Each of the seven posts in this series includes a song at the beginning. These songs have their roots in the culture of Rajasthan and are intended to instill in you the same feeling I experienced during this trip. Tip: Use picture-in-picture mode to let the video play in the background while you read the post.
While resting my head against the flight window, a string of thoughts crossed my mind, including a flashback to the beginning of my first job. A young boy fresh out of college was full of enthusiasm to understand the cogs and gears of the corporate world. I smiled at the drastic transformation that had occurred in me since then. I wondered how the journey from here on would be like. As my mind kept traveling deeper and deeper into such thoughts, I didn’t realize it was time for landing until the air-hostess nudged me on the shoulder. I looked out the window and thought to myself – I’d quit my job and left on a solo trip to Rajasthan. It was time to put the seat belt on – both literally and metaphorically.
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The first destination on my solo trip was Jaipur, the Pink City.
Jaipur is a great destination irrespective of whether you are a leisure tourist, solo backpacker, or a luxury traveler; whether you are staying one day in Jaipur or an entire month.
Ranging from architectural monuments preserving the heritage of India to engaging cultural experiences, from exquisite artwork and handicrafts to royal dining – Jaipur has a plethora of options to cater to everyone.
By the time I arrived in Jaipur, it was already late afternoon. I had around 6-7 hours to spend here.
From the airport, I took an uberMoto to reach The Hosteller Jaipur, where I’d booked my stay for the night.
This was my first experience staying at a hostel in India; my first hostel stay had been in New Jersey when I visited New York. I’d say the hostel was good for a first-timer, although space was limited. Dorm beds had curtains which usually other hostels lack.
The main attraction was its rooftop restaurant-cum-common-area.
Not-so-good beginnings
Now I had read on TripAdvisor that the evening light & sound show at Amer Fort is a popular attraction. I thought, why don’t I go check that out?
It was a mistake.
After riding 14 kilometers on an UberMoto with a drunk and crazy driver, I reached the fort around 7:30 PM, only to discover that there was no one around. I wasn’t sure if the show even existed.
The driver kept going round-and-round without knowing where to stop. I was just starting to get worried, when we landed in the back-alleys of the fort, in an area with complete darkness and no one around.
I swear I thought I was going to die, or worse, get kidnapped. This is usually that scene from suspense thriller movies where the protagonist trusts someone they shouldn’t and things start to go wrong. On top of that, I’d just watched Hostel parts I, II and III before leaving on this trip.
Merely hours after landing in Jaipur for my much-anticipated solo trip to Rajasthan, I was cursing myself and simultaneously praying to God to spare me this one time.
Fortunately, nothing bad happened (unless you count that horrible motorcycle ride).
We stumbled upon a police officer (I caught a sigh of relief) who asked us to return. Unfortunately, there were no cabs available in that far-away location.
So I had to return with the same crazy uberMoto driver whom I had been dreading all along, analyzing in my head whether he was a drunk, fool, or just weird.
The good thing is that on my way back, I was able to take a glimpse of Jal Mahal, a beautiful five-storey palace built in the middle of a lake, three of which are submerged underwater.
Food is a great way to console yourself
The driver finally dropped me in Johari Bazar.
Now, I’m not much of a shopping guy, but this is a blog, and we’re supposed to maintain its essence. So below is the thumb rule for shopping in Jaipur:
- Johari Bazaar, as the name suggests, for precious gemstones, necklaces & other jewelry
- Tripolia Bazaar, for lac jewelry and carpets (Bargain hard here)
- Chandpole Bazaar, for handicrafts and marble sculptures
- Bapu Bazaar, for high-quality textile goods (again, price depends on your bargaining skills)
- Nehru Bazaar, for Rajasthani Jootis (known as Mojari)
Let’s talk about stuff that I actually know about – food.
Kachori, Gatte ki Sabzi, Missi Roti—one cannot truly claim to have traveled to Rajasthan without savoring these signature mouth-watering items.
Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar (LMB) had been on my checklist ever since I landed in Jaipur. After an excruciating round trip of 30 KMs, my bums were sore and the appetite in full swing. I couldn’t wait any longer to try some Pyaaz Kachori.
I gobbled down two of those tongue-tingling kachoris along with a cup of ginger tea.
By 10 PM, I was back in my dorm.
The start of this solo trip had been jittery, to say the least. I thought I should relax in my solitude for a while before hitting the bed. So I went to the rooftop restaurant.
The night ambiance was colorful. Traditional Rajasthani style decor, with cushioned seats on the floor and beautiful yellow incandescence emanating from several small tungsten lamps, instilled a feeling of culture and a mood of festivity in the surroundings.
Letting the day sink in
Winter had started to make its presence felt in Jaipur, and chill winds breezed past me every now and then.
I found mostly just foreigners around myself. The place did not have a single Indian solo traveler.
This was a surprise to me because I’d always imagined there’d be other Indian solo travelers like myself.
The hypothesis turned out to be partially true. There aren’t as many Indian solo travelers as you find in the US or UK. And I can say this from my first-hand experience.
After COVID happened, of course, several people decided to work out of hostels and homestays and live the digital nomad lifestyle. But before this, there were only a handful of people who regularly went on extended solo trips and stayed in hostels.
Later in the journey, I came to realize how popular Rajasthan is among foreign tourists and backpackers.
Some smoked a hookah, some were playing cards, while others engaged in light banter. Mellow music played in the background. I made myself cozy on the rug and ordered a sandwich.
On that first day of my journey, I was absolutely skeptical about talking to anyone. Why, you ask?
Because no matter how big a fan you are of Quentin Tarantino, watching Hostel I, II or III before embarking on a solo backpacking trip is the worst idea ever.
The tug in the gut was back. Day 1 had been more or less a dud.
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This story is part of my solo trip series—Backpacking Rajasthan.
Check out the entire series here.
