Lucky? Not!

Another sightseeing day, this time to Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort ... both are about 11 km north of Jaipur. Jaipur being the pink city, and Amber the yellow city (although from my naive eyes, it all looks kinda pink). Since they were a distance away, I thought it best to get a auto-rickshaw driver for the day ... who should that turn out to be but Lucky!

Lucky is a young 22 year old kid, as happy with life as all get-out, smiling and singing as we careen along. He spoke passable English, although I really couldn't understand a lot of what he said.

Sorry Madam, I need to stop for just two minutes (everything is always two minutes). Evidently he either didn't know, didn't have a key for, or ??, but he couldn't get into what looked like a glove box. Many Hindi conversations later (not sure how things resolved), everything is pronounced OK, and off we continue.

Lucky is fearless ... an interesting driving trait! Both sides of the street, chicken with everyone including buses. But, don't you think e-ticket rides are the best afterall!

We're flying around corners and whoops ... an officious looking policeman steps in front of him, motioning him to the side. For the briefest moment, Lucky lost his smile and even took off his baseball cap. My oh my there was a lot of going back and forth and finally he comes over and asks if he can get RS 50 now.
Ya know, there are just no travel tidbits for this sort of thing in the Lonely Planet. I guess he needed to pay RS 100 on the spot and he only had RS 50. Was it a fine or bribe? I'll never know! But considering he was only getting RS 250 from me for the whole day, that's pretty expensive.

When he got back in the auto-rickshaw, I asked him what he had done ... he said he did not wear his uniform. Huh? Uniforms? These drivers wouldn't make GQ even on a good day! In fact he was looking pretty spiffy in his jeans and clean polo shirt. He said it wasn't a ticket, it was a "challan" ... that's what the word sounded like at least and I have no idea what it means.





What a fun little digression ... and now we're off! Amber Fort is spectacular! The pestering of vendors and children of course, about 10 minute walk up some stairs, past the elephant rides. Mazes of halls and rooms (leaving behind bread crumbs becoming critical) ... presumably the Maharaja knew where all his women were staying (he weighed 250 kg and had 108 wives). Back down to find Lucky ... next stop Jaigarh.

Oopsie, I should have continued walking up the hill from Amber Fort, so it's back up the stairs and then an uphill road, maybe another 1 km in the blazing sun. Me and mostly no one else. Only to find out that the locals drive up. Not a whole lot to see, but the views ... WOW! I wander about, see the small temple and get the requisite orange dot on my forehead.

Time to head back with lucky Lucky! He stops at a textile shop for me to shop. The stuff is beautiful, but I'm remembering my heavy backpack. Finally I convince him that I'm hungry and want to go to Niro's - it's way after lunch time, maybe 3 pm.

Gads, he was into playing chicken! Going head to head with anyone, anywhere ... even when there's no room to move. Until ....... splutter .... silence! Suddenly we are descended upon by hordes of people who start pushing, lifting , rocking the little rickshaw (with me in it). I can't believe it ... he is out of petrol! Finally over to the side of the road, he assures me only two minutes, his cousins are right around the corner and off he scampers with an empty, dirty plastic water bottle.

Was I born yesterday? Apparently so since I waited and waited. Do I ditch him (I didn't know where I was and there were no passing rickshaws)? Nope, I waited ... 30 minutes later ... he comes running back with a very small cup of petrol in the water bottle.

Is my entire adventure revolving around taxi experiences? On the way to dinner at Jaipur Inn, Rachel (a performing art dancer from the UK, living in NY) and I get the tiniest geriatric pedal rickshaw driver. He can barely pedal and on any incline he had to get off and push. On our return, the saga continues and we get an auto-rickshaw driver that we realize is so drunk he can barely stand up (fortunately his friend sat in the front with him and steered clear of the oncoming traffic) - it was his birthday!

Whew ... tucked into my comfy bed ... safe!

P.S. - I've been without any good internet connections for a few days now. Dear reader, I hope you haven't thought me lost!