The day started by waking up on the train in Ranthambore. We were only going to be in Ranthambore for a few hours. In Ranthambore our activity was a tiger drive through the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. To get there we took a big game drive vehicle with several other people. Unfortunately we did not see any tigers on our drive, but we did watch Peacocks, monkeys, Parakeets, deer, antelope, a crocodile, a Monitor lizard, and a few more birds. One of my favorite parts was watching the green Alexandrine Parakeets.
After the drive we walked straight back to the train and started making our way to Jaipur.
We had lunch on the train, then after we had a guide take us to the fort on the mountain. This Fort was built by a Hindu maharaja several hundred years ago. Looking off of it I could see the gardens on the water bellow, and a Great Wall of China like wall connecting the ancient buildings and surround the ancient city. I don't recall this fort unlike the last one we visited having a Harem’s quarter but it did have great views and large open spaces.
This town is known for gems, specifically emeralds. It is also known for its textiles. So we drove to a textile shop. Mom and I didn’t buy anything there but they did have pajamas, bedcovers, tops and other textiles. We didn’t find anything we loved there so we drove to another shop that wasn’t so fancy. There I didn’t get anything but my mom found different items that she liked. My mom’s favorite things was a violet colored antique skirt.
That evening we drove to the Maharaja of Jaipur’s home/palace. The Maharaja’s family still lives there and its not open to the complete public but the Maharaja Express guests are able to get in. There I was able to collect my medicine for my knee since my Lyme disease had come back. We knew the Lyme disease came back by the inflammation on my knee that happened the day before. The train was able to pick it up for us.
We toured around the palace and then went to the backyard and painted elephants were there waiting for us! In the courtyard we were able to feed the elephants, paint the elephants and even ride the elephants. Only I was able to ride a camel which was actually part of the show. Getting up on the camel is fun because you get rocked forwards and backwards and then up.
After the activities we walked back into the palace and had dinner at a big table that fit at least 40 plus people. Dinner was Indian cuisine and I ate a lot of the rice and Indian bread.After dinner we drove back to the train and got an icepack and the train departed from the station and making it’s way to Bikaner. That night was the worst sleep I had on the entire Asia/Pacific trip because I had heart burn, and the train was shaky and I had to go to the bathroom several times.
No comments:
Post a Comment