Ideally, I wanted to travel to HP for the Diwali week and spend my holidays among the mountains because I find them welcoming and honest. I wanted to wear my purple saree with a white blouse and silver jewelry on Diwali and enjoy the quietness under the stars. But god works in mysterious ways, and he certainly had other plans for me. Thus, I ended up landing in Jaipur. I barely had any clue about the city and its grandeur during Diwali. I was so clueless that I even didn't have an itinerary. All I wanted to do in the city was to have Laal maas, drink alcohol, and party like there was no tomorrow. Jaipur was supposed to be a reality escape I dreaded and a Plan B that I had to settle with - for a week. A fellow Zostel mate asked me to join him in Pushkar, but I didn't feel like changing my plans, and I don't regret it.
Little did I know, the city had a lot to offer and many surprises to send my way. Lucky for me, my first friend in the city was the guy working behind the desk of Zostel, who also helped me throughout my itinerary. He talked me into partying that night though I was tired. Sitting at the bar holding a glass of Chardonnay in my glittery black dress with some good music is all I wanted for that night. For the first time in weeks, I felt like I was breathing again and Usher's words, "Thank god the week is done. I feel like the zombie is back to life." crossed my mind. And that, my dear reader, was it. The wine acted like a magic potion, which took me to another world for the rest of the week. I fell in love with myself all over again at the end of the trip.
Over the week, I have met several fascinating, charming, driven, funny, energetic, and inspiring people daily. Someone who knows me will know that that's one drug I am addicted to, and meeting positive people makes me high. I was lucky enough to get chirpy and happy-go-lucky dormmates always. To be honest, the people I stayed with for the first two nights were my favorites. Oh! I wish I had taken some information to stay in touch with them so I could meet them again in Pune. The week had a "Good Vibes Only" feel, and I barely touched my phone to be on social media, that my friend is an actual definition of joy and contentment.
Days in the Pink city entailed historically rich and enigmatic places and nights came with laughter, games, and conversations. I partied in the middle of the week with 15 strangers, which was a hell of a night. The white-colored guy rightly commented on my Instagram video, "A game of UNO & boom, solo to 16." Diwali night involved a traditional dinner at Choki Dhani with a Bangalorean girl (Who speaks a lot) and a sweet North-eastern girl (who is a great photographer). I did make a young local friend while waiting in the queue for the food. She is getting married next year, and I am unsure if I can make it to her wedding. The shopping spree was epic, and I would anytime be ready to shop in the lanes of Bapu Nagar and Zohri Bazar. I have to thank my school friend for explicitly telling me not to miss Bapu Bazar. It was paradise for me. A poor guy carried the weight of 3 ladies on his shoulders while we (2 Gujjus & one South Indian) enjoyed shopping on the streets. God bless the French guy for suggesting sunrise in the monkey temple. The Birla Mandir ride and the visit were worth it as a confident, but emotional marwadi chick accompanied me.
I met a 19-years-old headstrong law student who turned out to be way more mature than her age. "You're going to be one badass bitch", is what I complimented her. A turquoise hair colored guy caught my attention on the first night when he was sitting with Chiku and his gang. I knew we would be friends when the night transformed into the morning. A charming Malayali girl surprised me with her clean grip on Hindi. "It's because of the EX-Factor" is what she told me when I asked the reason how and why, which I didn't get at first(How stupid of me). I share a funny ice-breaker story with a biker dude who also stayed for a week in the Pink city and became an unexpected connection. A guy from Jhansi reminded me of my previous version by saying, "I get high on life. I don't need other substances." I wish I remember the conversation with him of that night. On this trip, I didn't expect to come across a UK-based Gujju guy who had a typical English accent with a bonus of a typical Gujju accent, which blew my mind. It made me feel closer to home.
I bugged most people with my desire to meet Jaipur's king. He was in town for the week due to Diwali, and I didn't want to miss an opportunity to meet royalty. Some people are still waiting for a picture of me with the king!! Oh, wait! Let me not forget I met the Indian Salvatore brothers (The Vampire Diaries reference) during the trip, even these two were poles apart. I made fun of a stranger by saying you cannot work post lunch, and he will remember me as the girl who wanted to meet the prince. I came across a data scientist who calls himself an introvert but was the one to start the conversation. I met a fellow content writer, also on his first solo trip (starting from Delhi to Ahemdabad). I plan to party with a girl from Mumbai who told me I have a zest for life. The main highlight of the trip was the ride to Nahargarh fort. It was my first experience riding an activa on a mountain while the guy sitting behind me recorded the whole thing and enjoyed the climb.
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I have a message for each of you: I might have forgotten a few of you here but know that the time I spent with you was epic. I am glad we crossed paths. Whatever time we spend together will be cherished. The best part of the trip was meeting you all. The week with you all brought funny, serious, heavy, and knowledgeable conversation. I will always have a broad smile on my face whenever somebody asks me about my first Jaipur or solo trip. That's because of each of you and every occurrence during the week. I am still hung over with the memories of the trip.
My best trips are mostly unplanned because there are endless possibilities on a clean sheet. On that note, The Queen of Random things bids you happy weekends.
Wow
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