Adventure Budgeting: A Day in Delhi

DelhiIn my last Adventure Budgeting post, we were wrapping up our time on the exquisite beaches in and around Goa. After making our way to Kerala state and the tip of the subcontinent, it was time to take a two-day train ride back to Delhi and catch a flight. But we made sure to leave ourselves a few days to explore. With so much more to see and do, and the premium on prices that can be found in any major international city, we spent much more than we did on the beach, but managed to find some ways to stretch even more out of a dollar.

If you’re at all worried about your will power when it comes to curbing your spending while trekking about, a 60 hour train ride is a good way to take away all temptations. The second-class air conditioned car ticket from the tip of India back to the capital cost about $40. During the three days we were in transit, we spent roughly four dollars per day per person on all of our food, drink, magazines and whatever else we could find to entertain ourselves in train stations along the way. Helped to justify our spending once we finally arrived in Delhi.

Here’s the breakdown, again keeping in mind that these expenses were for two people:

January 17, 2005 – A Day of Luxury in New Delhi

  • Rickshaw rides to meals, theater and shopping= $8
  • Shopping: Books, CDs and the all-important T.P. = $15
  • Food: Two decadent feasts in the nicest places we could find in Connaught Place = $18
  • Internet Cafe = $2.50
  • Catching a Hollywood Flick: A little bit of home is often the best medicine = $5
  • Lodging: The economic, but clean Vivek Hotel in Paharganj = $10

TOTAL = $58.50 ($29.25 / person)

Tough to find such luxury on the cheap complete with shopping and a movie anywhere else in the world.

Next time: Wedding Bells in Pakistan

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