Pushkar, India

Still reeling from the horrible experience leaving Jaipur we arrived in Ajmer, a town with the closest train station to Pushkar, a spiritual place sacred to the Hindu community surrounding a lake and our next destination. Ajmer was hot, dusty and busy. We left the station, crossed the road and waited for a local bus, we seemed to be waiting for ages in the intense heat and polluted air. I noticed men staring which became uncomfortable, I hid my face from the attention and dust with my scarf. Eventually we tagged on to a local man who was in need of the same bus, when the right one came along we ran towards it with him and jumped on. The bus trundled the thirty minute journey towards Pushkar before stopping on a dusty road where we alighted and moved to a shared tuk tuk which stopped a few minutes walk from our pre-booked guesthouse. The guesthouse was sweet, our room was lovely and big, with decoratively painted walls and a huge four poster bed. It certainly felt a lot nicer than the last place that we had been. We had a chat with the owner, a young and friendly man who showed us to the amazing roof terrace. There were rows and rows of potted plants, quaint tables with wicker chairs and outstanding views across the rooftops and surrounding hills of Pushkar. 

A Vision In Pink, Local Women Shop In Pushkar, India

Rooftops And The Holy Lake In Pushkar, India

We took a walk down the narrow alleyways to the main bazaar to find somewhere to eat. Cows lined the streets, some were stood in the entrance to homes and shops. The main bazaar was a bright assortment of treats, colourful jewellery, sparkling sequinned bags, handmade paper notebooks, gold trinkets and rails and rails of elephant print clothes. It was a souvenir buyers dream. We found a restaurant and sat upstairs to eat but it was stiflingly hot, the food wasn't up to much either. All in all it had been a pretty disastrous day, we hoped that a couple of relaxed days in Pushkar would lighten our mood.

A Pushkar Street Scene From Above, India 

A Local Man Makes Fresh Sugar Cane Juice In Pushkar, India

We had breakfast down at the bazaar at a café on a crossroads which made a perfect position for people and cow watching. There seemed to be more cows wandering around here than anywhere that we had been so far, they liked to wander as slowly as possible, getting in everybody's way. As the streets of Pushkar are so narrow there were very few cars, mostly motorbikes weaved about. After breakfast we walked down to see the holy lake, we removed our shoes and ended up being separated to take part in a prayer ceremony. Not wanting to be rude we went along with it. We were each seated with a priest at the lake edge and given a handful of dried petals to throw into the lake and asked to repeat prayers, blessing and asking for protection for our family members. It all seemed like a lovely and fun experience until it got down to the 'donation'. After wrapping red and yellow string around my wrist I was told that I needed to donate an amount for each member of my family, and not in rupees but in pounds. Apparently you state the donation amount based on your home currency, when I stated £1 per family member equalling a £4 donation the priest urged for more, 500 rupees was his minimum. £4 was around 350 rupees and in my mind more than generous, to give context 500 rupees was more than what Craig and I would usually spend on dinner for the both of us. From the corner of my eye I could see that Craig had stood up and started walking away from his priest mid-ceremony, refusing to give the donation his priest suggested. My priest tried making me promise to give 500 rupees in a clear manipulation, suggesting that the prayers made for my family wouldn't work without giving this inflated amount. We left 200 rupees from both of us, an amount that neither priest was happy with. I wished we'd just put the money in the lake donation box rather than give to the two men, of course the whole thing felt like a scam. Rather than feel annoyed I was actually ok with it, the experience of prayer had been interesting at least and we weren't tricked into giving more than we were happy with in the end. Craig wasn't so happy, but again, another lesson learned. 

From The Top Of The Hill Overlooking Pushkar Surrounding A Holy Lake In India

We took a walk through the markets where I bought two more pairs of elephant print trousers and Craig bought a sugar cane juice which was squeezed in a press right in front of us. We had dinner at a pizza restaurant to have a break from local cuisine and it was amazing, we sat on cushions on the floor and shared a pesto pizza, with a crispy base and mouthwatering tomato sauce.

The next day we had breakfast on the roof terrace and the guesthouse owner explained how we could visit the top of one of the locals hills that we could see. We walked through the town to the outskirts, past camels towards a cable car. For just a few rupees we whizzed to the top in our own little cable car surveying the brown and yellow desert-like environment. At the top of the hill was a temple, home to lots of monkeys. We were asked to be in a 'family photo' with some children, something we still find baffling. The panoramic views from the temple were amazing and the cool breeze cut through the hot Rajasthan air. The temple itself was tiny and so it didn't take long to see everything there was to see. We returned to ground level and caught a tuk tuk to a café on the lake where we enjoyed a peaceful hour with refreshing drinks looking out over the water, where the elderly bathed and children splashed. 

Three Monkeys At A Temple In Pushkar, India

The Best Of Friends, A Dog And Cow In Pushkar, India

We couldn't resist another trip to the pizza restaurant as it had been so good and it didn't disappoint the second time. As we were leaving a thunderstorm rolled in and we were caught in a downpour, we started running through the narrow streets in the heavy rain, trying hard not to slip on the numerous cow pats that dotted the path, locals cheered us on as they sheltered in doorways. We made it back to our cosy guesthouse safe but soggy for our last night, it had been a relatively chilled out couple of days, the pizza and delightful markets had made Pushkar a welcome stop in the end. 

Onwards to Udaipur, the furthest south we would be going on our 60 days in India. 

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Have you been to Pushkar? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

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Jaipur, India

We arrived in the Pink City of Jaipur on May 16th by train, a much more comfortable experience than the one we endured from Delhi to Agra. Our small hotel was a few minutes walk from the station, upon arrival we found our accommodation to be a little bit dire, the air conditioning wasn't working so we switched rooms, even so the squat toilet and lack of water in the bathroom indicated to me that our stay would not be a pleasant one. The next day we ventured out to Jantar Mantar a place of science founded in 1728. Jantar Mantar means instrument of calculation, there were a variety of instruments dotted around which looked like sculptures but were in fact used to calculate the time and date. 

Sat under the shade of a tree with tiny vibrant green leaves we heard the continuous beeping noise from traffic outside the complex walls, chipmunks tussled on the patchy grass and sweet little birds hopped around looking for morsels of food. 

An Instrument of Science at Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, India

Quiet Time in Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, India

After, we went to an Indian coffee house for an authentic local lunch, the waiter was wearing a rather unique hat and while service was not overwhelmingly friendly the food was good and the experience felt off the beaten track.

The next day we went to see the Amber Fort which situated just outside the city was the main reason we wanted to visit Jaipur. We took a tuk tuk there, the fort was perched high on a hill and looked very imposing and impressive. The walls of the fort snaked across the landscape which reminded me somewhat of a miniature version of The Great Wall of China. We climbed the steep slope to the fort, many tourists take elephants to mimic the feeling of being an Indian maharaja though for ethical reasons we decided against it. To our surprise and delight we learned that entry was free just for today, with the entrance fee saved we decided to hire a guide to make the most of the visit. Our lovely guide, a friendly local chap took us inside the fort gates where I was given a beautifully perfumed rose and we were both given a bindi which is a small dot of red pigment placed on the forehead. 

Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

The Leafy Courtyard in Amber Fort, Jaipur in India

The fort was truly a place of beauty. The decoration was so delicate, paintings and jewels adorned the walls. There was an area covered in hundreds of mirror shards reflecting light and colourful reflections all around. Mysterious passages led here, there and everywhere, many of which we walked through to visit a different nook, balcony or room. Our guide showed us the ancient water system comprised of pulleys and wells, inside a huge well were hundreds of sleeping bats. The views from the fort were wonderful, and the mixture of art, landscape and friendly guide led me to state that this was my favourite place that we had seen in India so far. After our very informative tour we said farewell to our guide and after a break in the shade wandered back around the fort for some more photographs. We came across the German family that we had seen in a café in Agra and stopped for a chat before heading back to the tuk tuk stand where we had to haggle very hard for a good price, even resorting to the 'turn and walk away' tactic to get a fair deal. 

Interior Garden at Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

The Amber Fort Walls Snake Across The Hills in Jaipur, India

Craig had found a restaurant called Natraj whilst doing research so we went there for lunch. We hadn't realised just how nice the restaurant was until we went inside, it was elegantly decorated and waiters were on stand by to attend to every whim. Of course, such service was reflected in the price but as we were already seated we decided to treat ourselves and stay. After a delicious lunch we were given sugar and aniseed with our bill, a simple treat which satisfied our sweet tooth cravings. 

An Ancient Water System and Sleeping Bats at Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

Interior Carvings at Amber Fort in Jaipur, India 

The next day we packed to leave and endured quite an ordeal, possibly our worst experience whilst travelling. When it came to settle the bill there was a dispute. Craig had already paid the manager for the first night as well as the breakfasts and dinners that we'd ordered as room service. With no manager around we received a leaving bill higher than expected and asked to speak to the manager just to clarify as it had not been itemised. The two guys at reception kept laughing at our request to speak to the manager and refused which left us in a predicament. Our train was scheduled to leave shortly and we weren't sure what to do. There was obviously a bit of a language barrier, as the minutes passed their unwillingness to get a manager left us frustrated and so we offered to pay what we thought was owed and email the manager afterwards to settle the dispute. Craig put down the money, a few rupees short of the bill and tried to leave, they grabbed at his arm and bag and I started to panic as they were getting aggressive. We managed to leave the hotel and walk down the street, they both chased after us, waving the bill in our faces, shouting at anyone who would listen. As somebody who hates confrontation I was surprised to find that I shouted back when one of the men forcibly grabbed my arm. A tuk tuk driver passed and we jumped on to drive the few minutes down the road to the station, my heart was pounding. As we boarded the train I felt anxious, would they come looking for us? I felt awful, it looked as though we had done a runner without paying. A mixture of confusion on both parts about the bill, our panic at missing the train and their unwillingness to get the manager to clarify had led to a horrible situation where I really thought they might hurt us. After thinking about the situation for hours as we travelled on to Pushkar I suddenly remembered that we had ordered some food on room service after Craig had paid the manager meaning that we did indeed owe a few rupees more. I burst in to tears upon realising that we were wrong. Their actions were still uncalled for, but with hindsight why hadn't we just paid the money and been done with it? We emailed the manager of the hotel and the booking site we'd gone through to explain what had happened and didn't receive a reply from either. It had been a hard lesson learned, always take note of money paid and have proof, don't try and settle a bill on check out while in a hurry and if required, just pay what's asked even if you think you don't owe it if it means avoiding an intimidating situation. 

Craig and I at The Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

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Have you been to Jaipur? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

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Agra and The Taj Mahal, India

After an intense few days in Delhi and our introduction to India over it was time for our next challenge. We left the comfort of Hotel Su Shree and its delicious food and walked laden with our bags to the train station, luckily just 15 minutes away. Our destination was Agra, home to the Taj Mahal one of the New Wonders of The World and probably India's most famous landmark.

With the help of seasoned India traveller Lee our friend from home we managed to book tickets in advance online, we'd learned how quickly trains book up and knew we needed to make sure we planned the travel aspects of our trip in advance to avoid being stranded in one place for too long. Unfortunately and for a reason I'm not sure of, we booked ourselves into the non air conditioned sleeper. Standing in the carriage, on the left was a line of beds alongside the window, one on the bottom and one above. On the right was a line of cabins of sorts, no doors but six beds in each, three on one side and three on the other. Doorless cabins filled the carriage and a lank little fan provided air to the eight beds in each. I climbed to the top tier with my bags and laid down as much as I could. It was stiflingly hot, the fan was pushing hot air around and I could feel beads of sweat dripping from my head and chest. I drifted in and out of sleep, wondering when the hellish journey would end. After over four hours of travel in 40+ degree heat we arrived in Agra feeling drained. We took a tuk tuk to our accommodation, this time we'd be staying in a room in a hostel. We passed the fancy hotels with guards and sweeping driveways and thought about the tourists that visit the site on a luxury holiday. We arrived at our hostel. Oh dear. It had definitely seen better days. It was hidden down an alleyway, inside it was dark, hot and the walls were covered in graffiti, peeling posters and pen scribbles. Our room was just off reception, the rock hard bed didn't have a blanket, not that we needed one, there was no air conditioning here either. We went to sleep, excited for the new day to start as we would finally get to visit the majestic Taj Mahal. 

The Taj Mahal in India

A Decorative Tower in The Taj Mahal Complex in India

We woke before sunrise, the Taj Mahal was just a short walk away and we were keen to get there as early as possible to get a good photograph. The site would mark our fifth 'New Wonder of the World' out of seven, the last wonder that we would get to see on this trip. We walked to the ticket booth and bought our tickets for 1000 RS each which worked out at around £11-12, nearly all of our daily budget. Already we could see groups of tourists out and about and we kicked ourselves for not getting up even earlier. We walked to the entrance which was 10 minutes away and queued up to be frisked. Craig wasn't allowed to take his GoPro stick in for some reason so he had to find a shop willing to hold it for him.

A Decorative Interior at The Taj Mahal in India

A Monkey Guards The Entrance, Agra in India  

We walked into the complex, towards the huge arched doorway and saw the magnificent mausoleum domes, when you've seen something in photographs and on film so many times you think you'll know what to expect but in real life it is always more magical. We stopped at the fence to take some photographs, already there were people everywhere but we tried not to let the crowds get to us. One of the pillars was encased in scaffolding which was a shame. We walked alongside the decorative water pool closer the the building, admiring the shimmering white marble stone. We saw the bench made famous by Lady Diana and sat in the spot for a photo too. As we walked I started to notice bits of litter, a pile of discarded flip flops, bright blue plastic shoe covers strewn across the floor, bits of old building material. I had hoped that with the relatively high ticket price the site would be a little more looked after. 

We wandered around toward the back of the building and saw the river and far in the distance red Agra Fort. As the sun was rising the heat was intensifying and the white stone started to dazzle. We sat for a time on the steps of one of the great four pillars that surround the main domed mausoleum and people-watched before going inside to see the imitation tomb, the real one is hidden on a floor below. As we walked back through the arched doorway to the entrance we watched some mischievous monkeys before leaving to pick up Craig's GoPro stick from a shop locker. After an awkward few minutes where the shopkeeper insisted we buy some souvenirs as he had lent us a locker we left and walked around the corner to a cafe. We sat at a table under a fan by the window on the first floor where we could watch the cows dawdle by and the mopeds weave around the animals. After a refreshing drink we took a tuk tuk to Agra Fort. Inside the grounds were much cleaner than the grounds at the Taj Mahal, it felt calmer too and more serene. We enjoyed sitting on a bench with the wild chipmunks before a huge family approached us to have their photograph taken with us. We must have had pictures taken with 10-15 people including elderly relatives and children. It's such a bizarre thing that I can't really understand. Once we'd been suitably photographed we walked around the gardens and fort some more, looking out over the view back to the Taj Mahal which sparkled in the sun. Another couple of boys started following me presumably for a picture but I kept on walking, Craig had his photo taken with them. Now that we've been in India for nearly a week I've noticed that boys and men do seem to stare at me which is a little disconcerting. I had heard stories about it before which is why each day I've dressed modestly, covered all over with a head scarf to wear at times too. It seemed like since arriving in Agra the staring had intensified and as a shy person, I personally find it very uncomfortable. 

A Dragonfly on the Agra Fort Walls, India

Gardens at Agra Fort, India  

After leaving Agra Fort we took a tuk tuk back to the main Agra strip and had lunch at Jony's which thankfully had perfect air conditioning. A German family came in for lunch too, they had two young girls. I thought about how great it would be to bring children to India, how educational and eye opening it must be. After chilling out in our room to recover from the early start we headed out to catch a tuk tuk to a viewpoint across the water for sunset. The viewpoint itself wasn't far away but as the bridge was it took a while which meant we got to see a lot more of the sights of Agra itself. We arrived and paid a small fee to enter a garden where you can get close to the river and see a perfect view of the Taj Mahal. We sat on a bank and watched as the light slowly faded although we couldn't stay for actual sunset as guards started telling people to leave. Still, we'd enjoyed seeing the wonder from another perspective and although the park was teeming wth tourists it was still a calming and enjoyable experience. Our driver waited for us so we hopped back in for the ride back to town and agreed to meet him in the morning to take us back to the train station. We had him take us to a restaurant with good TripAdvisor reviews, we were the only diners but the food was lovely and we had a long chat with the owner, all about his life and business. 

The Taj Mahal From Across The River in India

Craig and Myself In Front Of The Taj Mahal in India  

Our stop in Agra, like Delhi had been a bit whistle stop thanks to the pricey accommodation but we were happy with what we'd seen and looked forward to our next destination, the last stop of the Golden Triangle, Jaipur. 

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 Have you been to the Taj Mahal? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below.

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

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