Blogs from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, Asia - page 69

Namaste Everyone The train journey from Jodhpur to Jaipur was easy, comfortable and uncrowded until we arrived at Jaipur station, where the taxi and tuk tuk drivers were just far to intrusive and pushy. Thankfully our hotel had arranged transport, we willingly pay for this service as it means we don't have any hassles off the driver not being able to find the place or taking you to one of their choice for which they get commission and you pay extra!! It's peculiar that the drivers can be really pushy, the same person asking you at least 5 or 6 times where you are going, do you want a taxi do you want a hotel? But when you are really tired and answer the slightest bit brusquely, they take immediate umbrage and can get rude. The ... read more

Leaving Jaipur today - catching the sleeper train to Udaipur, if the trains are still running - apparently, there's a lot of monsoon flooding in the area.... Loved Jaipur and it's nice to be here again - very busy and buzzing...especially at night, when everyone is out and there's industry and life and markets and traffic and cows roaming...... read more

Well, guys, tomorrow Brian and I get on a train at 7:05 p.m. to head to the Himalayas. I doubt that y'all care about the intimate details of our trip up north, but here you go anyway. Our train pulls out of the Jaipur station at 7:20 p.m on Saturday evening. We are travelling in non-A/C sleeper with a ticket booked all the way to Amritsar. If we arrive in Jalandhar City (about an hour and fifteen minutes south east of Amritsar) before 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, we will get off there, and catch a trian to Pathankot, the major transit hub into the Himalayas. That train is about three hours long, putting us into Pathankot at 3:23 p.m. From Pathankot there are buses every half hour or so to Dharmsala, which take about four hours, ... read more

Well, as I'm sure you all know by now, there's been a bombing on a train in Mumbai. Brian and I, of course, are quite safe and well. The good news is Mumbai is a good 18 hours by train from where Brian and I are and we have no intentions of going anywhere near Mumbai during our travels. It's kind of odd, but no one has mentioned the bombings here. It occurred about 16 hours ago, yet I had no idea until I got to work this morning. It just doesn't seem like anyone cares. After all, in the U.S. if there was a bomb attack that killed almost 200 people, we'd all be talking about it. India does have a much longer history of terrorist attacks on its soil, however, and I guess everyone's ... read more

I am at loss for words to describe Jaipur -- chaotic just doesn't do it justice. There is no place for the people pleasing here, the locals are in your face, money talks, everything else walks and a no means " maybe if you keep trying" The bicycle rickshaws should be an event on reality shows. Driving in a rickety cage pulled by an ageing driver who looks like he is on his last legs, dodging other rickshaws, bicycles,motorbikes,cars,trucks, donkey carts,cows,donkeys,dogs,camels and elephants!!!! ( i kid not ) and people is an experience to remember. Never mind olympic athletes --- these guys are fitter by far --- temperature 37 - 40 degrees, humidity ---- high !!! these guys pull three to four times their body weight for 12 - 16 hours straight. The only pleasant memory ... read more