15TH FEB - JAIPUR(fect)

Woke at 4.30am for our taxi to New Delhi railway station. The images I was expecting to see at the airport were in full beaming light, not really the best wake up call (in both senses) as station floor was covered in screaming families. First train experience was great in the carriage coach section with tea and breakker provided. Window views were epic (toilet squatters aside) but early morning fog covered vast brown dn green fields and with electric orange and pink figures breaking the space.
Arrived in Jaipur to a mob of rickshaw men but one guy seemed pretty genuine and we fell for the line "I'm so sorry to hassle you I will leave you alone."
Luckily scored a place at Pearl Palace Hotel (top of L.Planet don't worry about it.) Such an incredible place like something form a festival, fairy lights everywhere and so much colour with giant elephant sculpture chairs and peacocks heads erupting out of nowhere.

A rickshaw was longingly waiting for us outside with the famous Mohammed. He showed us business cards of all his English mates and then put on Akon 'You wanna make love right now now now now' at full blast in the rickshaw as we drove through the perfectly pink city of Jaipur (painted this colour for the Prince of Wales our of respect.)

Started off at the city Palace which was beautiful, mughal architecture and a royal ceremony set up with lavish decorations and ornaments. Also first spot of a monkey just cruising the terracotta palace walls.

Then onto Jantar Mantar 'instument of calculation' opposite the palace. Jai Singh was big on his astronomy so decided to build a giant playground of sculpture to tell time, star position and eclipses. You could just imagine him going wild here with steps up to the sky and giant triangles to slide down.

Next climbed a tower (got ripped off by paying 4x the price) and after the long trek up was able to look out over the whole of Jaipur which from above look so organised but are just so chaotic.

Then onto the Maharajah's memorial temple, completely forgotten what it's called think it's city Palace but was amazing, we were the only people there and it was like a giant jewellery box.

Monkey Mountain up next, hiked a giant hill with monkeys and cows pelting at full speed down it. The fact that I didn't get my rabies jab put me a bit on edge so M took the lead on this one. Got bindied at the top which was nice. Stopped off at a floating palace where 5 storeys float beneath water, pickpockety children were all over us here so took a quick snap before Mo let me drive his rickshaw on possibly the worst leaner road ever, putting that straight on my CV.