Rajasthan India - September 2009
It is totally correct what everyone says about India. Your senses are overwhelmed on your arrival but it does not take long for the friendliness of the locals, the colours of the magnificent saris and the taste of glorious food take over. Throughout Rajasthan we stayed in some of the most amazing accommodation I have ever seen. A lot of the palaces have been transformed into 5 star hotels full of history and the most brilliant architecture.
Everything runs on its own time in India so a calm and open mind is definitely a must. If you have these 2 traits you will have no worries. A 4 hour drive from Delhi to Jaipur became a 7 hour drive but it can be mind blowing some of the things you see when you drive in India, like families stuck in traffic having their dinner in their car complete with plates, knives and forks! Also people by the road going about their daily lives such as haircuts and I haven’t even got to the cattle that roam the streets even in the capital. Jaipur was quite a pretty city with its pink buildings. Just out of Jaipur is the Amber Fort surrounded with walls rivalling the Great Wall of China.
A couple of hours away we spent a night in the most opulent of former palaces called Samode which overlooks the village of Samode. Another beautiful former palace is Deogarh Mahal also full of history. From here there is a train safari where you have to be careful of the langur monkeys as they jump on the train and can be fed from the train doors and windows. The lake city of Udaipur is dominated by the City Palace overlooking the Lake Pichola home to James Bonds Lake Palace featured in the movie Octopussy. Agra is home to the world famous Taj Mahal which really is breathtaking. A dawn start here is recommended as the daily crowds are huge but also makes for the best photo opportunities. What a spectacular sight and a great way to end this adventure.