11/02/2010 Taj Mahal

Very early (5:00) I stand up to go by bus to Agra. I am very glad that this experinece took only 6 hours (5 were planned). The "very nice and confortable" bus was everything else but nice or confortable. It was old, the windows did not closed and it was soooo cold, but noone conserns. After 3 long freezing hours they allowed me to get to the luggage to take my wintercoat out.
Than, the busdriver caused in the first 10 minutes of the drive an accident and escaped from the city.
At 12:00 I arrived Agra, searched a ritchadriver, stored my luggage and went to Taj Mahal. In front of the Taj Mahal was a sooo long queue! I was "active waiting" and it took me still almost 2 hours!. Inside, I took a nice guide, who made tons of pictures from me.

This day there was something speacial. A lot of people come to me, for picturing me, gave me their babies and smal children, asked me for a group picture and so on. It was really hard for me, to get my on tour and pictures done, there was always someone there demanding a bit of my person.
After Taj Mahal I visited the Agra Fort. I highly recomment to visit it! I liked it more than the taj. It was a wounderful place, full of freedom. I enjoyed it very much. Sitting there, watching the monkeys and pirots, enjoying the architecture and the smell of fresh gras.
Because the bus ride was really demanding, I took a wounderful oily massage in the eving. Beeing happy and smelling like old oil smells, I saw next door a pizza hut... This was my sign, to have today 1 day break of indian food :D

09/02/2010 Jaipur the pink city

OMG... I was so nervous when I arrived Jaipur. My friends were (very very very negative) exhousted, that I travel there alone. I got a book of rules: do not speak with anyone, always stay with other family travelers, do not go to crowded places, do not go to empty places, do not get any food or drinks... And so on. It was already at a point, whre my friend told me, he will call my mom, telling her, what stupid ideas I have and that he do not take any responsibility for me any longer. I was so feary than. I traveled so many places in my life, most times without any problems. But there I was really nervous, even Jaipur is a normal tourist city.

Fortunatly, I meet in the first 10 minutes 2 nice men (... do not speak with men) from theran. There also were just arrived and we booked 2 tours together (do not go with foreigners), which included a dinner and lunch (do not take any food outside). As usual I done the absolute opposite from that I was told to do, and I have had a great time! (I did not break the rules to blame someone, I just did what I felt... and this cannot be sooo wrong*)
So, we fantastic 3 visit Jaipur 1 night and 1 day. We have had a lot of fun, taking tons of pictures, speaking about Iran and its future and how Jaipur looks NOT like India.

*To be fair, I have to say, as soon as I left Delhi, I got some problems with my stomage.

03/02/2010 Gluing my own money & having the first hot shower in India

Hei, not that you get it wrong: I showered every day.... But today, it was the first really hot shower.... soooooooooo good! I found the waterheater 2 days ago, but I did not suggest, it take soooo much time until the water gets hot. So, yesterday evening, I switch it on, for the whole night and finaly enjoyed my "summerrain" this morning. Than a big coffee latte and toast and eggs as breakfast. Is there anything better? ... Of course, there is ;-)
Just remembering the nice evening. But lets start from the beginning: Yesterdays day was a very hard day: all my things broke: my new sandals (which are crutial for the dress I am supposed to wear for todays function), my jeans (the onlyone I have with me), my new dress, (which was my plan B for todays evening) and also my money... A really big note, and no ones wanted to change or have it... even not the bank.. So, I took some scotchtape and fixed it... we will see if this works :D
Than, I get also a bad experience with a "guide" who was not one, and a very long and expansive ride throught half delhi for getting my swahl diet, but they put it in the wrong color, and made spoiled my new evening dress with permanent color dotts. In the evening I have had a dinner appointment and the guy let me wait for 95(!!!!!) minuts. (For them,, who forgot: I am German! Always 5 minutes before time and crutial in time). So you can imagine, my mood was really down.... But than... This nice guy took me out to a nice restaurant, where we met some friends and after that to a very very nice place... So, after all, the day ended very nice, and this is the important thing... a happy ending. :-)

02/02/2010 Being in Delhi

I arrived!
After a very long but very comfortable flight (1st class gulf air... I got upgraded on both flights! WOW... and big thanks to the lovely crew) I arrived in India! (this was already some days ago, but I guess everyone understands, that I am sooooo busy, that I was not able to go online earlier).

India is fantastic, very different but still similar. I have very nice hosts, which are so welcomming me. On the first day I bought my indian suit for the wedding... It looks amazing, and I am very unpatiened to wear it. Every day I make a try in front of the mirrow, waiting for sunday, the final wedding party to wear it outside.
During the morning, i always do my admistrative things like shopping, tailor, beautysaloon or internet, later in the afternoon, I do some sightseeing and in the evening, there are the wounderful treatments for the wedding.

Yesterday, there was a small informal dinner for the close family.... I have never seen a close family of 100 people before. It took place in the house of the bridges aunt. The house was very shining decorated, there were lights and lampions in the trees , and a big indian buffet in the garden. People were dancing, singing and chatting and all the girls worn very shining and colorfull sarees or suits with heavy jewels. Faszinating... like a far away fairytale. I love it!

The days before, I collected so many impressions, I cannot tell... It would be to much: I was going with a ritcha to the saree market, silver market, meat market, spice market, fruitmarket, flowermarket, sandalsmarket... and so on.

I saw how the people colored my scarf in exactly the same color as my dress, how there was the bargaining and the fitting, was in very smal and hot shops...everything so amazing... I swear, I will deliver the pictures... later :D