Day 6 1st Nov Hot Air Balloon

03:55 alarm call, birthday surprise day!

The concierge as we arrive at the lobby at 0445 comes over and tells us our car is outside, everything is so smoothly run we really don’t need to think at all!

There is a man and his 2 young sons in the car and we head on an hours journey out of the city. I sleep most of the way, really couldn’t keep my eyes open. As we arrive an hour later in the dark there is much activity. Lots of people and organisers. There is tea, coffee,cakes and biscuits and we help ourselves by torch light. We can here a loud noise but it is so dark, as the time approaches 6am we can see the shadows of 3 balloons. They are being blown up! Once the balloon was all inflated but still on its side the hot air is then ignited, an exciting sight for sure. The balloon slowly stands up tall and more flames appear as the hot air is blown inside. We are then shouted over and we approach the basket. I thought I would be scared but it is just so exciting and never done before that we just enjoy the moment. The balloon has 2. baskets either side which are split into 4. We are with our fellow passengers. Our balloonist is the owner and has 22 years experience so any nerves are put at ease straight away. We rise first and off we go at 0615am. It was truly magical, grins on our faces so large. There is no wind and so peaceful after the noisy cities the last few days. We climb higher and fly towards the mountains where there are forts at each peak. Due to the lack of wind our pilot takes us over the Samode Palace which is now a hotel and the village. Around 640am we are flying so low over the village, the locals come out and follow the balloon. Our expert pilot says it is the only 2nd time they have flown over the village as normally the wind doesn’t allow. We could see this as the faces, we were that low, of the villages were amazed at what they saw just above their heads. We moved slowly over the village, families climbing to their roof tops, goats with puzzled looks on their faces. We waved and shouted hello as did the villagers to us.

It was a magical moment, they were as excited as I was.

We then rose over the mountains so high. One ballon stayed very low and not sure where it went and the other followed us. The sun rose above the mountains and haze around 651am a glorious sight.

Around 720am we started to drop. The lookout cars and taxis at a clearing ready for our landing. We didn’t need to embrace the landing position or put our cameras away as the lack of wind made such a smooth landing. We just floated down and down. The ground crew when they could reach the basket guided it and held it in position as we dropped to the ground.

A truly magical experience I will remember always.

On route back to the hotel I again slept, I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, so many early mornings and the lack of sleep was catching up with me! I wouldn’t change anything though the last few days gave been incredible.

We grab breakfast and shower and change only a few mintues late then scheduled at 0930. A full day of sight seeing is ahead of us as we joined the rest our group.

We all take in the chaotic sounds and sights as we drive through the city to Amber Fort, our first stop. The city appears to be very different to Delhi and Agra, the infrastructure is more intact. The pink walled city has beautiful buildings lining the streets inside the city walls. A labyrinth of fascinating bazaars, palaces and historic sites. Tradition and modernity exist side by side here. On its colourful streets motorbikes jostle for space with camels and turbaned village elders rub shoulders with youngsters in jeans.

Work began on the city in 1727 and took 6 years to complete. Sour rounded by a crenelated wall pierced by seven gates, Jaipur is laid out in a geometric grid of streets and squares and is one of India’s finest examples of a planned city. It is said that the walls were painted pink for the Prince of Wales visit as pink symbolises love and welcome.

By 11am we are off the coach and in jeeps to shuttle us through the cobbled outer streets of the Amber Fort. As we disembark we are surrounded by folk wanting us to buy their goods as we make our way inside the fort. It sits crowned on the crest of a hill with it’s walls following the hills line down and back up again. The fort offers panoramic view of Maota Lake and the historic old town at the base of the hill that was the early seat of the Amber kings before they make the fort their capital. Stepwells and temples can be seen below the fort where the Akbar used to stop on his annual pilgrimage to Ajmer.

There is so much to see here so much to mention and best done via the photographs.

The hustlers are relentless as we make our way through the massive courtyards, I decide to buy an umbrella, the heat from the sun is so strong. Sarah got one for 400 Rupees I was on a mission to beat this but only managed to barter down to 300 Rupees, well worth it though keeping the sun off my head and face. The buildings are beautifully decorated and preserved with carvings of all sorts in marble and sand stone.

AJ explains to us the clever design of palace areas used in the winter and the summer. One room is covered with mirrors entwined in its decoration on the walls and ceilings. He explains that just one large candle was lit in the middle and the mirrors reflected the light lit up the room giving is a wonderful warm glowing feeling in the winter months. It is so well preserved and truly beautiful.

On the top floor there are the palace rooms which were used in the summer, here there were screens over the arches of bamboo and a copper pipe above sprayed perfume water over the bamboo wetting it with scent which kept the rooms inside cool and smelling sweetly, this was old day air conditioning!!

There are lots of Indian visitors and school children, very little white visitors. As we make our way out we are again attacked by the hustlers, really pushing for a sale. The sandlewood (not) wooden figures man finds us again and still tries to persuade us to by one for 20. Now 20 you would think would be Rupees but no he means pounds! AJ warned us of this!

The umbrella man comes to me then one more and another, can they not see I have already purchased one and am using it! Are they blind. They all follow me, behind, at my side and in front of me. Buy buy, Mam, buy I give you good price. In the end I become quite flustered and then angry, buy buy mam I give you good price, I answer “CAN’T YOU SEE I ALREADY HAVE ONE, I BOUGHT ONE FROM YOU AND AM USING IT WHY WOULD I WANT ANOTHER ONE, NOW GO AWAY’!!

They leave me alone after that but the wooden man keeps following Russ, he gets him down to 10 but I say no.

By the time we got back to the coach most of us had bartered some good prices on purchases. AJ did his usual for the hustlers at the coach. They hand him the goods give a rock bottom price and he shows us and we buy. Guess how much I got a bag, yes a bag of wooden figures for! £20? No, £10? NO! I got a bag of 7 for £5!!!!! We also bought a wedding turban for Russ at a cracking price of 200 rupees where poor Heather had bought hers at the fort for 500!

At 1 we make a 10 minute stop to admire the Palace in the lake the picturesque Jal Mahal. It was built in the 18th century and during the monsoon water fills the Man Sugar lake and the Jag Mahal (water palace) seems to rise from it like a mirage.

At 13:30 our next stop is a demonstration of jewels and then visit to the shop, I looked but didn’t see anything that sprang out at me, I am not really into jewellery so sit with some of the others whilst some choose their purchases. We walk to lunch where Russ has a very tasty SheKebab and I have pizza.

Next visit is a short walk to a fascinating observatory and AJ organises a guide to show and explain each of the large instruments. Jantar Mantar, my brothers would find this place fascinating. Sawai Jai Singh II built 5 observatories and this one in Jaipur is the largest and best persevered. He kept abreast of the latest astronomical studies in the world and built this between 1728 and 1734. Some of the instruments are still used to forecast how hot the summer months will be, the expected date of arrival, duration and intensity of the monsoon and the possibility of floods and famine.

Fascinating place for sure.

Not far away is our next destination, the City Palace Museum. The complex is a superb blend of Rajput and Mughal architecture wit open airy public buildings leading to private apartments. Today is is open to the public with treasures including miniature paintings, manuscripts, Mughal carpets, musical instruments, royal costumes and weaponry.

We also see the 2 large silver urns which are in the Guinness book of records for the largest item made out of one single piece of silver. They were built for Madjp Somgj II’s visit to London in 1901 carrying water from India to London for his visit!

It’s 17:20 and our day is not over yet! AJ organises Rickshaws for us whilst we watch the monkeys playing and grooming on the city’s walls. This ride is quite different from that in Old Delhi, more hair raising as we ride along main roads, with cars, buses, other rick shaws, tuk-tuks, people, motorbikes, ox, all fighting to move ahead first! Total madness!! At one point Russ had to get out and help push up a cobbled street!

We pass stalls and shops either side all getting ready for Diwali celebrations with colourful flowers being sold and lights being erected across the streets. At one point we are in the middle of the busiest islands in Jaipur, mad, absolutely mad!!

Dismounting around 1750 AJ gives us half an hour to look around a bazaar. Russ and I go just for the experience as we have no space left!

Our last night all together runs a bit later than planned and have a quick turn around, again, once back at the hotel. Showered, quick change we meet in the restaurant where AJ joins us for food and Norm treats him to “Unforgettable’ song, what a voice and adorable Wally sings one he has made up. At 2200 we retire to the bar, AJ leaves us to it. How Russ and I are still awake after our 4am alarm call I don’t know! We even end up having 2 bottles of wine!! The bar closes and our lovely group are still there way past 23:00 enjoying each others company.

As soon as our heads hit the pillows we are asleep, a full on day for sure!