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2008 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1.
Deposit/Payment
The cost of the trip is $2,459/person
double occupancy (OR $2,399 discounted price if paid by cash or check).
To reserve your space there is a nonrefundable $200 deposit. The
balance is due by close of business July 11, 2008. No refunds will be
made after this date.
2.
Final Itinerary
You will be provided with a final itinerary
with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the hotels, flight
information, etc. approx. 1 month before we leave. This may vary
slightly from the current published one. Be sure to leave a copy with
someone at home and always carry a copy with you on the trip.
3.
Departure
A charter bus will arrive at the Chamber office at 6:30 am on September
8th. The bus will leave the Chamber parking lot at 7:00 am
to take you to the San Francisco International Airport. OR, you can
make your own arrangements and meet the group there. Specific
flight/gate/time, etc. information will be available prior to the
departure date.
4.
The Plane/flight
All
flights are regular, scheduled passenger flights; We will travel on
Singapore Airlines from San Francisco on a Boeing 747 & Boeing 777.
Seats are assigned at check-in in San Francisco. We will check in
as individuals, not at as a group. The plane has 4 aisle seats and
2 window seats in each row. We should arrive early enough to get good
seat assignments. It is an approximately 32-hour flight. 14
hours SF to Hong Kong, 3½ hours Hong Kong to Singapore, 5½
hours Singapore to Delhi . You will receive your airline tickets
before the departure date.
5.
Luggage
You are allowed 2 pieces of
luggage (max. 50 pounds total) per person to check-in plus
carry-on (i.e. luggage and a purse/laptop/briefcase) (max 15 pounds).
Lock your luggage. Be sure to use TSA approved locks.
6. Frequent
Flyer miles
Singapore Airlines is a partner with United Airlines. You can put
mileage into your United account.
7.
Passport & Indian Visa
You are responsible for obtaining your
own passport and travel visa.
Your passport must be valid until at least March 2009.
India’s travel visas are only valid for 6 months. Visa applications
must be completed online and either mailed or presented in person to the
India
Visa Center (https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com ). Contact the
Chamber office if you need assistance. For more information contact:
Consulate General of India in San Francisco,
540
Arguello Boulevard, San Francisco, California 94118,
www.cgisf.org
8.
Arrival
We will arrive
in Delhi at approximately 10:00 pm on
September 9th.
After
going through immigration and customs, we will go to the hotel for the
evening.
9.
Hotels
All hotels are 5 star. Hotels have
Western facilities and include hair dryers and internet service. If you
bring electrical appliances or gadgets that will need charging, it is
recommended that you bring electrical adapters. Although the hotels
have them, you don’t want to take a chance that they won’t have enough
for everyone. Unless otherwise notified, all rooms will be booked as
non-smoking. All hotels have restaurants and business centers.
10.
Meals
Breakfast will be a
Western and Eastern buffet at the hotel.
Lunch (on your own) will be on the road. Dinner will usually be back at
the hotel. Your tour guide will help you with suggestions and
recommendations. The cost of meals will be similar to the costs here.
11.
Water
It is not recommended that you drink any
tap water unless you boil it. Bottled water is available at the hotel
or can be
purchased on the bus from your tour guide.
12.
Bus Travel
You will be assigned the same bus for the
entire trip. Each bus will have approx. 20
passengers.
13.
Business Conference
For those interested in making business
contacts in India you will have the opportunity to meet with government
officials and business leaders after dinner at the hotel. Please fill
out the “Business Inquiry Form” and return it to the Chamber so
we can arrange to have the appropriate people there.
14.
Dress
Informal, comfortable and good walking
shoes. The locals dress is lose, lightweight cotton. Tank
tops & spaghetti straps are not recommended. Shorts are OK, but no
short-shorts. Please respect their culture.
15.
Weather
The average high is 92°-96°; the average
low is 72°-77°.
16.
Longitude, Latitude, Elevation,
Time
Deli is located at 28° 61’ N, 77° 23’ E; Average Elevation: 784 feet
Jaipur is located at 26° 92’ N, 75° 82’E , Average Elevation: 1,414
feet
Agra is located at 27° 18’ N, 78° 02’E , Average Elevation: 561 feet
(Elk Grove is located at 38°26' N, 121°22' W); Average Elevation: 45
feet
When it is 12 noon in Elk Grove, it is 12:30 am the next day in India.
There is only one time zone in India.
17.
Shopping
We will be visiting many stores and
factories, but don’t feel obligated to buy. Many of these stores are
able to ship purchases home for you. If you purchase from a street
vendor be prepared to bargain; do not pay the initial asking price.
Always pay with the exact amount.
18.
Tipping
Tips are not included in the trip fee.
19.
Shots/Vaccinations
Special shots or vaccinations are not
required to enter or travel in India. Check with your personal
physician regarding your situation.
20.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended. We can
give you brochures or you can go with any company of your choice.
21.
Money/Currency
The currency used in India is the rupee.
Most stores will accept Visa,
MasterCard and American Express. Discover Card is not generally
accepted. You will be able to exchange American dollars and traveler's
checks at the hotel ATMs are
scarce and not reliable. Tip: Contact your credit card company to
notify them you will be using your charge/credit card in India.
21.
Single Travelers
If you are traveling alone and do not
wish to pay the additional private single room fee of $450, the Chamber
will match up same sex singles.
22.
Cell phones
Your cell phone may work in India. Check
with your provider.
23.
Additional Travel
If you want to leave the group during the
tour, please notify your tour guide. If you want to do additional
traveling after the tour, contact the Chamber. We can help you make
these arrangements.
24.
Suggested Websites:
s Weather:
www.weather.com
s What
you can and cannot bring on the airplane
(US Transportation Security Administration): www.tsa.gov/travelers
s International
Travel (US State Department): www.travel.state.gov
s Questions
about bringing items back from your trip
(US Customs & Border Protection): www.cbp.gov
s Questions
about health concerns, shots, etc.
(Centers for Disease Control & Prevention): http://www.cdc.gov
25.
Final Advice
Be flexible and adventurous. And
remember, you are in a foreign country.
For more information on this event, call the Chamber office at 916-691-3760 or
click here for email. |
