Day 14: Agra to Delhi to USA

It's our last day in India!!!  I am both happy and sad to leave. I am happy to come back home and see my friends. However, India was so much fun! We got to see so many animals and so many monuments. I had a great time!

My thoughts about India are mixed because at some times it was good and other times it was a little boring. I really enjoyed Elefantastic and the Monkey Temple. I didn't really enjoy the tombs and the Lotus Temple. But overall it was really cool and a great experience. Another great part was Jatin and  Rampal who were great guides and friends to us. Another cool part was being the guest of honor at the school. If you're going to India definitely have the Royal Rajasthan India Tours take you. It was a great two weeks and I hope you try it also. 

- Spencer & Jayden

Day 13: Agra

Today is our last day in Agra and our last full day in India. Tomorrow afternoon we drive to Delhi to catch a late flight back home. We took some extra time this morning enjoying the resort and pool before heading out to see the Taj Mahal up close. 

After grabbing a "battery car" ride and disposing of two uninvited tour guides we were through the Main Gate and instantly in awe:

The grounds, the water channels, the gates, and the Taj Mahal itself are stunning. No wonder 3 million people visit per year.

The past two weeks have been an incredible experience for our family. There is no way to explain what it is like white-knuckling through Delhi rush hour, or fending off street vendors, or having a family take a picture of you holding their baby, or marveling at a 400 year old architectural icon, or having your heart broken at the sight of a begging child at your car window. The monuments are great, but the people and the culture are the memories that we are bringing home. 

Here are a few random pictures from the past 2 weeks:

-Sean

Day 12: Agra

We decided to relax a bit this morning in the beautiful pool at our resort.  

Then we headed to Wildlife SOS, a bear rescue center.  Here we met some sloth bears that were rescued from a very cruel existence as dancing bears (a practice that is now illegal).  

We decided to end the evening on a rooftop terrace with a beautiful view of the Taj Mahal.  We will visit up close tomorrow, our last full day in India.  

It is difficult to describe what a remarkable trip this has been for our family.  We have learned so much and will always carry this experience close to our hearts.  As always, we are so thankful that you took the time to read the blog and follow us on this journey.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

-Jen

Day 11: Jaipur to Agra

Today we had our last breakfast with Sheetal and Shailendra, packed our bags, and said goodbye to Jaipur. We had an unforgettable week here: saw amazing sights, celebrated India's 67th Independence Day, and made new friends. Before hitting the road we kicked off Jen's birthday with the perfect card and a set of heartfelt notes of love and appreciation:

She cried... We high-fived...

Our trip to Agra began with a very enjoyable four hours of beautiful countryside. We saw many animals, villages, and schools. Some of you have asked about the restrooms here, well, here is our rest stop:

After the four hours of beautiful scenic driving came the one hour of "functioning anarchy". Luckily our driver, Jatin, is a ninja behind the wheel and navigated the bustling tourist-filled streets of Agra with ease. We arrived to our hotel with a little time to explore the grounds. Gone is the neighborhood everyman apartment living. Instead we are back in walled-in resort living with this view:

We also discovered that the ITC Mughal hotel has express transportation for non-wizards:

Our wonderful guides helped set up a great surprise birthday dinner for Jen that was fun and delicious. Rampal and Jatin Rao have been so good to us on this trip and they helped make this a very special birthday:

Happy Birthday Jen! Thanks for sharing this experience. I love you. 

-Sean

Day 10: Jaipur

Today was Independence Day in India and we were so fortunate to be named the guests of honor at the celebration at our neighborhood school.  

We were each given beautiful flower necklaces.

Sean and I were so honored to participate in the flag raising.

The children did a wonderful job singing, reciting poetry, and Rajasthani dancing.

Jayden even sang "God Bless America".

The boys were given lovely gifts.

As always, Sean was a hit with the ladies!

And Jayden thinks he is now a celebrity here!

After our very special morning, we observed Independence Day celebrations throughout the city, we ate a fantastic lunch, and went shopping for friends back home.  We enjoyed hearing about Prime Minister Modi's speech today and his vision for India's future. What an amazing country, so full of wonderful and talented people!  

Tomorrow we will leave for the 6 hour journey to Agra, where the Taj Mahal awaits.

-Jen

Day 9: Jaipur

Today was a very special day that we won't soon forget.  We had a lively discussion over breakfast highlighting the similarities and differences between Indian and American politics.

Our first stop was Ladli.  This is a home for orphaned street children to create a community together, make crafts to sell, and also obtain some schooling.  We had a nice time meeting the girls and doing some shopping.  Thanks to Ann Beck who made a very generous donation that was very well received!

Next we drove a few kilometers to the i-India center for boys.  This is exactly the same concept for boys and we enjoyed meeting the boys and doing some additional souvenir shopping.

We have really been looking forward to our next stop, Elefantasic!  We were not disappointed!  We started the adventure by feeding our elephants (Sean and Jayden had one -Tamanna- and Spence and I had the other - Muskāna).  They were so enormous yet gentle!  

Next we drove over to Rahul's (the owner of Elefantastic) home for a traditional Indian lunch:

After that we went for a relaxing bareback elephant ride:

Then we painted our elephants and gave them some water:

Finally we bathed our elephants.  It was a once in a lifetime experience and should be on the top of your list if your travels take you to Jaipur!

Last we stopped at the market to get some treats for the Independence Day festival tomorrow.  The kids are looking forward to being the guests of honor!

We are very sad that tomorrow is our last day in Jaipur.  This city is so complex and enchanting.  Hopefully we will be able to return one day!  Thanks again for following our journey!

-Jen

Day 8: Jaipur

Another great breakfast served by Sheetal and Shailendra. Jen and I have really enjoyed getting to know them and debriefing each morning about our adventures the day before. 

We started the day with a return trip to Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace to explore the grounds. It was helpful to learn that December 31st is the most popular day to book the venue. So we will have to start playing the lottery now to have a chance at this place for our Silver Jubilee. 

Next stop was the Royal Gaitor Tumbas - a collection of tombs for many of the kings of Jaipur. It was a very peaceful place with beautiful structures and a few interesting monkeys. Here's one:

We had a few hours to kill before our dinner with Rampal and his family so the boys and I went with Shailendra to the Ashok Club (an exclusive nearby social club) for a swim. 

Given our previous issues walking the streets of Jaipur we opted to grab a ride on an auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk) to get back to the apartment:

We had a great dinner and visit with Rampal and his family. They treated us to an authentic, fresh, home-cooked Indian meal at their home:

While we were there Jugal presented us with the invitation from his former primary school to have us attend their Independance Day celebration on Friday:

-Sean