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Rajasthan 2023 – Photo Gallery

By on 22. March 2023 in Asia – Photos, India, Photo Galleries

Jal Mahal, the “Water Palace”, Jaipur

Rajasthan has immensely changed since my first trip back in April 2012! The first thing that immediately stroke me was the mere fact that now tourism is mainly local. The most surprising fact was maybe how well organized & clean the major spots of Rajasthan now are. Only once we were back to Delhi had we the impression we had escaped this “sanitized experience”. Then, what were hidden gems 10 years back are now surrounded with 5 stars resorts full of SUVs, catering for the new middle / upper class of India discovering their own country. All in all? Rajasthan is far easier to travel than it once was, and quicker! Better infrastructure and improved organization make your life so much easier. Of course, it will appear less confusing and more “On the main touristic tracks” than it was 10 years ago. Continue Reading →

An Itinerary in Rajasthan – 2 Weeks

By on 20. March 2023 in India

Taj Mahal, Agra

Rajasthan has immensely changed since my first trip back in April 2012!

  • The first thing that immediately stroke me was the mere fact that now tourism is mainly local (maybe 90%, from what I could observe).
  • The most surprising fact was maybe how well organized & clean the major spots of Rajasthan now are. Only once we were back to Delhi had we the impression we had escaped this “sanitized experience”.
  • What were hidden gems 10 years back are now surrounded with 5 stars resorts full of SUVs, catering for the new middle / upper class of India discovering their own country.
  • All in all? Rajasthan is far easier to travel than it once was, and quicker! Better infrastructure and improved organization make your life so much easier. Of course, it will appear less confusing and more “On the main touristic tracks” than it was 10 years ago.

Continue Reading →

Budget Guide To Rajasthan (Updated)

By on 18. March 2023 in Country Budget Guide, India

Elephant and Rickshaws at Sardar Market, Jodhpur

One Of The Cheapest Places To Splurge A Little Or Upgrade Your Travel Style…

Type Of Travel

The 4 trips to Rajasthan were really different from one another, and this actually also shows in the budget spent:

  • During the first 2 trips (2012 & 2013), with limited time at hand (each time 12 days) and India being a rather cheap country, I opted against traveling low budget. Instead, I frequented “mid-range” hotels or Havelis and pleasant local restaurants. This trip could definitely have be done a lot cheaper than spending 44 and 48 Euros per person per day (this amount does not include the international flight or the visa fees).
  • For the last 2 trips (2015 & 2023), I went for the “upper mid-range” type of travel to ensure a nice level of comfort and enhance the mobility: nice Havelis or small Boutique hotels, nice restaurants, at times a car with driver… The budget almost doubled, not surprisingly.

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Jaipur – The Jewels of The Pink City

By on 8. March 2015 in India
Jaipur-101

Hawa Mahal, the “Palace of Winds”, Jaipur, Rajasthan

At first sight a chaotic, congested, hot city, but Jaipur abounds with highlights and is definitely worth spending several days to somewhat scratch below the surface. The good news, if you have enough time to explore more of the city than just the Amber Fort, the City Palace and Palace of the Winds (visited by groups in this very order), you will meet very few tourists.

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Monkey Palace

By on 6. April 2012 in India
Galtaji, better known as Galwar Bagh, the Monkey Temple, situated among Green Hravalies Hills, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Galtaji, better known as Galwar Bagh, the Monkey Temple, situated among Green Hravalies Hills, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

We had not heard of this place, but a quick online research revealed it as “one of the top 10 things” to do in and around Jaipur. So why not give it a try? Continue Reading →

Riding Elephants To Amber Fort

By on 6. April 2012 in India

 

Elephants carrying tourists up to Amber Fort in the morning, near Jaipur, the Pink City, Rajasthan, India

Elephants carrying tourists up to Amber Fort in the morning, near Jaipur, the Pink City, Rajasthan, India

We were so thrilled by Amber Fort that we returned the next morning on our beloved bus Nr. 5, primarily to take more photos of the fort in a different light. Only to find -most shocking – the place swarming with busloads of package tourists, all lined up for riding up the short ramp on an elephant. Continue Reading →

Bus Nr. 5 To Amber Fort

By on 5. April 2012 in India
Amber Fort, near Jaipur, the Pink City, Rajasthan, India

Amber Fort, near Jaipur, the Pink City, Rajasthan, India

Asking an employee at the Atithi Guesthouse as how to get to Amber Fort we got this answer: “Take bus Nr. 5! It is a lot faster than an auto rickshaw and cheaper, of course”. We were puzzled: faster? Still traumatized from walking noisy and boiling hot streets the previous day, we were a bit hesitant first. But there was no excuse for not trying… Continue Reading →

Juwels Of The Pink City

By on 5. April 2012 in India
Hawa Mahal, the "Palace of Winds" or “Palace of the Breeze”, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Hawa Mahal, the “Palace of Winds” or “Palace of the Breeze”, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

The Palace of the Wind, the name itself gives you goose pimples, let’s your imagination run wild. A huge, airy palace, with royal princes and princesses strolling around, their loose silky dresses tousled by the wind. The Hawa Mahal was none of this, it is not even a building proper. It is a façade, a most stunning one though. Continue Reading →

Jaipur And Its Many Festivals

By on 4. April 2012 in India

 

Witnessing one of the many processions (this time for peace in the world...) in Jaipur, the Pink City, Rajasthan, India

Witnessing one of the many processions (this time for peace in the world…) in Jaipur, the Pink City, Rajasthan, India

Festivals & processions are Jaipur’s trademark. These attract loads of visitors, India and non-Indian alike. So we were rather disappointed when the festival calendar for April showed none. The bigger was our surprise when we literally happened to run into one! Stepping out into the street from a little yard that harbored a vegetable market, we stood face to face with an elephant. With its head beautifully painted, it swayed along the street carrying an elegantly dressed man and a child. Even in India, at least in an urban area, this is not the most common sight! Continue Reading →