from Jodhpur to Jaipur and Agra, from Delhi to the mountains of Dharamsala: 16 Days in India

It was an exciting, adventurous, scary and wary mix of feelings I had before embarking on a 16-day trip to India. I remember telling myself before that I don't think I will ever set foot on this country but here I am, writing about this on my last day here in this wonderful place. So before my flight tonight, let me recap the last 16 days of this adventurous ride all over the state of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and the endearing capital city of Delhi. We arrived at noon at this amazingly huge airport of Indira Gandhi. It was an easy-through Immigration and a hassle-free baggage collection and to getting to our hotel using the airport express train. We spent a night in Delhi before starting our journey

It felt really scary on Day 1. I kept thinking that anyone who will approach me will definitely just have an intention of getting money out of me. We went to Connaught Place area and Jantar Mantar to find decent food to eat and to begin immersing ourselves in India's atmosphere. But so far we survived except for some scary sights to see on the streets. We flew to Jodhpur the following day and we were greeted by Rishi, our driver for the next seven days. By the way, we got him through Ashok, a highly recommended driving company rated very highly on TripAdvisor. True enough, we did not encounter any problem with him. As a matter of fact, he was helpful all through out our journey.

RAAS Hotel Jodhpur: Peace within chaos and the Price of luxury.

Upon arrival at the Jodphur airport, I was welcomed with the scorching heat creeping within my skin. Fortunately, it was getting put of the airport was an ease. I was welcomed by my driver, Rishi, a middle-aged Delhi native man who drove all the way from New Delhi the day before in order to be my driver from Jodhpur to Jaipur then Agra back to New Delhi for the next 7 days. It took us about 20 minutes to reach Raas Hotel. This enchanting place, seemingly nestled within the Blue city, will be my home for the next 3 days. Inside the room, I was surprised with such a stunning view of the Mehngarhar Fort, a centuries old for which symbolized the prestige of the by-gone era of the royal Jodhpur families back then.

Going back to my room, the brick walls on one side is decorated with intricate circular carvings while on the other side is a painted cement wall. The balcony, which overlooks the fort and half of the Blue city, is quite spacious. The room is quite spacious as well with a king-sized bed and a two-seater sofa. It also has a walk-in closet good enough for two people. The whole room is embellished with decorations from a combination contemporary decors with a touch of terracotta bricks which are very common in the city of Jodhpur.

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, India

The Mehrangarh Fort at Day

For a semi-neophyte traveler like me, visiting India can be quite overwhelming. I could say I am confident and will survive any place in Southeast Asia but travelling to a country where you obviously look like a tourist will be quite challenging. Especially that India is known for its notorious harassment of tourists and travelers. So I embarked on a journey to experience the best things to see in India despite the forewarned chaos. The first city I visited is Jodhpur. Located ate the edge of Thar dessert in the state of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is the second larget city of this state. The city itself does not have many things to offer to travelers except dust and dirt but it is the location of one of the most well preserved and maintained fortifications in India, the Mehrangarh Fort. Situated on top of a rocky hilltop, this fort overlooks the entire city of Jodhpur. From up the fort, you can see the whole city. The Blue city, which are composed of houses painted in blue, is one of the most striking views from the fort. You can also see other iconic palaces and buildings around the city. But Mehrangarh is definitely the only place that will capture everyone living and visiting the city.

The Mehrangarh Fort at Night