Our Company Guide had mentioned more than once that the journey from New Delhi to Jaipur would take some seven hours. This involved a two hour detour, to reach our Lunch Stop at Patan, spurious. Let’s hope it’s worth it – passed through Hector’s mind.
Leaving the Maidens Hotel in the north of New Delhi, it took over an hour to exit the city to the south-west, crossing the State Border into Haryana at Gurgaon. As ever, the Rush Hour saw nobody going anywhere quick. Somehow the traffic keeps moving, except when it’s at a standstill.
At the border, three things happened. Firstly Raj, the Driver’s Assistant, had to cross a seven lane highway to pay the local road tax. Next, he was permitted to unravel the curtains which had been wrapped around the fans. Curtains are not permitted in vehicles in New Delhi. Finally we saw our first roaming cows, again New Delhi does not tolerate this.
Bhupi, our Local Guide, – explained how – his favourite expression, Gurgaon was but fields twenty years ago. The skyscrapers house the offices of Multinationals. It is from here that those annoying phone-calls originate. Ironically, Vodafone have been trying to contact me from their Rotherham base for the last couple of days. I cannot wait to tell them I’m in India.
Our exit road from the highway towards Patan meant our Driver had to block the entire road to make a U-turn. Hairy, then we encountered flock after herd of animals. Our detour would take longer.
The Replacement Samsung was able to keep Hector in touch of where he was. Although 4G is advertised everywhere, t’Internet was always slow, but did exist even in such a remote location as we currently found ourselves. 
Arriving at Patan we had to alight from the Bus. For reasons known to our Tour Company, we reached the Patan Mahal by Camel-pulled Carts, though it was the School Bus which took us back to our own Coach.
We were regarded as Celebrities as our Camel Train was paraded through the streets. The youngest children were already on the streets waving. The School Bus dropped off its load, older children joined the fun. Bhupi conjured up a Jeep.
Photos galore were taken, of course one cannot see the Cart on which one is travelling, by now taking photos of our Fellow Travellers was becoming comfortable.
After the sanitised view of India one sees mostly in New Dehli, this was Indian Life approaching its most basic, electricity was not a problem, one could spend time wondering about the plumbing. Day 3 and nobody has succumbed.
Lunch at the Patan Mahal was Excellent. As ever, the detail is related elsewhere.
Patan has hills, New Delhi is on a flat plain, as we approached Jaipur the relief remained mountainous. Jaipur would be a different experience. Three nights at the Shahpura House Hotel awaited.
Narendra, our Driver
India Trip 2016 – Day 4 – Jaipur, Rajahstan – A Wonderful Day: A Fort, A Carpet, a Bier
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