Leaving the countryside behind we headed via another bus journey to Jaipur. Thankfully this time the bus ride was slightly less eventful. Jaipur is a massive city, home to more than 5 million people. Tuk tuk's cane it round corners, oblivious to anyone else in the road. Cycle rickshaws compete for space and then there are the cars. All crammed into tight roads, all ignoring any road rules.

We were based in the centre of the city but given it's size required transport to any site. First stop was an observatory, full of ancient objects used to observe the sky and universe. We had an audio guide but unfortunately the Indian style of English did not help explain what each of the pieces were. Despite this the architecture and geometrical design of each piece was quite incredible.

The centre of Jaipur is based around a palace but I was a bit palaced out at this point so just wandered round the edge of it. This included being able to see the 'Windy Palace'- a palace where women could look out but be shielded from being seen by passer-bys. Interesting in design but even more incredible was the fact that a snake charmer was sat out the front! The cobra was quite frightening especially as a girl in my group was petrified of snakes. So to avoid the snakes we decided to take a cycle rickshaw to a McDonald's of all places. Believe me sometimes a McDonalds is just necessary.

The poor cycle rickshaw driver had to pull 3 of us along. He was a happy chap though and made us clap and cheer him along so he could gain momentum. I have no idea how he managed it for so long and so far. The ride was supposed to be 15 rupees but given his spirit and I think guilt on our part we ended up paying him 100 rupees!!

In the evening we went to the cinema to watch Delhi 6- all in Hindi with no English subtitles. The cinema in Jaipur is one of the largest and most decorative in India. We were not allowed to take pictures inside. Indian cinema is certainly interesting. In England we are expected to sit quietly and watch the film. Anyone chatting or has their mobile phone go off is certainly classed as a nuisance. India is the complete reverse. To start off with it is mainly men there, any women have come with their husbands and children (including new borns). The men sit there talking, cheering out loud, gasping and oohing if anything slightly romantic/rude happens on screens. Mobile phones happily ring and after about 2 mintues when everyone has had time to appreciate the ring tone is answered. Complete madness. I had a couple of me in front of me who clearly could not get used to the idea that a white woman was attending the cinema. They offered me drink from a coke bottle which was clearly alcohol and would not take no for an answer. When they realised I would not take the drink they then decide to stretch their arms around the back of their mates and 'accidentally' rub my knee. Lucky for them an interval prevented them from being wacked around the head. They also chose not to return. The film was certainly interesting and should be out in the UK soon. Maybe if I see it in English it may make more sense- especially the monkey man. Go see it to understand.

The next day was even more eventful. We went to visit a Monkey temple. We had a mad tuk tuk ride. Basically every one had their vehicletouching the one infront, they drove that close. A truck followed us for a long time as they were also amazed at the fact there were white women in their town. They began by waving, then started to blow us kisses. When they saw us laughing it was a sign to them to start strip teasing and taking their tops off. We considered slipping off part of our shawls to reveal a shoulder in response but were saved by our tuk tuk crashing into a motorbike in front of us. The rear light was broken. Tuk tuk driver looked at motorbike driver. Motorbike driver and companion looked at tuk tuk driver. Then both just drove off, end of incident. Where was the swapping of insurance details, long discussions at who was at fault? Very bizarre.

We finally made it to the base of the hill for the temple to meet up with fellow trip members who had started off earlier. Mary, one of the group members had been attacked by a monkey. She had been feeding it very peacefully when all of a sudden it had dug it's claws into her arm and tried to bite her! She therefore had to go and get rabies shots! So with much anticpation we set off, walking carefully past any monkeys. After a climb up hill and then down a very long and steep hill we reached the temple. This is an ancient site that in its hey day was obviously very beautiful. The temple consisted of water running through creating pools which people could bathe and wash in. Monkeys roomed around creating quite an atmosphere. Yet despite it's beauty, I and several others in our group felt that there was an omnious presence there and were quite uncomfortable. We quickly appreciated what we saw and then dashed back off up the mountain.

After a quick lunch we then tootled off to the Amber Fort. This was originally the main part of Jaipur until one King or another decided to move the city so it could grow. The Fort is quite amazing (and also up a step incline, damn these hills). Several of the group got an audio guide but George and I decided to room free. This was clearly the best choice as we wandered round corridors, up and down stairs seeing so much more than the set route. At one point we entered a corridor that got progressively darker and darker. We could just imagine someone sat there who would grab at our ankles in peasant stylee, so we dashed through only to find the exit barred as we should not have been in there. We climbed over the barrier just as a guard started walking towards us and ran to safety. Who said forts were boring?

Meeting the others we once again piled into tuk tuks to take us back to the hotel. Now the thing about these tuk tuks is the drivers do like to take you to shops where if they bring in customers they get commission. Well our little driver was most insistent that we went and would stop the tuk tuk every so often to make sure we did not want to go. Only by threatening to get out and walk did he realise we really really did not want to visit this shop. In a bit of a mood he drove even more manically than normal back to the hotel (via a detour to Coffee Day for essential coffee and cake). Bless his little cotton socks.

So all in all Jaipur was really quite an eventful place.