C is for cash: Bring plenty of it. While most decent-sized restaurants (including all the ones mentioned in this itinerary) and shops do accept credit cards, you'll want to have rupees on hand for small items, trips to the bazaars, and tips. ATMs are rare in the smaller cities, so bring as much as you feel comfortable carrying or anticipate spending (my traveling companion and I probably went through about $1,000 worth of cash, including tips); changing them at the hotel guarantees a fair rate. And make sure you bring a roll of dollar bills; they're essential tips for bellhops, rickshaw drivers, and the like.

E is for English: Most of the people you'll encounter-whether at a restaurant or in the bazaar-will speak at least some English, and many will speak it with a brilliant, creatively charged fluency (as anyone who has ever read a novel by an Indian writer can well imagine). The Indians are, by nature, linguists: The state recognizes 22 official languages (with Hindi-which has numerous dialects-and English as the most important and widely spoken). In addition, there are more than 200 other languages, which means most people here are at least trilingual.

F is for flights: There are two American carriers that fly directly to Delhi and, as noted in the main text, both land at night. American Airlines flight 292 departs Chicago at 7:05 P.M. and arrives in Delhi at 8:30 P.M. the following day. The return flight departs Delhi at 12:15 A.M. and arrives-the same day-at 5:15 A.M. Then there's Continental flight 82, which departs at 8:45 P.M. and arrives the following day at 8:15 P.M. Outbound, 83 leaves Delhi at 10:50 P.M. and arrives the following day at 4:35 A.M.

In addition, there are a number of flights on international carriers that fly into Delhi, all making layovers in various European hubs. Here are some of the better routes available:

Air France (Delhi via Paris)
AF148 departs Paris at 10:20 A.M.; arrives Delhi at 10:15 P.M.
AF147 departs Delhi at 12:40 A.M.; arrives Paris at 6:05 A.M.

British Airways (Delhi via London)
BA143 departs London at 9:55 A.M.; arrives Delhi at 11:00 P.M.
BA142 departs Delhi at 2:10 A.M.; arrives London at 7:05 A.M.
Or
BA257 departs London at 5:10 P.M.; arrives Delhi at 6:15 A.M. (next day)
BA256 departs Delhi at 8:15 A.M.; arrives London at 1:10 P.M.

F is also for food and water safety: The rules on tap water are simple and absolute: Don't drink it, not even in the hotels where you'll be staying. Every hotel in this itinerary will provide you with bottled water daily. When you buy water on the street or in small cafes, make sure it comes to you sealed; some vendors simply refill bottles of water with tap water, chill it, and voila: upset stomach. If your bottle looks tampered with or otherwise unconvincing, send it back.