Travelling Tim's Useful Links
All the links open a new browser.
Before Setting Out - Want to Chat? - Research Your Trip - Equipment
Before Setting Out
| Columbus Travel Insurance | Why Columbus? - well, they have a great deal for backpackers that provides cover from 31 days to 1 year. The costs are kept down by only insuring for the really important areas, like medical, repatriation and legal fees. Why pay more to support some guy who keeps 'losing' his camera ? |
| The Health On the Net Foundation | Need to check out some Health issues before you go - injections, pills, all the usual kind of stuff? This site is just the place to do it. |
| The Malaria Site | Whatever you need to know about malaria prevention, especially in India, this is your first port of call. |
| Tropical Medicine Bureau | Here's a helpful medical site from Ireland. News and travellers health issues. Check which injections you need. |
| High Commission of India | Get your visa application forms for India here, and find out everything you need to know about visiting India. |
| Bangladesh High Commission | Need a visa for Bangladesh? -here the place to come. Also tourist info. |
| Royal Nepalese Embassy | Going trekking, or a side-trip to Kathmandu? - here's the place for your visas and tourist information. |
| Sri Lanka High Commission | And don't forget the beautiful country of Sri Lanka. Here's the site for the visa information you will need. |
| UK Government Advice | Is it safe to go right now? This Foreign & Commonwealth page gives their opinion of the current situation for travellers. |
Want to Chat?
| IndiaMike.com | Before you go, or whilst you're there, its great to ask a question. This forum has plenty of people who will answer you - old 'India hands', and travellers 'on the ground' at the moment. |
| the Thorn Tree | Here's another huge online-community, courtesy of Lonely Planet. Ask whatever you want ! |
| Movable Type | If you've got access to a server with PHP and MySQL, you can get some brilliant blog software here - its what I use for my own travel diary. |
| TravelPost | Need a simple site for your travel diary and photos? TravelPost seems very popular, and has many facilties. Its free, too! |
Research Your Trip
| Maps of India | I suppose you better know where you're going, first! Anyone that hasn't bought the Lonely Planet India Atlas had better check these maps out. |
| India & Pakistan 1:250k Topographic Maps | If you need plenty of details, this site has the whole sub-continent covered. Big files, though! |
| Indian Railways | Everything you wanted to know about travelling by rail in India. |
| IRFCA Links | As the fans see it - here are lots of IR links, commercial and hobbyist. |
| Train Enquiries | Another online timetable site - very useful. |
| Bangladesh Railways | The main source of information about trains in Bangladesh. |
Equipment
| Rohan | OK, so we've all got our own ideas about who makes the best equipment, but when it comes to clothes, you can't go far wrong with Rohan. I've been wearing their 'bags' - travelling trousers - for many years, and would feel lost without them - they are just so practical. |
| Sigg | You can't get more basic than a water bottle. In my book, there's only one brand to choose - this is it. |
| Victorinox | Then there's a penknife - OK, so you can get locally made ones all over India, but for something that stays sharp and reliable, go for Swiss Army. |