Wedding information and travel details

First of all, we want to make sure that you know how excited we are to see you in San Diego, India, or both. We're having a lot of fun planning what's sure to be an intercontinental adventure of the very best sort, and we'd love to have you join us.

Since many of our guests (and even the groom!) have never been to India, we're planning some very cool activities so you can see just what all the fuss is about. :) We'll be showing up in Bangalore on the 1st of March, and we'll be there through the 12th. You're welcome to arrive anytime you like (but plan a day or two for time adjustment!).

Here are the details:

San Diego, CA:

Saturday Feb 13th 2010 (5 pm)
Rehearsal Dinner
Location: HMS Surprise, San Diego Maritime Museum

Sunday Feb 14th 2010 (11 am - 4 pm)
Wedding Ceremony & Reception
Location: Hotel Del Coronado

Accomodation in Coronado closest to the wedding:

Hotel Del Coronado
Glorietta Bay Inn
Coronado Beach Resort
El Cordova Hotel
Coronado Village Inn

Bangalore, India:

Saturday March 6th 2010 (evening)
Pre-wedding dinner
Location: TBD

Sunday March 7th 2010 (evening)
Wedding Ceremony & Reception
Location: The Chancery Pavilion

Travel Information for India:

1. Tourist Visa

IMPORTANT: Everyone who is not an Indian citizen needs a visa to visit India.

If you live in the US: https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/homepage
If you live outside the US: https://www.indian-visa.com/

2. Immunization and Health

Information is available at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/india.aspx - we know this page looks a little scary, but don't worry, there's tons of tourists visiting India all the time and as long as you're a little careful, you'll have a great time.

3. Flights

Flying into Bangalore (airport code: BLR) from the US will require a stopover in Europe or Asia, depending on whether you fly Atlantic or Pacific - flight length is between 20-24 hours (when planning your travel dates, remember that you lose 12 hours flying from the US to India - basically, if you take off from the US on a Wednesday evening, you'll get to Bangalore on Friday morning).

Some convenient flight options are:
British Airways: Seattle (SEA) - London (LHR) - Bangalore (BLR)
Lufthansa: Salt Lake City (SLC) - Denver (DEN) - Frankfurt (FRA) - Bangalore (BLR)
Lufthansa: San Francisco (SFO) - Frankfurt (FRA) - Bangalore (BLR)

Tickets should ideally be booked around 3-5 months before travel to get the best rates.

Update: We'll be reaching Bangalore on the 28th of Feb at 4:50 am. We'll fly out March 13th at 7:50 am

4. Accomodation in Bangalore

The Kar family has blocked a bunch of furnished apartments near our house for wedding guests at a very low daily price, but there's a limited number of these and you may end up sharing - please let us know if you're interested. If you do share, we'll try and make great matches so please give us your preferences there as well.

If you prefer to book a hotel room instead, let us know and we'll send you hotel recommendations.

5. Getting around in Bangalore

Transportation will be provided to all major wedding events (see activity list below).

If you'd like to venture out on your own, do NOT attempt to drive. Auto-rickshaws are the best way of getting around - you can hail one down from any major intersection. Consider them an adventure.

6. Activities in India

Wedding group activities

- Sightseeing in Mysore (day trip from Bangalore, with possible stops at Somanathapur and Srirangapatna, both of which have interesting temples, March 3rd)
- Lion/Tiger safari (day trip from Bangalore, March 4th)
- Nrityagram dance village (day trip from Bangalore, March 5th)
- Ayurvedic massage, mani/pedi for girls, shopping for silks/sarees
- Bollywood movie night: I have no idea what's going to be playing but I guarantee it will be hilarious and you won't need to understand what's being said to know that.
- Taj Mahal: 3 day trip up to Delhi and Agra - planned itinerary: fly from Bangalore to Delhi on the 8th. Take the train out to Agra and see the Taj on the 9th. Fly back to Bangalore on the 11th.

Independent activities - these are recommended itineraries for people who are planning on staying longer and venturing further:

South West India: Bombay/Goa (expect to spend about 5 days)
South India: Kerala (expect to spend about 3 days)
North India: Further travel on the Golden Triangle (this continues the trip after seeing the Taj - expect to spend about 3-4 days in addition to the planned Delhi/Agra section above)
Near India: The Maldives

For any additional info, leave a comment here or contact us.

Ritu and Jon