Yesterday, my first day in Jaipur - which is the capital city of the state of Rajasthan - started off with a headache because I had been sitting all the previous afternoon with my head turned to the left looking out the train window. Three Nurofen Plus fixed that in no time and after two poached eggs and "Jam Toast -4 slices" plus coffee I walked out onto the dusty street and negotiated a fare on an "auto-rickshaw/tuktuk into the old city. It cost $1.50 for the ride in these rickety three wheelers and I was dropped off at the gate through the old city wall with my LP open at the walking tour of the old city. It recommended taking 3-4 hours but it took me 6. My first encounter was with a troupe of 3 child beggars, all terribly scruffy and covered in dust, ages between 6 and 10, and of course wanting money but putting on a remarkable little display of acrobatics. One was bashing out a loud exciting rhythm on a little drum while the other two did backward somersault and handstands and strange contortionist tricks including threading themselves through a tiny steel hoop. Another similar group I saw later specialized in dancing on stilts and a boy about 4 had a thick mustache and beard drawn on his filthy face with a felt tip pen and wore a cap that had a string on top that he could make spin round like a helicopter blade.
Most beggars just come right up to you and beg - they are usually women with a small baby or young children - and if I have small change I give them something. The problem them is that a swarm of other beggars then appear and expect the same thing - which makes it difficult if I dont have any loose change left. Then I might give them my water or whatever I might be eating , but usually I just have to walk off . I've heard people say that giving them money just encourages them, but I dont see that they have any other option. I'm never going to be able to make any real difference to their long term prospects but I like to think that at least that day willl be easier if I give them a few rupees.
I followed the Walking tour guide through all the markets, and wherever things were for sale that tourists might buy I was under constant assault. The encounter goes like this :
He: "Hello my friend where you from"
Me "New Zealand" ( or sometimes if I dont like the look of the guy "Australia")
He " Aaah New Zealand - Great cricket team yes? Auckland? Wellington?
Me " Auckland"
He " How long in India?"
Me " 1 week"
He "OK, one week, First time in India?"
Me "Yes ist time"
He " How you like India?"
Me "Very hot "
He " welcome in my shop, you like shirt, watch...free to look" etc etc
And then the hard sell takes over and in the end I just say OK thanks and walk off into the dusty crowded bazaar.
Sweet Shop
Street colour
I said in an earlier blog the difference between this place and others Ive visited, apart from the cows, was one of degree. I still think this is true but the difference is actually huge. Everything is just about a whole quantum greater in degree whether it be in noise or dust, poverty or filth, colour and variety, and even the architecture is something else again. It really is fantastic here.
I climbed this tower on Monday afternoon.
I came here for two nights but I am staying four, and on Thursday I go to Pushkar. I am hogging the internet at the moment theres a swarm of Spanish backpackers all round changing money and trying to book trains and generally distracting me so I shall write more in the morning.
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