Good evening from Jaipur and Agra
Well, Tuesday started early with collection from hotel at 5am. We were taken to the railway station by cox and kings transfer chap and escorted to our carriage on the Shatabdi Express – I have to say, on arrival at the station amidst sleeping bodies along the platform, beggars and the pungent stench of human excrement hitting your senses like the anticipated high speed train, it certainly wasn’t your average commute! With the ‘suitcase porter’ physically carrying all three of our suitcases (2 on his head, one on his arm, 23k+ each, his neck almost disappearing into his torso without a flinch save my face of pain just watching!), we watched trains arriving with many, many peering eyes through the sleeper carriage window bars, so desperate or simply just tired from the poor sleeping arrangements, so tightly packed in – and those eyes – I ran cold …..
On boarding our train, unfortunately our travel company had placed us across the aisle from each other which our escort kindly re negotiated with surly looking fellow passengers (always a good start with a 4 hour journey ahead of you!) – we eventually set off, cringing at the state of ‘first class’ seats which could benefit from a wipe with a damp cloth! Passing through Delhi via train exposed us to the squalor we had anticipated – shacks, pigs roaming wildly alongside dogs and cows, an abundance of rubbish and evidence of our senses earlier findings clearly visible on train lines (me thinks their diet doesn’t agree with them either!!) – no other words except ‘utterly disgusting’ but what can you do if you have no toilet facilities? …. this continued as we witnessed morning ablutions, the word ‘squatters’ meaning something completely different out here … I have to ask WHY you would choose to so visibly toilet at the station platform when there is a field 50 yards away – but maybe it is simply me, a prudish Brit, personally I’d try and wait until the 6:42am train had passed! Yes, we have defiantly arrived in India …. Thankfully, as the journey continued (not sure where ‘high speed’ train came into it, camera shutter speed was quicker!), bare bottoms and debris was replaced with fields, corn and workers busily farming their day away and as Jaipur approached (where ‘beautiful marigold hotel’ film was made), a more appealing India bestowed on us.
We met our guide after lunch and visited a couple of amazing places in Jaipur – he also walked us around the flower and veg stalls at my request, for my own comparison to Thailand, interesting to see the spices in their pure state (unground) but sadly the beggars were endless and stall holders hoping for tips if pictures taken, both somewhat hastened the pace.
In the evening we went to a restaurant within our hotel, the Jai Mahal Palace, following what only can be described as a ‘family affair’ dance show (mum and daughters dancing with dad on the drums!), sadly food not up to the quality of previous hotel and with a overbearing waiter upselling every item (and looking like ‘doctor evil’ from Austin Powers – but fortunately with 2 eyes!) – the ambiance (and his tip!) was lost but my husband’s first upset tum bout was found!
Wednesday, we visited major landmarks of Jaipur together with a rug/fabric print producer – all an expected ‘commission maker’ on such trips, ‘no obligation to buy’ but made to feel very awkward for walking! Needlesstosay, we DID like the silk rugs and one is being sent home (well, so they say and thank goodness for credit card insurance!). I bartered hard, did the walk and then paid what I wanted to, though sure he has still made on the deal!!
Once tour done, we bade farewell to Jaipur guide, a nice chap then our driver (same man we have had since we started in Delhi – he drove here!) took us on to Agra – he is a nice chap too and now getting quite giggly – 4 days with us, guess we had to crack him at some point!
Tomorrow an early 5:30 am start to see Taj Mahal at sunrise then Agra Fort ….
So, that is it so far ….. Utterly staggered at what we have seen and SMELT – yet surprisingly you get the ‘touches your heart’ feeling …. We both are so pleased that we are here, we would never have believed without seeing for ourselves so for that ‘memory gathering’ experience, we are truly grateful …