South India Travel Packages

Client Name : Ruth Webster
Year : January 01, 2007
Tour : India Trip

Hi Durjay and everyone at Compass

Happy New Year, and best wishes for 2007

Just thought I'd drop you a line regarding feedback on our tour which was largely great. Both my sister and I enjoyed ourselves, so thank you for helpong make it a good first experience of India for her.

If you want feedback on areas that might help improve things even further in the future, here are some ideas:

1. Kath and I had really liked our driver when we came 2 years ago, sadly the relationship was not replicated with Kalichouran (though Judy and I were very happy with the replacement driver Kuldip Singh). If you have repeat clients, would it be worth finding out if they would like to have the same driver and guides, where this is possible? It adds a real sense of personal service, and certainly would have avoided the unhappy situation we found ourselves in with Kali. I know that our driver (Ram Sahai, from Vijay Tourist Taxi's) is still working as a driver, and on reflection it would have been great to have been with him again.

2. When Kath and I came, you provided us with an itinerary which showed in hours how long you expected the journeys to be from place to place. We didn't have that this time, and it would have been helpful, as one of our issues with Kali was how long journeys might take.

3. We did request The Park throughout for our stay in Delhi, but found that the first 3 nights were at the Nikko. We weren't made aware of the change until we actually arrived at the Nikko at 2.30am! Whilst it was perfectly acceptable as a hotel, I was disappointed, and the ocation wasn't quite as convenient. If there is a reason to change the specified hotel, it would help to know this, and the reasons, before arriving.

4 We loved Deogarh - they have really upped their game there and we wished we could have stayed longer. It's definitely worth a couple of nights. As is Sher Bagh at Ranthambore (even if you cant get into the park to see tigers, due to some legal dispute!)

5. Would not however recommend Kota or Kishangarh, but you live and learn, and as these were our choices, I sinply hope that you might profit by knowing that in my view, neither of them is a worthwhile stopping point.

6. Guides -I do wish that guides bothered to find out if you had been to India and their city before - I find it tiresome to hear that everything is carved from a single piece of marble! It has now become a family joke for my sister and I. Especially as you know that this is a prelude to get you to some marble shop (or miniature painting school etc etc). However, our guide in Jaipur was great, and Kheshav Bhatti in Bundi and Kota also charming and lovely, as was Shiv and his comapnions in Ranthambore. The guide for Agra was good, those for Delhi and Udaipur OK. If / when I come again, I dont think I would ask for a guide again in any of the places I have visited before, excepting possibly Ranthambore.

Think that that's about it. Thanks again. I hope to be back again in the not too distant future - maybe then I will make it further north - though I am also trying to find a job in India so that I can stay there a while, rather than short holidays! So if you think you can help with that too???

Best wishes,

Ruth Webster
UK