Boxcar Kid/Jumping Jaipur

I added some variety to my journey through India by taking Indian Railways across the country.  I started in Delhi and traveled to the desert state of Rajasthan, which is in the northwestern section of the country.  I arrived in Jaipur, Rajasthan at night, and was immediately overwhelmed by the taxi and tuk tuk drivers.  One guy followed me from the gate to the parking lot telling me he was part of the prepaid taxi stand, even though I repeatedly said no.  While I waited on my Uber to arrive, he stood across from me telling me he would give me a good price.  Then, he had the nerve to say, “How are we supposed to make money if tourists use Uber?”  I told him if he didn’t harass people, then he would probably have passengers.  It was difficult for me to connect to Uber with my spotty phone service.  I’ve learned in India that when Uber says your car will arrive in 5 minutes, that really means 15-20 minutes.  I honestly would have preferred a prepaid taxi from the train station, but at that point, I didn’t feel safe or comfortable with this man following me, so I waited on Uber.  As a precaution, I shared my ride with my boyfriend so someone would know my whereabouts.   

I was totally surprised by what I saw on the streets of Jaipur on my way to the hotel that night.  The traffic was horrible.  People were out walking and shopping at the many stores and bazaars.  There was music and noise all around me.  I expected Jaipur to be a quiet, little town filled with history and moving at a slow pace.  Instead, it was just like Old Delhi.  My hotel was located just outside the walls of the Pink City.  Jaipur was named the Pink City by one of the kings because the buildings were made of the local sandstone.  Some of those buildings still stand as historical markers and are maintained by the government.  Jaipur is considered part of the Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra.  

While in Jaipur, I took a day tour where I visited the Amber Fort, which protected the kingdom from enemies, and still stands overlooking the area. The fort was filled with visitors and hawkers. The Jal Mahal is a palace that stands in the middle of a (man-made) lake. It was created to protect the Maharani while the Maharaja was away. The Wind Palace is in the middle of the modern-day Pink City Bazaar. It was built so that the Maharani could look down at the processions/parades on the street without interacting with the common people, and they could not look up to see the Maharani based on the structure. The Jantar Mantar observatory is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the kings was deeply fascinated by astronomy and called upon the best astronomers of the day to design instruments for his observatory. It hosts the world’s largest sundial. My tour also included visits to a jewelry making factory, textiles/block printing, and a tea/spice shop. I really could have just spent a couple of days in Jaipur, but I ended up staying for almost a week, so I could plan my next move. It was hard not having internet access to make arrangements. I stayed 2 extra days and changed hotels, so I would have steady Wi-Fi. I also learned that an Indian phone number is required to do things like buy train tickets, order food delivery, and make other long-term plans. I decided to buy an Indian phone and SIM card to make life easier.

Pink City

I really thought this was a dog at first.

Step by Step

In front of the Wind Palace

Jal Mahal - Water Palace

This is a very festive season in India, and lots of families are taking holidays/vacations. Navratri is a 9-day celebration that celebrates the victory of good over evil, and Diwali (Festival of Lights) takes place on November 8. Therefore, the museums and tourist sites are very busy.

I’m going to the southern state of Kerala next. I’ve never traveled to southern India, so I’m excited about seeing something different. I’ve heard many great things about Kerala’s beauty. It is a big honeymoon destination for Indians and it is known for Ayurvedic wellness practices. Some parts of Kerala experienced flooding a couple of months ago, and I would like to help them. I reached out to a couple of organizations to volunteer while I’m there, and I’m still waiting on a response. I’m currently on a 3-day train ride from Jaipur to Cochi, which is a popular destination in Kerala. Riding across the country on a train is a gutsy move, especially with so many people traveling for the holidays. There are noisy children running back and forth in the car. There are also the men selling food and drinks all day and night. They walk through and loudly announce themselves, "Chai (tea), coffee, Maggi (instant noodles)", "Kana (food), veg biryani, chicken biryani", etc. The train allows me to see the countryside in a way that I wouldn't on my own, and it's a lot less expensive than flying on a last-minute ticket. It’s nice to experience once, but I don’t think I would do this cross-country train ride again.

Cows on the tracks

My sleeping compartment