We left the hotel at 7:55 this morning. Had to pack up and set our suitcases out this morning as we were on the move today.
We took a long bus ride to Jaipur. We stopped for a potty break around 10:00. We finally got to Jaipur around 12:45 and had lunch. It was the best meal for me yet as we were able to order off the menu. They had continental and Chinese food as well as Indian food. Finally found some food that wasn’t so spicy.
After lunch we went to a gem store. We watched them harvest the gem stone from the rock. Then we were given time to shop. Neither one of us found anything that we had to bring home.
Next stop was a typical India bazaar. Talk about sensory overload. It was very crowded and loud. The shop keepers were very aggressive in attempting to get you into their store. I was looking for some scarfs or shawls. The first store I stopped at the shop keeper told me one silk scarf was $15. I asked him how much for six and he told me $115. I decided that wasn’t a good deal. I started to leave and he dropped the price to $90. I said no and as I walked out he said $50. He pissed me off with his first offer and I left.
I went to a different store and this time I found shawls that I liked. The original price he quoted me was $325. He quickly dropped it to $225 when I got up to leave. I told him it was way too high yet. He asked me how much I would pay and I said $100. We settled on $125.
I was exhausted after the bazaar. Every step you took someone was on me trying to get me to buy something. In addition to the shop keepers there were the street people with their wares. We had also been warned that it is very easy to get pickpocketed so I had to stay aware of my purse at all times.
We then got brought to the hotel. We were met with a drummer and a guy in costume. They gave us a floral lei and put a drop of something on our foreheads. We got checked into our rooms and were able to relax a bit until our dinner at 7:00. My ankles had looked normal this morning but they swelled back up today after sitting so long on the bus.
The dinner was OK. I put some sweet and sour vegetables on my rice which was a mistake as it should have been called sweet and spicy vegetables. I managed to find a couple of other things to eat that didn’t burn my mouth.
Tomorrow we are going out for the morning to visit a temple and then go to a store that sells textiles. There is an afternoon optional tour of the city that we chose not to take. We booked massages instead. We get a two hour massage for $67. They will do 30 minute foot reflexology, a 30 minute head massage, and then a 60 minute deep tissue full body massage. That sounds much better to me than sitting in a tour bus for four hours. I am a bit sore today from sitting so much again and from doing all the high steps we did yesterday.
At lunch I got into a conversation with one of the men on the trip. I shared what I am doing with the Love in Action project. It was fun to share. He seemed very interested in the project.
We see cows most everywhere, even in the middle of the city. There were several on the side of the expressway. We passed some more slums today. Saw lots of people working in the fields. There were lots of fields of wheat that they irrigate during the dry months. In the median there were beautiful colorful bushes.
Jaipur is a town of 3 million people. The downtown part looks like it was built for 25,000 people. The streets are very narrow and very crowded. We had to cross a street to get to the market and it felt like I took my life in my hands to do so. We did see one accident on the highway this morning. I am amazed there aren’t lots more. The road was a two lane road that became four lanes at times and even six if you count the motorcycles that create their own lane. We saw luxury stores and then a block down there were stores that looked like poverty stores. Somehow it all blends together and works for them.
We get to spend two nights in this hotel. I like when that happens as it feels like I can settle in a bit. Friday we will be in the bus again and travel to a different city.
Grateful to get to experience all these new to me sites, smells and sounds, grateful to get out of the bazaar without being pickpocketed, and grateful for some quiet time in my room this afternoon.