Chandler People: August 2015

INDIA

We arrived in New Delhi, India 30 hours after arriving in Singapore from our summer in Oregon. I don't think we even noticed our jet lag because we didn't even know where we were, let alone what time it should be.

We took a taxi to our hotel and we got to experience driving in India. Miles and miles of traffic. no one pays any attention to lanes, if you can squeeze your car in, then it's a lane. Lots of horn honking, which makes sense since no one is in a lane and you need to let people know you are squeezing in on the left or the right, or both. Crazy.

We arrived at The Imperial Hotel

I wasn't feeling so good so Tim took Kennedy and Harrison out in an "auto" to do some sight seeing.

Sikh Temple

DAY TWO

Really bad picture of the best breakfast buffet we have ever had. I was trying to get a photo of the waiter in his head to toe traditional indian uniform.

The kids enjoyed the pool while Tim had meetings.

I still wasn't feeling well so we called the hotel DR and was diagnosed with shingles.

So while I enjoyed some much needed medication, Tim took Kennedy and Harrison out for a not so grand adventure that evening.

Here they are with their "auto" driver.

The driver didn't slow down or stop to let them check out the "India Gate", instead he took them to a touristy shop that was the "greatest of New Delhi". I am sure it was owned by a family member and it wasn't very great. They didn't buy any souvenirs and they didn't get any good views or pictures of the sites. Welcome to India.

DAY THREE

We arranged for a driver to take us to Jaipur.

Our driver was great. I would use him again.

Here are a few of the things that we saw on our 5 hour drive.

He has his turban tied on so it won't fly away while driving.

There was some green spaces in the big city.

We made it to Jaipur ready for our elephant experience. Elefantastic in Jaipur, owner Rahul.

Before we got to the elephants, Tim got to meet an insect in the toilet.

Our sweet elephant, Rosebud, oldest in the group at 46 years old. That is a lovely age!

Bilry, Kennedy and Harrison's elephant

Spent about an hour feeding the elephants corn stalks. We had to bundle them or the elephants would only eat the leafy green tops and not the thick bottom stalks. Then we were driven to the owner's house, where his mother and wife made us a lovely lunch.

Rahul's mom:

Yummy lunch:

Back to the elephant sanctuary where it was time to ride the elephants.

Time for the dismount:

Funny story: Tim tossed his phone to Kennedy so he wouldn't drop it during the dismount. Instead, Kennedy wasn't expecting the phone and it dropped into the fresh elephant poo. At least it was a soft landing!

Time to paint the elephants.

Now it's bath time!

We had a wonderful time at Elefantastic!

For the next two nights we stayed at the Hotel Umaid Bhawan in Jaipur. Lovely little hotel. Are rooms were on the top floor so we had lovely views of the city and easy access to the rooftop restaurant.

DAY FOUR

We explored the city of Jaipur. Our driver, Shabbir, picked us up and took us to the city center where we met up with our tour guide for the day.

First stop the inner city. There are four gates to get into the inner, older city.

It was raining a little bit so we went inside of a museum where we learned about many of the paintings and fabrics made for the royal family.

The King had the two large silver containers below made so he could take his holy water with him while he traveled abroad.

The science king. Enormous sundials, calendars, etc.

Science, astronomy, mathematics. Kennedy's favourite stop.

Checked out the "Floating Palace" that was built so that musicians could play there and the music would be carried over the water. Currently there are plans stop make it into a restaurant, however the water is so polluted and cannot image eating there.