Where is Roberg?

This post is designed to answer some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about my Travel Plans. If you have a question that’s not answered here, feel free to post a question by leaving a comment and I’ll answer it here. If you have more specific questions, about my research, check out my FAQ: Research post.

What is your schedule for traveling?

• I’ll be traveling to India from Jan 9^th – Feb 6^th, to Israel in late March, and to China during May. I’ll post my entire itinerary for each trip in later blog entries.

Of all the places in the world to travel, why did you choose to travel to India, Israel, and China?

• First, I chose to travel to India, Israel, and China because these are three of the areas I teach the most about. Out of the entire two-year Global History course (9^th + 10^th grade) that all students take, almost half of the time spent studying world history involves these three regions. Though each of them has made very different contributions to the world, the people of all three of these regions rank among the most influential cultures of all times.
• In addition to having made significant contributions, I chose to travel to India and China because they are non-western and have developing economies. Globalization continues to make our understanding of these two future superpowers a growing necessity.
• As for Israel, its historical role in the roots of Judeo-Christian and Islamic culture and its role as a bridge and sometimes battleground between East and West will make it very instructive in understanding the current struggles between people with a Middle Eastern History. Although people have expressed concern about security, it is my understanding that travel within Israel is safe as long as some precautions are taken (I’ll blog more about this later).

How did you decide on the timing of each trip?

• My decisions were made primarily based on the climate. Northern India is coolest and driest between November – mid-February. I’ll be a little early to visit Israel during the best weather (April – May), but not by much. By waiting until May to visit China, the snows will be gone and the temperatures should be perfect for widespread travel.

Is your wife going with you on any of the trips?

• Unfortunately not. My wife says that she has absolutely no desire to travel to India or Israel. In fact, this was one of the main reasons I’m traveling to these two places during the school year. As for China, we explored the possibility of trying to work my trip around Spring Break, but we decided that it would be a bit too rushed and expensive to really be worth it. We are hoping that someday soon we will get a chance to travel to China together, but it won’t be this year.

Are you traveling alone or in a group?

• I researched group travel. For India and Israel, I found very few options, and the options that did exist were limited and expensive. As a result, I invested in the Lonely Planet books and have used it to create an itinerary that meets my needs.
• Because it will most likely lead to meeting fascinating people, and in part to save money, I’m going to stay in backpacker hotels where I will meet people from all over the world. To stave off the loneliness of traveling by myself for weeks on end, I will also take advantage of the internet to keep in touch.

INDIA

Why is India your first trip?

• According to my Lonely Planet travel guide, “Climate plays a key factor in deciding when to visit India… Generally speaking, India’s climate is defined by three seasons – the hot, the wet (monsoon), and the cool… The most pleasant time to visit most of the country is during the cooler period of November to around mid-February.” (Lonely Planet India, Sept 2007, p. 23) My January 9^th – February 6^th trip falls into that time frame perfectly, and it’s no small coincidence.

Where are you going in India?

• I fly into Calcutta (now spelled Kolkatta). From there, this is my approximate itinerary (travel plan):
  • Calcutta – 4 days – home of Mother Teresa’s work
  • Bodhgaya – 3 days – where Buddha became Enlightened
  • Varanasi – 4 days – where people bathe in Ganges
  • Allahabad – 3 days – Hindu holy city, where sacred rivers meet
  • Lucknow – 3 days – major battle of Sepoy Rebellion (1857)
  • Agra – 3 days – home of Taj Mahal
  • Delhi – 2 days – orientation to the city
  • Amristar – 3 days – great religious palace + 1919 massacre site
  • Delhi – 4 days – explore Old + New Delhi, + flight home
• If you have Google Earth installed, click this link to see satellite imagery and plenty of cool pictures of the cities I’ll be visiting. If you haven’t installed Google Earth yet, do it soon (it’s free and it’s fun!).

Have any other questions about India, just post a comment. I’ll respond with an answer within a few days!

Filed under: Background, FAQs, India, Travel, overview