Today started with a tour to Fatehpur Sikri...the abandoned capital of the former Mughal emperor Akbar the Great ( wow that WIki really paid off...thanks Matt) We learned that as one of three wives, if you bare the long awaited son you get dibs on the big room. The drive to Jaipur was very long and excruciating painful, some would say it's like sitting on toilet after buying your tikka masala from the goat Herder on the side of the road.
... Interjection... Hello there, this is Jeff again. Ironically, we're still in the itsy-bitsi-tiny computer room, but this time there are 6 people in this room... I'm feeling rather ... well, in a country of a billion people, I think that I've become a little used to people all around me. In any case, all has been good today, and I had a lot of fun.. the best part - so I thought - was lunch. I tend to avoid Indian food since it's a bit too hot for my liking, but I ordered today a double order of cheese naan.. I thought I'd be safe. But three minutes (I kid you not) into the bus ride after lunch my tummy started to ache. Then something started to happen deep in the depths of my bowels. I started to think that since I was sitting at the back of the bus I could leave a little gift for the next person, but given that I'd drank a lot of mineral water it was likely going to flow to the front rows. In any case.. holding it for 30 PAINFUL minutes, I finally found a road-side toilet. It was a God-Send.. Except that it was an Indian toilet. You know, those types where you squat and all.. Well, no problem, I've done this before.. I can do it again. So, readying myself... Getting into position.. I took a deep breath and aimed the best I could.... Uh, gee... Uh.. I guess, better luck next time.
Any who, the sights along the roadside included camels, buses carrying a full load inside and on the roof, water buffalo, boars, goats, pigs, peacocks and more than a dozen men writing their name in the sand (wink,wink) Arrived at the amazing Ramada, where the doorman won the longest moustache contest..it is 16 feet long and takes him 2 hours to roll and pin on his face...it doesn't look real. A group of us headed to the McDonalds for Maharaja burgers and fries, but the best part was the taxi ride. Our 14 year old driver, who is still waiting for his license took us on a harrowing ride in the outskirts of the city. We were concerned that he was taking us to an abandoned building when we asked the girl next to us on the scooter if we were headed in the right direction. Like a scene out of a movie she rips of her helmet to reveal a gorgeous Indian woman with long flowing hair and a dazzling smile. She could have made a blind man see. The taxi started like a lawnmower with a pull string at the back and Jeff got to sit in the front and even drive...look no hands! Motorists followed us like we were the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, and drove alongside us asking questions and making small talk. All the time as six lanes of traffic shared a road designed for three lanes of traffic.
Until tomorrow...10-4
Anna, Nadia and Andrea
*Another guest appearance by Jeff*
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