#InternInIndia: Jaipur to Jaisalmer
6th September 2013
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Cold, tired and a little worse for wear, Claire, Ciara and I arrived in Jaipur at 4am.
Arriving at our hotel, we collapsed after showering dreading the fact we had to wake up in a mere two hours.
Though it would be an early start, it was going to be worth it since it meant we'd be exploring the Amber Fort by elephant. Our tour guide showed us the main sites of the city including the Hawa Palace from which the royal ladies would watch the processions in the city, the Amber Fort, which is arguably more beautiful than the Taj Mahal, and the Old City.
Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan and has a rich and colurful history. It is here the magic of royalty and grandeur truly comes alive. Nicknamed the Pink City because of its characteristic stone coloring which gets painted every five years, the city is as colourful as the gems it is famed for. The women, though veiled, beg to be seen and shimmer like rainbows in the monsoon downpours. Spots of pink and brightest blues set against the dusky pink of the city walls make Jaipur seem story-like compared to cities like Bangalore.
The views from the Amber Fort are breathtaking. The palace is adorned with mirrors and real jewels and is sophisticated in design, with some of the most ancient forms of air con.
After sightseeing, we did some shopping at a jewellery store where we could afford nothing and haggled for some Indian clothes in the Old City. The shop owner again was the model of hospitality and took us to a cheap and delicious restaurant, made sure we didn’t get ripped off and even took us to the station.
Jaipur was lovely, although we did encounter possibly the worst cafe ever. The grime on the Pepsi bottles and tea cup wasn’t just sickening. Needless to say we neglected to finish our beverages and left sharpish to post some postcards.
Note: post offices in India are another nightmare.
Inevitably we ran into some some trouble on the train concerning our tickets. Faced with the fact we might be spending the night on the floor for a twelve hour train journey, us interns were ready to fully cry. Luckily for us, two sisters on the way to Jodhpur took pity on us and offered us a bed, striking a deal with the ticket inspector.
The rail system in India isn't a system I can make sense of. At all. Instead, like much of India, the rail system is one of ordered chaos, complicated rules and is littered with acronyms. Perhaps I'll have better luck next time. Something tells me though, probably not. Here's to hoping for more good Samaritans...
Anyway, it's 11am and we're in Jaisalmer.
Namaste for now!
Arriving at our hotel, we collapsed after showering dreading the fact we had to wake up in a mere two hours.
Though it would be an early start, it was going to be worth it since it meant we'd be exploring the Amber Fort by elephant. Our tour guide showed us the main sites of the city including the Hawa Palace from which the royal ladies would watch the processions in the city, the Amber Fort, which is arguably more beautiful than the Taj Mahal, and the Old City.
Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan and has a rich and colurful history. It is here the magic of royalty and grandeur truly comes alive. Nicknamed the Pink City because of its characteristic stone coloring which gets painted every five years, the city is as colourful as the gems it is famed for. The women, though veiled, beg to be seen and shimmer like rainbows in the monsoon downpours. Spots of pink and brightest blues set against the dusky pink of the city walls make Jaipur seem story-like compared to cities like Bangalore.
The views from the Amber Fort are breathtaking. The palace is adorned with mirrors and real jewels and is sophisticated in design, with some of the most ancient forms of air con.
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After sightseeing, we did some shopping at a jewellery store where we could afford nothing and haggled for some Indian clothes in the Old City. The shop owner again was the model of hospitality and took us to a cheap and delicious restaurant, made sure we didn’t get ripped off and even took us to the station.
Jaipur was lovely, although we did encounter possibly the worst cafe ever. The grime on the Pepsi bottles and tea cup wasn’t just sickening. Needless to say we neglected to finish our beverages and left sharpish to post some postcards.
Note: post offices in India are another nightmare.
Inevitably we ran into some some trouble on the train concerning our tickets. Faced with the fact we might be spending the night on the floor for a twelve hour train journey, us interns were ready to fully cry. Luckily for us, two sisters on the way to Jodhpur took pity on us and offered us a bed, striking a deal with the ticket inspector.
The rail system in India isn't a system I can make sense of. At all. Instead, like much of India, the rail system is one of ordered chaos, complicated rules and is littered with acronyms. Perhaps I'll have better luck next time. Something tells me though, probably not. Here's to hoping for more good Samaritans...
Anyway, it's 11am and we're in Jaisalmer.
Namaste for now!
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