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Rajasthan:
a colourful, bustling and diverse state. We travelled through for about
a week stopping in the more modern city of Jaipur, small town of Pushkar and
romantic, beautiful Udaipur.
Jaipur provided a nice break with plenty of
shopping but unfortunately also plenty of rain. The streets were much cleaner
than previous stops despite the occasional child or animal using the pavement
as a toilet, or homeless people sleeping on the sidewalks. We amused ourselves for a few days there by
exploring the City Palace which was moderately interesting, strolling through
local markets and shopping, and eating some of the best food we’ve had in
India. I had some retail therapy and am now wearing silk scarves and baggy
hippie pants (Mum you will love them lol J.)
McDonalds was a pleasant surprise where we indulged in Mc Chicken meals and
fudge sundaes for the first time since leaving home. Matt found the love his
life at an Indian restaurant named ‘Sankalp’ where after a yummy dosa (South
Indian thin crispy bread with filling) he went to heaven with a sizzling fudge
brownie and vanilla ice-cream mmmmmm. Being the fatties that we are we returned
the next day to gorge on two more brownies, much to the amusement of the staff.
The tandoori chicken and lemon jeera rice is another favourite we discovered
while in Jaipur. Needless to say our visit to this city, which supposedly has a
lot to offer in architecture, will be remembered by us for its great food and
the world’s most scrumptious brownie.
Pushkar was our next stop and would have
been a quiet, sleepy town if not for the annual camel fair that we arrived just
in time for. It was a hectic, bustling and colourful display of Rajasthani
culture with vibrantly adorned camels everywhere and markets selling everything
you don’t need including some nice rusty cooking utensils and numerous saddles
and bells for your camels at home. Matt’s new attempts to grow what he calls “a
moustache” were given perspective when he met the winner of the annual
moustache competition. He proudly posed for a photo while drooping his 3m long
facial hair over Matt’s shoulders which I found very amusing. Entertainment was
abundant but the circus and magic act proved to be with lack of a better word,
absolutely shit. The attractions did redeem themselves with the crazy, death
defying acts of a few psychopaths who drove their cars and motorbikes
horizontally to the ground in a cone shaped stadium. I wasn’t sure what was scarier, the rickety stadium
we were watching from or the lack of hands and helmets while these guys drove
around risking their lives for our 20 rupees (50c) per head!! We ran into a
couple of other travellers we met in Khajuraho. Maya, 3 years old, became Matt’s new best friend
and entertained him for hours, leaving me in peace to converse with mature
adults haha!!!
Next on the itinerary was Udaipur. You
would be forgiven for mistaking it for a beautiful European city as you cruise
around on the lake looking at the spectacular Lake Palace (built in the middle
of the water) surrounded by colonial style buildings and picturesque
mountains. Walking back through the
markets however, you remember you are definitely in India. Countless guys
begging you to come and look in their stalls, the random cows ambling through
the streets and stealing a salesman’s fresh bananas and groups of monkeys
crawling over the temples and rooftops. This was by far our favourite stop in
Rajasthan for the beautiful scenery, good food, free wifi and more relaxed
feel.
Overall Rajasthan was an interesting and
diverse place with lots to offer although for us it didn’t have as much appeal
or wow factor as the other places we’ve visited. We’ll remember the good food,
good shopping, hoards of camels and crowded markets, the abundance of turbans
and moustaches and vibrant colourful saris which all culminated for an
enjoyable, new experience.
I hope you enjoy the camel saddles I have
posted home for Christmas :P
Much love
Ki & Matt
xxxx
