Adventures of Venom - 10!!

Day 10 – 21st November 2007
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The day starts early – I am up and ready at 7.00 for a change. Then starts the exercise – trying to accommodate the luggage on the bike. Well, the greedy me wanted to carry all that we had purchased the evening before. But it’s a no brainer as to how much luggage anyone can carry on the bike. So we have to leave the bag (the one which has all my precious shopping) at my fren’s place with instructions to my brother to carry it back with him to Pune, and that we shall pick it up from there. (sob sob)

Its already 8, and we should be leaving by now. So we are well on our way. The next destination is Jaipur. We ask for directions to the delhi-Jaipur highway, and then it’s a straight road, we assume. Well, the straight was actually a little right – we realized that after we went straight on our way to Rewari. We ask for our way back, and a smart arse tells us to retrace our steps. But, riding in the wrong direction (on a one-way highway), is nothing but suicidal. So we decide to take the longer detour. Trying a short-cut on the way, testing the bike’s strength with some off-roading. Finally we are back on track after some adventure.

The way to Jaipur is fairly routine and boring. We spot a biker (of course on VS’s favorite Royale Enfield) struggling with his bike. VS promptly stops by to help, but it isn’t needed – before VS can reach him, his bike is fixed. They both wave at each other (so much for the biker fraternity!!) and we go our way. A few meters away the bikers group is waiting for him, and they wave at us for the help offered!!! Nice of them. I want to stop by and say hi, but VS says we will meet them again – they must be on their way to Jaipur. Well, we never see them again in the whole trip! Never mind.

We stop by a good looking restaurant – this is our first non-dhaba breakfast in so many days. But the food is so much worse than the dhaba, I instantly regret it. I believe that in the restaurants hygiene and taste don’t go hand in hand!!!

We reach Jaipur at around 12.00 noon. The first stop is the Amer Fort (just outside Jaiour). We spend a good hour here. The guide shares some interesting facts, including the story where a group of drunk boys drove inside the fort and fell off the high wall and how since then vehicles are not allowed in the fort. This is a private fort still owned by the “king” of Jaipur. (WOW, why didn’t I marry someone like that!). This fort also has the Jaivana cannon, which is supposedly the 3rd largest in the country.


We then push off to the City Palace – again privately owned. Beautiful!!!! We didn’t find a place to keep our luggage and VS is tired carrying it around. There is a grand display of cannons and chariots used by the kings. I am told that they are still used by the now "king" once a year.



The intricate paintings on the wall are too good to believe. I would love to meet the people who actually do it!!! The entire palace is painted pink, with hand paintings on the wall. The walls seem to be freshly painted. We spend more time than we had planned - couldn't help it.

Also its almost 4.00 PM. All monuments close at 5.00 PM, so we gotta rush!!!


We briefly see Jantar Mantar (briefly = 15 minutes), then push off to the Hawa Mahal. Hawa Mahal is a disappointment, I must admit. It could have been beautiful if only they maintained it properly. We spot an old couple in Hawa Mahal who were holding hands (wow man, romance at this age!!!). I am impressed and insist that we click a picture with them – just to remind us that we can still love each other when we are 50+!!

I am tired and hungry by now, and VS will vouch for how irritable I can be when I am hungry. So the next mission to find daal-bati. (I insisted that I eat Daal-bati – after all I was in Rajasthan)
We stop by at a restaurant at around 6, and ask for daal-bati. The restaurant owner thinks we are mad, and takes what seems ages to get us some food…. but the daal bati is worth the wait!

The last visit in Jaipur is for JK Temple - built in While Marble. Must watch. We spend only 10 minutes here, and then push off to Ajmer. We plan to spend the night at Ajmer and go to Pushkar in the morning. We reach Ajmer at around 11.00 PM. We stop by a motel, where we like the room and then the manager comes running and says -"Sorry, can't give the room". Now this is wierd!! But it doesn't take us long to realize that he hadn't seen me till then. And now he thinks something wierd about us. We tried to tell him that we are married, to which he says - "haan haan maloom hai". This is when VS loses it, holds the manager by the collar and almost gives him a punch!! I have to intervene and tell VS to just get out of the place.
We have to stop by 3 hotels before we can finally find a place to sleep. That's what happens in small towns. They are not used to women wearing jeans coming over to spend a night!! For them - respectable women would be wearing sindoor and chhori and god knows what!!!

Finally after the day's adventure, all that I want to do is sleep!!!
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Day 10 ends, Enough adventure already, who cares for the trip meter