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(note: this is one of my pre-scheduled posts set to appear at 5:00am EST each morning I am in a port city. I will post follow-up information about each trip once I am able to get back on the computer.)
The ship is scheduled to arrive at 0800 in Chennai, India.
We will be in India for the next 5 days.
This is the trip I will be going on over the next few days...
Jaipur/Agra/Delhi (Time: Sunday at 1530 - Wednesday at 2330)
Description:
This trip combines the bustling city of Delhi, the majesty of the Taj Mahal, and the wonders of the "Pink City" of Jaipur. Jaipur, the capital city of the state of Rajasthan, is popularly known as the "Pink City" because of the pink-colored sandstone from which the buildings in its old, walled city are constructed. Visit the observatory designed by the astronomer Prince Maharajah Jai Singh who founded the city in the 1700s. View the landmark of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). Also, visit the City Palace, home of Jaipur royalty, which houses a museum with an extensive collection. In nearby Amber, ride up the fort on an elephant. Perched on a hill overlooking the desert plains of Rajasthan, the fort is a superb example of Raiput architecture. Enjoy the beauty of the hillside fort and the lake reflections of its terraces and ramparts.
Sunday: Transfer by motorcoach to the Chennai airport for your 2 1/2-hour flight to Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi, proceed to the hotel for check-in. (Dinner on Flight; Hotel Ashok in Delhi)
Monday: The morning's activities begin very early with a wake-up call of 0400. Depart (with packed breakfast from the hotel) for the two-hour train ride to Agra. Proceed to the hotel to freshen up, then drive to Agra Fort to view the halls and palaces of the Mughals. Next visit the fabled Taj Mahal. After lunch at the Mansingh Hotel in Agra, depart for Jaipur - a drive of approximately six hours covering 150 miles. En route visit the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri. (Box Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; Hotel Mansingh)
Tuesday: After an early breakfast at the hotel, depart for an excursion to Amber, the former capital. You may make your ascent to the citadel on the back of a gaily-caparisoned elephant. In the afternoon, enjoy an orientation of Jaipur. Return to the hotel. The evening is free for individual pursuits. An optional shopping trip, arranged by your guide, is available. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner; Hotel Mansingh)
Wednesday: Depart for the railway station at 0430 to board the train for Delhi, arriving at approximately 1110. Transfer to a hotel for lunch and then enjoy a tour of New Delhi. Drive along the ceremonial avenue of Rajpath, past the War Memorial, Parliament House, Secretariat Building and the official residence of he president of India. Visit the Gandhi Museum and the Baha'i House of Worship. Then depart for the airport for your flight to Chennai. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on flight)
(PRICE: $1222.00)
Some links relating to today's trip...
- Hotel Ashok
- Hotel Mansingh
- Chennai International Airport
- Delhi International Airport
- Agra Fort
- The Taj Mahal
- Fatehpur Sikri
- Amber
- Hawa Mahal
- Rajpath
- Parliament House
- Secretariat Building
- Gandhi Museum
- Baha'i House of Worship
Update:
We just got into India (it's 8:20 am as I write this and the ship is in the process of docking right now). Fewer students were out on deck to view us coming in. Apparently people have said that on past voyages, the student turnout to watch us pull into port gets lower and lower. My first impression of Chennai is that it looks industrial. Not many ships come into this port (not cruise ships at least) so our arrival is apparently big news. We were told that the ship's arrival was announced during prime time television during our Cultural Pre-Port. I am also pleasantly surprised to report that the city does not smell as much as people have said it did in the past. One of the resident directors did this trip as a student several years ago and she said you could start to smell India an hour before you got there. There is a vague odor, but certainly nothing unbearable by any means. I was expecting much worse from other reports of India.
