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I think I've been looking forward to Jaipur the most! Mostly because of the Holi festival! :D but let me start from the beginning. I arrived a-okay, and my taxi was waiting (well, waiting for a Vaniella, so I took the risk and it was fine). It was a long drive from the airport, but not too bad. Though even on empty roads my taxi driver used his horn a fair amount... I think people in India just enjoy honking everything :P when I got there I signed in fine and Alice and Suji were waiting for me! We managed to get a room all together, despite arriving at completely different times, which was awesome! Then we went out to eat at the hostel restaurant next door called chit-chat (we were Bani Park Palace). There were a few other people there, and we all agreed to meet up the next day for Holi. I kinda wanted to see the bonfires at midnight, but I was waaaay too tired by then, so showered and early night.
The next day we got up at 9 so we could have an early breakfast, after which Alice Suji and I changed into our white outfits bought specially for Holi. And then our group (Us 3 inwhite, another 2 girls, Soo and Carla, 2 Romanian guys, Ove and Andrei and an Australian guy Adam) started to walk to where a party wasbeng held. On the walk we picked up 3 brothers too, so wrre a huge group! Just walking down the street was fun. Pretty much everyone we met covered us in the paint powders! And they really are grabby! It seems holito some is pretty much grope day. :/ luckily we had the boys in our group to protect yhe girls, which was awesome. And I even got myself a fiance for the day so I didn't get grabbed too much :D
Anyways, we made it down to the party, which had free paint (score!) and a stage performance showing the defeat of the demoness holika (at least I think it was that). I even got to dance on stage, and paint and flowers were being thrown everywhere! Then we decided to see somewhere where indians celebrate holi (as the place we were at had mostly tourists). This ended up with 11 of us plus a driver in one rickshaw (that normally seats 3 people plus driver). It was awesome!
Hw took us to the floating palace but as soon as we stepped off the rickshaw all the girls were surrounded and being hugged and groped. Scary! we managed to get passed them (though still having them want photos) and we tried to get to anotjer rickshaw to take us back. That's when the men dwarmed and molested everything they coild touch on the girls. Lucky we had the guys in our group or we'd have been in an even stickier situation. But our guys saved us and we went back to the pink city. There we decided to get lunch (picking up another couple on the way) and we went to a lassi shop and all had a samosa, anotjer thing and a lassi to keep it simple for the owners. Was pretty cool seeing him pick up a phone and a fww helpers appearing from.nowhere thoiugh :)
Then we managed to fit 13 of us in a rickshaw to go to a rain party on a roof of a hotel. That was so much fun! Being sprayed wih water and paint and dancing. And all with a lovely view of jaipur :D
Then back to the hostel to vlean up and we all met for dinner, where we all chatted and had fun singing happy birthday to a girl no one knew the name of :P
The next day we were again up quite early so we vould go see yhe amber fort. We met at the corner and got a bus to the fort. It was really neat! And ghere were elephants carrying people up the hill! They were so beautiful :) the fort itself was pretty stunning, with the beautiful detailed paintings and carvings of India and a very impressive wall like a mini great wall of china (aka snaking all over the hilltops).
Then we got the bus baack to the pink city to go get lunch. We alked aloooong route through yhe bazzars, but yhat was pretty cool sowsn't too bad. After lunch we separated a bit, but I went to the monkey temple withbAlice and a few others to see the sunset. The monkies were so adorable! I wish I had bought them food... Next time! The temple at the top.was awesome too, with a lovely crazy wiman demanding donations frlm everyonead saying how she lices in the temple all the time. Whilst we were tthere there was even a mini syorm, with lightning and super heavy rain for like half an hour. I hid in a shoe closet to stay dry :P then back to the hostel.and dinner. I had thali, which was nice! Different sauces, rice and a chaoati. :) and whenn we got back card games, charaes and a shot ir 2 of rum. Good ennd to the day! :D
The next day Alice, Soo, Ovi, Andrei and I went on a tour of the pink city. We saw the observatory, which is beautiful with it's insanely shaped buildings. And J found my star sign (capricorn), so tay :D then we moved on to the palace if winds (as we'd done all the bazzares the day before). This palace is where noble women would stay, being unseen but able to see the street. It was a very gorgeous building with lots of lattice to kerp the women in heavy dresses cool.
Then back and Alice and I booked our bus to Jodhpur and got pretty much straight on it after collecting out luggage. 8 hours on a slerper wasn't actually too bad, though so much kicer with someone. And to the next vity, Jodhpur!
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