India 1997 - Part Two

dougburnett Wyświetlono: 630 razy 2003-11-22 15:55:10

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Part Two - Rajasthan: Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur
If you travel at all by road in India, you'll soon get to know the Ambassador. It's a medium-sized vehicle, usually white, that looks like it was styled sometime in the '50s. It's manufactured in India and, as any of the drivers will tell you, perfect for India's roads - that means it's a sturdy little devil. They also say it's easy to get parts for, even in the smallest villages - another admirable feature if you do any cross country travel. The drivers all seem to be in love with them and will carry on at length, singing their praises. One driver, who had owned three different Ambassadors over the last 15 years, even told me a little about each - like they were members of his family or something.

Jaipur, February 22

We arrived in Jaipur in the late afternoon. The driver, who spoke very limited English, stopped at a hotel on the outskirts and asked me if this was the one I wanted - not a good sign, I thought. Again, I showed him the name of the hotel that was written on my itinerary. He took it and went to talk to a couple of pedestrians. He came back smiling, apparently they had given him directions. We drove on into Jaipur and finally arrived at the Alsisar Haveli hotel. The driver apologized saying, "Six Haveli's here," meaning in Jaipur.
It's a small hotel so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that he didn't know the way. I had been staying in the multi-star type hotels up until now, but here in Rajasthan I was planning to frequent some smaller ones called Heritage hotels. They are usually royal residences that have been converted into hotels and they tend to be both charming and small.

In the past I have found I tend to meet more interesting people in smaller hotels. The bigger ones tend to cater to large tour groups and they don't seem to be as friendly - or maybe it's just they have had all the company they want. Traveling alone all day, I usually like someone to talk with in the evening.

The Alsisar Haveli is conveniently located just outside the west walls of the old city. There is a patio and garden in front where you can get food and drink. The rooms are arranged around a bird-filled court yard and have brightly painted designs on their walls. It's a very casual place.

After I settled in, I walked over to the nearby Chandpol, a gate that leads into a busy commercial area. Outside trucks were being unloaded and goods moved to camel cart. Inside there were shops selling everything from brass-ware to sacks of rice. One of the things I noticed was how wide the streets were - something unusual in the India cities I visited. In front of the shops were vendors, beggars, snake charmers and, of course, touts.

Strona: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

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