The next morning, after breakfast, Jo felt ill and decided to go back to bed. I think she was suffering from dehydration, jet-lag, and heat exhaustion.
I went on the group tour which was a visit to the Amber Fort.
The Fort is atop a hill so our guide had arranged for us to get up there in a convoy of jeeps! Five per jeep and this is the first time I have been in close quarters with any of my fellow travellers. The ride is bumpy and fast, and scary. We drive through narrow street, upwards and upwards, just missing cows and boars wandering along the streets. We reach the ramparts and enter the fort on foot. It is huge! Sadly, they use hundreds of elephants to carry tourists up and down - all day long - poor creatures. Our guide told us that elephants can live to 85. Imagine 85 years just walking up and down a bloody hill with stupid people on your back!
The heat was oppressive to say the least. I'm reminded of the song...mad dogs and englishmen - too true, only us lot are mad enough to walk around in this heat! But the fort is impressive and I take time to try and absorb it into my memory.
I went on the group tour which was a visit to the Amber Fort.
The Fort is atop a hill so our guide had arranged for us to get up there in a convoy of jeeps! Five per jeep and this is the first time I have been in close quarters with any of my fellow travellers. The ride is bumpy and fast, and scary. We drive through narrow street, upwards and upwards, just missing cows and boars wandering along the streets. We reach the ramparts and enter the fort on foot. It is huge! Sadly, they use hundreds of elephants to carry tourists up and down - all day long - poor creatures. Our guide told us that elephants can live to 85. Imagine 85 years just walking up and down a bloody hill with stupid people on your back!
The heat was oppressive to say the least. I'm reminded of the song...mad dogs and englishmen - too true, only us lot are mad enough to walk around in this heat! But the fort is impressive and I take time to try and absorb it into my memory.
After two and a half hours of wandering around, we're led back to our jeeps for the return bumpy ride back to our coach.
Lunch was at a family owned villa and we get our first taste of authentic India food. Delicious. I sat with Jackie and Graham, a couple I have been sat in front of on the coach and we get chatting - I'm beginning to get to know the names of most of our group.
After lunch, a few of us decide we want to go back to the hotel - too hot, too tired to go on. Jackie, Graham and I share a cab which we laugh about - Graham says they should charge money and call it a 'white knuckle ride event!' - and he is right. The taxi driver smiles all the way back to the hotel and we're amazed at how the Indians drive... they just push their way through, narrowly missing each other, using their horn to warn each other. How they do it without seemingly getting annoyed, we don't know - amazed to arrive in one piece back to hotel.
Jo meets me and I suprise her with a gift - a lovely embroidered bag - which I wish I had bought hundreds of. They're gorgeous and really handy.
We went to the bar and had ice-cold Mango drinks...and relaxation!
Lunch was at a family owned villa and we get our first taste of authentic India food. Delicious. I sat with Jackie and Graham, a couple I have been sat in front of on the coach and we get chatting - I'm beginning to get to know the names of most of our group.
After lunch, a few of us decide we want to go back to the hotel - too hot, too tired to go on. Jackie, Graham and I share a cab which we laugh about - Graham says they should charge money and call it a 'white knuckle ride event!' - and he is right. The taxi driver smiles all the way back to the hotel and we're amazed at how the Indians drive... they just push their way through, narrowly missing each other, using their horn to warn each other. How they do it without seemingly getting annoyed, we don't know - amazed to arrive in one piece back to hotel.
Jo meets me and I suprise her with a gift - a lovely embroidered bag - which I wish I had bought hundreds of. They're gorgeous and really handy.
We went to the bar and had ice-cold Mango drinks...and relaxation!