Jaipur 2 (Mal’s Day)

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Jaipur 2 (Mal’s Day)



Day 18. Monday 18^th December 2017



After breakfast we rang Manu the taxi driver for a 10am pick-up to take us to Amber Fort (pronounced Amer by locals).



On the way we stopped for a view of it from the road. Beside some snake charmers of course. They were quite good though and Shirl ended up with a turban and pipe & we thought she was joining them. Then we were asked if we wanted an elephant ride up the hill at Rs1200 each, or a jeep at Rs600 for all of us. We opted for the jeep. But I noticed that other cars like the one we originally came in, were going up the hill, so this jeep was an extra (Manu’s cousin it turned out). We arranged to meet up in an hour & a half. We paid for entry to the fort only, not the palace (this was Mal’s last day to do any shopping so we wanted to get back to Jaipur).



So we saw the Fort and Turkish baths, the Hareem quarters, the dining room etc. Also many open areas covered with a roofs which had fantastically decorated columns holding them up.



At last here I was asked for selfies of just me, without Rocco or Esmee, it seems that there are some discerning people out here after all.



As we got a jeep up the hill, we had entered through the Moon Gate, but from the battlements we could see the elephants making their way up the zig-zag slope to the Sun Gate which was high enough for them to enter the fort with tourists on their backs. I counted 10 elephants but there could well be more. Fabulous views from the top in all directions, the old city of Amber to the North, ancient walls running along the ridges above the lake to the East, another, higher fort to the South. But maybe the best view was the one below the Sun Gate, of the lake and the adjacent formal gardens, beside which the elephants were ascending, this was the best.



We found our jeep again, within the sea of jeeps in a car park, and at the base of the hill we were reunited with Manu. He took us to eat at an expensive Rajasthani place, which had a musician & a dancing boy, who went to each table and asked for cash after each dance. I just ate a chickpea curry with roti’s but could not eat it all. At one point a stunning model sat at the next table to us with her entourage, she did look a totally spoilt brat.



We then dropped Mal & Shirl back in Pink City for a shopping spree and carried on to the monkey temple on the Eastern outskirts.



But the road to the monkey temple but too steep for me and taxi’s were not allowed to drive up. I told Rocco & Bill to go, but Esmee & me didn’t want to. In the end none of us went.



Instead Manu took us back toward Amber, to the Water Palace (on the way to Amber Fort) where Esmee & Bill then went camel riding – a shame they took the camels on the far-side of the motorway that bordered the lake, so not very scenic – Esmee loved it though (Bill looked bored). This left Rocco, Manu & me to drink chai and coffee for half an hour whilst waiting. When they finally returned we made our way across the dual-carriageway to the lake - which was a large square affair about ½mile by ½mile with a beautiful palace towards one edge. However the lake stank, a dirty drain-water smell. We were told the palace was only open for private parties! Maybe on the rooftop it was bearable as we could see trees growing up there. Lots of birds in the lake, many fishing for frogs just below us! So it can’t be that polluted...



Then we headed back to Atithi Guesthouse and I paid Manu Rs4000 for the day, which is £47. I think it is a rip really as he could have taken us up to the fort (saving Rs600) and I’m sure he got kick-backs from the restaurant, snake-charmers, camel owners etc. Shirl says I’m being cynical…. I just don’t like setting a precedent for the poor suckers who come after us, and it gives all Indians a bad reputation so they don’t like the way forigners are ripped off either. Many Indians don’t like it either and shout at them when they notice forigners being ripped off. Sadly on this trip we are only visiting the tourist spots so only get the tourist prices, in more out of the way places we would just pay what the locals do.



Mal & Shirl met us on the rooftop terrace. Seems that Mal bought most of her presents from one guy, who sent out for things she wanted. But she had him in tears when it came to paying, I think she said he started at Rs2,800 and she knocked him down to Rs800. Anyway, she seemed happy (has great pix of him with her & Shirl) and this is her last night here. After we had all eaten the kids went to bed and I stayed up with Mal till midnight, smoking on my balcony. She seems to have had a good time and has 10 packs of the American Spirit tobacco which she ordered from a small street vendor this morning to pick up soon (which, at £6 per 25gm pack, I think would be cheaper in Belgium…) Mal gets a 10am taxi to the airport tomorrow (takes 1hr) for her 1pm flight to Delhi, then a taxi to her posh B&B nearby. Her flight back to Blighty does not leave until 10.30am on Thursday.

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