Jaipur

Jaipur was our last stop before heading back to the Farm. 

I loved seeing all the leis. I was given a jasmine lei and wore it all day. It felt like home. 

Monkey Temple

We went to the monkey temple (and FORGOT the camera. So these photos are from the internet!). It was beautiful. Built in between two peaks of the big hill/little mountain. Monkeys were EVERYWHERE. It was really cool. I was sitting down by the water, a little lake type thing the people use for holy baths, and there was this little tiny baby monkey who came so close to me. I was starting to feel all warm and lovely towards monkeys when all of a sudden a big monkey about a foot from me starts hissing and yelling at me. Not in a cute way, in a “I’m going to attack you” sort of way. So what do I do? 

The natural thing: jump quickly and gasp scream. Not the best idea. Not as bad as running away and screaming, but you don’t want to show the monkey you’re afraid. Cause then they’re even more likely to attack you. Getting coached by some locals I slowly moved away from the monkey and left the area. I was a little shaky. Back to hating animals. As we walked around more monkeys hissed at me. Mutual feelings of hate. Later I was told of how monkey attack as a family, so if one had tried to attack me they all would have joined and helped kill me. I almost liked monkeys, but after that….Animals just aren’t my thing!

  Cobras.

 

Snakes. If you know my dad you know how much he hates snakes. I have not only embraced that emotion but also his fear. Somehow I ended up allowing a “Snake Charmer” to put a live cobra around my neck. Obviously I was terrified. And since that incident my fear and disgust has not in the slightest diminished. But I held a cobra. Twice. 
(Katie was much braver)

Ice cream.

A highlight of Jaipur to be sure. Real ice cream. Real happiness. One of our favorite days to be sure. 

We also had a pretty fantastic Italian meal. Wood stove pizza with four cheeses and garlic. We ate ourselves sick (literally).

Choki Dhani

Katie and I went to an Indian fun fair. It was awesome. There was a huge slide. That I loved! We got Traditional Rajasthani Massage. Mahendi (henna) done. 

Elephants. I rode a camel. It was so tall. I hadn't expected to be so high up. I'm such a baby it was a good thing I was with Katie. When the camel stands up it first goes onto its knees and you rock forward like crazy. A little bit scary. Next time I'll remember not to wear a dress!

A huge dinner. Really, really yummy dinner. with lots of lassi and yummy sweets. The plates and bowls were made out of leaves. Pretty awesome! 

There were swings, a wooden ferris wheel, a "haunted house", puppet shows, magic shows, traditional dances and dance lessons!

The women looked so beautiful. Their skirts were huge and the gold beads and sequins looked so cool when they spun.