Liam is writing this one today.
We both arose at some unknown time during the night due to our bladders requiring urgent assistance. Nicola visited le toilette first and then myself after. Upon returning to our pit Nicola asked for the time. 1am I responded as I checked her iPad at the bedside table. We both thought it seemeed to good to be a true, our higher than usual pitched voices confirmed this. Hang on. I then remembered we hadn't changed that particular iPad to the correct time zone. For f.. Sake. It was actually 5.30. You know the feeling. We still had a couple of hours left until our alarm was set so it wasnt as bad as I'm making out but all the same..
Its important to note for the next segment that we were being met by our driver at 9.30, having to pack our bags still and get some breakfast.
The alarm buzzed at the expected time of 7.45. Our eyes opened wearily and hazed as our bodies are still set to UK times. I looked across to Nicola who I assumed felt worse than me as she didn't have a perfect sleep the night before. She was slumbering but looking like she'd love me more for whacking snooze. I went for it, slapping the button quicker than a contestant playing the generation game.
A further five minutes past before the alarm sounded. This time it was different. I woke up in the usual groggy eyed way, looked across to Nicola whom this time looked deader than Margaret thatcher, concked out, looking like she could be pleased with a further five minutes.
I repeated this process for another forty five minutes.
The next alarm had her attentive. What time is it she asked. I looked at the phone. 8.15. You'd be surprised at how often the next thing happens with us. Nicola acting like dizzy rascals classic 'bonkers' is playing, and myself lying there saying sorry. I hope she knows why I press snooze, but I take it like usual and proceed to lie there for five minutes as she skips to the bathroom brushing her teeth.
I eventually rock out of bed and we both proceed with the morning duties. We didnt make bad time. We left the room at 8.45.
Walking down the corridor towards reception we both laughed. Oh god i said. The hilarity was due to the smell. For some bizzarre reason it smelt like the halls were lined with doritoes sour cream and chive dip, or that someone had played a practical joke and filled the fabreeze air freshners with the stuff before giggling off to bed drunk. It was that sweet gone off smell. It made no sense as it doesnt smell that bad anywhere else in the hotel. We made it to breakfast and had 45 minutes before pick up.
Upon entering we were ushered to our table before being bought the menu. It's standard sort of grub, continental or English breakfasts are available. We do the standard Nicola and Liam though of 'just toast please'. We can eat a lot but usually don't bother to eat much. It comes across as a problem though as the waiter asks are we sure we don't want anything else in that 'apu from the Simpsons' style voice. Nicola and I have come to the agreement that they must find it offensive if you don't order massive amounts of food in India. No thanks just toast and then off he went to find it.
They have some continental style items lurking around the sides, fruit and cereal and what not so we head over and stack a bowl full each of choco flakes. Yes choco flakes, three days in and we missed that sort of crap so went for it. After finishing the flakes our toast arrived upon which we soon polished off after adding some jam. We also had some black tea which without milk tasted like regular tea back home, so we fobbed the milk off too.
All done and dusted by 9.25 so we idled back to the room to do one last sweep before grabbing our bags and heading to reception and checking out. I promised myself infront of Nicola the night before that I wouldn't give my bags to the bell boy as we didn't want to have to give yet another tip. I crumbled at the first hurdle though as he smiled like a cheshire cat towards us. I chucked my bags at him almost like surrendering at gun point and we proceeded downstairs towards where the car was parked. 'I thought you weren't going to give him your bags' Nicola frowned as I grinned. 'I panicked,alright?'.
We met our driver at 9.30 with our bell boy in toe who proceeded to pop our bags in the boot of the car. Wait a minute.. I saw the opportunity. We dived into the car as he was still putting our bags in the boot. It worked out perfectly as the driver got in at the same time as well, leaving the guy to close up. We drove away quite soon after the closing leaving the bell boy stood there. It was like when you watch a cartoon of some 'in a hurry driver' skidding away leaving a trail of dust and mud in his wake onto some poor character. Well at least it saved us a couple of quid. So long suckeerrrr.
We drove out of Delhi and onto indias version of a motorway. All we could think was 'what the f'. There are just no road rules here. At times it seems like cars stay on there side of the road, but it happens very rarely. Wham a car is coming right at you. Did I mention this is the motorway. Wham another car, wham another.. Oh it's a cow. Wham a motorbike driver, but he's not going any direction than straight across. Wham some pedestrians... On the motorway. Yes it is exactly how you imagine. They even try and stop the cars by putting there hand up as they cross. Everything happens so fast that we struggled to get pictures of it all. thank god for our driver rameesh, he made us feel safe the whole way and was great at getting through it all. We passed through many towns and farmland style areas, but it was difficult to tell which was which. After a good three hours we stopped for a break where we could get some lunch if we liked but decided to skip to save abit of money and not being that hungry. After a solid 20 minute stop we got back onto the cluster-way and continued on towards Jaipur. There was so many things to look at it makes you tired. We ended up having some kips between us, only ten minutes or so, just to give our minds a chance to take it all in.
We had to swerve at one point... Just a dead donkey in the road. Standard.
A further three hours later we arrived in Jaipur.
Jaipur seems lovely. It looks very historic and tidier than Delhi. By indias standards I mean. Lots of palaces and castle looking places. A few lakes too. We got the chance to pull over a couple of times and take a few pictures of some places we aren't visiting tomorrow. Driving through Jaipur was interesting as we started to learn there was some festival on. Shops and restaurants all looked shut for the day, we asked and it seems it's some religious bank holiday. Lots of people around and lots of floats at the side of the road with music playing.
We arrived at our hotel which is literally a palace. Apparently it's where some old 18th centuary prime minster used to live that's been converted. It just looks so historical and anyone who likes architecture would love it. Even the bell boys and hotel staff look like characters from Aladdin. We swiftly checked in and met our representative for Jaipur. Unfortunately he told us we'd have to cancel our plans for tonight as the streets will be too full for the festival and dangerous for tourists. A real shame as it looks a great time to go out and experience the sites, sounds and smells. We were convinced not too though and are enjoying the rest of the day exploring the hotels grounds and lounging around in the warm weather watching the animals, including peacocks, wandering around.
We plan to eat in the hotel tonight and try a few beers, before settling in with a few films on the film channel.
Mozzy bites:
Nicola: 1
Liam: 7
I don't think I'll be writing a blog again for a while, just used some free time to keep myself entertained.
