Michael S. LibermanIndia Day 4: Delhi to Jaipur
On the bus to Jaipur …
Today is a transfer day to Jaipur. After breakfast at the hotel we board the bus for the 265 kilometer trip. As is usually the case in these trips, by the second day everyone has claimed a spot on the bus. We’re a small enough group that we can spread out. I like sitting in the back, so my seat is on the right side of the very back row. The back row is always a few inches higher than the rest of the bus so you get a little better view. The downside is that the back is the bumpiest part of the vehicle and I spend a fair amount of time getting jostled around. Today I’ve already hit my head on the ceiling while trying to shoot video out the back window. And my camera bag hit the deck after a particularly big bump. I had my camera in hand at the time so no damage done. Fitbit thinks the bumpy ride is me walking, so by the end of the trip I have 5,600 steps and 47 flights of steps.
Bus transfer days are some of my favorite parts of these trips. Away from the tourist destinations it’s a chance to sit back, see the countryside, and get a real sense of how people live and work. Highways filled with ornately decorated trucks, overloaded farm vehicles, passenger cars with horns blaring, and, of course, cows.
The photo ops on the bus are never good. But that doesn’t stop me from trying. The windows are always reflective so I use a circular polarizing filter to minimize the amount of me that shows up as I shoot out the window. The bumps make it difficult to hold the camera steady. Even though tourist bus speeds are limited for safety, you’ve got to have quick reactions to see a subject, frame the shot, and make the capture. I miss a lot, but it’s a great way to spend a half day bus ride.
We arrive at the Park Regis hotel in Jaipur, have lunch, and then check in. We’ve got some free time so I head to the hotel pool. Before dinner we have a yoga session in the atrium of the hotel and then dinner in the hotel restaurant. Tomorrow is an early start to avoid the heat of the day as we see the landmarks of Jaipur.
