My second night train ride passed smoothly in part because I now had the correct ticket from point A to point B, but also thanks to an investment I made on my first day in Udaipur - a brand new lock for my luggage as well as a metal chain and a lock to chain the bag to the seats in the compartment. In case you're wondering how that works - under the lowest berth (i.e. the regular bench/seat thingy) there are metal loops. You put your metal chain through the loop and your bag as tight as you can and lock it. And then you cuddle up with your valuables in the top berth throughout the night. Cosy!
From backpacker hustle to a private chauffeur. Getting off the night train, I was met by Ajay at the platform. He was at that point a friend of a friend of a friend. Yeah... Anyhow, he, as many locals do, took the task of hosting a guest deep into his heart - or as the Indian proverb states: a guest at home is god at home.
Being a man with a substantial bank account, he had his own driver take us around all day in Jaipur. Although the sheltered guided tour wasn't really what I would chose to do, this turned out to be a great opportunity to learn more about his India, some Indian customs and, as it turned out, I have now been included in the family and invited for his youngest daughter's wedding in December. The groom was found through a marriage bureau in Delhi and just a few days after returning to Stockholm, I received an email with some pictures from the girl's ring ceremony.
In Jaipur, I saw the pink city (mainly from the car windows) and a beautiful palace outside of town that probably most tourists miss since it's not easily accessible. I enjoyed dinner with my host and his brother at the rotating restaurant (the floor moves allowing the guests to enjoy the full panorama view of the city). To their delight I managed to pick up quite a few Hindi phrases during the day. To my distress, sitting backwards on the rotating floor made me feel upset my stomach and I ended up sitting on the same side as the two gentlemen mid way through dinner.
From backpacker hustle to a private chauffeur. Getting off the night train, I was met by Ajay at the platform. He was at that point a friend of a friend of a friend. Yeah... Anyhow, he, as many locals do, took the task of hosting a guest deep into his heart - or as the Indian proverb states: a guest at home is god at home.
Being a man with a substantial bank account, he had his own driver take us around all day in Jaipur. Although the sheltered guided tour wasn't really what I would chose to do, this turned out to be a great opportunity to learn more about his India, some Indian customs and, as it turned out, I have now been included in the family and invited for his youngest daughter's wedding in December. The groom was found through a marriage bureau in Delhi and just a few days after returning to Stockholm, I received an email with some pictures from the girl's ring ceremony.
In Jaipur, I saw the pink city (mainly from the car windows) and a beautiful palace outside of town that probably most tourists miss since it's not easily accessible. I enjoyed dinner with my host and his brother at the rotating restaurant (the floor moves allowing the guests to enjoy the full panorama view of the city). To their delight I managed to pick up quite a few Hindi phrases during the day. To my distress, sitting backwards on the rotating floor made me feel upset my stomach and I ended up sitting on the same side as the two gentlemen mid way through dinner.
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