We woke up early to the imam, grabbed what we had packed the night before and left for the bus station. We found the 7 AM Volvo and took off for Delhi.
We met Jesse with Babalu (our driver) in Delhi at the bus stop. We relaxed at the Varma house for a few hours, had a wonderful lunch, and took a shower. Then we took the long, crazy, traffic filled drive to Agra. Our Hotel was beautiful, fancy, and filled with foreigners. It was definitely the most opulent place we stayed.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Lost in Jaipur with no Hindi
We woke up to the imam calling people to prayer at 5 AM. After tea and biscuits, we went with Sanjay to see his silver shop and buy our tickets for the bus tomorrow. The shop was great!
Sanjay dropped us off at City Palace, but it wasn't open yet. The Palace was oppresively hot and OK but not fantastic.
We had an hour of madness, noise, and begging before we found an ATM and someone who could help us find a place for lunch (LMB). We also had fun paying a shop keeper with a quarter in place of 16 rupees. He was very excited when he saw the quarter in Lacey's change purse and after we paid him, he showed it to everyone in the shop. LMB was great and cost about $15 for lunch for two which was swanky by Jaipur standards.
After lunch, we found an autorickshaw outside and negotiated a decent price. We even convinced our driver to actually take us to our destination instead of the first place he tried to leave us.
When we got home, Anu wanted to know what Lacey's freckles were. She wondered if they were scars and was shocked when I showed her that I had freckles too but that they were harder to see because my skin was darker. While Lacey napped, I walked about a bit. I saw pigs, goats, and cows in the street and cows sleeping under shady corner trees. I can honestly say I never stood out so much my entire life before that moment.
In the evening, we relaxed on the veranda and had some beer, before heading out to buy takeout for dinner. That was a wonderful adventure. While we waited for our food, our hosts took us to a street vendor to buy food. He would take mashed potato, stuff it into a tiny pastry shell, dip the whole thing in butter and hand it to you in a bowl made our of leaves. As fast as customers could eat these things the guy could make more. He just counted as everyone ate and when folks had their fill they generally drank the butter from their bowl and paid him 5 rupees (about 8 cents) per 6 pastries. Lakshayta must have eaten twenty!
Sanjay dropped us off at City Palace, but it wasn't open yet. The Palace was oppresively hot and OK but not fantastic.
We had an hour of madness, noise, and begging before we found an ATM and someone who could help us find a place for lunch (LMB). We also had fun paying a shop keeper with a quarter in place of 16 rupees. He was very excited when he saw the quarter in Lacey's change purse and after we paid him, he showed it to everyone in the shop. LMB was great and cost about $15 for lunch for two which was swanky by Jaipur standards.
After lunch, we found an autorickshaw outside and negotiated a decent price. We even convinced our driver to actually take us to our destination instead of the first place he tried to leave us.
When we got home, Anu wanted to know what Lacey's freckles were. She wondered if they were scars and was shocked when I showed her that I had freckles too but that they were harder to see because my skin was darker. While Lacey napped, I walked about a bit. I saw pigs, goats, and cows in the street and cows sleeping under shady corner trees. I can honestly say I never stood out so much my entire life before that moment.
In the evening, we relaxed on the veranda and had some beer, before heading out to buy takeout for dinner. That was a wonderful adventure. While we waited for our food, our hosts took us to a street vendor to buy food. He would take mashed potato, stuff it into a tiny pastry shell, dip the whole thing in butter and hand it to you in a bowl made our of leaves. As fast as customers could eat these things the guy could make more. He just counted as everyone ate and when folks had their fill they generally drank the butter from their bowl and paid him 5 rupees (about 8 cents) per 6 pastries. Lakshayta must have eaten twenty!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Jaipur!
I slept more than Lacey with the time change, but we both woke up early, probably 5 AM local time. After a quick bite to eat we caught the 7 AM bus to Jaipur. We experienced the standard foreign confusion as we tried to buy tickets and find out whether to pay before or after we got on the bus. Lacey didn't feel great but the bus ride was OK with the exception of some bad Bollywood at the end and when the bus driver forgot to let us off at the right stop.
Luckily, another passenger, Ubikesh helped us out, because the taxi drivers were on the two of us like white on rice. Sanjay was at work so we met Anu at home. She was wonderfully welcoming , gave us tea, and sent us off to a nap to recover.
After our nap, we walked to the store to get water and snacks. We were clearly an oddity, with friendly little children shouting hi and following us. After Sanjay came home, we bought beer and groceries and relaxed on the terrace. Anu made dinner, which was fantastic and Lakshayta (their daughter) ran amok with her friends before we went off to bed.
Luckily, another passenger, Ubikesh helped us out, because the taxi drivers were on the two of us like white on rice. Sanjay was at work so we met Anu at home. She was wonderfully welcoming , gave us tea, and sent us off to a nap to recover.
After our nap, we walked to the store to get water and snacks. We were clearly an oddity, with friendly little children shouting hi and following us. After Sanjay came home, we bought beer and groceries and relaxed on the terrace. Anu made dinner, which was fantastic and Lakshayta (their daughter) ran amok with her friends before we went off to bed.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Landed in Delhi
We landed in New Delhi about 8 PM with Kanik and two of his freinds, Anchul and Rodika. It tooka couple of hours to get luggage, buy gifts at duty free, get cash, etc. Kanik's family met us at the airport and we rode back to his house. We talked for a bit, ate some dinner and crashed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)