466961|27.329170,88.616920" status="0" sum_locations="7" sum_votes="2" title="Getting from Calcutta to Darjeeling and then Sikkim" triplocation_id="536" />
    <trips id="10529" created="2009-10-09 01:15:20" creator_id="258" creator_name="marcopolo" creator_status="100" default_for_user_id="" description="" marked_deleted="0" modified="2009-10-09 01:22:33.509804" modifier_id="258" privacy="1" static_map_url="http://maps.google.com/staticmap?hl=en&amp;maptype=roadmap&amp;format=png&amp;markers=28.637267,77.223930,reda%7C28.635308,77.224960,redb%7C28.612864,77.229306,redc%7C28.617264,77.271930,redd%7C26.608514,73.915972,rede%7C28.655721,77.229863,redf%7C28.630364,77.254923,redg%7C28.593443,77.219502,redh%7C28.598100,77.228400,redi%7C28.579004,77.255785,redj&amp;key=ABCDABCD&amp;size=123123123x123123123&amp;path=rgb:0x0000ff,weight:5|28.637267,77.223930|28.635308,77.224960|28.612864,77.229306|28.617264,77.271930|26.608514,73.915972|28.655721,77.229863|28.630364,77.254923|28.593443,77.219502|28.598100,77.228400|28.579004,77.255785" status="0" sum_locations="10" sum_votes="1" title="A day in new and old Delhi" triplocation_id="536" />
    <trips id="75" created="2009-09-08 09:21:17" creator_id="258" creator_name="marcopolo" creator_status="100" default_for_user_id="" description="" marked_deleted="0" modified="2009-09-08 09:21:18.196873" modifier_id="258" privacy="1" static_map_url="http://maps.google.com/staticmap?hl=en&amp;maptype=roadmap&amp;format=png&amp;markers=25.292043,82.981110,reda%7C25.347192,82.987134,redb%7C24.695280,84.993890,redc%7C25.613899,85.135353,redd%7C25.202460,85.525818,rede%7C26.740443,83.888381,redf%7C24.507494,85.763404,redg%7C26.849430,80.919724,redh%7C25.442970,81.828407,redi%7C24.852500,79.920833,redj&amp;key=ABCDABCD&amp;size=123123123x123123123&amp;path=rgb:0x0000ff,weight:5|25.292043,82.981110|25.347192,82.987134|24.695280,84.993890|25.613899,85.135353|25.202460,85.525818|26.740443,83.888381|24.507494,85.763404|26.849430,80.919724|25.442970,81.828407|24.852500,79.920833" status="0" sum_locations="10" sum_votes="1" title="Holy places of Hindus and Buddhists" triplocation_id="536" />
    <trips id="27688" created="2009-12-17 09:47:54" creator_id="825576" creator_name="trick" creator_status="1" default_for_user_id="" description="" marked_deleted="0" modified="2009-12-17 10:06:04.725052" modifier_id="825576" privacy="1" static_map_url="http://maps.google.com/staticmap?hl=en&amp;maptype=roadmap&amp;format=png&amp;markers=9.945764,76.275330,reda%7C0.000000,0.000000,redb%7C9.490368,76.326492,redc%7C8.733333,76.716667,redd%7C8.400398,76.978708,rede&amp;key=ABCDABCD&amp;size=123123123x123123123&amp;path=rgb:0x0000ff,weight:5|9.945764,76.275330|0.000000,0.000000|9.490368,76.326492|8.733333,76.716667|8.400398,76.978708" status="0" sum_locations="5" sum_votes="0" title="KERALA" triplocation_id="536" />
    <trips id="23961" created="2009-11-27 16:43:36" creator_id="533044" creator_name="marinaomi" creator_status="1" default_for_user_id="" description="" marked_deleted="0" modified="2009-11-27 16:46:52.376004" modifier_id="533044" privacy="1" static_map_url="http://maps.google.com/staticmap?hl=en&amp;maptype=roadmap&amp;format=png&amp;markers=9.945764,76.275330,reda%7C33.273949,78.511337,redb%7C14.434680,74.399414,redc%7C19.024147,72.854118,redd%7C26.281610,73.023163,rede%7C26.911779,70.912727,redf%7C26.905109,75.801277,redg%7C27.177719,78.009300,redh%7C28.637267,77.223930,redi%7C22.572646,88.363895,redj&amp;key=ABCDABCD&amp;size=123123123x123123123&amp;path=rgb:0x0000ff,weight:5|9.945764,76.275330|33.273949,78.511337|14.434680,74.399414|19.024147,72.854118|26.281610,73.023163|26.911779,70.912727|26.905109,75.801277|27.177719,78.009300|28.637267,77.223930|22.572646,88.363895" status="0" sum_locations="10" sum_votes="0" title="India 2010" triplocation_id="536" />
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