. Out in the countryside, their townships seem strange in that they are literally built on top of each other with large vacant tracts of land all around them ... until you speak to them and understand that they make them that way for security reasons.
Recreational camping or even rural living on large vacant blocks of land is practically non-existent amongst the locals in India for very good reasons ....
On the very few occasions I got caught out in India with no place to stay I felt that it was safer to stay with families if I was in a village area (usually you have to knock back invitations rather than ask people) or to simply (and discreetly) throw a ragged chadar (thin woolen blanket) over my entire body near a wall so that I looked like some other street urchin (which, in hindsight, is probably not the safest option but IMHO, more safe than setting up a tent or some other thing that says "here is a sleeping foreigner" to the locals).
Mr Pumpy gives a concise overview of alternatives for emergency accommodation in asia
I edited his rant just to a few lines for each option but read the link for more details
http://www.mrpumpy.net/BSA-006.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Staying with locals/monasteries/Police Stations Staying anywhere but a Hotel or Guest House means you will sacrifice your privacy, and this needs to be weighed up in your own mind.
After a hard days' ride in full public view, it's nice to be able to kick back in the Hotel room by yourself, take a shower, lie naked on the bed and admire your newly forming deltoid muscles. And perhaps most of all, not talk to anyone for an hour ot two.
However, once in a while you will get caught without lodgings, and there are survivable alternatives.
1. Staying with locals This is pretty easy to organise, and the further you get out into the boonies the easier it gets.
Just walk up and ask! Either they'll say "Sure, pardner! Pull up a piece of floor!" or if they're full up, they'll direct you to another friendly household.
You may be sleeping on the verandah or the lounge room floor, but the family will do their best to make you comfortable.
There's no need to establish a price before hand, as this would be impolite, but you must ALWAYS pay something when you are about to leave.
2. Staying at a Buddhist monastery Most Buddhist monasteries (Wats) will allow you stay the night.
Just ride on in and ask. There's usually plenty of room and the monks will make an effort to make you comfortable.
Buddhist monks themselves don't eat after midday, but they'll usually give you something to eat and drink.
The downside is that you'll need to spend a few hours talking English to the monks, who are usually keen to try out out a few sentences, and while away a few hours being entertained.
3. Staying at the local Police Station This gets easier the further out into the country you go but is somewhat of a last resort.
As above, just walk up and ask. The times I have done it I have generally asked if there is somewhere to stay in the area, and wait for the police to say "No, but you can stay here."
You will probably be shown a bench in the office, or a bed in a cell. The cells can be rather airless and mosquito enhanced, so I actually don't recommend the experience.
Also, the police may insist on you joining them in a late night drinking session, so the whole thing can get a bit too "good ol' boy" for my likings. But, as a last resort, it's survivable.
. Accommodation is so cheap throughout South and South-east Asia that you barely need to carry a tent.
. You simply are not if/when you are a tourist (myself included).
