Day 14: Day Trip to Jaipur

(Saturday, Feb 12)

Amber Fort
Price and I headed out to Jaipur beginning at 6:30am. The drive took a little bit less than 4 hours, but it was as pleasant as a drive on Indian road can be. Our first stop was the Amber Fort where we met our tour guide Jai. The fort was amazing and Jai was a great tour guide! The day would not have been the same without him. For an entire day tour, the fee was 550 rupees ($12.80) – we gave him a nice tip too because he was so great.

We had two options to get up to the fort: (1) walk the 2 km or (2) ride an elephant…we of course got in line to ride an elephant!!!! When else will I get to ride an elephant??? So for a total of 450 rupees ($10.50US), Price and I got to ride an elephant. I’ve got to say…it’s definitely overrated…slow, bumpy, and wet! As you might imagine, elephants aren’t the most graceful animals…and they spit! I got elephant slobber in my eye!

The Toilets
Following the four drive to Fort Amber, I need to use the ladies room. While Price waited for the elephant I went over to where I had seen the sign for toilets. Toilets was an over-statement…there were holes in the ground that didn’t even have doors! And you had to pay to use the hole in the ground! I walked right back in line and told Price I had decided to wait. Jai, the tour guide, said there were restrooms at the top of the fort.

About two hours later, we checked out the toilets at the top of the fort. Price had no problems….I on the other hand had a problem. Good news was these restrooms were free, they were cleaner and there were doors on the stalls. I went into a stall and realized my bad luck…another hole in the ground to squat over! I really thought about it…tried to figure out how I could possibly keep my coat dry, my purse clean, and remain balanced enough that I wouldn’t fall in or around the hole and end up with urine all over me – that’s when I realized there was no toilet paper and I didn’t have any tissues in my purse. I gave up and decided to keep holding it…there was no way I was going to chance falling in my or another person’s yuck. Guys have this sooo much easier.

After touring the fort we headed to lunch at a fantastic hotel that had beautiful bathrooms!

Other Stops in Jaipur
For lunch we had a buffet at a former palace! The palace is now a hotel, which is common…former ruling families have their palaces into hotels so they can afford to keep the palace in the family. Had my first taste of Indian food, but also had “continental” cuisine…in fact I had the best German potato salad I’ve ever eaten! (Sorry Grandmom…)

The tour guide took us to a high-end jewelry store…Price and I think he gets a cut of each sale he brings, but to be honest the store was beautiful and sold beautiful things. I bought myself and Joe a small sink painting for our new place. We also saw a jewelry-making demonstration.

The Observatory
Price enjoyed this stop a lot more than I did, but it was interesting nonetheless. There were about 12 large scientific structures used for various purposes that were each advanced for their time. For example, the world’s largest sun dial with 20 second accuracy. Also horoscope tools and date tools. The pictures are cooler than my descriptions.

More Animals
Saw my first camel today…unless I’ve seen one at a zoo and don’t remember. It was also on my way to Jaipur that I saw quite possibly the funniest thing I have seen in all of India: a man driving a motorcycle with baby goats in the saddle bags! And then in front of that motorcycle, another one with baby goals in the saddle bags and the mother goal in the front basket!!! Where else I am ever going to see that again. I have only one regret: that I didn’t have my camera ready.

Rethinking my airport driver
Now that I have experienced considerable road travel within the Delhi area, I realize I may have unfairly judged the driver who picked me up from the airport. His driving skills are par for the course here…everyone drives like a nut because if you don’t you’d never get any where! There may be three lanes dedicated to traffic in each direction, but that is only taken as a suggestion…4-5 cars can possibly fit across three lanes, so why not try it? Also, who’s to say that the we should each stay on our own sides of the road…sometimes one-way roads, arbitrarily become two-way.