Jaipur

Another fraught traffic city, Jaipur does have some cultural feel beyond its most famous attractions, namely the huge hill bound fort, complete with the world’s third longest walled defence system and its charming water palace. It also has a more vibrant economic offer, with famous market and high street offers. In addition, it has an extension to its metro system being built, which of course adds to the turbulent traffic of its centre. The city was created as the old version at Amer was outgrown and its 18th century stab at town planning provided a neatly arranged road system within a crenellated outer wall, with all walls being painted pink. Any alteration has to comply with this colour code, hence the ‘pink city’ renown.

We’re staying in a former Rajistan palace – there are more than a few around of which many have been converted into hotels and restaurants – the Hotel Bissau Palace. Resplendent in its architecture and hand painted walls with hunting and floral scenes. Not so with its apparently typical faulty, fire threatening electrics, damaged unfittings and unfixtures and general lack of TLC. It does feature, however, a period dressed walla (as in chai), much in the vein of the Julie Walters role in Acorn Antiques.

Tuesday morning begins with a 5.30am departure on a minibus, with two others from our party and five from another G-Adventures group elsewhere in town, for a balloon ride. A particular Kath request, this was a genuinely surreal experience, crossing a verdant valley just 100 feet or so above its inhabitants, wishing then a good morning amid mutual waves. The only noise the occasional burning of the gas jets. After about 45 minutes a touch down and all safely returned to their hotels. The pilot was a charming professional air balloon pilot from Turkey, with three months spent in Jaipur, three in the Masai Mara, then we didn’t get to find out where. How about that for a career aspiration, said Kath. Noone felt able to comment.

Then to meet up with the rest of our group at the Amber Fort and another gorgeous (City) palace within the fort featuring the third longest defence wall in the world. Very sad to watch convoys of elephants taking visitors up to the main entrance, as the huge animals seemed so sad despite the colours added to their faces. A bit clown like.

Another fine (help yourself this time) lunch prefaced a visit to a craft and materials showroom. Unfortunately, the silks, saris and other fine work twanged the females’ aspirations; we all left heavier in belongings, lighter in bank balances.

Next a visit to Jantar Mantar, one of the five Indian observatories, constructed in the early 18th century. It looks like a giant playground for monkeys but on closer inspection the huge edifices and wheels reveal a keen scientific grasp of measuring astrological and temporal matters. Our guide was proficient at telling the time – we tested him three times.

Udaipur