Asia: exploring New Places

 There's just ONE  direct flight, leaving from Delhi to Maldives at 8am. So we're up at 3:30.am, 4 am taxi, 30 min taxi ride to airport (normally takes an hour) with rare morning horns answering each other it is a smooth and relatively quiet ride. Unfortunately, I'm too sick to care. Head congestion, zero energy, concentrating on getting through the various check-in lines (3) each one too long. Nose running like a faucet. Wearing a mask to protect others, removing and replacing every 3-5 minutes to stem the flow of water. No hands free for passport or luggage. Miserable! Dreaming of the hotel in Madives and hoping the bed is comfortable.  We make through ticketing, security, and x-ray machines only to find out our gate is at the other side of the airport. We walk for a few feet and I give up and flag down a golf cart, my first ever in all my travels.  It was a life saver, 10 minute, ride to gate 14-A. Even Annalisa is relieved as her cough begins to get the best of h...

Catching up on India: Jaipur: The Pink City. It's not what I expected.  Indeed the "old city" is pink in that the entry gate and shop stalls are painted that color. Like most cities it is traffic filled and noisy. Apparently,  the traffic is a mix of those wanting to do business there and those using the old city as a shortcut to other destinations.  It is noisy with car and motorcycle horns beeping. We "wandered" through throngs of people there to buy vegetables,  spices, and possibly clothing, following our leader like little ducklings.  Eventually,  we left the noise and went to a rooftop restaurant that has a 360 view of the city at night. It was lovely and the food was good.  Our hotel is an oasis in the middle of high rises and small businesses, and traffic. Of all our hotels this trip it is my favorite.  The Mandawa Haveli was built in 1896 and reminds me of the hotel in the 2011 movie "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" very charming with dozens ...