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Published: February 7th 2008
India - Classic Rajasthan
So my adventures begin…four months in the planning, I take off from Heathrow airport on the 2nd January 2008 at 9pm to land in New Delhi, India at 10.30am on January 3rd. My hotel the Metro Heights arranges to pick me up from the airport for $20 USD, and having not slept on the plane I head straight for my room to sleep. When I wake it is dark and I take a short walk to take look around the district to discover a very dusty, dirty and chaotic Delhi, where the air is filled with noise of hooting car horns and street market activity. Every street turn there are food vendors, market stalls and shops all open frantically carving out a living for themselves and also groups of young and old men chatting on corners.
Having not found anywhere local to eat, I went back to the hotel restaurant and ordered a chicken masala curry and garlic naan. After a 40 minute wait the food eventually arrives, not from their kitchens but from the local takeaway! Yes…I had arrived in India!
The next morning I planned to take the underground metro to
town, but before I get 10 metres from the hotel I have many offers from tuk tuk drivers to take me to town in their motorised rickshaws. After a little negotiation I settled on a middle age man with henna red hair who was to show me around the central part of the city over 6 hours for $20 USD (about £10) plus tip.
On our travels I visited India Gate, Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhawan Hindu Temple, Lodi Tomb, Humayun’s Tomb and the Mahatma Gandhi Museum. During the trip my driver took me to a good Indian Restaurant, and although I had know intention of buying any souvenirs a couple of bazaars from which he would gain a token from the shop keepers.
I got back to my Hotel for the inaugural Intrepid trip meeting where I met my fellow travelling companions for the next two weeks, namely Tim, Ram & Mel travelling together from New Zealand, Brian & Kate a couple from Australia who celebrated their 35 wedding anniversary on the trip, also from Aus was mother, daughter and friend Pauline, Jessica and Janet from Melbourne area; Teacher Lynda from Sidney, Kinder garden teacher Lauren also from
Melbourne and Claire a designer from Perth. After the introductions we all headed off to share a meal together at the Crossroads Arpit Restraint where we enjoyed traditional Indian cuisine.
The following Morning our Intrepid leader Bhupati (also known as Lucky, from Udaipur) took us by a local crowded bus (where I sat next to a Hindu Holy Man) to town to visit India largest city mosque Jama Masjid where Tim & I climbed the watch tower and then on the a Sikh Temple where we enjoyed a service and helped to cook naan breads for the congregation. Next was a tour of the old city before we returned to Connaught Place via their newly built metro system. The afternoon was free to do as we pleased and I joined Tim, Mel and Ram for lunch ,afterwards we attempted to find a particular cheap T-shirt shop for Tim, unfortunately we got some hassle from some local kids trying to lead us out of town. Once we felt that we maybe in some danger having potted about 6 men following us, we caught a couple of tuk tuk rickshaws and headed to a government bazaar. After a short look around
the shop we caught a taxi back to our hotel, where I met up with Brian, Kate, Claire, Lauren & Lynda for dinner.
The next morning we took an early train (2.5 hours) to Agra to visit the Red Fort and The Taj Mahal. We had an excellent tour guide for the Red Fort who told us all about India Mughal history, stemming from the Aga Khan where with just 12,000 Mongolian warriors conquered India and set up their Forts, Palaces and Kingdoms during the 12th to 15th Century’s. Bringing their Muslim religion the Mongolian royal families married local Hindu people creating integration between the peoples and religions, which are reflected within their many fabulous Temples, Mosques and Tombs. I spent most of my time at the Taj Mahal with Claire a bright and sensitive women of mystery where we had fun taking photos with many of the local Indian people and enjoyed the beauty and serenity of this iconic place.
After an amazing but hectic day in Agra we headed to the piece of Bharatpur staying at Birders Inn adjacent to Keoladeo Bird Park. The group was split into those who took a rickshaw guide, and those
who chose to cycle. On the way around the park we saw Monkeys, Deer and many birds to include Kingfishers.
The next day we were went to Fort Madhogarh, we had an enjoyable walk around the small and friendly village where w e visited a cotton making factory and local craft industries. During the evening after watching some local children play with home made kites, the girls from our group dressed in Saris for dinner after which a few of us sat around an open fire lit of the top of the Fort turret and chatted with the owner and descendent of a Maharajas family.
The next day we headed to Jaipur by jeep cutting through local villages and farmland. As you pass through, the locals seem to be both genuinely happy and intrigued to see visitors from other countries passing by.
Nursing a slight iffy tummy we had two relaxing days at the Jaipur hotel where most of the girls took the opportunity to shop after our visit to Amber Fort, where on the way back I was measured for two Indian summer suits! On the first evening we went to the Raj Mandir cinema to experience
a Bollywood Hindi movie. The following day after a walk through the old city bazaar and a look at the city palace and the Hawa Hahal (India’s second most photographed building) we headed by rickshaw to Anoki for lunch, on the way back stopping off at the Polo club to catch the start of a polo game between Jaipur and Malaysia, featuring an Indian Prince. During the evening I had my second fitting for my suits at the hotel which were returned to me the following morning before our departure.
That morning we headed by car to Sawai Madhopur to visit the Ranthambhore National Park, after lunch at the hotel we hoped on board an open top passenger carrier and headed for the park we hoed to be lucky enough spot a wild Bengal Tiger. After around three hours at the N.P, where we saw Deer, Parrots, Monkeys and an Alligator we had given up on seeing a Tiger and headed at great speed back to the exit gate before it was to close, when suddenly there was great excitement as the vehicle slammed on its breaks and out of the bushes we saw our Bengal Tiger cross the
road around our vehicle in hunt of its dinner a stay deer. With only 36 Tigers spread across the whole National Park we all felt very lucky to have seen the Tiger and then headed back to the hotel for a celebratory dinner after a very satisfying day.
The next morning the group split into two jeeps and drove through swaths of local towns, villages and farmland in the direction of Bundi our next destination. Every where we passed the locals seemed to be as interested in seeing us, as we in them. We passed people working in the fields, women and men working on new roads, students taking bike rides to their colleges and lots of happy smiling children waving as we passed by.
When we get to Bundi we visit their famous spring step wells and Castle, where we admire the view across the town painted in eggshell blue. After the castle visit we walked through their bazaars and markets where I picked up some samples of Bollywood films and music, five DVD discs for the equivalent of £2. During the evening we all met up on the Roof Top Restaurant beneath the Castle served by
Sikh Temple
Where Prayers And Scriptures Are Sung Throughout The Daya 12 year old daughter, whose mother would do the cooking. Each of us had our meals served one by one over about an hour we before heading back through the town to our hotel.
The next morning we take a local train from Bundi to Bijaipur where I struck up a repour with some of the local travellers. With very little English I show a small family some of my photo of home and my trip and they offer me some food. At the end of the train journey we take another jeep trip to a Maharaja families Swiss Tent site situatioed on a beautiful lakeside where buffet lunch, dinner and breakfast is served. The tent proved to be one of the nicest accomodations I had sampled in India so far and I woke up around 7am to capture the amazing sunrise over the lake.
The following day we take a short journey to the Maharajas Castle where on the way we stopped at fertile agricultural land where we saw Mangos, Wheat, Mustard, Chillies and a special government area where Opium was being cultivated for the Indian pharmaceutical industry. When we arrive at the Castle we are
Red Fort Agra
Entry Towers To The Red fort Agra. In Introduction to The Mongolian Mughal Maharajah Empires that Ruled India During The 15th - 18th Centuries. shown to our luxurious rooms where I end up with an Indian style four poster bed. After a two hour cycle ride around the village, I spend the rest of the afternoon reading around their swimming pool and paying an Indian shove penny type board game. During the evening a small group with sitar and drums play Indian music and we finish off the evening with an excellent vegetarian buffet where the main dish is an aubergine in batter.
The next planned part of the trip was to be two nights and three days in Pushkar a famous religious town for Hindu’s. But most of the girls and I arrange with Bhupati to take a car and detour for the day to Udaipur reputed to be India’s most romantic town. After a hairy two hour car ride on their dual carriageway where bikes, cars and cows would head towards us on the wrong side of the road, we eventual arrive to discover the delights of this beautiful and chaotic city. Being one of the many Holy festival days we encounter masses of poor families and beggars taking donations of food and clothing out side of their Temple. After breakfast enjoyed
Agra - Red Fort
Occupied By The Mughal Family That Built The Taj Mahal on a rook top looking over the famous floating hotel situated in the middle of the towns lake, we make our way through the bazaara and shops to all alter meet up at the Castle for lunch. On the way I buy a couple of Indian shirts and also have my shoes repaired and cleaned by a shoe vendor outside of their castle.
After a very enjoyable day we start our 5.5 hour car journey to Pushkar where on the way back we see one of our suitcases tied to the roof of the car fly off down the carriageway. When we stop to inspect the damage unfortunately its was my bag, but all for a few marks and blemishes the bag was intacted.
The next two days in Pushkar I use to just chill out. During the morning we are taken into town to look around and also to be blessed at their famous God Branham lake by a young Hindu Priest. He performs a ceremony where we repeat some Hindi mantras which bless and protect our familes and with a silver platter of red and yellow powder, rice, sugar and string wristband worn on my right
Red Fort Agra
Mughal State Parliment Rooms hand, this ritual would serve me well for the rest of my Indian trip and allow me to enter any Hindu Temples.
I use the last day to start writing my diary, and also copy down some passages from a book I borrowed from Claire called ‘The art of Joyful Living’ by Swami Rama. During the evening we take the overnight sleeper train back to New Delhi where we snatch a few hour sleep on the train before our arrival. I then spent most of the next couple of days with Lynda where we took in the sights to include the Bahai Lotus Flower Temple and went of two Delhi theatre festival productions.
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