3 - Agra to Jaipur days 6, 7 and 8

The hosts of the podcast are in Jaipur, India, waiting for their delayed train. They talk about their experiences in Jaipur, including staying in a luxury hotel and trying to record a podcast amidst fireworks and noise. They discuss their bus journey, which was comfortable and had a toilet stop. They also mention their accommodation in Jaipur and their visit to a food court near the Royal Albert Museum. The hosts share their impressions of Jaipur as a modern city with a nice city vibe. They mention the presence of museums and cultural history in Jaipur. They recommend Jaipur as a vibrant, cultural stop. The hosts mention that their train to Jodhpur is delayed and discuss the positive aspect of the train terminating in Jodhpur. They talk about their second-class, two AC ticket and their breakfast included at the hotel. They briefly mention receiving feedback on their podcast. Hi everyone, welcome to episode 3 of Travels with my Mum, Adventures in India. I'm your host Adam. And hi from Ruth. Okay, so we're now sitting on the terrace of our hotel room in Jaipur. We are waiting for our train, which is 5 hours delayed. And we thought that whilst we're waiting, we would record the next instalment. So, we've had a lovely time in Jaipur. We've only had two nights. But we've been in luxury. We've decided collectively that we'd book a more expensive place. And we've had a shower which actually has a shower cubicle. Luxury. Amazing, unlimited hot water. Well, not quite, but amazing water pressure. Amazing bed, amazing staff, amazing terrace, amazing view. Space. Yeah. And a nice city vibe, surrounded by lots of concrete, lots of noise. Very, very helpful, kind people again here. And last night, we actually tried to record this podcast last night, sitting on the terrace after we'd ordered takeout food. Very tasty as usual. But there were so many fireworks going on and so much noise outside that you really wouldn't have been able to hear us speak. Probably not a bad thing, some of you will be thinking. But we decided to abandon it and maybe try again today. So, here we are. Yeah, and hopefully the background noise of the traffic and the horns is adding a nice vibe to this recording rather than being distracting. So, yeah, what have we been doing? Well, we took the bus, the bus that we didn't quite know what that would be like when we left off last time. But how was the bus, Mum? The bus was lovely. It was a modern bus. It was very, very comfortable. No toilets. I keep talking about toilets. I'm sorry about that because it's a major part of my life. I'm glad to say. And I was a little apprehensive about whether or not we would have a toilet stop. But lo and behold, we did. And it was a very nice stop. Toilets were scrupulously clean. And there was a little cafe area where we bought snacks. We got a drink. And we spent a very pleasant 30 minutes having a nice stop. Very chilled. Got back on the bus. And definitely my preferred mode of travel to date in India. Yeah, I mean, it was brand new, wasn't it? The bus even spoke to the driver and said collision alert when we were getting close to something. Oh, I didn't know that. Did you not hear that? I was dreaming. You were dreaming, right, yeah. And the bus company, for anyone that wants to know, is Nugo, N-U-E-G-O. So, yeah, I can recommend that. We'll put it in the show notes and the accompanying blog posts, which I'm trying to get done, by the way. I've managed to get a couple of websites registered, so I'm in the process of getting this website done. Hopefully, for those who are listening in a synchronous manner, by the time episode four comes out, you'll actually have some sort of accompanying blog and pictures to go along with our podcast account. So, yeah, the bus was amazing. It was. Awesome. And we arrived here in Jaipur. We were very, very happy with our accommodation. I'd go so far as to say ecstatic for my part. Well, first we got picked up, didn't we? So, we got chauffeured here. Yes, it was bedlam at the bus station. Absolute bedlam. Because it's International Kite Festival, isn't it? Yes. I'm not sure I haven't looked it up, but it's a big event in India, isn't it? Yes, it is. It's part of the Vedic calendar, and so many of the workers in Jaipur were going home for the weekend or for the festival. To their villages. Yes. So, it was rammed. The noise, the traffic. I mean, there's constant horns in India when you're on the road, but it was just a wall of horns when we got off the bus. It certainly was, and we walked to the car. It was only a five-minute walk. Yes, it was. But, I mean, it was like playing rugby. It's a slow pace. There were just people everywhere, absolutely everywhere. But anyway, we got back to our accommodation. We were over the moon. Don't get me wrong, it's not the Ritz, but it's certainly the best we've experienced so far. Okay, it was a little bit more expensive, but it was worth every rupee, folks. Yes. And we decided to chill. Luckily, because Adam's not felt best, he's had sort of a head cold, really. Yeah, yeah. It hasn't felt great. Bit of a cold. So, we just chilled, really. I've been out and about. I actually did a mouth. One of your favourite activities, right? Yes, yes. Shopping mall. I am a bit of a shopaholic. I don't necessarily have to buy things. I just like to look around. It wasn't amazing, but it was a nice enough mall. Had a great coffee. And, yeah, met some nice people again. I actually went on the tuk-tuk from here to the mall and took the tuk-tuk home again. And, yes, it was nice. Oh, we forgot to mention, Adam, the first night. We were pointed in the direction of a food court, weren't we? Which was across the road from the... Royal Albert Museum. Yes, which was a real find. Oh, my goodness. I mean, the architecture is stunning. It's symmetrical. It's three tiers. And it's... I mean, I don't know enough about architecture to talk terms confidently, but it had sort of Arabesque styling, but it was quite classical in its form. And it was gorgeous. It was all illuminated. The front of the museum was illuminated by this fluorescent green lighting, and it just looked amazing. Yeah, we have pictures, so we'll put that on the blog. I'm not sure you'll get the full effect. Won't get the full effect, but some sort of idea. It was wonderful. And the food was good, too. We had another thali, didn't we? We did, indeed. We're turning into thali people, actually. I'd never really experienced thali before I came to India, but I have to say, it's pretty good. I mean, for those who don't know, it's basically just a selection of different curries with rice, with bread, sometimes with papadums, sometimes with chutney. So it's basically just small portions of different things. Yes, a dip into Indian food. And it's cheap. Cheap, cheerful, and very, very tasty. We do recommend it. Yeah, absolutely. So I've had a wonderful couple of days working on this terrace, trying to get my travel blog website up and running with WordPress, so that's been joyful. I've also run into a snag that it's not working, so I've tried to fix that today. Hopefully that's working by this evening. And you've been left to go off on an adventure, haven't you? And what have your impressions been of Jaipur? I like Jaipur. I mean, obviously I haven't seen the whole of Jaipur, but to me, my impressions are it's a modern city. There's a very nice interior area with nice buildings. It's a real city feel here that I get, and as a city girl, that really quite appeals to me. I'm not saying I don't like green areas, but I passed a beautiful park yesterday on my way back from the mall, the City Park of Jaipur, and it looked so lovely. I was in my tuk-tuk, so I didn't venture in. But a very large park, very nice. Was it reminiscent of London parks, or completely different? No, it looked like any nice large city park. I would have been more than happy to go through the gates and stroll through it. Okay, yeah, yeah. Yes, I would imagine it's very pleasant. There's lots of museums here as well, isn't there? There's a lot of cultural history. Yes, certainly, yes. Is there anyone that's looking for a big city, vibrant, cultural stop? You'd recommend Jaipur? Yes, I would. Before we came here, I'd heard from people that Jaipur was very overcrowded, overpopulated, and just... Busy, hectic? Yes, and that's not been my impression. Nor mine. I haven't been out much, but I haven't felt... Because we went out the first night to eat at the food court, right in the centre. We did. It wasn't crazy busy. We even walked around the Royal Albert Museum on the outside of it, and that's literally the centre of town, isn't it? Yes. Didn't feel particularly busy? No. I think people are comparing it to Rishikesh, the idyllic, tranquil spots in India, maybe, because we've met travellers who seem to be very much on the I want to go to the extremely quiet, spiritual places. We don't mind a bit of city, do we, Mum? No, we don't mind a bit of city. But anyway, it all brings the changes for us, doesn't it? Although we have had some bad news this morning, folks. Well, I don't know, it might be considered good news, but we're on the train again today, and we're moving on from Jaipur to Jodhpur, and our train is late. How late is it at the moment? Yeah, like five, a good five hours late, yeah. That could be due to the bad weather conditions in other places. It's been particularly cold and particularly foggy in far northern parts of India, and it has interrupted schools and transport drastically. Well, funnily enough, this train started in Varanasi. Really? Yeah, so yesterday it started in Varanasi, where we started, folks. It then went to Agra, which is where we then went. Oh, well done. And it's stopping to pick us up in Jaipur. Hopefully. And it terminates in Jodhpur, which is good news, because that means we don't have to pay attention to the app that tells us where the train is. The final stop is Jodhpur, so they will kick us off the train at the end. Great news. That's a bit of positive news for us, after knowing we've had to sit here twiddling our, well, not really twiddling our thumbs, but... Amusing ourselves. Yes, at least we're in a nice place to do that. So, yeah, so we've got second class, two AC, same as last time. Oh, whoop-de-doo. Luxury. I'm not going to be eating the train food, folks. I had, oh, we've got breakfast included at this hotel. Luxury. We do indeed. So I filled up on four fried eggs, four pieces of toast, and half a kilogram of masala potatoes, so I think I'm good. Anyway, we've got some feedback on the first couple of episodes, which I thought was quite good. One of my friends was eager to know more about various aspects of our life and why I'm travelling and various parts of the story. So we thought we'd dedicate the next few minutes, the last few minutes, to a bit of explanation. So I don't know if you want to go into a bit of my travel story to start with. Yes, you kick off, Adam. So just for a bit of context, I came travelling just over 18 months ago. I quit my job at Leeds University, which I'd got nine months prior to that. I was really excited about that job. It was a management position in the digital education service. And on paper it was great, but in reality it was horrendous and stressful. And I had to work on processes, which wasn't in my job description. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I put my heart and soul into it. It took everything out of me. And my girlfriend at the time and I decided we were going to drop everything, sell everything, and travel the world. Best decision I've ever made. Unfortunately, my ex and I didn't work out. She left in January, last January, a year ago. But I've continued on my adventure since. Again, also great decision. So I've been to Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos. I spent a month in Dubai with my very best friend from high school. I finished high school in Dubai, did my A-levels, because Dad got a job, didn't he, in Dubai when I was 16. So we moved there as a family, so I did that. And I went back to see my best friend for a month in Dubai, so I was completely pampered for a month. Way too much good food, way too much good alcohol. So this month is truly detox month for me, isn't it, Mum? Oh yes, and I just happen to be along for the ride. I don't need any detoxing, folks. Well, your life is detox, isn't it? Because you live such a healthy life. I tell you what, everyone, Mum is such a good influence on me. Because I was determined to stop smoking cigarettes. Determined. And I tried to stop prior to coming, but my best friend smokes cigarettes too. So I wasn't able to give myself some lead into seeing Mum. Anyway, I had my last cigarette literally two minutes before I got in the taxi to leave my friend from Dubai to go to Dubai airport. And it's been just over a week since I stopped smoking cigarettes. And I can honestly say to you all, I've tried many times to give up. I gave up for 18 months a couple of years ago, a few years ago. I haven't found it difficult at all. And I put that down to being with Mum. And it must be something psychological. But I haven't found not drinking anything difficult. I haven't found not smoking cigarettes difficult. I think it's you, Mum. Oh, I'm just an inspiration, folks. You are. You know what? Anyone who's needing to get healthy, go and travel with a parent who embodies healthy living. It's very, very easy to not be tempted to do things when you're with someone who's so saintly. Oh, I think there'll be a lot of people laughing out there, Adam. But anyway, that's nice of you to say so. I don't think it's strictly true, but it's nice of you to say so. So to go back to the traveling, I suppose 18 months in, it's quite nice to have this month with you, Mum. I mean, it's a real privilege. We were talking about this last night. It's a real privilege to be able to spend a month with you. Because I don't think, never say never, as you always say, Mum, but I don't think we're ever going to spend a full month together again. No, probably not. I didn't think that we were going to spend a full month together after I left home to go to university. I mean, why would I? But it's quite special to be able to spend this time with you, so I'm trying to make the most of it. And me too. Absolutely, we are. And, you know, we're just doing the journey, aren't we, Adam? And I think Jaipur's marked a bit of an uplift for us, hasn't it? Because we've had a luxury couple of days. And we're feeling relaxed. We are feeling very relaxed. We've got six days coming up in Jodhpur, which is a nice amount of time to settle in. We've got seven days after that in Jaisalmer. Oh, I can't wait for that, folks. Jaisalmer, I'm really... That, for me, before I came to India, that was the one place I read about that I thought, yes, that's my kind of town, city, whatever it turns out to be. And I'm really... I'm optimistic that I won't be disappointed. But we'll give you much more information about that when we get there. So some have asked, why is Dad not along for the ride? Well, that's a very good question. So I thought I'd have a stab at answering that. Hi, Dad, by the way. The reason that Dad's not along with us is not because Mum and Dad aren't in married bliss, they are. After how many years? How many years have you been married? I think it's 38. 38. 38 years of marriage. They still live together. They're very much in love. Mum's... I mean, you can't see Mum's expression. It was quite funny. Anyway, joking aside, Dad contacted me a little... a couple of months before we were coming on this trip and asked and said, oh, I've just found out that you're going to India with Mum. Do you think I could come along? And initially, I said, yeah, I think as long as Mum's OK with it, you could. But then on reflection, I thought to myself, you know what, Mum and I have arranged this trip and I think it's a really special opportunity for Mum and I to bond, to have time together, to get to know each other in a way that we haven't really gotten to know one another before. Because as an adult, I haven't really spent a serious amount of time with you, have I? No. And we have grown to know each other as adults because I speak to you a lot and we do speak to each other every year. And I have spent quite a lot of time with Dad. I've spent a bit more time with Dad than you. He's visited me a little bit more. Anyway, so I thought, well, it would be lovely for you to come along, Dad, but it would be nice for Mum and I, seeing as we wanted to do this trip, for us to do this together. And then I promised Dad that Dad and I would do something fun together too. And I will promise you listeners that it will be Travels With My Dad, a special podcast. Oh, I can't wait for that one. I can't wait for that one. Good luck. So in case any of you are wondering, that's why Dad's not here. What else should we tell the listeners today? I mean, we've come to the 20-minute mark, so... Well, we don't want to drag it out, do we? No. We haven't got a lot to say. We're hoping that... Oh, we've never got a lot to say. No, we've got a lot to say. You should have heard us last night, listeners. We were chatting for about two hours after we'd gone to bed. Adam just would not shut up. Would I not? Would I not? But we had some good laughs last night before we went to sleep. But I think the last podcast, we cut out a bit too long. We did. And we're in danger of doing it now, aren't we? Because we're wibbling now. We are. We're wibbling. So we're going to stop wibbling. We're going to get our train to Jodhpur and we'll catch you all up in a couple of days. Bye. Bye.