A lovely wander at the mercy of the wind in this amazing Rajasthan (page 11 of 11)

Hi Christelle, A big thank you for your travel journal—I really enjoyed reading it! It’s great to see travelers drawn to local life and places that haven’t been homogenized. I didn’t leave comments as I went because I’ve only been focusing on our November trip plans for the past week. Of course, I’ve been following Marie-Jo’s travel journals—they’re a treat and such a goldmine of information. I sent her a public message to get some extra details and her thoughts on our upcoming trip. I mainly wanted to ask about transportation. We’re thinking of taking buses, trains, or taxis between the main stops. For the first leg, you used an Uber (is it available in all major cities?), but how did you manage to leave Tijana Palace afterward? The same question goes for leaving after your stop at Lake (dried up) Nahargarh Palace. To get from Udaipur to Pushkar, I assume you took the train to Ajmer? Wishing you all the best in your travels, and maybe we’ll cross paths again following your adventures.

Hi Christelle, Thanks for this travel journal. I’m heading to Rajasthan in October for a special reason: my son’s wedding—or rather, the Indian version of their official wedding from last year, since the bride’s parents are of Indian origin. It’s going to be quite disorienting and, I imagine, grand. Thanks so much for all the info and photos. Frédérique

Hi Éric, And already kudos for this great travel project! Marie Jo has inspired others, but some places are still very much under the radar. For transport, we took it day by day—most of the time by asking the hotel or looking up nearby taxi companies on Google Maps (we only tried Uber in New Delhi). The rates were always fair, but don’t expect too much from the vehicle or the driver (they’re drivers, not guides 😄). For the train, it was indeed Udaipur/Ajmer, and that’s the only route we booked several days in advance through a travel agency because I couldn’t manage to book it directly! Don’t hesitate if you have any other questions, and I hope you’ll come back and tell us all about it 😊. Have a good evening

Thanks for your kind message, Frédérique. You’re going to experience an incredible moment at the heart of Indian culture—I’m so jealous! 😊 Enjoy every bit of it. Christelle

Hi Christelle, thanks for your reply—the plan’s coming together, and the dates are now set since we’ve booked our flight. Keep dreaming while you prep your trips and enjoy every moment once you’re there.

Hi Christelle,

Just a few extra questions—did you buy a SIM card at the airport when you arrived, and if so, how long did it take to activate (some comments mention 3 to 24 hours)? Your accommodation in Dholpur didn’t seem great, or am I mistaken? Which one was it so I can avoid it? Though I don’t see many options. From what I’ve heard, the Ibis at Delhi Airport isn’t great either...

Thanks for your reply—it’s really just a few small details.

Hi Éric, It’s great to have an attentive reader! 😊 I actually thought about buying a SIM card at the airport, but there was a huge crowd at the counter! So I skipped it and used my husband’s phone when needed—he’d gotten an eSIM before we left. The hotel in Dholpur was the "Kent Harry Resort." Honestly, for just one night, I didn’t care much about the room, but I *really* struggled with being right next to an "Indian highway" with trucks honking nonstop every 2 minutes 😩. But looking back, the contrast between what I’d imagined and reality was pretty funny! As for the Ibis Gurgaon in New Delhi, it was honestly perfect for us—especially at 50 € a night and so close to the airport! I just laughed at us for picking such an un-exotic hotel for our first night in the country 😊. Happy planning! Christelle

Hi Christelle, Thanks for your reply. If you wrote travel journals for no one to read, it’d be pretty discouraging, but I see you’ve got fans following you 😊. I’ve started following you too, so I hope to hear about your next adventures—I love them! For the SIM, I’ll see. An eSIM is relatively expensive for two months. As for the hotel when arriving in Delhi, I’ll check that out too. I’ve spotted some hotels about twenty minutes south, but thanks anyway. In Dholpur, I’ll look for a hotel in the center. We’ll give it a try since the Google ratings don’t seem trustworthy, and I can’t find any info anywhere. Looking forward to reading you soon!

So I actually had the idea to buy a SIM card at the airport

Hi Christelle,

It might come in handy—my carrier (Free) just rolled out 35GB of free international data per month. Now I’m all set for my trips! I think other carriers will follow suit to stay competitive...

Someone told me yesterday that some operators now offer 100GB of data in many countries. Otherwise, Free’s 35GB plan works in a large number of countries—I tested it in India, Senegal, and a few European countries. But be careful, it’s not the case everywhere! I was in Andorra this summer, and surprisingly, French operators aren’t allowed to offer data there, and roaming charges can end up being very expensive. Even using the internet for a simple drive through Monaco can cost a lot...

Thanks for the info, Kate—I’ll check it out! 😊

Hi Kate, Thanks for the info—I’d actually seen it, but unfortunately I’m not with Free. Maybe other providers will follow suit before I leave.

Hi there, Just saying it again in case anyone pays attention to my previous message, which might possibly provide an answer: other major French carriers also offer free gigabytes on most plans. There you go, just in case—I’m off this time!

Thanks for the info, and sorry for the misunderstanding. SFR offers 35GB abroad with their 350GB plan.

Just saying it again in case anyone pays attention to my previous message, which might possibly provide an answer: other major French carriers also offer free gigabytes on most plans. There you go, just in case—I’m off this time!

No no, stay, don’t pull your M…., uh, your drama queen thing 😛😄

Anyway, for now, Orange isn’t offering anything. And for the others, it depends on the plan. But I think it’s gonna become standard…