India in November
Dec 13th, 2013, 02:29 PM
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India in November
I am starting a new thread for the trip report but details of the help I have received getting ready for the journey are on "Independent Travel in India"..Many thanks to all.
Well to begin..We arrived at Delhi about 10.30 am on our Thai International flight but then waited for our next flight to Udaipur. on Airindia..This was a very good deal at 40aud each but was due to fly out in 5 hours time. As it turned out there was an extra 1.5 hour wait but by then we had taken possession of one of the very comfortable lounges just outside the boarding gate for our flight. The lounges are scattered all along the boarding gate area so it is worth looking further afield if you don't have one nearby. Apart from these lounges we could find nowhere to put our feet up at Delhi airport . The visitors lounge is not open to travellers and officials there couldn't tell us where we could find a lounge.
Well finally , quite well rested we arrived at Udaipur but in the dark of night and without the expected aerial view of Rajasthan. However, good news, as the driver from Jaiwana Haveli was there to pick us up, despite the delay.. We paid a fair price for the pickup.about 600R. It was about a 40 minute trip.
We spent 4 nights in Udaipur. Jaiwana Haveli was booked as were most of our hotels through Booking.com...moderately priced..about 50aud. . It was beautifully located next to Lake Pichola with superb views of the Plalace from the rooftop restaurant...Be ready for the stairs ..quite a few but all in beautifully maintained marble. If you needed to rest and relax this was a perfect spot. Our room was at ground level, was spacious and comfortable with a small window looking out onto a ferry pier and another onto a courtyard..Other corner rooms have fabulous views apparently.
In Udaipur we took a guided tour of the City Palace following the directions of our most gracious Hotel owner and manager., Harsh, .and saw and very much enjoyed the Dharohar dancers at the Bagore Museum...visited the Jagdish temple via the entrance at the rear, avoiding all those steps. Other than that we just enjoyed the intriguing streeets of Udaipur., the leather ware and miniature paintings...We were able to find plenty to see by foot and didn't need any other transport .
Through the hotel we booked a car to drive us to Jodhpur via Ranakpur and Kumbalgarh. This was at a very reasonable.cost.about 60aud ..as we only paid for the one way journey.
Well to begin..We arrived at Delhi about 10.30 am on our Thai International flight but then waited for our next flight to Udaipur. on Airindia..This was a very good deal at 40aud each but was due to fly out in 5 hours time. As it turned out there was an extra 1.5 hour wait but by then we had taken possession of one of the very comfortable lounges just outside the boarding gate for our flight. The lounges are scattered all along the boarding gate area so it is worth looking further afield if you don't have one nearby. Apart from these lounges we could find nowhere to put our feet up at Delhi airport . The visitors lounge is not open to travellers and officials there couldn't tell us where we could find a lounge.
Well finally , quite well rested we arrived at Udaipur but in the dark of night and without the expected aerial view of Rajasthan. However, good news, as the driver from Jaiwana Haveli was there to pick us up, despite the delay.. We paid a fair price for the pickup.about 600R. It was about a 40 minute trip.
We spent 4 nights in Udaipur. Jaiwana Haveli was booked as were most of our hotels through Booking.com...moderately priced..about 50aud. . It was beautifully located next to Lake Pichola with superb views of the Plalace from the rooftop restaurant...Be ready for the stairs ..quite a few but all in beautifully maintained marble. If you needed to rest and relax this was a perfect spot. Our room was at ground level, was spacious and comfortable with a small window looking out onto a ferry pier and another onto a courtyard..Other corner rooms have fabulous views apparently.
In Udaipur we took a guided tour of the City Palace following the directions of our most gracious Hotel owner and manager., Harsh, .and saw and very much enjoyed the Dharohar dancers at the Bagore Museum...visited the Jagdish temple via the entrance at the rear, avoiding all those steps. Other than that we just enjoyed the intriguing streeets of Udaipur., the leather ware and miniature paintings...We were able to find plenty to see by foot and didn't need any other transport .
Through the hotel we booked a car to drive us to Jodhpur via Ranakpur and Kumbalgarh. This was at a very reasonable.cost.about 60aud ..as we only paid for the one way journey.
Dec 13th, 2013, 03:09 PM
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Thankyou for a quick response..Should mention the food was fine at Jaiwana Haveli and the restaurant very popular. We tended to eat a very limited diet of varieties of dahl and tried to use reputable brands of milk..sara and amul in particular. The waiter was happy to show us the packet of Sara our milk came from...
Dec 14th, 2013, 02:00 AM
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..and on to Jodhpur..We were originally booked on the train from Falna but realised it was not very practical as by the time we saw the Jain temple after 12 and caught the next possible train we would arrive about 8.30 in Jodhpur ...and we would still need a taxi to get to the train.
Cancelling the train freed us up and the trip by car was terrific as we passed through a number of small towns and saw the local people farming as they must have done thousands of years ago... We left at 9 and managed to encounter a long trail of cows travelling up the road ahead of us..This was fine, although it slowed us down considerably, as we were able to take pictures of the local people smiling and waving ..highly entertained by the building bank of traffic.
The road started winding as we headed towards Kumbulgarh. At this stage motion sickness medication would have been handy for those in the back seat..Kumbulgarh was was quite astounding. We counted it as the most spectacular fort, stretching across the mountain range forever..We climbed to the top passing a Muslim parade on the way...On to the Jain temple at Ranakpur via more winding roads. Fortunately we took a break at King's Abode for lunch..A very good choice with luxurious facilities..
The Jain temple with its white marble and intricate carvings was serenely peaceful despite the large number of tourists..R. was shown around by a high priest in gold robes and donated a sum towards the temple. Of course modest dress, no shoes or leather and a security check as you go in..and no charge unless you choose to donate to a guide.
I
We arrived in Jodhpur much later than expected about 6.30 to 7. so were pleased to be greeted by the staff at the Ratan Vilas as our Tata Indigo pulled up....
Next day we went to see the Mehrangarh Fort. We caught a tuk tuk outside the hotel and had a very bright driver who explained the complexities of the caste system to us and offered advice on planning our day. He suggested he could wait while we looked at the fort and he would drive us down to the old city as it was a 50 minute walk from the fort...Of course it's not. I don't know if this is one of the regular tuk tuk scams but there certainly is a lovely short walk of about 10 minutes from the fort to the clock tower which shouldn't be missed..
Scams and wily tuk tuk drivers notwithstanding, the fort lived up to expectations and was a great experience. There were several musical groups playing traditional music as we climbed up.. and officials in Rajput costumes. The admission was 300 rupees and included a really excellent audio guide with supplementary information on the culture and history..terrific.
Cancelling the train freed us up and the trip by car was terrific as we passed through a number of small towns and saw the local people farming as they must have done thousands of years ago... We left at 9 and managed to encounter a long trail of cows travelling up the road ahead of us..This was fine, although it slowed us down considerably, as we were able to take pictures of the local people smiling and waving ..highly entertained by the building bank of traffic.
The road started winding as we headed towards Kumbulgarh. At this stage motion sickness medication would have been handy for those in the back seat..Kumbulgarh was was quite astounding. We counted it as the most spectacular fort, stretching across the mountain range forever..We climbed to the top passing a Muslim parade on the way...On to the Jain temple at Ranakpur via more winding roads. Fortunately we took a break at King's Abode for lunch..A very good choice with luxurious facilities..
The Jain temple with its white marble and intricate carvings was serenely peaceful despite the large number of tourists..R. was shown around by a high priest in gold robes and donated a sum towards the temple. Of course modest dress, no shoes or leather and a security check as you go in..and no charge unless you choose to donate to a guide.
I
We arrived in Jodhpur much later than expected about 6.30 to 7. so were pleased to be greeted by the staff at the Ratan Vilas as our Tata Indigo pulled up....
Next day we went to see the Mehrangarh Fort. We caught a tuk tuk outside the hotel and had a very bright driver who explained the complexities of the caste system to us and offered advice on planning our day. He suggested he could wait while we looked at the fort and he would drive us down to the old city as it was a 50 minute walk from the fort...Of course it's not. I don't know if this is one of the regular tuk tuk scams but there certainly is a lovely short walk of about 10 minutes from the fort to the clock tower which shouldn't be missed..
Scams and wily tuk tuk drivers notwithstanding, the fort lived up to expectations and was a great experience. There were several musical groups playing traditional music as we climbed up.. and officials in Rajput costumes. The admission was 300 rupees and included a really excellent audio guide with supplementary information on the culture and history..terrific.
Dec 14th, 2013, 02:56 PM
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The stroll down to the clock tower from the fort along a path with a high stone wall...actually most of the time with no-one else in sight .....
[Were the other travellers all back in the tuktuk with R? Yes with some reservations we did fall for his story at first so not wanting to create an international incident R went back to settle up with the waiting driver and drive to the clock tower to meet me]......
was quite unforgettable...as was the chat we had to the driver expressing our disappointment...He was sorry it seems.
After dealing with all that we browsed happily around the market near the clock tower and picked up a few souvenirs ..leather bag and elephant wall hanging..and loads of tiny hippy beads from a tenacious young salesgirl..If you go down the Fort Road you are sure to meet her.
Looking around for a tuk tuk home...very carefully...we came across Pal Haveli and popped in for a chai...We sat in a peaceful green courtyard surrounded by ancient stone and had a pot of tea brought to us...It was a welcome respite and certainly impressed us with the possibility that we might have stayed here near the fort and avoided the tutktuk trip from Ratan Villas. Of course Ratan Villas was up to expectations but the distance from the sights was frustrating to me.
[Were the other travellers all back in the tuktuk with R? Yes with some reservations we did fall for his story at first so not wanting to create an international incident R went back to settle up with the waiting driver and drive to the clock tower to meet me]......
was quite unforgettable...as was the chat we had to the driver expressing our disappointment...He was sorry it seems.
After dealing with all that we browsed happily around the market near the clock tower and picked up a few souvenirs ..leather bag and elephant wall hanging..and loads of tiny hippy beads from a tenacious young salesgirl..If you go down the Fort Road you are sure to meet her.
Looking around for a tuk tuk home...very carefully...we came across Pal Haveli and popped in for a chai...We sat in a peaceful green courtyard surrounded by ancient stone and had a pot of tea brought to us...It was a welcome respite and certainly impressed us with the possibility that we might have stayed here near the fort and avoided the tutktuk trip from Ratan Villas. Of course Ratan Villas was up to expectations but the distance from the sights was frustrating to me.
Dec 16th, 2013, 02:43 PM
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Thanks for the responses...encouraging to get some feedback...
We had 3 nights and 2 days in Jodhpur and for the second day had originally thought a trip to Ossian would give us a glimpse of the desert scenery and add some contrast to the trip..However when I started making plans in the afternoon of the first day I realised that I had left it too late to organise mainly because I wasn't feeling too keen about another auto trip so soon after the winding roads of Ranakpur....So we went to the Mandore Gardens..the ancient capital of Marwar...about 7 km out of Jodhpur.
This turned out to be a very pleasant day. I'm pleased to say we had very reliable tuk tuk drivers who happily delivered us safely to our destinations. It was a Sunday and second Dewali..?? can't explain how this holiday works but apparently that is what it is called. The gardens..trees with wide stone pathways and numerous temples were filled with local people enjoying their holiday. We were often approached for photos causing lots of giggles and elaborate posing. Some had their own cameras but often it was just the process of posing with us or being snapped that seemed to be the point. I had learnt to ask the children "How old are you?" in Hindi..I found the young children weren't able to converse much in english... and received surprising answers. In a number of cases 16 or 17 year olds were more the size of 9 or 10 year olds...then.I read in the Times a report that claimed half the children are suffering from malnutrition..all a bit shocking....
....The Mandore gardens were also home to large numbers of langurs ..the grey monkeys...which are generally not too aggressive..I. Apparently it is the red faced monkeys you need to be particularly wary of. It was the first time we had seen monkeys in their natural state so that was fun.
Most of the cenotaphs dated back to the 17th century but there are remnants of the ancient fort that are believed to go back to the 6th century AD or earlier..
Altogether there was lots to see here and a very relaxing atmosphere...far from the traffic and pollution as well.
We had 3 nights and 2 days in Jodhpur and for the second day had originally thought a trip to Ossian would give us a glimpse of the desert scenery and add some contrast to the trip..However when I started making plans in the afternoon of the first day I realised that I had left it too late to organise mainly because I wasn't feeling too keen about another auto trip so soon after the winding roads of Ranakpur....So we went to the Mandore Gardens..the ancient capital of Marwar...about 7 km out of Jodhpur.
This turned out to be a very pleasant day. I'm pleased to say we had very reliable tuk tuk drivers who happily delivered us safely to our destinations. It was a Sunday and second Dewali..?? can't explain how this holiday works but apparently that is what it is called. The gardens..trees with wide stone pathways and numerous temples were filled with local people enjoying their holiday. We were often approached for photos causing lots of giggles and elaborate posing. Some had their own cameras but often it was just the process of posing with us or being snapped that seemed to be the point. I had learnt to ask the children "How old are you?" in Hindi..I found the young children weren't able to converse much in english... and received surprising answers. In a number of cases 16 or 17 year olds were more the size of 9 or 10 year olds...then.I read in the Times a report that claimed half the children are suffering from malnutrition..all a bit shocking....
....The Mandore gardens were also home to large numbers of langurs ..the grey monkeys...which are generally not too aggressive..I. Apparently it is the red faced monkeys you need to be particularly wary of. It was the first time we had seen monkeys in their natural state so that was fun.
Most of the cenotaphs dated back to the 17th century but there are remnants of the ancient fort that are believed to go back to the 6th century AD or earlier..
Altogether there was lots to see here and a very relaxing atmosphere...far from the traffic and pollution as well.
Dec 16th, 2013, 03:51 PM
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I remember those monkeys. One of them tore a bag of snacks from my hand and then others seemed to come out of nowhere to scoop up the goods. A goat got in on it to ad the they did get aggressive but the goat was oblivious a d kept eating. 
Another time one came to me and all I had was a Halls cough drop so I gave it to him and off he went with what had to be his first taste of cool menthol.
.
I agree too much car time is tiring.
Again I am following. Larry.
Another time one came to me and all I had was a Halls cough drop so I gave it to him and off he went with what had to be his first taste of cool menthol.
.I agree too much car time is tiring.
Again I am following. Larry.
Dec 16th, 2013, 06:32 PM
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Hey b_b
I'm reading and enjoying too! Takes me back to our trip March 2012, mostly Rajasthan but also Kolkata and Sunderbans tiger reserve. The monkeys there were really scary, more so than the tigers (we only saw paw prints).....
Keep up the good work !
I'm reading and enjoying too! Takes me back to our trip March 2012, mostly Rajasthan but also Kolkata and Sunderbans tiger reserve. The monkeys there were really scary, more so than the tigers (we only saw paw prints).....
Keep up the good work !
Dec 18th, 2013, 08:31 PM
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It sounds as if we were lucky the monkeys were so well behaved.
Well the next thing to do was to prepare for our first train trip.
We booked through Cleartrip...2 months before..two first class tickets on the Ranikhet Express which was due to depart from the Bhagat Ki Kothi station at 6.30 and arrive at Jaipur at 14.20. This was a bit too early and earlier than other options but it was the only train offering first class seats.
We arranged to have an early meal on our lst evening..Ratan Villas dining hour is 7.30 but if you ask they will allow you to eat earlier. We had early meals every night. I remember this meal in particular as I had a special Rajasthani dried bean called sangri..really had the texture of muddy straw but seemed very nourishing..apparently quite a treat!
Well the next thing to do was to prepare for our first train trip.
We booked through Cleartrip...2 months before..two first class tickets on the Ranikhet Express which was due to depart from the Bhagat Ki Kothi station at 6.30 and arrive at Jaipur at 14.20. This was a bit too early and earlier than other options but it was the only train offering first class seats.
We arranged to have an early meal on our lst evening..Ratan Villas dining hour is 7.30 but if you ask they will allow you to eat earlier. We had early meals every night. I remember this meal in particular as I had a special Rajasthani dried bean called sangri..really had the texture of muddy straw but seemed very nourishing..apparently quite a treat!
Dec 18th, 2013, 09:52 PM
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should be last evening sorry....
Our lunch pack was handed over rather ceremoniously ...a banana, orange, 4 slices of bread and 2 eggs, juice and packet of chips. It was very helpful as we weren,t sure what would be available on the train and had planned on only eating packaged foods. Lunch and luggage in hand we were duly delivered to the Bhagat Ki Kothi station by our driver, organised by the hotel, ..in good time for the train. He then gestured to stairs and platforms in the distance to indicate we had a way to go yet. He wasn't ready to stay and help us climb the thousand stairs with our bags unfortunately so that was that...we managed. We weren't approached by porters from memory ..or we may have ignored them without meaning to. However,we were fortunate to find people helpful in guiding us to the right platform and carriage as nothing was very clear to us and when the train came we were searching with a local traveller who was looking for 2AC...I kept asking for "farst klas" and followed the gestures.Finally we found a likely carriage..but our names weren't posted on the outside of the carriage as I expected so we had to check with a conductor to see if we were on the list..Everything was fine and we were in the right place but I couldn't help comparing our experience to that of Djunbugs ..They obviously coped much better and did make it sound so easy ,,but I didn't mind particularly missing all the rats they found in the early morning at Jodhpur...I suspect they were on another station..as we saw nothing like that..
The carriage itself looked very comfortable...The seats seemed to be covered in leather and were very clean and comfortable. We had a 4 berth carriage for just the two of us. This meant we could stretch out and nap when it suited us. The windows were quite grubby but the curtains were quite clean and fresh. The ticket master spoke very good english sat down with us and checked details asking for a 25 rupee extra charge which he showed us on his papers...We had our blankets delivered and were asked if we wanted to have the beds made up..We didn't but needed the pillows and a blanket later as it became quite cool.
In no time we were at Marwar where we stopped for 20 minutes. This was a long journey..hours longer than the other trains we could have taken..but we really enjoyed being lost in time for this 7 odd hours with nothing much to do but relax and look at the rustic scenery..nibbling from our lunch pack.
I should mention that the bathroom facilities were fine and we had no complaints.
Our lunch pack was handed over rather ceremoniously ...a banana, orange, 4 slices of bread and 2 eggs, juice and packet of chips. It was very helpful as we weren,t sure what would be available on the train and had planned on only eating packaged foods. Lunch and luggage in hand we were duly delivered to the Bhagat Ki Kothi station by our driver, organised by the hotel, ..in good time for the train. He then gestured to stairs and platforms in the distance to indicate we had a way to go yet. He wasn't ready to stay and help us climb the thousand stairs with our bags unfortunately so that was that...we managed. We weren't approached by porters from memory ..or we may have ignored them without meaning to. However,we were fortunate to find people helpful in guiding us to the right platform and carriage as nothing was very clear to us and when the train came we were searching with a local traveller who was looking for 2AC...I kept asking for "farst klas" and followed the gestures.Finally we found a likely carriage..but our names weren't posted on the outside of the carriage as I expected so we had to check with a conductor to see if we were on the list..Everything was fine and we were in the right place but I couldn't help comparing our experience to that of Djunbugs ..They obviously coped much better and did make it sound so easy ,,but I didn't mind particularly missing all the rats they found in the early morning at Jodhpur...I suspect they were on another station..as we saw nothing like that..
The carriage itself looked very comfortable...The seats seemed to be covered in leather and were very clean and comfortable. We had a 4 berth carriage for just the two of us. This meant we could stretch out and nap when it suited us. The windows were quite grubby but the curtains were quite clean and fresh. The ticket master spoke very good english sat down with us and checked details asking for a 25 rupee extra charge which he showed us on his papers...We had our blankets delivered and were asked if we wanted to have the beds made up..We didn't but needed the pillows and a blanket later as it became quite cool.
In no time we were at Marwar where we stopped for 20 minutes. This was a long journey..hours longer than the other trains we could have taken..but we really enjoyed being lost in time for this 7 odd hours with nothing much to do but relax and look at the rustic scenery..nibbling from our lunch pack.
I should mention that the bathroom facilities were fine and we had no complaints.
Dec 19th, 2013, 12:39 AM
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When we arrived at the station we looked out for someone from the Umaid Bahwan Heritage Style and in no time he was there. It was only a short trip to the hotel which was a little tucked away from the busy mainstream, thankfully. The hotel is quite modern..a mock haveli... ornate with charming pictures, narrow corridors winding around balconies and in and out of charming lounge areas around a central courtyard. Someone said wandering around the hotel was like being lost in a miniature painting..a perfect description...The room itself was smaller than we had become used to but did have a balcony with table and chairs as well. The staff were polite but there were a few communication problems and we largely felt on our own. There were several middle class indian families staying and it was interesting to see how firm they tended to be with the staff.
A good breakfast was included in the price...cereal, fruit, eggs to order...
We only had 2 nights in Jaipur so needed to get organised with a driver quickly.. This would have been best done in advance in retrospect. As it turned out we had to take the advice of the group of drivers outside the hotel and use the taxi of their "friend". The hotel said there were no taxis left because of the election..In the end we were taken to the Amber Fort and several leather bag shops and parked outside the textile shop of the driver's cousin. We decided to part company at this stage and pay the driver what we had agreed. It was easier to see the old city on our own than to argue with him about how it wasn't possible to see the sights we wanted and go shopping. We then toured the Hawa Mahal ..which was fascinating ..and strolled round to the Palace. I think we got a sense of the grandeur of the old city but the congestion driving back through the city was extraordinary..At one point it felt like we were caught in the vortex of an auto whirlpool..all sorts of carts, 2 wheeled , 4 wheeled, 6 wheeled vehicles following each other,as if caught up in perpetual motion. We found the pollution quite oppressive in the streets of Jaipur and were both wearing face masks by this stage. I ended up taking antibiotics for a sinus infection around this time.
The next stage of our trip was to get to Agra and see the famous stepwell at Abhanieri and the Fatehpur Sikri on the way.
For this leg we booked a driver through asia experience. We had the comfort this time of a Toyota Innova..very spacious. We set off at 9 and arrived in Agra about 6.. We spent some time at the Stepwell which was a much grander construction than I had imagined..and a very busy village...Three busloads were ahead of us..There is also an old temple nearby apparently built in the 9th century. This is one of the amazing things we noticed about India...that there are ruins all over the place...deserted ancient buildings scattered anonymously through the landscape...quite apart from the tourist temptations we all flock to see.
Coming out of Abhanieri we stopped to visit the school. The driver rang them to announce us and then we walked through the archway into the very spartan grounds. For the short time we were there everything stopped. The teachers and then the students came out to greet us and were absolutely charming. It was clear the students took a pride in their work although most of them sat on the ground using rugs and blankets to cover the earth. They were an inspiration. Hopefully we will keep in touch in some way.
The trip took us along the highway and on to Fatehpur Sikri later in the day which was a perfect time to view the buildings glowing in the afternoon sunlight. Fatehpur Sikri is an ancient fortified city in red stone with elaborate carvings, bordered windows, and constructed so that there are frames within frames, views within views, ..wherever you turn you catch your breath. It was built by Akbar in the 16th century with palaces for his favourite Hindu, Christian and Muslim wives. It was to be the Mughal capital but they ran out of water..Here we are only 40 km from Agra.
A good breakfast was included in the price...cereal, fruit, eggs to order...
We only had 2 nights in Jaipur so needed to get organised with a driver quickly.. This would have been best done in advance in retrospect. As it turned out we had to take the advice of the group of drivers outside the hotel and use the taxi of their "friend". The hotel said there were no taxis left because of the election..In the end we were taken to the Amber Fort and several leather bag shops and parked outside the textile shop of the driver's cousin. We decided to part company at this stage and pay the driver what we had agreed. It was easier to see the old city on our own than to argue with him about how it wasn't possible to see the sights we wanted and go shopping. We then toured the Hawa Mahal ..which was fascinating ..and strolled round to the Palace. I think we got a sense of the grandeur of the old city but the congestion driving back through the city was extraordinary..At one point it felt like we were caught in the vortex of an auto whirlpool..all sorts of carts, 2 wheeled , 4 wheeled, 6 wheeled vehicles following each other,as if caught up in perpetual motion. We found the pollution quite oppressive in the streets of Jaipur and were both wearing face masks by this stage. I ended up taking antibiotics for a sinus infection around this time.
The next stage of our trip was to get to Agra and see the famous stepwell at Abhanieri and the Fatehpur Sikri on the way.
For this leg we booked a driver through asia experience. We had the comfort this time of a Toyota Innova..very spacious. We set off at 9 and arrived in Agra about 6.. We spent some time at the Stepwell which was a much grander construction than I had imagined..and a very busy village...Three busloads were ahead of us..There is also an old temple nearby apparently built in the 9th century. This is one of the amazing things we noticed about India...that there are ruins all over the place...deserted ancient buildings scattered anonymously through the landscape...quite apart from the tourist temptations we all flock to see.
Coming out of Abhanieri we stopped to visit the school. The driver rang them to announce us and then we walked through the archway into the very spartan grounds. For the short time we were there everything stopped. The teachers and then the students came out to greet us and were absolutely charming. It was clear the students took a pride in their work although most of them sat on the ground using rugs and blankets to cover the earth. They were an inspiration. Hopefully we will keep in touch in some way.
The trip took us along the highway and on to Fatehpur Sikri later in the day which was a perfect time to view the buildings glowing in the afternoon sunlight. Fatehpur Sikri is an ancient fortified city in red stone with elaborate carvings, bordered windows, and constructed so that there are frames within frames, views within views, ..wherever you turn you catch your breath. It was built by Akbar in the 16th century with palaces for his favourite Hindu, Christian and Muslim wives. It was to be the Mughal capital but they ran out of water..Here we are only 40 km from Agra.
Dec 19th, 2013, 02:43 AM
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We arrived in the early evening at the Hotel Taj Resorts in Shilpgram Road near the Eastern Gate of the Taj Mahal. Amazing to be here at last... Sadly farewelled our very lovely driver who had been great company all the way and delivered us safely.
The Taj Resorts was one of our more expensive hotels and was full of promise. There were uniformed doormen in turbans and subdued lighting.,a dancer and musician in the entrance in traditional costume. But things just didn't run so smoothly here although it appeared so chic. We were assured the wifi would be working in our room and when it didn't told someone would be there to check it. Over our whole visit (well only 2 nights) no-one came. We also had a request for a top sheet for our bed. At this stage of the trip we thought this wasn't a big ask. The sheet arrived after several calls but surprisingly it was quite damp and unusable. After another call apologies and a pair of single sheets arrived. The next day someone arrived beaming with a double sheet in hand. But when we asked for the linen to be changed we ended up with single sheets again..Obviously a major sheet shortage...but I was surprised, with the price of the room.at about 85 aud.
Anyway although we had no wifi and missed our sheet we did get our Taj Mahal ticket with a bottle of water and temple socks at the reception desk...actually not immediately but in a short time.. Although we could have bought them nearby it was just a treat to have this done for us...All other inconveniences were forgotten as we set off for a dream come true visit....How good it was not to have to organise a tuktuk driver for this trip and to just hope in the free bus outside the door....This is why we love Taj Resorts....
The Taj Resorts was one of our more expensive hotels and was full of promise. There were uniformed doormen in turbans and subdued lighting.,a dancer and musician in the entrance in traditional costume. But things just didn't run so smoothly here although it appeared so chic. We were assured the wifi would be working in our room and when it didn't told someone would be there to check it. Over our whole visit (well only 2 nights) no-one came. We also had a request for a top sheet for our bed. At this stage of the trip we thought this wasn't a big ask. The sheet arrived after several calls but surprisingly it was quite damp and unusable. After another call apologies and a pair of single sheets arrived. The next day someone arrived beaming with a double sheet in hand. But when we asked for the linen to be changed we ended up with single sheets again..Obviously a major sheet shortage...but I was surprised, with the price of the room.at about 85 aud.
Anyway although we had no wifi and missed our sheet we did get our Taj Mahal ticket with a bottle of water and temple socks at the reception desk...actually not immediately but in a short time.. Although we could have bought them nearby it was just a treat to have this done for us...All other inconveniences were forgotten as we set off for a dream come true visit....How good it was not to have to organise a tuktuk driver for this trip and to just hope in the free bus outside the door....This is why we love Taj Resorts....
