Expert: Nilesh Korgaokar - 10/30/2003

Question
Hi Nilesh, my name is Amy, I'm 19 years old and I'm teaching english in Shanghai. My sister and I are planning to travel to Goa from Shanghai by train in two months and I need some advice about the trip. Should we go via Nepal or Myanmar? Which places should we stop off at on the way? We have more time than money, and I can speak quite a bit of chinese if that makes any difference. I'd really appreciate any advice you could give me, xie xie! Amy Board.

Answer
Hi Amy,

Whew! Quite an adventure you have in store for you. As you have been in China for quite a while, you should be aware that train travel is the best and cheapest mode of transport in China.

There are quite a lot of places to see between Shanghai and Goa. I am not sure you can travel from China and into Myanmar. I would avoid Myanmar and there is now way you can get into Nepal from Tibet/China by train as there are no trains across the higher Himalayas.

You can travel to Lhasa, Tibet, either by bus from Golmud in northern China or take a flight from Chengdu to Lhasa. Once in Lhasa you can travel by road to Kathmandu and then on to India.

I would advise you to arm yourselves with the Lonely Planet (or Rough Guide, Foddors, Lets Go) guides for China, Nepal and India. Reading thru them would give you a fair idea on how should go about your travels.

Hope my information is useful. Thanks for choosing me as an expert and don't forget to rate me if you do find my advice useful.

Take care and enjoy yourselves.
Nilesh.