The Pink City of Jaipur

Slept like a log last night - can't recommend the silk sleeping bag enough - it keeps you cool in heat and warm in the cold.  Breakfast in the rooftop restaurant and then into Jaipur with Nipu our driver and our guide.  Visited various forts and palaces and enjoyed just driving around the bustling streets.  The mathematical park or Janta Manta was amazing.  Then the amber fort on the hill was more like a whole village and very atmospheric.  Had snack lunch in posh restaurant high on terrace in the palace - pricey but cool and relaxing - what we needed - the mango lassi was to die for!

In the early evening we left our guide who had been a litttle too zealous in his guiding and had coffees and rice pancake in an ancient coffee house - interesting.  Then did some serious haggling in the bazaar and Moira bought large bedcovers for her new house.  A very full and fun day in a perfect climate.  experienced many men relieving themselves and worse in the street - saw elephants, camels, wild pigs, goats, squirrels and monkeys along with herds of cattle just wandering freely everywhere.

The main streets of Jaipur reminded us very much of Television street in Luxor.  Met a few student travellers from Europe and a few British doing the triangle.  Ate dinner in the hotel and early to bed ready to move onto our next stage at Pushkar holy Hindu lake where you are not allowed to take in alcohol, leather, eggs or meat.  Why are we going there?

Nipu told Moira she might get arrested by the Police for smoking in the street today!! You see very few people smoking generally here - not what I was expecting at all.

Yvonne.