Vadodara

Oh Vadodara (Or Baroda if you have an old map)... I was there September 8-14, 2019. A friendly and beautiful city, but it helps to have a guide. I did a hotel stay as the prices were a tiny percentage of the same accomodation in Mumbai. Internet was good. Tunnel worked here (but that may just have been my access point). There are internet cafes (Cafe Coffee is one)... but there is also Starbucks. Prices at restaurants are lower than other spots I visited in India. I did not do the street food here, but thats just me. By nature this is a very vegetarian region of India, so be prepared... however, they sure can cook, so you may not miss it. I came in by train from Mumbai, but the airport has a fancy new (and empty) terminal. Get around by UBER or Auto (tuk-tuk), but you need cash for the latter. There was flooding in August, the month before I arrived, but all was well by early September... keep an eye on the monsoon forecast. The historic sites are stunning, the mosaic tile work, etc at the palaces... and please realize that they were only built around 1900 (yes that palace photo above in Nomadlist is a building built in 1900 by a British architect, not 500 or 1000 years earlier... but it IS gorgeous in person). I will return to Vadodara again... but I'll give you a tip- pronounce it as Baroda and you will be fine.