V.T.R.Ravi Kumar

We started our trip around rajasthan from the land of holy people (Haridwar) where I belong to.

We left haridwar on 4th September 2004 at around 10 PM.
The mode of travel being my Santro Xing-XP.

Our route was

Day 1 (aprox 500 Km) - Haridwar - Delhi - Jaipur
Day 2 (aprox 330 Km) - Jaipur - Bikaner
Day 3 (aprox 330 Km) - Bikaner - Jaisalmer
Day 4 (aprox 300 Km) - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur
Day 5 (aprox 300 Km) - Jodhpur - Jaipur
Day 6 (aprox 260 Km) - Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri- Agra
Day 7 (aprox 200 Km) - Agra - Delhi
Day 8 (aprox 200 Km) - Delhi - Haridwar

(Total distance travelled 3050 Kms)

In Rajasthan we stayed in RTDC Hotels. The hotel tariff where around Rs.600/Double room (With cooler). The hotels
were well maintained and are usually full during season (October onwards)

Day I Just Starting our Enjoyment

Our journey towards Jaipur via Delhi was the longest but the Toll Road from Delhi to Jaipur is superb. Requires just two and half hours for this distance. On reaching jaipur(10.30 PM) we found out the RTDC Hotel . There were two we chose TEEJ. The RTDC hotels are mostly situated near the Railway Station so could be found easily. Upon reaching we asked the desk clerk if he could arrange any guide we called the guide on his mobile and asked him to come the next day at 9.00.We had just time for a Beer (all RTDC hotels had Bar) and time to charge our mobiles and laptop.

Day II Fast track sight Seeing

The guide had bought his own Maruti omni in which he tooks us to visit. Birla Temple, Albert Hall, Amer Fort, Jal Mahal.

We had a Digital Camera , A laptop and a PDA . Since we had to leave for Bikaner and we knew that we would be in jaipur while returning we limited our site seeing and had our lunch and left for Bikaner at 4.00 PM. This road is also a very good road and could travel comfortably in 80 KM/Hr . We reached Bikaner at around 10.00 PM. The RTDC Hotel here is Dola Maru.

We checked in and then kept our mobiles, laptop and camera battery for charging while we ourselves got charged up by having beer.

Day III The best Part of our Journey
In bikaner we did not have much to see . But We had heard about the Rat Temple (Karni Mata Temple) in Deshnoke which is about 40 Kms from Bikaner. We left for deshnoke and were amazed to see the whole temple infested with rats. Rats had no fear for humans and we tried to hide our fear for them. It had already become 12 Noon so we had our lunch and left back for bikaner (to go to jaisalmer we had to come to bikaner) One the way we had a glimse of the Fort in Bikaner. On our way to jaisalmer we came across POKRAN (Hope every one knows it). The army does not allow any one near the main area where the nuclear testing was done so were contended of taking some photographs along the sign board which read pokran.
Our journey from bikaner to jaisalmer was the most exciting. The roads were very good with no traffic. Fully vacant roads with nothing but sand on both side.

Occationally some wild camels were seen nibling the high thorny leaves of desert trees. We had reached jaisalmer at 4.00 got a room in the RTDC restaurant Moomal. The restaurant desk clerk was good to
arrange for a guide immedietly we had to see the Sunset the same day. The sunset point is 40 Kms far from jaisalmer The place is known as SAM from where we would have to leave our car and take a camel back ride
the the sunset point (3 Kms) between sand dunes.view this site http://photos/yahoo.com/vtrrk for our photos in jaisalmer_Sunset point. The camel back ride was an different experiance. We reached the spot just in time and were able to enjoy the sunset. We came back to the hotel room did all the charging work of mobiles and ourselves and asked the guide to come early morning next day
at 8.00 AM and slept off.

Day IV Golden city
In jaisalmer there is an artificial lake where one could do boating. Then we visited the fort in jaisalmer and the Various temples in the fort. The temples and havelis in jaisalmer are built using golden coloured sand stone. The intrinsic carvings in these places are to be admired. The sand stones
give a golden gleam to city. We also visited the wood fossil park where fosillised tree which have been escavated here have been kept for display.

At around 2.00 PM we left jaisalmer for Jodhpur via Pokran. This route is also has very good roads but unlike the previous roads these roads are not straight but with lot of turns. We reached jodhpur by 7.00 pm took our room in the RTDC Restruarant Ghoomar. Nearby this place is the Nayee Sarak A market place with the
blend of both old and the new jodhpur city. We just had time to walk through the market and returned back to the room for a Beer.

Day V Hot Day
It was hot day and we had to visit the monument which was the chenotaph for the king . The big fort . The fort was a very big structure with many art effects in it.

The fort had the things used by the king. The fort has been a very good protective place and had been a strong fort of its time. It has only been captured 3 times.

There is an interesting story of the wars fought in this fort and the memorial of the warriours are in the places where they gave their life for their king. After which we left for Umed Bhavan palace. Where the present king lives . A part of it has been opened for public viewing and rest is a hotel. with a display of silver wares and items. The same day we left back to jaipur from jodhpur. We reached jaipur and direcly went to Choki Dani . This place is in the Tonk Road .

The entry Fee along with dinner is Rs.150 and this place displays the cultural blend of rajasthan. It has the traditional huts. Magicians , Dancers, Muscians, Camel and cart rides. This place is a buzz of activities in the evening. The dinner is served in the tradional way by waiters are dressed up in rajasthani dress . The food served is also fully traditional served in leaf plates with rotis (Bajra)...many types of rotis I dont remember their names. The person who serves tells the name of the item served to each and every one before he keeps it in the plate After this dinner we went to TEEJ (remember our RTDC hotel) and took a nap.

Day VI Jantar Mantar
The next day morning we got up and left for jantar mantar where we took a guide who explained every thing there. It was amazing to note the astronomical capability of Maharaja Jaisingh . We saw the largest watch (Solar). The time machines were built to calculate the local time of jaipur . Many more things like the plates to find the stars. The dials to determine the sun sign and moon sign etc were really good. From Jaipur we left to Agra via Fatehpur sikri.

We visited the Buland darwaza and the memorial of salim in Fatehpur sikri. Since the next day was Friday and The Taj Mahal will remain closed so we rushed to Agra and directly visited the Taj Mahal. It really is a marvelous thing one should never miss in his life. If I start writing about Taj I dont thing this page will be enough. I sure would write it seperately. After visiting Taj We took our Room in the Kant Hotel nerby the charges seemed to be in a little higher end but we had no other go. Had to sleep.

The next day we had to return to haridwar via delhi.

The tour was a very nice experiance . Through out the tour none of the both felt tired, we sure were full of energy . Every day there were new places to see