Jaipur

Thursday 30th October. Arrived in Jaipur today afternoon after a long 7 hour coach ride from Agra. The travelling time isn't taken up by the distance - but the state of the roads and amount of traffic. Potholes do not even begin to describe the awful state of the 'national highways'!

Oh yes - on the way we passed a 'dumping ground' - ie a huge waste tip where about 20 or so men were squatting 'dumping'. (Is that where the term 'city dump' comes from??) Peeing in the streets is normal but we also saw a man 'enjoying himself' so to speak, in public, facing the road!!!
Anyway, first impression is that Jaipur is a beautiful city - in the old part (ie within the gates) the buildings are all pink and with very wide streets. And the buildings are lovely but very tatty and run-down (as is most of India methinks).

Very, very crowded too and the traffic is just as chaotic as elsewhere. Highway Code? Not here.
We stopped at a carpet making factory (another 'shopping opportunity!). Wonderful patterned silk or wool carpets and rugs were being made and a couple of our party actually bought rugs - one to hopefully fit into a suitcase to take home and the other to be shipped home.
The hotel in Jaipur (well, about 5 miles outside the city) is Le Meridien and is very luxurious. I have a 4-poster bed, about 7ft wide, and a huge black marble bathroom complete with wet-room area for shower. Mmmm - I could live permantely like this.

Friday 31st October. This morning we went to the Amber Fort, once the ancient capital of the Rajput Empire. Interesting video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqwtSXxhO9g, and more information on http://www.indiasite.com/rajasthan/jaipur/amber.html
We were all hoping to ride up by elephant but the queue was about an hour long - why is everyone here at the same time as me - we had to go up by jeep which was an experience in itself. The palace there was huge and beautiful and dates back to the 16th Century. In one hall the walls and ceiling were covered in mirrored tiles - all cut into small shapes to make beautiful patterns - and they are original.

During the afternoon we went on a sightseeing tour of the city. As busy and crowded as Delhi and Agra, but the beautiful buildings and wide roads made it a lovely place to be. We visited the old palace of the Maharajah of Rajistan, now a museum showing all the wonderful clothes they wore. Such workmanship. We also paid a visit to the 17thC Observatory which has, amongst lots of other things, a sundial which is 90ft high.

Saturday 1st November. This morning we took a coach trip to Samode Palace, a spectacular 19thC palace (featured in the film 'The Far Pavilions') and now a luxury heritage hotel. On the way we stopped for coffee at Samode Bagh (Bagh means 'garden'). There was a wonderful 'tented' hotel there - all very luxurious but with none of the mod cons like telephone or tv there - on purpose. An ideal honeymoon venue I would think! Each deluxe 'tent' is wonderfully furnished and they are set in beautiful gardens. A website for pics: http://www.indianholiday.com/india-photo-gallery/rajasthan/samode/samode-bagh/

On the way back to the hotel we drove through the city again where we stopped for a while were 'let loose' to shop in the street bazaar.

That was fun and we all haggled successfully and all in good spirit! We took a bicycle rickshaw ride back to the coach, dodging the traffic, people - and cows. It was a bit hairy!

In the evening we had our 'farewell' dinner at the hotel where we all swapped snail mail and email addresses. It was a happy but sad occassion. Vijay, in his speech, said he had never had such a happy group of people who had laughed and joked so much! So you see - Saga can be fun - not all old grey miserable wrinklies!!

Sunday 2nd November. Today was my last day as I have to leave Jaipur at 3pm for Delhi airport to check in at midnight for the 0330 flight on Monday. So in the morning we actually had 'leisure time' and I treated myself to an Ayurvedic Indian Full Body Massage. At the end of it I could have flown home not needing an aeroplane - I felt wonderful. Because we all arrived at various times at the beginning of the holiday, departure times were also varied and some people did not leave until the following day. I felt very sad waving goodbye to those who were remaining at the hotel until the following day.