Jaipur India - Second Stop In India

14th Aug to 17th Aug 2007

We headed to the train station a little earlier in Mumbai as we didn't know what to expect. The porters seem to pounce on us as we stepped out of the taxi. We figure they would know where we needed to go and wait plus they could carry our bags for a small fee ($1.50). We waited on the platform and had a number of beggars pass by asking for money. In India there are so many beggars that once you give to one the others around just keep asking for money.

Picture: Paige with two Policemen at train station

We boarded the train to find a small berth compartment which we had to ourselves. Both Ben and Paige where excited to be on the train, pulling the bunks down, Piage jumping around. At this stage I was travelling with two children, full of excitement. I had slept on a train many years ago in a sleeper in Australia so I wasn't as excited. The journey went well, a porter delivered clean sheets and blankets for sleeping and we where delivered dinner which was set out on a tray. The food I would rate 3.5 out of 10 for taste. I only had a couple of hours of sleep due to restlessness. Night turned to morning and we waited to arrive in Jaipur, ready for the next part of our adventure to begin.

Picture: Paige jumping around on train

As we stepped from the train a porter took our bags and a man asked if we wanted a taxi. "Sure" we said. Once we where in the taxi we headed to the hotel. On the way the man "Jimmy" talked to us about being our guide while we where here and after reading the reviews from other travellers in his book we thought we would give him a go in the evening to visit one of the forts.

We stayed at the Narain Niwas Palace Hotel which we had a choice of rooms, a nice surprise so we chose the one nearest the pool. The hotel had a nice old world charm about it, the gardens where very nice and the peacocks roaming around where a sight to see but at night they where very loud. Paige was excited everytime she saw one.

Picture: The hotel at the front

Our first sight seeing trip was to view the Nahargorh (Tiger Fort) built in 1734. We couldn't go in the fort its self but the view of Jaipur was just amazing, we didn't realise that Jaipur was so large. We found Jimmy very interesting and he wouldn't stop talking. We booked him for the next day.

Picture: Small part of the view of Jaipur from Fort

Picture: Ben & Paige at the Fort

Jaipur was such a different city to Mumbai, old charm about it but it wasn't very clean. The buildings where interesting to look at. The old city also know as the "Pink City" streets where lined with shops, the streets known as bazaars. The buildings were a funny colour, I wouldn't say pink nor red but an interesting shade of the two. The area was very busy with people coming and going.

Picture: Some buildings that line the street

Our next sight seeing visit was the City Palace which was a blend of Rajusthani and Mughal architecture. A part of the Palace was closed due to being the Maharaja's residence. The rest of the Palace we where able to wonder around. Very interesting and beautiful artwork on the walls. Ben was interested in the armour room, a very impressive display of all sorts of weapons and armour, we stayed in this section for quite a while, "wild horses" could drag Ben away.

Picture: A section of the Palace

We then visited the cenotaphs of the maharanis of Jaipur where we found the wives of past rulers where buried. The workmanship on the tombs was amazing, carvings in the stone was very impressive. I was saddened to see the gardens around this area was in shambles. A place that deserved a bit more respect then it had been given.

Picture: Tomb of past Queen

Our third day was spent visiting the area of Amber. There was an impressive fort and palace area. The site of large amounts of elephants in this area catering for tourists was a sight to see. We decided not to wait to ride this amazing animals as the line was too long but Paige got to sit on an elephant in the grounds. The Palace was an impressive structure which in its hay day would of been full of life and amazing items but as we have seen on our trip so far, the Indian people and government don't maintain these wonderful buildings of their past. How sad I felt as we wondered through this Palace.

Picture: Paige sitting on painted elephant

Picture: Ben, Paige & Bernadette standing in part of the Palace

Our last night Jimmy invited us for dinner at his family home to met his family. We thought why not so we headed to his home which was in what looked like a middle class part of town. Most of his family didn't speak English and there was a number of children so Paige was soon running around playing. We where told that seven adult children and Jimmy's parents all lived in the house. It was interesting to see how the women cooked outside on a wood fire. It was quite a large home which had a number of rooms used for both eating and sleeping. Jimmy took Ben for a walk while both Paige and I stayed with the women. The children peered through the window watching me eat. Jimmy's mother tried to talk to me but her English wasn't very good. It was amazing what a smile can convey. Waiting for Ben to return I played with the children and they loved me being monster trying to eat them all up. The laughter of all the children was just heart warming.

Picture: Bernadette, Paige, Jimmy's wife, nieces & nephews

Picture: Jimmy & Ben

Our last day Ben, Paige and I did some more exploring of the city on our own before Jimmy picked us up to take us to the train station. We decided to catch a auto rickshaw, which Paige enjoyed very much.

Picture: Bangle stalls are everywhere

Picture: Holly man on the street

Having Jimmy as sort of guide was good, I would call him more like a taxi driver. He seemed to have a big heart and was very friendly, a little over bearing at times but all in all a nice guy who was making a living for his family and an asset to Jaipur's tourism trade.

It was now time to catch the train again and head to New Deli.