The Jaipur jostle

Well, as predicted the flight from Udaipur to Delhi, didn't materialise and we were forced to cancel our flight and jump a car on a marathon 7 hour highway journey - which to say was hair-raising would be quite an understatement.

If you don't believe me - check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNR0IvK46DI.

We did arrive in Jaipur in one piece and after an equally manic drive through the city centre, we arrived at our sanctuary of Disney-esque tranquility, otherwise known as the Oberoi Rajvillas.  It felt quite surreal in this peacock-plastic-paradise.  But a welcome respite from the crazy Indian roads, nonetheless.  We ate quickly and retired early.

Up the next morning with a packed schedule; we'd lost a good half day with the flight fiasco, but were determined to cram as much of Jaipur in as possible.

Sun dial - Jaipur-style

Our driver and guide dutifully whisked us off to the jantar mantar an expansive astrological playset of instruments built by Jai Singh II in the early 18th century.  The accuracy of these enormous tools was impressive: we walked 30m from one to the next and discovered the latter was calibrated 2 seconds behind the former in order to allow for the correct Jaipur-time.

The Royals still live here....all 5 of them...

Jaipur palace

Time marched on (no pun intended): we sped to the city palace adorned with fabrics from kings of old, peacock painted portals, (enough of p-alliteration for now, methinks) and airy courtyards.  The princely yellow was in stark contrast to the commoner red of outside.

But one of our holiday highlights waited still to be witnessed.

Amber fort

Perched on a hillside and constructed way back in the 16th century with various additions after that, the yellow golden edifice is almost climbing down the hillside and dipping its toe in the lake below.  It creeps almost in its majesty.  Courtyard after courtyard we visited and thus to the inner sanctum, where the king kept his harem of hundreds of perhaps-not-so-willing concubines.

Ingenious water channels kept the place coolish in summer and a myriad of defence mechanisms helped keep the place free of storming.  It was like visiting the Alhambra of the east - awesome in detail, magnificent in imposing stature.

Hair cut anyone?

Palace dome detail

A quick photo-op at both the Water Palace and Wind Palace and we were done.  We needed to get on the highway (again) and zip to Ranthambore for the safari that was prescient with tiger-sightings.  How disappointed I was about to be...

Wind Palace

Water Palace