Margot Bigg is a freelance journalist and author. After working as an editor in Paris, she moved to India where she joined the staff of Time Out Delhi and turned to writing full-time. Her articles have appeared in magazines and newspapers across the world, including Rolling Stone India, Outlook Traveller, The Caravan, Courrier International, The Times of India, and The Oregonian.

She knows a lot about one of the World’s Cheapest Destinations: India She’s the author of Moon Living Abroad in India, a guide for expats moving to the country, and a contributing writer of Fodor’s Essential India.

I hit her up for some answers on what involved in living in that madhouse country.

1) Despite all the luxury hotels and a rising middle class, India is still a pretty cheap place to travel for those on a budget. What are monthly living prices like for the average expat who’s not expecting a penthouse in Mumbai?

It depends entirely on the city. An expat without dependents would need around Rs 50,000 per month ($1,100) to have a reasonably comfortable experience in Delhi. Bangalore’s a bit more expensive, and Mumbai rents in decent areas are on par with many Westerns cities. Students could get by on considerably less, as could people staying in smaller cities or towns.

2) What are some of the most desirable areas for foreigners to live in India if they don’t have to be chained to a desk working for an international company?

Goa is a hotspot for artisans from around the world, and there’s a large community of self-made expats there. The southern state of Kerala attracts fewer foreigners, although it’s arguably more pleasant. Auroville, an “intentional community” (read: commune) near Pondichery in Tamil Nadu is also popular with foreigners, although as it’s an established community, it’s not the kind of place you can just land up in. Pondichery itself is also popular, especially with the French. The hills of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are also nice, and Dharmsala in particular attracts foreign visitors interested in studying Tibetan Buddhism (as it’s the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile).

3) In your research, what kinds of jobs are expats doing there?

Along with the diplomats, journalists and international organisation employees, you also meet a lot of people working in social enterprise, offshoring, tech support, fashion, education, and hospitality. More and more foreigners are moving to India to start their own businesses and I know of expats who own health clubs, hair salons, interior design firms, travel agencies, and plenty of restaurants.

4) How’s the infrastructure coming along for mobile workers who just need a laptop, reliable electricity, and a good internet connection?

It’s coming along quite well in most places. Public electricity can be an issue, so you need to ensure you have backup electricity. You can get either a generator or an inverter (and set your device so that it switches on as soon as the public power switches off. Internet is generally reliable, although beware that if you exceed your monthly download limit, some providers will slow down your service for the remainder of the billing cycle.

5) Tell us what’s involved in getting a resident visa or working visa in India. How do you stay for longer than six months?

You have to apply for an employment visa under the sponsorship of your country at the embassy of your country of residence before leaving for India. Employment visas normally last one year and can be renewed in India. You’ll be asked to submit detailed contract and employer information along with your visa application. Specific requirements can vary and change, so it’s best to check with your local embassy or consulate. You’ll also be required to register for a residency permit within 14 days of your arrival in India.

6) I remember lots of grizzled backpackers in Manali and Goa who had stayed long past their exit date and I guess they were hoping for amnesty someday. What happens if you overstay your tourist visa?

Don’t let this happen. If it does, you will need to report to the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) as soon as you can. They will grant you an exit visa, but you may never be allowed back in the country again and you could face deportation. If you are deported, you may have a difficult time returning to India or getting visas for other countries in the future. Again, I can’t stress this enough, do not overstay your visa.

7) You’re going to teleport into India to eat a grand meal wherever you want. What’s on your plate?

I’d probably have my all-time favourite Indian dish: jackfruit cooked with savoury spices.(kathal ki subzi). As jackfruit is one of those things people either love or hate, you’re more likely to come across it in a home cooked meal than at a restaurant. I’d also be happy with an aloo parantha, a spiced flatbread stuffed with potatoes and served with curd and spicy Indian pickle. It’s traditionally a breakfast food and tastes best with a sugary cup of spicy masala chai.

See more details from Margot about traveling and living in India as well as more info on the book.

 

Courtesy of The Week magazine, here are some Friday Factoids for your happy hour chatter on travel and life.

* China is now the third-most visited nation in the world, after France in the U.S., up 19% in 2009.

* Thailand has its first female prime minister, the sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawata (figurehead of the Red Shirts rioters)

* The average British tourist gains eight pounds during a two-week trip to the U.S. thanks to big portions and all-you-can-eat buffets. (London Daily Mail)

* The poorest fifth of Americans spend around 42 percent of their incomes on transportation. For middle-income Americans, it’s 22 percent. (Wired)

* After a crackdown on illegal immigration in the U.S. state of Georgia, farmers report 11,000 unfilled jobs.

* The total tax burden on Americans in 2009, as a percentage of GDP, was 24 percent. Canadians pay 31 percent, Britons 34 percent, Germans 37 percent, and the French 37 percent. (Toronto Globe & Mail)

* In the vaults of a Hindu temple in the state of Kerala, in India, investigators found $22 billion dollars worth of treasure: diamonds, gems, and gold coins.

* Good luck getting a manicure in Alabama: in Alaska a license to be a manicurist requires 12 hours of training. In Alabama, it requires 700 hours. (Wall Street Journal)

 

Quote of the month:
Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well. – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Happy travels!

This Cheapest Destinations blog has been around since 2003, which gives it a much longer history than most travel blogs out there. Every once in a while I like to look back at what was bubbling up for discussion and see how those issues are playing out down the road.

Five years ago, some things looked a lot different, for others the discussion hasn’t really changed.

What’s different now for travelers

Back then we were just starting to see the emergence of budget airlines in Mexico. Since then a few have gone under, but the ones that are alive now are healthy and expanding their routes. If you plan it right and don’t mind going through a hub, you can now fly around Mexico cheaply.

Five years ago it looked like in-flight internet was going to disappear. Boeing was the only one offering it, through a service that lost $320 million in one year. But other options took its place, at a better price, and now people can send tweets about the physical appearance of their seatmates. What progress!

Peru visitors were bumming that Inca Trail trekking fees were going up. Now trekkers would love to have those rates again—they’ve gone up quite a bit more. You’ll now probably pay at least $500 per person for that hike, which puts it well out of the range of most long-term budget travelers. Here’s a rundown from one company of where that money goes.

A half decade ago it was really starting to become apparent that India was on the rise because all the mid-range hotels started filling up with…Indians. For shoestring backpackers, there are still bargains galore, but at the mid and upper ranges lodging prices have kept rising since then, especially in the large business centers and main tourist attraction areas.

The endless discussion

Some issues were argued about in hostel common rooms when I first started backpacking in the early 90s and most of those issues still ignite heated discussions today.

For instance, do people and places stop being authentic when they get all the stuff we have already?

Should travelers boycott Burma and Tibet?

Is there such a thing as safe or not safe places for women to travel?

I know one thing for sure. Most of us still need a nap.

This blog is all about traveling better for less and getting the most out of your money by living abroad. So I’m happy to run the following guest post is from John Linnemeier, author of How an Average Man Lived an Adventurous Life.

Take it away John!

I’ve traveled to over 120 countries, and along the way, I have discovered some affordable paradises. In my book How an Average Man Lived an Adventurous Life, I included a chapter called, “Six paradises where you can retire comfortably for $500/month.” If you need a cook, a gardener, and a nanny it will cost $1000/month. I’ll tell you where these paradises are, and if you’re really serious about escaping from wherever you are, email me at himalayansp [at] hotmail.com, and I’ll help you any way I can.

After you look at this list, buy the appropriate Lonely Planet Guide, spend a day or two doing Google searches, and you’ll have what you need to know. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready for an exploratory visit. Or maybe just keep it in the back of your mind so that if everything goes to hell in your life sometime in the future, you don’t need to give up hope. These places can be your “get-out-of-jail free” card.

I define a paradise as somewhere that’s safe, beautiful, has a pleasant climate, good food, adequate health care, a community of foreigners to keep you company, and is, of course, cheap.

Here’s the list:

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

It’s the only one of my paradises that you can drive to from the U.S. or Canada. For some reason, it’s comforting to know that you can load a truck up with whatever stuff you want to take with you, point it south, and in three or four days, be in one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen.

Lake Atitlan (pictured at the top) is twenty miles across, one thousand feet deep, and crystal clear. It’s surrounded by volcanoes, lush, green vegetation, and is elevated enough in the highlands so the temperature is always spring-like. Do a Google Image search and see what I mean; it’s gorgeous.

You’ll first arrive at the town of Panajachel, often referred to as “Gringotenango.” It’s a jakey-looking place, but very inexpensive. It has some rather pleasant little places to stay, which are tucked off of the main streets. The food is fantastic, of great variety, and real cheap. Any business you need to transact can be done here easily. This is as far as most people get, and if you want to watch CNN, smoke reefer all day, and live for peanuts, this may be your spot.

On the other hand, there’s a boat that circles the lake every day. It stops off for a few minutes at all the little villages surrounding the peripheral of the lake. Each village has its own personality from party-central to new age hippy deluxe, replete with solar warmed hot tubs. If you want to be the only gringo in town, there are tiny villages for that too. Somewhere along that continuum, you’ll find one village that will fit you to a T.

Unlike the next five spots, it can actually be a little bit dangerous in Guatemala if you don’t do the right things and go to the right places at the right times. I wouldn’t drive it at night, but a lot of people do. In general, talk with the local expats and follow their advice about what is safe and what isn’t.

Any of the many valleys that go up into the Himalayas

I’m most acquainted with the area just north of Almora, but all of the others would work as well. I stay in a little place that is a forty minute walk back from the road. The view stretched in front of you includes some of the tallest mountains in the world. Absolutely stupendous. The place I’m talking about is set on a series of terraces planted in every kind of organic fruit and vegetable. There are a dozen little cottages, mostly out of sight of each other, sprinkled around the area. You get a nice little place with a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom/living room. You’ll also get a veranda that looks out on one of the greatest views on God’s earth. Cottages rented for $40/month the last time I was there but may be closer to $60/month now.

If you’d like, they’ll deliver milk every day and freshly baked bread every two days directly to your door. You can do your own cooking or, if you arrange ahead of time, there’s a French lady who’ll cook for practically nothing. The owner of the place walks his daughter into town every day, and if you’d like, he’ll bring back a copy of The Times of India for you.

The nearest internet connection is an hour’s walk away, and it is tenuous at best. Frankly, I call this a plus. You can buy groceries in this little town, hang out at the restaurant and socialize with the wider community. I’m not going to give you the name of this place because I don’t want it overrun with people. If you’re really determined though and use the clues in what I’ve written here, you’ll surely find it, and maybe I’ll run into you.

Goa, India

This has been a hippy paradise since the ’60s. It’s a lot more crowded now but also offers infinitely more diversions, including every kind of food, yoga, Tai-chi, and meditation class imaginable. If you want to learn about singing bowl treatment or any of another billion activities, then you’ve come to the right place.

Find the beach that suits you. They all have different vibes, from five-star international la-de-da, to bare-bones little cement boxes that don’t cost much of anything. If you get there before the season starts (late October to early November), you can rent some extraordinary houses if you’re willing to stay for the whole season.

The weather is near perfect until late January when it starts to warm up a little too much. It’s the dry season, so you most likely won’t see a cloud while you’re there. A few hardcore expats stay straight through the monsoon season. Just about everything is closed down by then, but a few people like it that way because everything is green, and it’s mango season.

I’ve seen an awful lot of ruins in my life, but the ruins of Hampi are my favorite. See them by the full moon, and you’ll never forget them. Hampi is a one day train ride through beautiful jungle with waterfalls, monkeys, and gorgeous birds. Incidentally, both Hampi and Goa have full moon rave parties that set the standard for world class craziness.

Pokhara, Nepal

Nepal is not dangerous, no matter what the press says or what you may think. It’s where I started the Jomsom trail, one of the great experiences of my life. Pokhara is picture perfect, a tiny little town surrounding a lovely lake with Machupuchari in the background. Again, do a Google Image search and be prepared to be wowed. The Nepalese are wonderful cooks and innkeepers, and they will treat you right. Everything is cheap as can be.

Lake Toba, Indonesia

Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the world. In the midst of it is Lake Toba, and in the center of this is a lovely little tropical island. Accommodations are more than comfortable and the architecture is very unique. People play chess a lot, and the loser normally has to give the winner a back rub. The food is good, and everything is super cheap. The locals have a fascinating culture. Just a few generations back, they were cannibals. If they’re really sore at someone, they’ll say “I pick the flesh of your ancestors from between my teeth.” These days though, the place is safe as can be.

Bali

Even though westerners have been coming here since the thirties, the Balinese are still gracious to strangers. There’s a tradition of art, music, puppetry, and dance that is truly unique. Everyone seems to be an artist of some kind, and people care deeply about beauty. You’ll be amazed by how gorgeous your little rented house or hotel room is. Prices are ultra cheap, so as long as you stay away from the international style hotels, you can get by for very little.

The town of Ubud in the highlands is a nice choice. The food is out of this world and very inexpensive. If the main street in town is too busy for you, just do an about face, pace off 300 yards through the rice patties, and you’ll be surrounded by tranquility. Some people have moved on from Bali to the next island, Lombak. Parts are as beautiful as Bali and less crowded, but it doesn’t have the lovely Balinese culture. Stay out of Kuta Beach, which is awful anyway, and you’ll be safer than you would be living in a little town in Nebraska.

Story by John Linnemeier. Pick his book up at Amazon.

Photos are Flickr Creative Commons shots, courtesy of the photographers. Click on the individual photos for their portfolios.

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Big congrats to the Passports with Purpose founders and thanks to all you readers who participated. There’s a whole village going up in India thanks to you, for people that in no way could build one on their own. Thanks to all the great sponsors and individual donations, we collectively blew past the goal and hit $58,000. The money will be funneled through the LAFTI group, an efficient local charity that will make the most of every dollar on the ground.

Congrats to the winner of her choice of Kuru FootwearKuru Footwear shoes that my sponsor kicked in. If you’ve got a winner notification message in your e-mail from me, you’re it!.

I said before that your odds of winning something while doing good were quite high and I proved it myself: I got a ground transportation certificate to use anywhere in the world from GroundLink and the Travel with Teens and Tweens blog. Next trip I’ll be stylin’!

This whole thing worked because of people like you, but also thanks to some very generous sponsors. Kudos to BootsnAll, LiveMocha, RoundtheWorldwithUs, TransitionsAbroad and others you’ll see on the sponsors page.