🙂 The Pink City
🙁 Faulty Film
We left our hotel in Agra via rickshaw to take a bus to Jaipur ay 07h00. The bus journey was horrific – high pitched Indian singing and constant hooting … and near collisions on blind corners. People pooing everywhere! Arrived in Jaipur in one piece at 15h00. Checked in at stunning Bassau Palace – very old wordly with ornate colonial charm. Very friendly. We ordered a doctor who diagnosed Trent with amoebic dysentery!! A suspected – we were of course concerned, especially when he gave us medicine with a written warning on the packaging stating, “Warning Carcinogenic in Rats!!! I called Henry but he said it was fine to give to Trent.
Took rickshaw into Old Town and did some shopping – pillow cases, wall hangings and jackets. The man in the shop asked us whether we smoked hashish – Paul was feeling ripped off after our purchases, so said yes!! We do NOT smoke let alone hashish! Anyway, he gave us a small block of black resin which Paul took – what on earth will we do with that?!!! Returned and enjoyed a snack and drinks in the Old Library while we read. One of the Indian guests asked me what my profession was so I just replied, BBC – and he got so excited and jumped up and pumped my hand and almost sat on my lap asking me all sorts of questions! He told me he always watches BBC and asked which programmes I presented! LOL. Shame.
The next morning we set off on our day tour of Jaipur. Everywhere we went we were immediately encircled by a crowd touching us and taking our photos – we felt like we were the sites on display! One adolescent in a school group grabbed my boob, another threw water at Paul – we pointed this out to their teacher who did nothing! AArgh!! Our tickets were stamped and checked by different authoritative people every ten minutes!
Stopped at a carpet factory and of course … bought a lovely green carpet which cost more to send home that it actually cost to buy! Ho, Hum! The film was faulty and does not reflect the actual beautiful green colour.
Visited several forts which were rather interesting – Amber, Palace, Museum etc. Bumped into Tony & Jackie from Agra. Also met a couple from UK – they all took elephants up the hill but we walked.
That evening we took the rickshaw to the Rambagh Palace Hotel for an amazing meal outside and fireworks. Exhausted! bed.
Up at 08h30 and headed back to Hawa Mahal on rickshaw for photos (unbeknown to us the film was faulty!). Relaxed by pool and enjoyed lunch. We were joined by Tony and Jackie from Agra who had just checked in. They saw that we had a cool room by the pool and asked if it was available as we were leaving that afternoon – we told them to check with the Manager who confirmed that they could have it. We said it was OK for them to leave their luggage there until we moved out. Tony then proceeded to show Trent his tattoos… at which point Jackie whipped out her fanny and showed us hers on her labia! We nearly passed out! LOL. We stayed in touch and years later she had twins – we always wondered whether the mid-wife was also shocked by her tattoo – we were so taken aback that we do not even know what the tattoo was! LOL.
We then packed up ready to go – but could not find the slab of resin hashish! We were paranoid in case customs found it – but that never happened – it is a mystery that remains as Paul said it was on the dressing table!
Next stop Udaipur!
Go to: India
