New Delhi to Jaipur

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Today we departed New Delhi and drove to Jaipur – about 275 kilometers. We took a national highway which was very good as it was divided and had three lanes headed each direction. Traffic was light as it was a Sunday. We made a short stop to view a minaret which was just shy of 1,000 years old and use the restroom. About an hour and a half later we stopped again for lunch served outdoors. We finally arrived in Jaipur around 4:30 to check into our hotel. By 5:00 we were headed to the bazaar for an hour of shopping. The bazaar was rather tame and sterile compared to those we visited in other countries. Carla and Janet each bought a pair of shoes. We ended the day with a communal Gate 1 tour group dinner at our hotel. The area around Jaipur reminds us of New Mexico with its semi-arid valleys and low mountains.

Women Laborers on Construction Site Moving Rubble

More than 60 percent of India's labor force is engaged in farming. We observed some of the cultivated land during our journey to Jaipur. Primary crops in this area are mustard and wheat. Sheep and goat herds were frequently seen. Other economic activities included brick making, quarrying, cutting sandstone and marble, building construction, metal work, retail selling of a variety of goods and food stalls. The small towns are less prosperous than the cities. Dirt roads are the norm once you leave the national highways which are asphalt paved.