Jaipur

Hello everyone,

yesterday my journey took me further to Jaipur. There is a lot of culture, handicrafts, and the buildings of the rulers from back then to see here.

The train ride from Agra to Jaipur was relaxing but freezing cold. Air conditioning shows its full cooling power at the outside temperatures, and this seems to fill the operators with pride. Indian families quickly dressed their kids in winter outfits, sweaters, jackets, hats, and only gloves were missing, shortly after boarding the train. I too was hiding under three layers of clothing.

In the evening, I arrive in Jaipur and quickly reach a nice hostel. I start the next morning calmly and get a few things for breakfast, which is not quite easy because supermarkets as we know them are not widespread. Most of the Indian population enjoys the diverse Indian cuisine at all times of the day. Since I still avoid street food and local restaurants only open around noon, I need an alternative.

After breakfast, I leave the hostel and meet Mohammed, a TukTuk driver known to the hostel, at the exit. I arrange a half-day tour with him, and the journey begins. On the way to Amber Fort, we stop at Gaitor Ki Chhatriyan, a royal mausoleum. A beautiful place surrounded by green hills. There are hardly any people here, and for the first time since I've been here, a serene silence is present. It is immediately noticeable and feels really good. We continue to Amber Fort, a large fortress complex with a palace. A guide takes me through the complex and shows me all the small architectural intricacies from that time. After a good 2 hours, we make our way back, and I have myself dropped off at Hawa Mahal. I wander through the main street, always searching for shade; it’s 33 degrees with high humidity - I sweat even while standing still. Again and again, I catch sight of small temples that I explore; there are hundreds of them here in Jaipur. I spend the evening at the hostel, as I have an appointment at 4:30 AM the next morning. Harsh, the person in charge of the hostel, is Hindu and visits the large Hindu temple in the palace complex every morning and had offered to take me with him to the ceremony. I am curious.