If you donβt know this already let me tell you that I love to travel, perhaps more than anything else, and this is something that I am really really craving for right nowβ¦ Oh! joy of traveling! Last Sunday, aka, 27th Sept. 2020 was International Tourism Day and I really wanted to write an article on travel and tourism but the endless assignments and classes sang me out of it until now when Iβve just let them sit aside to go on a trip myself! Since I canβt take my bag and leave for an experience, I thought maybe I can take you along one of the trips I took this year, way back in January, to Jaipur! So get ready for an expedition, reliving my 25th Jan 2020, solo-traveling around the Pink City!
Although I had gone to Jaipur with a bunch of friends, I decided to take some time in the city on my own to explore by myself, at my pace, in my style and I am super glad that I took that decision!
I am the kind of person who does not like to get my hands dirty about the place I am visiting by gathering too many βmust-go-to-placesβ or βtop-things-to-doβ before actually arriving, and more times than not, it does play in my favour, or maybe I know a way around to make it so! So, even after my first day in the new city, I was completely unaware of what all I could do in Jaipur. Since the morning of 25th, I had spent a considerable amount of screen time trying to find out cool cafes I could go to, from blogs and Instagram mainly. (Why cafes only? Well, I donβt have a specific reason but I wanted to sit and chill and I was just feeling like it.) So, for our brunch, I dragged the entire group to this one place that according to my βresearchβ was a haven for travellers!
Sure it was! Step Out Cafe proved to be a big hit for everyone, without exception! Picture sessions, oh, tonnes, and we made the place our own in no time. Also, this is where I bought myself a touristy map (just because I couldn’t control myself not buying it haha) and decided for sure that Iβll fork away from my friends and will meet them only at night, at our home-stay.
And mind you, I had still not decided where Iβll be going next even after they all had left, but by now I was getting a bit of an idea about the roads and map of course made things quite clear for me. I honestly love the feeling of being on my own, no matter how scary it may be sometimes but there is something, some sort of an unsaid power or uncertainty in being truly depended on your own self, I feel more aware and can feel every breath I take.. Is this an exaggeration?? I feel not!
Anyways, I had carved out a plan in my head (with the help of the manager of the cafe) and had his wishes for a lovely afternoon, had sorted some loose cash and strapped my bag on my shoulder and left for a fun time when I received a broad smile from a stranger randomly as I was exiting the cafe which reaffirmed all my positive energy and multiplied it several times, I felt assured βtonightβs gonna be a good nightβ and I left!
I took an Auto till Albert Hall Museum. Spent two whole hours there and still felt like it was only fifteen. Took pictures. And then walked up to Masala Chowk which was a 10 – 15 minute walking distance away. But before I actually stepped inside that food haven, I spotted this kinda quaint park (Nehru Park), majorly quaint, because it was still late afternoon! I spent a good amount of time just meandering in this unnamed park, and thought of eating my orange here too. (Yep, I had two oranges in my bag, a water bottle, a reusable cup and box and some cutlery in my bag, and I generally always carry these things with me, especially while travelling).
It was still far from sundown and I was feeling hungry! Had some delish Rajasthani sweets and a coffee ice-cream from the sultry cuisines from almost all parts of the country, only to hop to my next destination, the famous Bapu Bazaar. And from the auto I saw an amazing sunset too! Since I wasnβt really with anyone, it did not hurt me to spend time haggling with the auto-wallah and negotiate on the fare, as I was casually taking more pictures while the guy wouldnβt budge. Finally he gave in and I got my ride at the right price. Honestly, this led to some interesting conversations with the auto-wallah as he got a sense of the broke-ness I must be in and suggested nice places around as well. He also left me in the right lane and helped me further with the navigation especially when I leave Bapu Bazaar because the physical map obviously had its limitations, and itβs always good to keep Google Maps as a resource number 2, right?
I had an amazing time window shopping (and shopping) at Bapu Bazaar! But I think my best purchase there was a cup of sugarcane juice! By this time I could really gulp down some liquid and especially some sugar, and sugarcane juice with a bit of tanginess of some freshly cut lemon is the perfect drink you can ask for! What was in fact more fun was again the conversation I ran into with the seller. As I pulled out my reusable cup to get it filled instead of accepting the plastic cup he was offering me, I could feel black clouds of confusion in his glance itself. But just a few seconds of apprehension later, I got shot at with very many questions that he had for me (why do you do this? what is this cup? Since when are you carrying this? And so on..) with my glass of juice that he first measured in his standard cup and then poured into mine. As for that cup he did use to measure the quantity, it went to another person in the queue. So did I get any perks for answering all of his questions? Yes I did, I got another almost whole cup of juice just like that and that was perhaps the highlight of my day! Yep, give me an extra glass of sugarcane juice and Iβll be the happiest person ever!
Anyways, you think this is the end of my solo trip do you?
Not at all!
I then went to another cafe (Curious Life Coffee Roasters), and then back at Step Out. And finally, when I was finding cabs/ autos to get back to the home-stay, nothing was available! This is when a random person on the street helped me and we managed to get me an Ola Bike (and the process took almost 20 mins). By this time it was already around 9:30 at night and my friends were waiting outside the house as I had the keys with me, but they had to wait for about 20 more minutes till I tasted more of the chilly January Jaipur breeze and arrived at our stay, and called it a night!
I especially loved this evening by myself more because it left me with a vibe: that Jaipur vibe that I can go back to and associate with the city. This little expedition helped me make Jaipur my own.
I feel, whenever we go travel somewhere, it is really important to come back with a part of that place always inside us, because unless we do that, did we even travel really? Although World Tourism Day is long gone, but I know that humans cannot omit travelling whatsoever, itβs our nature. Just hope that we truly immerse in the places we visit (mundane places or otherwise) for our own selves, just a little more than weβre used to! Also, itβs really not about βwhereβ you go as long as you truly BE where you are!
There is a photo-story I did long back, in my end-second year of college and I would love for you to spend some time and do give it a read, if you can.
And enjoy the journey. If you think about it, thereβs only barely anything thatβs not travelling! π