Jaipur , back to the city.

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Well I may have spoken too soon, regarding the utmost efficiency of the Indian rail system, as our scheduled departure was pushed back from 4:15pm to 6:00pm, this I thought would be an upside as I would arrive in Jaipur at a more reasonable hour. However what it actually meant was that it gave more of the city rickshaw touts time to converge on Jaipur station, and descend upon me like a swarm of Tomahawk Missiles resolved to obliterate weapons of mass destruction. I had just woken up and I didn’t really know where I was, or where I was going, and being man handled was crossing the line, I lost my cool, and in no uncertain terms quickly dispatched the nearest of the groping nuisance mongers and made it clear to all that I was to be left alone.

Arriving at Jaipur, the Rajasthan capital meant the big city, which in turn means big city hassles. Firstly it’s the aforementioned rickshaw touts and then the mad ‘hostel hunt’, so after pounding the pavement for an hour or two, as I was too stubborn to pay the inflated rickshaw levies, I had been turned down from three full hostels. I finally found one, in a rather expensive (relative term) hotel, but I am paying a pittance of the cost as I literally think my room is a moderately renovated storage cupboard. I stored my gear in room ‘M’, affectionately tucked down a corridor between room 302 and 303. I settled in, and spent the day pottering around the nearby streets, sleeping and keeping out of the way of the city oppressively filtering though the air vent in my ‘broom closet’.

The next morning I was up and in a better state to tackle Jaipur city. And yes you guessed it, seeing I have become quite the castle connoisseur; I was off to Jaipur Fort. Again, dodging the ever materialising rickshaw touts, being bombarded with hollers of 300 rupees… 250 rupees… yes hello sir! I made it to the super crowded local bus and traversed the 11 kms out of Jaipur to Amber Fort at the grand price of 6 rupees.

The Amber fort was historically the centre of the Rajasthani capital. Yet after the capital was transferred to Jaipur, Amber Fort was left to disintegrate. It sits amidst the natural beauty of the rugged hills, with the ancient town of Amber nestled at its base. I feel it is not less charming in its dilapidated majestic manner, than if it were restored. But I think that I am all ‘forted’ out for the moment so after spending the morning there I headed back for another lazy afternoon which became an evening with a few soothing beers on the roof.

Today I have a train heading for Mumbai; I am supposedly leaving at 14:10 for an 18 hour trip. But Indian rail have changed their timetables and I can’t really get any concrete information. That is the sometimes infuriating thing with Indian bureaucracy, they as all Indians, use the generic sideways head bobble as a conversation substitute. The problem is that over the last three weeks I have found it to express, amongst other things; hello, goodbye, yes, no, maybe, fuck off, stop, I don’t know, go away and I’m trying to rip you off. So after I go and get supplies for the journey I will just head for the station and hope.

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Photos

Royal Amber Palace, Jaipur.
Royal Amber Palace, Jaipur.

Palace construction workers, Jaipur
Palace construction workers, Jaipur.

Royal Courtyard, Amber Fort
Royal Courtyard, Amber Fort

Sunset over Jaipur city, Jaipur.
The city still has its attributes.

Comments

[Paul Roberts]

7th one from Paul
Hmmm. I wonder what exactly, "quickly dispatched the nearest of the groping nuisance mongers" really means. Is the guy still breathing? I sympathise entirely, Luke - I know what it's like to be groped on awakening! The trains sound like they're terrible - even Connex is starting to appear efficient after reading your description of the 'service'. I don't know whether or not I asked you this, but I'm interested to know how the curries compare with the Indian fare over here? As I said to the girl at the restaurant, "Chapati?" Take care not to injure anybody, Lukester. Paul.